Read The Big Mitt (A Detective Harm Queen Novel Book 1) Online
Authors: Erik Rivenes
The Big Mitt (A Detective Harm Queen Novel Book 1) (48 page)
I want to give special thanks to a number of people who have helped me with this book. My family has been enormously supportive, starting with my sister Alison, who immediately read every chapter I wrote and gave me instant feedback and encouragement the day after I emailed it to her. My mom Gail and sister Jen acted as beta readers and assisted my story while rallying me forward, and if I could bottle and sell my mom’s enthusiasm for the characters I would be a rich, rich man. I spent hours with my father Phil going over many, many pages, and his talent for appropriate vocabulary and turn of phrase was much appreciated. I’m also blessed to have great support from Teri Hansen Anderson, who kept up with each chapter to offer praise and advice. Spence Johnson, long time Hastings stalwart and teacher, helped me with some of my Nininger questions, and historic weapons expert Chris Fischer helped wade me through an understanding of period rifles. I have a excellent editor, John Meyer, who kept me on track with accurate history and language, going far beyond his duty to help the story stay true and sharp. A special thanks to Lieutenant Chris Hudok, Minneapolis Police Historian, who not only stood by to answer any historical questions I pestered him with regarding the MPD, but took time from his busy schedule to check my manuscript for accuracy. Another man I need to thank is Aaron Isaacs of the Minnesota Streetcar Museum. He gave me lots of great advice on structuring the streetcar chase, and also wrote a superb book on the subject called
Twin Cities By Trolley: The Streetcar Era in Minneapolis and St. Paul
, which I highly recommend. Rebecca Snyder of the Dakota County Historical Society and Jack Kabrud and Susan Larson-Fleming of the Hennepin History Museum also offered their assistance to me, which I appreciate tremendously. I owe much of my love for history to Jerry Fritsch, longtime Cottage Grove teacher and “Colonel Snelling” at the Historic Fort, whose knowledge of Minnesota’s past is extraordinary. We had many great conversations over cold bottles of Summit IPA. A very special thanks to Emily, who is there every day to keep me focused on writing, when I would rather be standing in line at Dairy Queen for a cherry sundae with Wei.
And finally, a wonderful friend from England named Nikk Bond, who when very sick still urged me forward and boosted my spirits with her encouraging words. I drew inspiration from her, even after her passing, to complete the book and make it available to all.
The next Harm Queen book is already in the works, and the brand new Chief of Detective’s search for Maisy will continue, even as he gets sucked farther into the Ames brothers’ web of corruption and deceit.
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on the Big Mitt series,
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