“I’ve never been the sort of person to stand up and make noise, literally or figuratively. I enjoy making my quiet way through life, though occasionally I am overlooked. It’s a loud world we live in, and when your loudest voice is only audible in the imaginations of readers, you can’t expect to be heard without some help. I thought I would never find the help I needed. So, naturally, it was dropped right in my lap. A few years ago, in what I would call a “Goddishly Inspired Event,” John Koehler heard my voice, and decided that other people needed to hear it, too. He helped me publish my first book, though I sent him the manuscript by accident, trying to enter a writing contest with a document far in excess of the word limit. I am very grateful for the chance I was given, and grateful to have my novel out there in the world, shouting a message to all who choose to read it. Thank you, John Koehler and Koehler Books, for handing me the literary bullhorn.”