To Jan Greenhawt, Barbara Schwartz, and Chuck Barquist for their assistance reviewing the manuscript. To Debbie and Mark Masuoka and Stan and Debbie Deutsch. To Susan Mitnick and all my friends from Hudson, NY, for their unending support for my latest work.
Of course, thanks to my family. To Helene for her help and excitement in the project, Sasha for her infinite curiosity that always inspires, Zach for our fossil hunting some years back where the idea for Old Earth began to gestate, and Jake for introducing me to a key element in the novel, which by now you’ve read: Vantablack.
Additional thanks to the executives, members, and the community of writers and fans of the International Thriller Writers Association, the great Michael Palmer who launched me in the mystery and thriller genre, and Kimberly Howe for her ongoing attention at ITW convention time. Added thanks to friends and colleagues Jeffrey Davis, Dick Taylor, Robb Weller, along with researcher/investigator/producer John Greenewald, Jr., KTLA Entertainment Anchor/Reporter Sam Rubin, WBZ Radio talk show host Jordan Rich, and thriller author WG Griffiths. To esteemed PBS television host Barry Kibrick for booking me again and again on his remarkable Emmy Award winning series Between the Lines, and to Adam Cushman at Red14Films for his company’s creative approach to my book trailers. Thanks as well to Lake Arrowhead Jurassic Fossils, Lake Arrowhead, CA.
Of course, special thanks go to the wonderful team at Diversion Books in New York, led by Publisher Scott Waxman, Editorial Director, Mary Cummings, Editor Randall Klein, the Marketing team of Hannah Black and Brielle Benton, Production Manager Sarah Masterson Hally, and Caroline Teagle for her inspired cover design. Thank you. You’re all amazing!
Finally, my interest in the area goes back to my parents, Stanley and Evelyn Grossman, who encouraged me to be a rock hound. I dug and scraped for fossils in limestone quarries left behind by the Columbia County, NY cement factories and chiseled great finds out of the cliffs that overlooked my high school athletic field. I’m sure this will resonate, too: I have to point to those classic Random House All About Books and Landmark Books on earth sciences, dinosaurs, and history. They were fascinating reads as a kid, that definitely created a through-line to my writing today.