Solomon's Oak (41 page)

Authors: Jo-Ann Mapson

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Self-actualization (Psychology), #Literary, #Loss (Psychology), #Psychological

BOOK: Solomon's Oak

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A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

Grateful acknowledgment to Debra Utacia Krol for the use of her mother’s, Mary Bishop Larson’s, traditional Jolon Indian story “The Headless Lady of Jolon.” Mrs. Larson is one of the documented few to have actually seen Mrs. Halloran’s ghost.

Robert Latham and Karen Broughton generously helped me with pirate-wedding research and gifted me with the DVD of their inspirational ceremony. Varieties of the pirate-wedding vows appear all over the Internet, on such sites as favoriteideas.com, talklikeapirate.com, blackravenadventures.com, thebeenews.com, fantaseaweddings.com.

Bash
’s (1644–94) poem “The Oak Tree” has been translated by many and can be found in anthologies, and all over the Internet. This is my humble interpretation.

Many thanks to Judi Hendricks for the use of two sentences from her wonderful novel
The Laws of Harmony.

Thank you to Jeffrey Eugenides for my borrowing of his dog’s name, Edsel.

Thank you to Laura C. Martin for her wonderful books on the folklore of trees, flowers, and animals. They have inspired me throughout my writing days and continue to be a source I turn to often.

Gracious thanks and love to my agent and dear friend, Deborah Schneider, for her steadfast belief in me, and in this book. Also to her entire office staff, especially Cathy Gleason, who pretty much always knows the answer to every question I ask.

I am thankful and grateful beyond words to Nancy Miller at Bloomsbury USA and Helen Garnons-Williams at Bloomsbury UK for their enthusiasm regarding this book. Also to my copy editor, Steve Boldt, production editor, Laura Phillips, and the sales force for supporting this book.

Thank you also to Dorothy Massey at Collected Works, who is always generous and supportive, and who owns the finest indie bookshop in Santa Fe.

When a writer utters the words “This book could not have been written without the support and encouragement of so many people,” what she really means is to acknowledge and truly appreciate the people who put up with her inattentiveness, glum outlook, and whining. A few of my biggest supporters and best friends include Sherry Simpson, Earlene Fowler, Judi Hendricks, Rich Chiappone, David Stevenson, Anne Caston, Kathleen Tarr, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Olds-Huffman; and my son, Jack, and his wife, Olivia Barrick; my sisters, Lee and C.J.; my brothers, John and Jim; and my mother, Mary, who told me wonderful stories all my life. Without you, I wouldn’t ever finish anything.

Dogs (Verbena, Cricket, Henry, Piper, and Rufus) make even the hardest parts of life bearable, and often entertaining.

My husband, Stewart Allison, cheers me on when I’m down, makes me laugh when I’m overly serious, and has loved me all these years. You have so many times over earned your gold crown in heaven that it is blindingly bright with gems. Thank you for believing me to be a keeper.

A N O T E O N T H E A U T H O R

Jo-Ann Mapson is the author of nine previous novels, including the beloved
Hank & Chloe
,
Blue Rodeo
(CBS TV movie), and the
Los Angeles Times
bestsellers
The Wilder Sisters
and
Bad Girl Creek
, a book-club favorite. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband and their five dogs. Visit her Web site at www.joannmapson.com.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

The Owl & Moon Café

The Wilder Sisters

Loving Chloe

Shadow Ranch

Blue Rodeo

Hank & Chloe

Fault Line
(stories)

The Bad Girl Creek trilogy:

Bad Girl Creek

Along Came Mary

Goodbye, Earl

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Bloomsbury USA, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

Published by Bloomsbury USA, New York

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Mapson, Jo-Ann.

Solomon’s oak : a novel / Jo-Ann Mapson. —1st U.S. ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-60819-330-1

1. Loss (Psychology)—Fiction. 2. Self-actualization (Psychology) —Fiction.

I. Title.

PS3563.A62S65 2010

813’.54—dc22

2010009792

First published by Bloomsbury USA in 2010