Author’s Note

When I’m reading on my Kindle app, the book I open always starts at Chapter 1. I have to page back to see the cover, dedication, all that. Maybe there’s a setting where I can change that? Anyway, I don’t want anyone to miss the Author’s Note that begins Soaked to Death. I’ve reproduced it for you below. The third paragraph is the most important.

“Please know that it’s Stephen referring to Melanie as the most beautiful thing and to the speed dating as normal. Not me.

“In real life, the Stone Canyon Reservoir is now (since late 2019) covered by a 700,000 square foot floating membrane made of polyethylene synthetic rubber. It’s meant to prevent evaporation of the water and reduce risk from bacteria. No one is fishing or floating in it these days.

“Some of you will think that Stephen is an unrealistic character. No one could possibly be that clueless, right? Wrong. Please keep in mind as you read that Stephen is the only character I’ve ever written who is entirely based on a real person. As far as I know, the real Stephen has never taken up with a Russian woman, but it is absolutely something he would do. The real Stephen is not from Wisconsin, he’s still alive, and he does not work at Walmart. I’ve never met his sister or mother, so Vickie and Joanne are fabrications.

“Other than that, Stephen is painfully real. Ask anyone who knows him.”

You’ve been warned.