Dedication. As an author I deal with two. First, there is the commitment I make to transform an idea that popped inside my head into a book. This is a process that typically takes months of sitting at my computer, letting the words come together, typically 500 a day. Then there is the self-editing that often comes midway and certainly a few times after I reach the end. You could also factor in the business end of writing, that is, getting the word out about my books.

As part of that process, there is another form — choosing who I will honor with an official dedication. What person or persons have made an impact in my life, especially my writing, in some way? It’s my official and public form of thank you.

At this point I have sixteen books published, including the most recent The Swanson Shuffle. The next, Finding the Source, the next Isabel Long Mystery, set in the fictional hilltowns of Western Massachusetts, will be released June 4.

Several books have been dedicated to family, including my husband Hank, our six children, and two grandchildren. My late mother, Algerina Medeiros, is on that list since she was a big reader and it turns out, the inspiration for Isabel Long’s mother.

Then there are friends who deserve mention. 

Teresa Dovalpage inspired me to write mysteries after I read hers — A Havana Mystery Series among others. We met in Taos, New Mexico, and I fondly remember talking and drinking Cuban coffee at her home. Teresa has encouraged me as I negotiate the publishing world.

I met Frederick Fullerton in college, and our friendship has continued these oh-so-many years with nearly daily emails, often about writing and the books we’ve read. He published two books this year, a novel, The Writer of Unwritten Books, and a collection of short stories, The Prisoner & Other Stories.

Karen Westergaard and Victor Morrill are hilltown friends who deserved to have a hilltown book dedicated to them, Northern Comfort. I have so enjoyed our conversations in their welcoming home and gardens.

John McCann and Helen James are two medical professionals who have given me wonderful healthcare. Talk about dedication.

Steve and Diane Magargal are the former owners of Liston’s Bar in Worthington, where we used to live. Nearly every Friday night, Hank and I went there for music, dancing, and comradery — a fun night out. Liston’s is the inspiration for the Rooster Bar in my Isabel Long Mystery Series, but the characters are all made up. Honest. By the way, after Steve and Diane sold the bar, it was bought by a group of locals, who tore it down and had it rebuilt. 

The Swanson Shuffle is dedicated to two teachers from my childhood — Irma Darwin and Donald Graves. 

Irma was my fourth-grade teacher who was the first to encourage me to write on my own, making up short stories and one-act plays. I assigned parts to my classmates, and we practiced at recess. Later, we performed in front of the class. I don’t remember what I wrote, but I do the feeling of using words to tell a story.

I met Donald in fifth grade when I was among the students selected from our town’s elementary schools to attend an enrichment program in science and creative writing held Wednesdays. I bet you can guess which class I preferred. Donald’s approach to creative writing was a deeper way for me to express myself. Frankly, I had to wait until I was in college to get anything similar.

So who earned a dedication for Finding the Source? It’s my secret until June 4.