Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea

As always, I’m indebted to the great folks at Kensington Publishing. Thanks to my editor, John Scognamiglio, whose mind, I’ve discovered, never stops working to fine-tune the details of a story he loves. I’m lucky enough to have written this manuscript under his watchful eye, and it’s a much better book because of it. Thanks to the amazing sales force, who manages to get my books everywhere and gives me the thrill of seeing my novels next to authors who have inspired my career. And thanks to Jackie Dinas and the sub-rights division, who work hard to sell my books around the world!

Thanks again to my agent, Marlene Stringer, who has become one of my greatest cheerleaders. Foresight and composure are great talents, and she has both.

I tip my hat to Bev Cousins, my editor at Random House Australia, for her insights into this story, which helped polish the final version.

Thanks to my first readers–Amy, Mary, and this time around, Chris. Your observations and suggestions made Don’t Believe It much stronger than when I first handed you the manuscript.

Running a household is difficult, and doing it nearly solo while your husband hides in the den and disappears before sunrise is even harder. Thanks to my remarkable wife, Amy, for keeping our lives on track while I chase my dream. To Abby and Nolan for giving up the computer when I needed to beat a deadline, and for decorating my office with every piece of promotional material they could find for Don’t Believe It in order to cheer me over the finish line. It worked!

I know nothing about television production or international law, and leaned heavily on many people to help me. Thanks to the producers at NBC who took my calls and answered my questions. Nothing about my fictional documentary is true, or even possible, but it worked for my story.

Thanks to my old friend, Michael Chmelar, Assistant U.S. Attorney, who took my calls and answered my emails for nothing more than my meager payment of a couple of beers at an outdoor patio in the heat of summer. You are a much smarter man than I am, and your smarts helped me navigate the world of international law. I used my literary license when I needed the law to work for my story, so anything “illegal” that occurs in this book is my doing, not Mike’s.

Finally, thanks to my niece, Sidney Ella, for allowing me to borrow her name for my protagonist.