| A lot of people helped in many different ways to bring this book to print. Thanks first of all to my online writing buddy Jean Everett. If it weren't for her travel section on the Time-Warner Authors Forum on Compuserve, I never would have connected with my wonderful editor Lissa Dailey at Hunter Publishing, and this book would not have come to be. A special thanks to publisher, Michael Hunter, for all the hard work he put into making this book beautiful and accurate. Also a big thank you to my agent, B.J. Robbins. |
| I would like to thank my other online writer friends, Kate Grilley, David Shreiner, and Kari Wainwright, for sharing the joy and angst of writing this book. |
| The Professional Writers League of Long Beach got me started in my writing career, and I wish there were space to thank each and every one of them for their support over the years. |
| My friends shared their ideas of what makes a weekend romantic and helped me find the best places to stay, the most romantic places to eat, and incredibly fun things to do. I particularly want to thank Lanie Adamson, Glenda Baker, Bob and Shirley Dettloff, John Duncan, Gary and Lynn Gorman, Amy Lindsay, Dick and Sue Lordahl, Bob and Connie Mandic, Bob Murray, Scott Murray, Jim and Jennifer Robins, Loraine and Murray Schacher, Alan and Kathy Schramm, Ron and Judy Shenkman, Phil and Judi Smith, Steve and Carol Tyron, VaNessa Vollmer, and others who shared their opinions on romantic getaways. And a special thank you to my brother, George Wilson, who is one of the world's true romantics. |
| To writer and special friend Joyce Spizer, a huge thank you for all the lunches at outdoor cafs and late-night coffeeshop sessions as we labor to make our writing sing and zing. |
| Diane Baker of the Huntington Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau got me started with my first travel writing assignment long ago and gave me some hot travel tips for this book. I'd like to thank her and her counterparts in the other communities that I covered here. I wish there were space to list you all. |
| Finally, many, many thanks to Vic Leipzig, my loving husband and partner in travel. Thanks for letting me have a bit of fun at your expense in the text, for helping with the research, and for all the romantic weekends that were the inspiration for this book. Love to you all. |
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