Once Upon a River (44 page)

She had felt the baby startle at her contact with the river, had felt it jostle as she began to swim, and then the baby relaxed. As Margo floated, the baby floated with her. The black dog left his food bowl and jumped off the side of the gangplank, came splashing down into the river. He walked in up to his knees and lapped at the water. Smoke would turn in his grave to see his dog drinking from the river. Margo laughed and held on so as not to be swept away.

• Acknowledgments •

Thank you, Heidi Bell and Carla Vissers, Andy Mozina and Lisa Lenzo, for being smart and generous readers and fine writing friends. Thank you, Bill Clegg, for going above and beyond for this book. Thank you, Jill Bialosky, for your shaping, your fine tuning, and your plain good sense.

The following kind souls helped me by reading one or another draft of this novel: Gina Betcher, Jamie Blake, Glenn Deutsch, Godfrey Grant, Sheryl Johnston, Lindsey Kamyn, Mimi Lipson, Susan Ramsey, Diane Seuss, Melvin Visser, Shawn Wagner. Thank you Gary Peake, Master Bull’s-Eye Shooter, for sharing your expertise and philosophy and for your exquisite attention to every shot Margo takes. I’m indebted to my grandpa Frank Herlihy of Red House Island, who lived long enough to know more than anyone else on the river, and granny Betty Herlihy, who knew plenty her husband didn’t. And my dear Unca Terry Herlihy, who keeps a toe in the water.

Many people helped me with this book. A more complete list of acknowledgments appears on my website, www. bonniejocampbell.com.

Every person and place Margo encounters in this story is pure fiction. Even many aspects of the Kalamazoo River have been reimag-
ined.
Once Upon a River
includes material from two short stories. “Family Reunion” was first read aloud on WBEZ’s
Stories on Stage
and first published at
Mid-American Review
and then in
American Salvage
(Wayne State University Press, 2009); “Fishing Dog” was originally published in
North Dakota Quarterly
and then in
Women & Other Animals
(University of Massachusetts Press, 2000).

Thank you, Susanna, for always being there, and for being just the mother a writer needs.

Thank you, darling Christopher, for everything, always.