Little Pink House_ A True Story of Defiance and Courage - Jeff Benedict [169]
I’m also indebted to a man whom I regretfully left out of this story, Neild Oldham. Frankly, without him, this story would have turned out a lot different. He carried the banner of the Fort Trumbull residents with unmatched courage and passion. Oldham’s actions deserve to be chronicled. But shortly after I met Mr. Oldham, he died, foreclosing any opportunity to interview him on the record. Many rightfully see him as an unsung hero.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that during the course of writing this book I joined the faculty of Southern Virginia University, where I teach advanced writing and current affairs. President Rodney Smith promised me a great environment for writing, and he delivered on that promise.
I conclude with those whom I treasure most—my professional colleagues and my family.
My publisher, Jamie Raab, and associate publisher, Les Pockell, have been great to me and my family. And they have been bullish about this story since the first draft pages hit their desks. I’m deeply grateful for the privilege of writing under Grand Central Publishing’s imprint.
Many people at Grand Central Publishing—from Sales to Advertising to Marketing—got behind this book in a big way. I’m indebted to all of them. And a few require special mention. No detail was too small for production editor Dorothea Halliday, who was relentless in her pursuit of excellence as we refined the narrative and polished the presentation. Chris Nolan’s insight, experience, and mastery of words brought clarity to the story and tightened key passages. And Tracy Martin and Evan Boorstyn logged long hours on the little things that go a long way to a book’s success. This A-team was led by my editor, Rick Wolff, who saw the power of this story long before it was written and whose enthusiasm never wavered.
Rick is much more than an editor to me. He offered me my first commercial-publishing contract back when I was a first-year law student with no writing pedigree to speak of. What can I say? The guy changed my life by giving me a chance to write. And he’s just a wonderfully decent, honest human being with incredibly high professional standards. I’m blessed to be his close colleague.
My agent, Basil Kane, is simply one of my dearest friends. We sometimes talk two or three times a day. Rarely does a week go by that we don’t speak. He’s been my confidant, and he’s been at my side through thick and thin for all twelve years of my writing career. I’m not sure I deserve such good company.
My personal assistant in Connecticut, Donna Cochrane, has been with me long enough that she is like family. Her loyalty and goodness are priceless human qualities.
My children are my pride and joy. I love writing, but I love them a lot more. Tennyson Ford, Clancy Nolan, Maggie May, and Clara Belle are what makes me rich and keeps me humble.
My wife, Lydia, is a daring woman. She jumped off a cliff with me when I decided to write this book without a contract. For two years I researched and wrote with no guarantee that this story would ever get published. Her faith inspired me to press on and on and on. She’s the one I owe the most. She’s my true north. She’s simply the one, the beautiful one.
SOURCE NOTES
The primary sources for this book include interviews conducted by the author, correspondence with the author, public and private papers, and photography (both still and motion pictures).
THE INTERVIEWS
Close to three hundred on-the-record interviews and countless off-the-record interviews and background conversations were conducted. Many of these were tape-recorded and most sources were interviewed more than once. Some principal characters were interviewed more than a half dozen times, and a couple of principals were interviewed in excess of twenty-five times.
The book’s dialogue and direct quotes are largely a result of two techniques: multiple interviewing and tape recording. Participants in