There are so many people to thank, and when I was so stunned, it was hard to think at all during my speech.
First and greatest thanks are always to my Savior, Jesus Christ, for the enabling power of his atonement which led to my healing and also enabled me to learn to write again. I had that part of my brain zapped by multiple ECT’s, and it is truly miraculous that it has regenerated to the point that I can write again. Writing is so complex and involves so many different parts of the brain. It also require elasticity of thought, which we naturally lose as we age if we don’t "exercise our brains." It is absolutely a miracle that when writing I possess this elasticity, but when I’m doing normal things I’m a complete ditz.
Secondly, I must thank my wonderful husband. There is not a virtue he does not possess and he has won a crown ten feet high for staying and not running from a relationship that entailed so much angst and trial for the twenty-five years of my illness. Since I have been well, he has encouraged my writing in every way possible–even to the extent of taking a trip to Florence with me (I hired him as a photographer, otherwise of course I would have left him at home) Seriously, he has read every word I’ve written and added his own perspective–often resulting in the very best of my writing. A gifted writer himself, he has taken time from his own career to do this, as well as designing all my websites. The one at http://last-waltz.com is a work of art. Everyone simply must read his book I Need Thee Every Hour: Applying the Atonement in Our Daily Lives. It is a life-changer. Its stories tell of the miracles that have occurred in our lives and those of others because of this mighty sacrifice of our Lord and Savior.
Thirdly, I really need to thank my father, Robert V. Gibson, who is undoubtedly fuming in the Spirit World because I forgot to mention him in my speech. Not only did he fund my Stanford Education which included my six months in Austria, he always pushed me when it came to writing Waltz. I gave him sections of it for his birthday and Christmas. We plotted together, and I’m sure that he considers it just as much his book as mine. I am sad that he did not live to see this day. In our last conversation, he decreed, while thumping his cane, that this book simply MUST be published. Knowing him, he would have made certain that the news got into the New York Times, where he would have listed himself as co-author.
Next in line comes Suzanne Brady, my editor and dear friend who accompanied me to the Whitney Gala. I am so glad she was able to see me win the award, because if it weren’t for her encouragement after my illness, I might not have gone back to Deseret. Someone there had told me that they no longer wanted my fiction (during my ten year "vacation" from writing). Also, she specifically encouraged me to submit The Last Waltz, and then had the daunting task of editing it. It was too long. I told her I simply could not take any more out of it. Someone at DB believed me and lengthened the lines on the pages so that all my words would fit into the prescribed number of pages.
And where would I be without Jana Erickson, my enthusiastic product director? She has supported me gracefully in all my angst and intensity about my work, despite my numerous, frantic e-mails. She has many more books than mine to handle, but she always makes time for me. I am also thankful to Gail Halladay and the PR staff at DB, as well as my wonderful cover designer, Sheryl Dickert Smith, who always seems to pull off a miracle when designing my covers.
Aren’t you glad I didn’t say all that last night? But it needed saying!
A final thank you to all my wonderful fans who voted for my book! This award really belongs to you!
