On December 4, 2022, I wrote this opening line for Silentcide 2: Vengeance, “Death was imminent. Watching would be divine.” Late last night - 660 days later (but who’s counting) - my wife and I watched and listened in anxious anticipation. Each passing minute was slower. A palpable aura of excitement and trepidation consumed our silence. The wait was nerve-racking.

The appointed time finally came … and went. Nothing! What’s wrong? While my brain flooded with possible problems, my wife offered well-intended assurances. This toxic mix escalated for four agonizing minutes until we heard a ding. I grabbed my cell phone and opened Kindle. There it was. Amazon had downloaded the e-book. Silentcide 2: Vengeance was officially born, the youngest of about two million books published this year.

We opened a bottle of champagne, had a celebratory toast, and went to bed. I fell asleep with a smile of contentment.

I want to thank my editors (Alyssa Matesic, Megan McKeever, Lisa Gilliam, Sarah Liu), cover designer (Rafael Andres), distribution specialist (Victoria Griffin), website manager (Kraig Larson), subject-matter experts, beta readers, and especially my wife for your invaluable help in making publication day possible. You are an incredible team!

Richard Ebert
Goodreads Author
www.RichardEbert.com