Many people provided inspiration and support as I worked on Keeping the House. I wish to extend special thanks to the men and women of the World War II generation whom I met while working at the Richard I. Bong World War II Heritage Center, for the truly inspiring stories they shared with me, and to D. J. Tice and Dorothy Youso for so graciously answering my questions about the dances at the Avalon Ballroom in La Crosse, Wisconsin, during World War II.

Thank you to Tim and Debbe at the Candlewick Inn in Merrill, Wisconsin, for sharing the story about the rumored curse on the house in Merrill, and to Linda Fournier for information on Camp McCoy.

Deepest thanks to the dear friends who reviewed early drafts and cheered me on, including Janet Murphy, Amy Tyson, Wendy Miller, Molly Holleran, and Kim Erickson. Thank you to J. Robert Lennon and Mardi Link for helping me find a mean streak, to Mike Savage for encouraging me at the outset, and to everyone at J. W Beecroft Books & Coffee, especially Carrie Sutherland and Amanda Parker, for your continuing support.

Many, many thanks to Lara Zielin for her tireless and always insightful critiques, her unflagging support and enthusiasm, and, most important, her friendship.

Some people I just can’t thank enough are my wonderful agent, Marly Rusoff, and her associates, Michael Radulescu and Julie Mosow. Deepest gratitude to Kate Medina for her enthusiasm and brilliant insight, and to the stupendous team at Random House, especially Robin Rolewicz and Abby Plesser, plus Debbie Aroff, Porscha Burke, Karen Fink, Julie Kraut, Bara MacNeill, Tom Nevins, Beth Pearson, Jessica Pearson, Lydah Pyles, Sarah Paruolo, Stephanie Sabol, and Sasha Sadikot.

Finally, thank you to my family—especially my parents, Bob and Marya, and my brother, Bill—for the constant force they are in my life, and to my husband, Jay, for providing me with support and love beyond imagining.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELLEN BAKER was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and grew up in Wisconsin and Illinois. She earned a master’s degree in American studies from the University of Minnesota, worked as curator of a World War II museum, and is currently a bookseller and event coordinator at an independent bookstore. She lives with her husband in Wisconsin.

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