The Deadly Pentangle:
I think many people would be surprised to learn just how dangerous an environment a grain elevator or a mill can be. It is basic physics and chemistry, and it is ruthless. I provided this section for the curious as to why these environments, unless meticulously controlled, can be so lethal.
Tumblers:
Throughout the novel, I invoke the notion of tumblers to point out how circumstances must come together, must align, to cause a disaster. I provided this section simply to clarify the metaphor for those unfamiliar with how locks work.
In many cultures safeguards have been instituted in various realms, making disasters rare. Where disasters do occur, it is because circumstances have come together in unanticipated ways.
The “El”:
For the curious, this drawing provides a visual cue to some of the events in the story. I knew nothing of the workings of a grain elevator before this novel. What I learned in the writing process fascinated me; I wanted to share it.
Emery 1974:
This map has absolutely nothing to do with the real Emery, in 1974 or any other year. While Emery, South Dakota, is a real town, my Emery is utterly fictitious. The point of this map is to give a sense of “real place” for those who want it.