Now that we’re within a few weeks of the Oct. 1 release of Crosses of Iron, I want to call your attention to a few words that appear in the Acknowledgments section at the back of the book.

There you will find an expression of my heartfelt gratitude to the Dawson community for its encouragement and support throughout this long journey:

“As a small token of my appreciation to the many Dawsonites who made it possible for me to tell this story, 10 percent of the author’s share of royalties from sales of this book will be donated to the Dawson New Mexico Association.”

I also list the mailing address in case any private citizens or corporations are moved by this story to make a tax-deductible donation to the nonprofit association, which is responsible for maintaining historic Dawson Cemetery and organizing the biennial Labor Day reunions on the old townsite.

I realize my annual contribution won’t put a major dent in the association’s expenses, but it’s the least I can do to thank Dawson folks for welcoming this stranger into their lives these past few years.