When the Sky Fell Apart (44 page)

To my most critical (and therefore most wonderful) readers and friends, Bill and Nettie Gurney: endless thanks for your unceasing enthusiasm and continued support of my writing. Thank you also for the detailed critiques, notes and ideas. A special thanks for the four A4 pages of blasting criticism on the first draft, Bill—you were absolutely correct on every point!

To the other friends who have been kind enough to read my work and offer suggestions: Emma Searles for your encouragement and support on that messy first draft, Cathy Thompson-Jones for your endless patience and detailed notes on my short stories, Penny Clarke and Sachin Choithramani for your words of encouragement. Thanks also go to other friends who read the first section, or first drafts, and gave advice: Katie Purser, Robert Ward-Penny, Roger McBrien, Jonathan Pettifer, Stephen Richards, Holly Alexander, Becky Kemp, Christina Athens-Davies, Pav Dhande, Michael Swann and my sister Penny Mourant. Thanks also to Jean McGrane and all the Bédar Writers for your kind words of encouragement. Apologies to anyone who I have forgotten to include here.

To my lovely brother-in-law Charlie Mourant: thanks for your wonderful enthusiasm about the novel and for the anecdote of the Christmas turkey under the duvet.

To Monty Tadier, thanks for the correct spelling of
Jèrriais
, for the suggested reading material, and for everything fifteen years ago.

Huge thanks to my wonderful school English teacher, Graham Crosby, who first believed I could write and was both encouraging and inspirational. I haven't met an English teacher to equal him yet.

Much love and gratitude to Doug and Liz Day, who have both encouraged me and been so generous with their time and care of my two small boys.

At Peters Fraser and Dunlop, I am eternally indebted to my agent, the wonderful and brilliant Nelle Andrew, who worked until midnight and beyond for me, tirelessly championed my novel across the seas and then told me, quite rightly, to ‘stop being such a mare'. You are a force of nature and I so appreciate everything you continue do for me. I also owe a debt of thanks to Rachel Mills and Silvia Molteni.

An enormous thank you to my fantastic editor at Text, Rebecca Starford, who was utterly brilliant to work with and made the potentially laborious process of editing so enjoyable. Her sharp eye, wonderful suggestions (always phrased as thought-provoking questions) and delicate touch have helped me to shape the novel into something far beyond my expectations.

Finally, a giant thank you to my long-suffering husband, John Wood, who reads my work (and feigns interest most convincingly), endures the roller-coaster of my various writing-related mood-swings and ungrudgingly provides support and encouragement…as well as practical help and easily forgotten inconsequentials like food and cups of tea. Sometimes I wonder why you put up with me. And then I remember that I put up with you. x