By far the greatest thank you is for the exceptional Haylee Nash at Pan Macmillan who fished me out of the slush pile, bought me a fancy lunch and believed in this manuscript more than I could ever have hoped for. To Emma Rafferty, Julia Stiles and Elizabeth Cowell for making the book better and for making me yell at the silent computer screen until I felt I’d made my point. To Debra Billson for the cover I would have designed had I a single ounce of artistry in me. And to my lovely agent, Grace Heifetz at Curtis Brown, for her kindness and her wisdom and all the funnies.
Belief in someone is an exceptional thing, particularly when it far outweighs that which you have in yourself. With love and gratitude: Pip, Nat, Laura, Leah and Renee – the demented stars by which I navigate. Mrs F – my long-term champion. Rhoda, Loretta, Gabriel, Tuksy, Edna, Sizah, Charley, Kanijama, Sarina, Aunty Jan, Uncle Joe and the rest of my Solomon family – you are some of the best people this world will ever know. Bae ufala olowe stap insaed hart blo mi. The owners of all the couches, foldout beds and spare rooms I inhabited across three continents whilst writing this – thank you for your kindnesses: Nat, Daniel, Vassos, Evangelia, Youla and Sophie, Jaine and Antonio, Ana Karenina, Andre Filipi, Filipi, Goleo, Dona Lucia and Mr Macedo, Tereza, Mayanne, Christian, Christianne, Ana, Manuela, Mariana, Gabriella, Giselle and Leo, Cris and Rafael, Ann, Peter, Tom dog, Cas, Bruce, Sid and Magee, and Ben and Dani. Doaky – early draft reader/top-shelf friend. Rani and Rani’s dad – for polar/stellar legal advice. Jemal – because he asked and because I’d like extra TIL. Aunty Rene and Aunty Jo – for helping with the Greek. Brian and Lauren – for accepting my ratbaggery and returning it with love. Matt and Max – I didn’t get to choose you but I wouldn’t choose anyone else. John – my person and my world, who holds me together when I’d otherwise crumple and reminds me mid-histrionics that the sky will never actually fall. And Ma, always.
To EC for being there with me on the jetty by the lagoon when this all started. And a too-late thank you to Terry Pratchett for first making me adore stories and then making me want to write them. Your books are my oldest friends.
The Pacific is an incredible place and as Australians we should know more about our closest neighbours. The Solomon Islands, like many other Pacific nations, faces many challenges in their efforts to improve the opportunities of their people, particularly women and girls. I lived and worked in Solomon Islands for nearly two years and I know that when people are supported to design and implement their own development projects, real sustainable change can happen. To find out more about some of the inspiring change happening, visit www.pacificwomen.org or www.iwda.org.au