The idea behind this book was what you might call ‘found fiction’ – starting with real people and the real stories behind them. Since those first interviews, of course, the whole thing has been changed … characters have been developed and merged, others invented, situations removed, blown up, turned around … in short, it has been fictionalized. But I hope that many of the people I spoke to when I was putting the book together can find traces of themselves in these pages.
As a result, there are a great many people to thank. I had a major advantage writing this one, as the project was first commissioned by Channel Four, with a view to making TV out of it. Lime Pictures, the production company, provided a researcher to help me, which made a huge difference to the collection of material. My thanks then to C4 for the original commission, even if it got no further than script stage, and especially to Tony Wood who sold the idea to them in the first place. Also to Tim Compton who script-edited the early stages, and most especially to Natalie Grant, the researcher, who helped so much in the early stages. I wonder how many of them you recognize, Nat?
A big thank-you to Kaye Tew from MMU, the first person I spoke to, and her son, Callum.
I talked to a great many people at PRUs, care homes and other organizations around the North West. Organizations of this kind vary enormously in this country, but along with a few grim ones I came across some wonderful places, staffed by people who were truly inspirational. I’m thinking of Karen and Jenny in Didsbury, Lisa and Joelle in the Wirral. Also Rob Loach in Harrogate and everyone in the wonderful PRU in Blackburn. Fresh fruit in every room and flowers in the corridor – so much that I much admired.
As for the young people I spoke to, and who impressed me so much – special thanks to Jamie, Jamie, Matt and Jay from Kill All Enemies for spending so much time telling me their stories – and not least for letting me pinch the name of their band for my book. These guys turned themselves into kind and generous people by sheer strength of mind – and through music. And of course, special thanks to Bobby-Joe – a true warrior and an inspiration to many people.
There are a great many more – I could go on for pages. If you’re not here it’s for one reason only; among so many wonderful stories, from staff and students alike, you can’t use them all in just one book. I could write three more and not repeat myself once.
I’d like to thank all the people who helped with the actual manuscript: Mary Byre for her excellent suggestions, and all the good folk at Puffin – Sarah, my editor, and Wendy Tse and Samantha Mackintosh for their work on timelines and for getting the words in the right order.
Finally, many, many thanks to Anita, my partner, who spent days and days reading and re-reading the book, editing, advising and coming up with some marvellous ideas when I was going word-blind. She was tireless, ruthless and uncompromising, and Kill All Enemies wouldn’t be half the book it is without her.
Thanks to you all – I hope you like the book.