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Where to start? This feels like sorting out a seating plan at a wedding – who do I sit upfront, in the middle, up the back? Hell, I’m just going to toss names up the in air and see where they land.
Chris Collins, my supplier of cat food, sanity and mortgage payments. One day, I’ll upgrade your ute and buy us that dream home in Port Douglas. Love you and our bunnies to bits. You are my rock.
My RMIT PWE buddies who have stayed in touch via our Chicken Writers group and become the most amazing and generous of friends: Kathryn Moore, Jo Burnell, Connie Spanos, Ara Sarafian. You all give an abundance of love, time and patience. You are a lesson in endurance when I rail against feedback. You are my personal cheer squad who support me as I whine, wine and write. You must all be a little crazy.
Nikki Bielinski, Sylvia Goudie, Adam VanLangenberg, Tim Byrne, Deborah Vanderwerp, Hutch Stevens. Each of you have helped me along this bumpy ride, if not on this book, then as a developing writer.
Nicole Hayes thank you for your friendship, generosity and years of guidance in your workshops, and for taking time out from your crazy busy schedule to read my manuscript. Melissa Manning bless you for your endless encouragement, belief, support and advice when you were so deep in your own work and should have been focused on yourself.
RMIT and TAFE PWE tutors and classmates. Thank you for your knowledge and generosity when I returned to study, vulnerable and not knowing know how much I didn’t know.
Stuart Reedy and the Phoenix Park Writers group, for the camaraderie and endless weeks, years of workshopping. Stuart, I could always feel you believed in me. Marisa Pintado of Hardie Grant and Melanie Ostell, you probably don’t know how much your time and encouragement meant.
Sally Hetherington thanks for your help with the original artwork way back when. Sorry, I couldn’t keep my fingers out, but you know you love me. Elizabeth Stevens, you are a star. Thanks for the selfpub hand-holding.
Ari Gershevitch, Geraldine Stallard, Andrew Pelechaty, Ruth Van Gramberg, Sally Odgers, Theresa Bonn, Lana Collins, Joe Pryke, for your fresh eyes on my manuscript in its various forms. Ena Makaus, for getting me hooked on writing in the first place. Who knew where that first TAFE class, ‘Find Your Inner Voice’, would lead?
My AJC Publishing editors, beta reading team, and editing mentor Wendy Monaghan: without your professionalism and dedication, I wouldn’t have the time to write at all.
And finally, me, because I freakin’ did it. Now where’s the wine and chocolate? And if you have helped me in any way, and I’ve forgotten to mention you, I’m terribly sorry. Blame it on Clusterfluff* fallout.
* https://www.ajcollins.com.au/category/aj-collins-my-brain-tumour-blog/
