Acknowledgments

In May 2017 I was diagnosed with cancer. How did I react? I wrote a book. Not a book about cancer, admittedly. Instead, I chose to write something that removed me as far away from oncology rooms and hospital wards as possible.

From a dream came the whisper of a possibility. I never expected the words that I wrote in that chemotherapy chair to reach an audience of one, let alone the eyes of my amazing editor, Nina Bruhns. Thank you, Nina, for your endless encouragement, advice and patience. My sincerest gratitude extends to all those at Entangled Publishing as well.

To my husband, Matt—the man who literally holds me all together. I use the word “literally” on purpose because I know how much he hates it. Thank you for looking after our girls when I’m stuck in hospital or locked away in my writing cave for hours and hours.

To my beautiful daughters, Emily & Jessica. Despite the tipped hourglass hanging over all our heads, I hope I’m giving you the same belief in yourselves that my own parents did. I love you past the moon, all the way to Jupiter, only to slingshot around the sun a couple of times, and then back again. There is far too much screen time when mummy’s working but I don’t think that you’re complaining.

To my burgeoning Street Team, Dante’s Devils… There aren’t enough adjectives to describe you so I’ll stick with a simple thank you (in fifty-foot-high letters and lit up in neon).

And finally, to the readers… Without you, I wouldn’t exist. I’d be a rogue speaker in the soliloquy of life. Thank you for making all my dreams come true.

Catherine