I’m fortunate to live by the wardan on Whadjuk Noongar boodja, and I wish to pay my respects to their Elders past, present and future. Country sustains and informs my writing in ways for which I continue to be very grateful.
My thanks to Whadjuk Noongar Elder Len Collard, for providing information on the land where I write and for generously offering me language for it.
Fremantle Press has proved to be a fabulously supportive and cohesive team, and a wonderful home for my novel. I thank especially my editor, Armelle Davies, for her care, clarity and elegant solutions; Naama Grey-Smith for her meticulous proofreading; Georgia Richter, who ‘got it’ immediately and with delight; and Claire Miller, for her warm and tireless can-do attitude. I’m also grateful for the inspired design work from Nada Backovic.
I am indebted to Lee Kofman, Donna Mazza and Susan Midalia for endorsing Eye of a Rook. It means a great deal to have my writing understood so well by three such fine writers.
Thanks to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, who have funded the Four Centres Emerging Writers Program (EWP) through their Culture and the Arts division. The program has directly aided the publication of this novel. We are fortunate to have a government body that invests, culturally and financially, in WA writing and writers.
I’m very grateful to the Peter Cowan Writers Centre (PCWC) for delivery of the EWP, and for providing me with writing and teaching opportunities over many years, including a residency in 2018. Special thanks to Keith Melrose and to the other EWP writers.
Thanks to Edith Cowan University for assisting my efforts through the position of Adjunct Senior Lecturer (Writing). I’m grateful to the team at Westerly Magazine and the University of Western Australia for their ongoing support. The editorial board at Margaret River Press has proved a sustaining dwelling place for matters writing, editing and publishing. Of many individuals within these bodies, I am especially indebted to Danielle Brady, Jill Durey, Tony Hughes-d’Aeth, Ffion Murphy, Catherine Noske, Marcella Polain and Caroline Wood, for research, writing and/or vocational support.
Personal assistance from Jo Outhwaite at the Temple Reading Room, Rugby School, was gratefully received, as was information from librarians and other staff at the State Library of Western Australia and Edith Cowan University – a shout-out here to ECU Library’s document delivery service.
Feminist reading group Magdalena Talks Back provided a safe and nurturing space in which to present my writing. Special thanks to Lekkie Hopkins and Julie Robson, for founding the group, and to Amanda Gardiner and Rashida Murphy, for their attentive and sensitive feedback in Mags and as part of the PCWC Advanced Writers’ Group.
I’m so very grateful for the support I’ve received from the West Australian writing community. The vigour and camaraderie of local writers, writing-related organisations and publishers is something to behold and to celebrate. I’m especially thankful to Holden Sheppard for expert guidance on the business of being a debut author, and to Ken Spillman for useful suggestions in the early stages of writing.
Several friends and family members have at times gifted valuable writing spaces, for which I’m grateful. Many thanks, also, to Anna and Pat Luca, for allowing me to write Alice in your ‘beach shack’. In responding to copyedits, Phillips cabin at Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre proved to be a delightful, quiet place to find focus and clarity.
I am grateful beyond words to the women with vulvodynia and related conditions with whom I’ve had contact since 2003. To Annette, Catherine, Justine, Kath, Melissa and the two Nics: thanks for being there for me in the hardest times. Through this writing, I would like to honour the memory of Yvonne Wallis, as well as my friend ‘the other Josephine’.
To my non-writer friends, too many to name, too wonderful to single out any one of you: we all know how much you’ve helped me over the very long haul!
The men I’ve shared my life and home with over the writing years – my husband and our four sons – have provided unwavering encouragement. Thanks, guys, for your patience and belief! John, I’m so very grateful for your steadfast love; Ben, our epic conversations prompted more breakthrough writing moments than you’ll ever know; Ash, I’ve felt your support no matter how far away you might be. I’ve also felt the unconditional affection and acceptance of my whole family: siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews … Thank you all, so much. I’m indebted to my sisters Judy and Philippa, who have offered countless listening hours; you two have helped me find the strength to write on this topic. Thanks also to Mel, for fruitful conversations on Jung and feminism. This book wouldn’t have been written without the inspiration of my mother, passionate reader and writer Ena Taylor, who said to me right from the start of it all, ‘There’s a story here!’ You were right, Mum.
My dictionary defines a mentor as ‘an experienced and trusted adviser’. I’ve registered my mentor Susan Midalia’s experience through every facet of her response to many drafts. She recognised the intent of my writing immediately, saw the large picture of the work throughout, and applied astute, rigorous and encouraging editing. I trusted her from our first meeting, but that trust only grew as I understood her belief in and commitment to this novel and to me. It’s been a privilege, Susan.