It was a real privilege to research and write this novel, gaining an understanding of the lives and work of war artists, and there are many people to thank. I’ve already mentioned that the story was inspired by the WAAC and specifically by war artists such as Eric Ravilious, Edward Ardizzone, Anthony Gross, Feliks Topolski, and female war artists Evelyn Dunbar, Laura Knight, Ethel Gabain, Mary Kessell and Doris Zinkeisen, among others. I discovered some of their work at the Imperial War Museum’s archives, as well as in other collections that I was able to access or visit for research. My sincere thanks go to the librarians and researchers at these institutions: the British Library, the Imperial War Museum, the National Gallery and the National Archives in the UK, and the New South Wales Library and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, for doing such a wonderful job of looking after our treasured histories and making it possible to share these stories.
These and other sources allowed me to create Eleanor’s Secret by drawing on paintings, illustrations, maps, diaries, journals and online information to imagine life for artists and civilians all those years ago. Also key in creating the characters was being able to talk to recent war artists Wendy Sharpe and Joshua Yeldham. My gratitude goes to those artists and to Deborah Beck, Dean Cross and Bronwyn Woodley for generously sharing their time, anecdotes, technical information and experiences; and to the British military artist David Rowlands, whose own career as a war artist also helped to colour Jack’s.
I am very grateful to Paul Liss of Liss Llewellyn Fine Art for his expedient advice, and help on the detail and history of the WAAC and the art market. I would also like to acknowledge Oxford University Press for kindly allowing me to use the extracts from the War Pictures by British Artists booklets.
Thank you to Niamh Brosnan and Catherine and Kate McNulty for background help with ‘Irishness’, and to Scott Petherick for his insight into life as an architect and the wonderful city of Melbourne.
The team at Curtis Brown Creative—Anna Davis, Rufus Purdy, Jack Hadley and Nikita Lalwani—have provided an amazing story incubator and I want to thank them for their ongoing support, and also Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown Australia for her advice.
I am fortunate to have Ebury Press as the UK publisher for Maggie’s Kitchen and now for this novel, and am grateful to Gillian Green, Katie Seaman, Sarah Garnham, and all those involved with my books, for all their hard work.
A huge thank you to the wonderful team at Allen & Unwin, including Maggie Thompson and the editorial, sales and marketing teams, for all their efforts to help produce, market and sell our books. In particular, thanks to Kate Goldsworthy for her patience and insights working on this novel, and to Christa Munns and Annette Barlow—a very special thank you for making the magic happen twice. Thanks also to Christabella Designs for creating such an evocative cover for Eleanor’s Secret.
A sincere thanks to booksellers and librarians for all you do to keep our stories alive. I also want to thank the readers and those who supported me with Maggie’s Kitchen and now this novel—especially my number one book groupie, Mrs Potter! Lastly, thank you to my friends—local friends and loved ones overseas—and to my sister, Nicky, and parents, Jackie and Moon, John and Brenda, for all your love and encouragement. To Sam and James, I am so very proud of you both, and apologies for writing whenever we are on holiday. And to John, for everything you do.