A writer’s path is never a solitary journey. There are a myriad of people who contribute to and support our writing habit in some way, from the obvious – those wonderful people in the publishing industry, to the not so direct but also appreciated – such as the person who made the perfect flat white coffee on that morning when I needed a little chemical inspiration.
Huge thanks to Karen Sullivan and Orenda Books for taking a punt on a Kiwi gal, and to Craig Sisterson for being my cheer leader and telling Karen, ‘There’s this New Zealand author you should read…’
Thanks also to The New Zealand Society of Authors, and their assessment programme funded by Creative New Zealand – in the early days it was invaluable having the canny eye of Stephen Stratford critiquing the manuscript. I will always be indebted to Geoff Walker and Penguin New Zealand for taking that first leap of faith in a new writer.
How can I express my immense gratitude to my husband and children for their patience, and for having a good sense of humour those times I got sidetracked by writing and burned the dinners or forgot to pick them up – love you guys.