I’m so grateful to the following people:
Robert Watkins—for everything. I adore you.
Tara Wynne—for sticking with me (it’s been a long and belatedly eventful decade).
The team at Ultimo Press—and what a team: Alisa Ahmed and Rebecca Hamilton (your words, thank you); Zoë Victoria, Andrea Johnson, Brigid Mullane, Sophie Mayfield, Sandy Grant and Julie Pinkham—I feel so supported, thank you.
Uncle Chandra and Aunty Rohana—thank you for looking after me when I’m there.
Keda, Bekster, Eagle-Eye Franksy, Nat, MCC and Jay—who love Ellie and have believed her into existence.
Book Club—Sandra, Narelle, Su Lin, Carmela, Tina, Alex and Ange—Ellie and I have the best backup.
Abirami, Rachy, Shane, Havas, Namalie, Amrit and Steph G—sorry about those sub-standard drafts and thank you.
Kate Kelly—I’ll meet you at the safe house.
Radhiah Chowdhury at Audible—for encouraging me to release Ellie from the white woman I thought she had to be when I first wrote her in 2016.
Caroline Overington, Dinuka McKenzie and Ashley Kalagian Blunt—for such incredibly generous endorsements.
Karen Radzyner—for valuing Ellie from the start, here’s to our Ellie Harper TV series.
Create NSW—your Early Career Writer Grant sent me to Sri Lanka for research. There are some things people will only speak about face-to-face.
Writing NSW, the Australian Society of Authors and Sweatshop—for fearlessly supporting the storytellers.
Rajan Uncle (vale) and Aunty Nalaini—this novel started with an email between us in 2013 and decades of you shaping my political/personal consciousness.
Amma, Appa and Narendran—who love me and have believed my writing life into existence.
Haran/Kunji, Ellora, Kailash, Hari and Sid—the universe gave me everything with you. My heart and my life are full. Kidlets—as Krishna said to Arjuna, ‘Who are you to be afraid? Rise and fight this battle, for the Self is indestructible.’ Sometimes I sense what he means. Sometimes I have no idea. Love you x