My unending thanks and gratitude go to the following:
My publisher at Omnibus Books, Dyan Blacklock, for blessing me with the opportunity to tell Ishmael’s story, and to my editor, Celia Jellett, for making that telling better than it otherwise would have been without her. Love you guys.
Everyone at Scholastic Australia, with a special thanks to Claire Pretyman and the ladies in the Rights and Permissions Department for sending Ishmael overseas and helping make it possible for me to be a full-time writer.
Steve Wells, for his great work in designing and creating the sparkly new Ishmael covers.
All my family, especially my wife Adriana, for being ‘the very best of everything’ in my life and for drawing on her maths and biology teacher background so that I could put suitably nerdy words into Ignatius Prindabel’s mouth; my son Joe, for his thoughtful and helpful manuscript reading, and for his encouragement and support; and my daughter Meg, whose own wonderful writing inspires me to try harder.
My ever-supportive friends and colleagues, with a particular mention this time round to Natalie, for her assistance with all things hooping; to Ruth, for her enthusiasm for the series and for letting me borrow her surname for one of St Daniel’s houses; and to Margaret, for keeping me entertained and informed on Facebook when I should be writing and for helping out with band names.
Finally, and most sincerely, thank you to every reader who has followed Ishmael from first word to last. I hope you have enjoyed the journey and had some laughs and maybe even shed a happy tear or two along the way. I know I have. It has been a joy and honour (and totally rigid!) to have had your company.
– MGB