Acknowledgements

This book was written on Wurundjeri land, where I live and work, with thanks and respect to elders past and present.

I am indebted to all the people who let me interview them, even when I couldn’t explain what I was writing. I won’t blow your cover; you know who you are. Without you, this book would not have been possible.

Julia Carlomagno helped shaped this project from two pieces of paper and a notion to an actual thing in the world — it would not have happened without her enthusiasm, understanding, and hard work. I relied, too, on my incomparable literary confidants Rach Crawford, Sam Cooney, and Nina Gibb, and my in-house production consultant, Eve Gill. Thanks Jennifer Down, Amy Gray, Ben Law, Emily Maguire, and Anna Spargo-Ryan; I am so proud to stake my allegiances with the community of Australian writers of which you are each an important part. There is another community I need to thank, too — animal rescue groups such as Victorian Dog Rescue, who work tirelessly to find homes for abandoned animals, often with little by way of recognition or legislative assistance.

Finally, heartfelt gratitude to the people in my life who not only allowed but also unflinchingly encouraged me to write about them: Mum and Dad; my partner; and my three oldest friends Annie, Lyndal, and Olivia — you are as brave as you are cool, and you are all so important to me.