My heartfelt thanks are owed to many people who have encouraged me through years of writing and rewriting my books.
First and foremost, to my beloved husband, Barry Kloester, whose enduring love and support have sustained me throughout – my darling, thank you for believing in me. And to my extraordinary family: Elanor, Chris and Gabi, Ben and Jess – you each inspire me with your energy, creativity and determination to live life to the full. Love you guys!
To Rachel Hyland for reading and loving Jane Austen’s Ghost, for her magnificent editing and for encouraging me to rewrite this novel (again). Thank you for believing in me and in my story about the inimitable Jane Austen. You made all the difference, Rachel, and I am so very grateful.
To my amazing friends: Ann-Marie Spolton-Dean for driving me to so many of the places which Jane Austen loved and for sharing this adventure; Susannah Fullerton, whose extraordinary knowledge of Jane Austen is always an inspiration and who allowed me to attribute some of her words about Jane Austen to my fictional Austen expert, Professor Olive Trewell; Jenny Haddon whose brilliant insight and advice made the story so much better; Linda Brumley for her inspiring encouragement and support and for suggesting I write a Prologue; Theonne de Krester whose belief in the book, enthusiasm and perceptive reading kept me going through the hard times; Delwyn Jenkins for her wise counsel and kindness when life was tough and for her invaluable knowledge and assistance with all things magical; Fiona Lowe for her unwavering friendship and support, practical advice and for her immune-boosting soup; Anne Gracie for her kind counsel and valued friendship; Merilyn Bourke for her generous comments, and encouragement; Amanda Grange for reading the manuscript and loving Jane; Ruth Woolaston for her superb watercolour painting copied from James Stanier Clarke’s unnamed picture; Dr Valerie Tarrant who read the earliest ‘completed’ draft and who has cheered Jane on ever since; Dianne Tobias for all the walks and talks and for reading every draft and loving Jane more each time; Elda Ribeiro for being a great beta reader and a valued friend; Ruth Williamson for invaluable advice and honest responses, you made the book better; Fiona Skinner for her enduring friendship and for always reading my work.
To my most generous and loyal supporters: Roy and Frances Hay, Dr Paul Nicholls, Robert and Barbara Kloester, Phil Rebakis and Mary Bourke, Jenny Walshe, Roy and Hilary Hoevenaars, John and Jennifer Nolan, and Dr Peter Wyllie Johnston, thank you for the years of encouragement, interest and support.
To the world’s foremost Austen expert, the remarkable Deirdre Le Faye, thank you for your years of dedicated scholarship and for your magnificent edited collections of Jane Austen's letters. I couldn’t have written the book without them. I am also immensely grateful to the brilliant Graham Watts for his Latin translations: you made my spell so much better. Thanks, too, to David Ayre of Vintage Car Restoration UK for his excellent advice about Lagondas and about Dexter in particular and to Colin Walker at the Bodleian Library for sending me photos of that special place and reminding me of an amazing day spent within those hallowed halls.
A special thank you to the staff at the Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, who do such a brilliant job of honouring the great Miss Austen and sharing her life and works with the world. Thanks also to the staff at Chawton House Library where I spent so many happy hours reading early Austen editions and books by Fanny Burney and others among Jane’s literary peers.
Above all, my heartfelt thanks must go to the inimitable Jane Austen, whose literary genius created six brilliant novels and a wealth of entertaining juvenilia – her works have brought hours of reading pleasure to me and to the world.
Jennifer Kloester, 2019