This book began in 2011, written in pencil in an A5 manuscript book on the lawns of Zoo Lake in Johannesburg. There have been so many people who have helped it grow since then and I hope I can remember them all. If I’ve left anyone out, please know that I’m grateful. It’s a real book! Hooray!
Thanks to Mike, for encouraging me to take my writing seriously and apply for the creative writing master’s programme at UCT, and for celebrating with me when I got in, even though it meant I would have to move back to Cape Town.
To Imraan Coovadia and the UCT creative writing class who started with me in 2012, thank you. For the afternoon readings, important conversations on the hated semi-colon, astute criticism and feedback, and all the laughter.
Thank you to Matthew Blackman, my supervisor, for questions like ‘can you really see that far without binoculars’ and for the many readings of many drafts. I stuck with my original title, and I hope he doesn’t mind.
Thank you to the women of the 2014 African Women’s Development Fund and FEMRITE writing workshop in Uganda. Thank you for celebrating one another, for writing from the heart, and for being the fierce women writers that I will encourage my friends and children to read one day. Thank you to Yewande Omotoso and Mamle Kabu for convincing us all we were ‘real writers’ and giving me the courage to send off this manuscript.
Thank you to Beth Lindop and Fourie Botha from Penguin Random House for all the support, advice and hard work. Thank you to Jenefer Shute for the excellent edits, and to Genevieve Adams and Michelle Buchel-Kruger for the proofreading. I was presented with four cover options and absolutely loved all four. Thank you to publicide for the cover. I feel like you have polished my stone into a diamond.
Thanks must also go to my crazy, determined (stubborn) office mate, Tasneem. Our little office is often a refuge from the real world, all because of you. You inspire me often – with your generosity of heart, excellent singing and lip-syncing skills, and tenacity. We met each other at such interesting times in our lives – 2016 is going to be our year!
Thanks to Kath, Liz, Sarah and Van for all the wine, laughs, tears, celebrations and commiserations, and for being such truly solid friends. Also, thanks Kath for getting married so that I could meet my real-life Sam.
To Sam – for being the exact same amount of strange as me. You were so easy to fall in love with, and I’m so looking forward to our life and to all the books we’ll write together.
To my family who are just the best – witty, wonderful and wise – thank you for always making me feel like I can do anything. It’s probably enormously bad for my ego, but it’s pretty useful for getting stuff done. Mom, Mags, Fi – thank you for always being there, I’m so grateful.