Acknowledgements

A special thanks to Barb Minchinton, Kathryn Kindred, Rowland Croucher, Janet Purkis, and to Patrick Curley, who read an early draft with his big heart. If reading Poum and Alexandre feels more like sitting on soft grass, than on hay, hopefully in the French sunshine, it is largely due to Barry Scott, Tess Rice and Penelope Goodes at Transit Lounge. Any bits of hay remaining are entirely my own. I also thank Roger Averill and Elanor Tomazi, for being Roger Averill and Elanor Tomazi, and so much more besides. But most of all I thank my love, Paul Croucher, who believed in this book before I believed in it myself and without whom it would have been much more painful to write.