‘Thank you’ seems such a modest expression to be loaded with all the weight of my immense gratitude.
Thank you to the wonderful Bruce Pascoe. ‘You keep writing, girl,’ he nodded at me a couple of years ago. I am sure Bruce Pascoe has no idea how much those few words from such a wonderful man meant to me. He encouraged me. So I did.
My heartfelt appreciation and respect goes to my wonderful agent Catherine Drayton and her assistant Claire Friedman: for seeing something in this book. Then offering to lightly lead me on the sometimes tangled walk through the scrub until we could all see what the proper shape of this story should be. I would be still wandering somewhere out in that bush without you.
I have lived so many moments of grateful appreciation for all that brilliance stacked there at Pan Macmillan. To Mathilda Imlah for agreeing with Catherine Drayton, and deciding to give me a go, (and also for your humour). To my amazing editors Bri Collins and Ali Lavau for your perfect, painstaking dedication. To Georgia Webb for chasing up the articles. And to Clare Keighery and all those wonderful Pan Macmillan people for your various, astonishing artistry in making this book look so lovely.
There are many people – friends and family – who have read and critiqued and argued and encouraged. Thank you to my sisters Jennifer Lawson and Sharon Baragwanath for your early and late reads and encouragements. And to my friend Marty Moser for reading an early draft and encouraging me mightily by leaving me a phone message to say it was good. I have loved sharing the road with you all.
Thank you also to my sisters-in-law Judy de Bono and Lois Krake for your reads and your comments and encouragement. (Lois, I have included a glossary to explain the very specific usage of the term ‘swaggies’ in this book.)
A special thank you to my friend Heather Crawley for your generosity in taking the time to read this during a hectic time in your own world; and for your then wise words. I hope you like the ‘Nessun Dorma’.
Particular thanks have to go to Graham Brinsden and Carolyn Emonson. Two special friends, both of whom have spent nights and nights listening to me read the early form of this book. Thank you Graham for your solid truth that never wavers despite the look on my face. And Carolyn, thank you always for your encouragement – always wrapped around intelligent, informed advice; and for our shared love of a good book that now spans a half century.
My uncounted thanks must go to lovers of books everywhere. Because without all that collective partiality and belief in a good book to solve most of the world’s woes this planet would not be as bright as it is. So thank you to publishers, booksellers, readers, writers, educators and librarians everywhere who never tire of showing people – big and small – the matchless wonder of reading.
And lastly, to the younger Brinsdens: Daniel and Karli, Victoria and Emmeline. All of whom have supported me weirdly and faithfully and lovingly throughout this journey by never having read any of this book. Now you can.