I once mountain-biked down the most dangerous road in the world in Bolivia. Or at least I would have done if I hadn’t cried my eyes out after the first two metres and spent the rest of the day in the support van following the riders that did complete it. You see that’s what happens when you try and do something on your ex’s bucket list just so you can impress them. Despite that being one of the worst things I’ve ever done it did inspire this novel, so thank you to that ex for breaking up with me back then and setting me on the path to writing this novel.
My agent Hannah Ferguson also deserves a huge thank you for helping to come up with the idea for this novel. It was a bit of an uphill struggle and as always she put up with my neurotic emails and I’m incredibly thankful she keeps me as a client.
This is my first book with the imprint Zaffre, and it’s been lovely getting to know everyone. To Joel and Claire especially, thank you for your editorial notes and your enthusiasm for the novel.
A huge thank you needs to go to the readers, bloggers, fellow authors and Team Novelicious for their support – especially keeping me sane on Twitter. Also to the amazing bloggers who have reviewed my books or featured me on their blog, thank you so much. To my lovely real-life friends and family, your endless support and interest in my books often astounds me – thank you!
My two lively children Evan and Jessica deserve special thanks as they have to put up with a forgetful mum and a messy house (as any time not feeding the baby or playing Duplo are spent tapping away instead of cleaning). Lastly, my husband deserves the biggest thank you. Thanks for putting up with all the self-doubt, all the ham, egg and chip dinners we have to have when I haven’t had time to cook, and for buying me lots of Maltesers when I’m editing. You know I met him whilst ticking ‘trek to Everest base camp’ off my bucket list. You see actual proof that bucket lists can lead you to love . . .