Iwas bemused and overwhelmed by the amount of goodness, love and well wishes from readers of my first book. I simply shared my childhood, for those of you who knew what life was like back then, to be poor, or a bastard. So you could give voice like me to your children and say, ‘This was me. I was like that little child.’
Not many of us learned to read and write. So we could not tell it in our own words on paper. I had taught myself to read and write, and had a natural love of books, so without knowing, the document I wrote intended for my children when I am gone, became, after some time, a realisation that it is the property of the many, many millions of you all spread out across the world who once shared the ‘Little Martha’s’ history. And for those of you who did not know, now you have some insight. So now, my way of saying thank you for all your warm loving wishes is to continue my story.
A special word of thanks to Bill, my publisher, he is only one of a kind.
My editor – who had the misfortune of having me thrust on her! – she is a master of her craft.