My thanks go to my grandmother, Mame Soma, whose skill as a storyteller instilled in me a love of her craft. My thanks also to Julie and Norman Gibson, who introduced me to the beautiful islands of Orkney, and Helen Hake, the first reader of The Fisherman’s Daughter. Finally, a huge thank you to Bibi Bakare-Yusuf of Cassava Republic, whose perseverance and commitment brought this collection of stories to life.