… to everyone who has helped Ordinary Joe on the long journey from inside my head to into your hands – and that begins with you, Dear Reader, for doing me the honour of choosing to read my story when there are so many others you could have chosen. You would not be reading these words now but for the help and support, inspiration and perspiration of many, many people.
In the beginning were my parents, my brothers and sisters who put up with me when at times it must have been tempting to have me put down instead. So this is for you Sidney, Stephanie, Julie, Mike, Pete and Kate (and all my assorted nephews, nieces and in-laws). There is no greater fortune in life than to be born a Teckman.
This is also for my wonderful wife Anne who took on the mantle of principal carer in my adult years and kept me going when all I really wanted to do was stop, and still found time to raise our two amazing boys, Joseph and Matthew. Without the three of you, this really wouldn’t have been worth doing.
This novel first began to see the light of day at an Arvon Foundation course way back in 2007. Some of my earliest critiques and encouragement came from that group of Amazing Writers. My thanks to Anne, Kathy, Chris, Joel, Claire, Jan, Lisa and Charlene.
My first big breakthrough came when I was selected to attend the inaugural Curtis Brown Creative six-month novel-writing course. Many thanks to Anna Davis, Christopher Wakling, Rufus Purdy and all the CBC team for choosing me and for all your constructive, instructive advice. Thanks also for introducing me to the most extraordinary group of fellow writers, all of whom gave me invaluable feedback on the developing manuscript. I won’t be truly fulfilled until I am reading the acknowledgements pages in your novels: Chris, Dan, Eleanor, Fran, Jacquie, Jayne, Karen, Lauren, Mariko, Olivia, Sally, Sam, Sara and Tim.
It is no small challenge to fight your way through an improperly formed, unedited, as yet unpublishable manuscript but many people did just that for me with earlier drafts of this work. Some of you even made it right through to the end! Your comments and enthusiasm gave me great confidence to carry on. I’m sorry that I don’t have the space to mention you all individually but you know who you are and I really cannot thank you enough.
Many thanks also to David Parfitt and Ivan Mactaggart at Trademark Films who know a good story when they see one and saw one in Ordinary Joe. And to my great friend Steve Abbott who acted in loco agencis for me, offering much needed and always sage advice whenever it all became too complicated for me.
And finally, and in many ways foremostly, you would not be reading these words if it hadn’t been for Katie Espiner and her fantastic team at Borough Press who took the courageous decision to pluck me from mid-life crisis obscurity and make my dream come true.
Thank you.
Jon Teckman
July, 2015