Dark Sky Island is the product not just of my overactive imagination, but of the love and support I find myself surrounded with on a daily basis. A non-exhaustive thank you list as follows:
To the inimitable Sam Eades, who as well as being (probably) the most approachable and enthusiastic editor in the world, over the last year has gone above and beyond the call of duty, accompanying me on not one but two trips to Guernsey and at this rate is in with a very real chance of being given ‘local’ status. A big thank you too to Lauren Woosey, Mireille Harper, Katie Brown, Laura Collins, Debbie Holmes and all of the Trapeze team who work tirelessly to turn sprawling Word documents into beautiful books.
Sophie Lambert at C+W has, once again, been a rock, guiding me through the terror that is ‘difficult second novel syndrome’ (turns out it’s no easier than writing the first) with grace, patience and good humour. Thank you also to Emma Finn and the rest of the team at C+W, and to Luke Speed at Curtis Brown who navigated the very exciting but equally complicated world of film and television rights on my behalf.
I am grateful to so many people in Guernsey—Mike Watson for answering my questions about Guernsey policing, Tim Bamford for the legal advice, Susan Ilie for championing The Devil’s Claw, Catriona Stares and all at the Guernsey Literary Festival, the Guernsey Geekon podcast and especially to the Guille-Alles Library, which is everything a library should be (i.e. full of books and people who love them). It is really something to have so much support from the very place I first dreamt of being a writer. Special thanks to Adam Bayfield—librarian, event organiser and interviewer extraordinaire.
Thank you to mum and dad for the summers in Sark. I remember the incredulous looks people would give us when we told them we were, once again, spending three weeks on Guernsey’s neighbouring island, but I have the best memories of endless sunny days spent bike riding, rock climbing, fishing, rescuing frogs from the swimming pool at Stocks Hotel and my first taste of Orangina (which I still think of as an exotic beverage). Magical.
Across the Atlantic, thank you to Anderson’s Books, the Larchmont Public Library and to Francine Ludicon at The Voracious Reader, whose love of books is infectious, and to Rhiannon Navin and Eloise Parker, who have helped to make writing a slightly less lonely pursuit.
I have lived an itinerant sort of life since I left Guernsey nearly twenty years ago. I find myself now far away from ‘home’ but home nonetheless, in Larchmont, New York. Thank you to the wonderful, strong, supportive women I have met here—I am so fortunate to call you my friends—you know who you are.
And finally, as always, thank you to Andrew, Lily, Charlie and Lena. How lucky we are to have each other. I love you all so much.