It’s an absolute truth that I could never have written this book without Jim Lynskey’s willingness to share his experiences. Yes, he is a real person who very generously allowed me to weave some of his story with Vivi’s to bring a greater sense of drama and reality to this vital issue. Knowing Jim has made me more aware than ever of the importance of organ donation. It would change his young life immeasurably if the right heart could be found, and his remarkable endeavours to raise awareness of how important it is to be a donor will hopefully change the situation for many others in his position.
I would also like to thank Dr Robin Martin, Consultant Paediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiologist at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Bristol Heart Institute, for so much guidance and enthusiasm for the story. Any anomalies or shortcuts in the telling are wholly my responsibility. Sometimes it is more expedient in a dramatic sense to move things along more quickly than might otherwise happen.
My thanks also go to Mr Ash Pawade, retired paediatric cardiac surgeon, Bristol, for pointing me in the right direction at the outset.
Then we come to Shelley’s part of the story and for that I warmly thank our local sheep farmer, Ruth Dixon. Ruth’s tales of farm life are many and varied, hilarious and inspiring, and in some cases nothing short of tragic. It was quite an eye-opener for me to discover that so much is going on just across the road from us. I should stress however that Deerwood is purely fictional.
I’d like to thank everyone at my new publishers HarperCollins for the incredibly warm welcome I’ve received since joining. The camaraderie is intoxicating – I use the word with feeling – and being included in the Harper family is a privilege. It’s been a tremendous pleasure working with Kimberley Young and her team in the UK on this book and with Liz Stein and her team in the US. I thank Charlie and Annabel Redmayne, Kate Elton, and Roger Cazalet for making the transition so enjoyable.
In a special category all of his own is my wonderful agent, Luigi Bonomi, who I thank with all my heart for so much enthusiasm, advice, support, laughter and fab lunches at The Ivy.