I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the following people and organizations:
My incredible agent, Nelle Andrew, for her belief in this novel from a very early stage and for her patience and enthusiasm, as well as the whole team at Rachel Mills Literary—Rachel Mills, Alexandra Cliff and Charlotte Bowerman.
My editors, for their insight, kindness and unstinting support—Caroline Bleeke at Flatiron Books, and at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Federico Adornino, who acquired the book, and Alexa von Hirschberg, who took it on. I feel so lucky to have had three such amazing champions for this story.
The whole team at Flatiron, especially Malati Chavali, Sydney Jeon, Christopher Smith, Maris Tasaka, Emily Walters, Jeremy Pink, Eva Diaz, Tania Bissell, Flatiron president Bob Miller and publisher Megan Lynch. Also Chloe Nosan, Claire Beyette and Isabella Narvaez for their work on the audio production, and the team at W&N and Orion in the UK.
Emily Faccini for her beautiful train map, and Will Staehle and Donna Noetzel for their gorgeous cover and interior designs, as well as Keith Hayes and Kelly Gatesman as art director and designer.
The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, for playing such an important role in the life of the book, and especially Gillian Stern, for being a staunch supporter through it all.
New Writing North, for granting me a Northern Debut Award in 2021, which provided vital encouragement, as have Harminder Kaur, Rob Schofield and Gareth Hewitt.
The Leeds Writers’ Circle, who, apart from being (possibly!) the longest running writers’ circle in the country, are an incredible fount of knowledge, advice and friendship. (And I did indeed cut the first paragraph.) And especially Suzanne McArdle, who gave me confidence and inspiration at a vital time.
The Northern Short Story Academy and SJ Bradley and Fiona Gell, for the incredible amount of work they do for writers in Leeds.
My brilliant Clarion West class of 2012, and the organizers and tutors. This story wouldn’t be here without you, and those early handwritten comments have travelled with it all the way. And to Laura and Greg Friis-West, for the ongoing conversation about books, writing, and life.
Interzone magazine and editor Andy Cox, for publishing the short story that grew into this novel.
Friends and colleagues in Leeds and at the university, especially Frances Weightman and Zhang Jianan.
In St. Annes, Mr. Walker, Miss Yeadon, Mrs. Houghton and Mr. Birch, who unwittingly set me off from a small seaside town to adventures on the other side of the world.
And last but very much not least, my family, for the books and for everything else: my parents, Chris and Linda; my brother Michael; Jerry and Celia; Dan and Annette and Willow. And Calum, for his unfailing belief and many, many cups of tea.