To write a book is strange because you spend so much time lost within your own mind and whimsey, yet it takes a true army to bring it together into some form of sense and substance. This is the part of the book where I thank those in my life who helped transform these pages into something more, and to the kind people I’m lucky to call friends, family, and loved ones.
These latter folk tend to keep me sane(ish).
I’ll begin with my parents, two people I love a great deal but never share this knowledge enough. To say you support me, help me, love me, and believe in me is an understatement, and I wake up each day thankful for you both, and it’s the two of you that drive me to be better… do better… make myself proud because I know if I achieve this, I’ll do you proud, too.
To the rest of my family and closest friends, you know who you are. I’m thankful and appreciative towards you too, but once again don’t show it or say it enough. I apologise for this, but here I am to say I value you and love you. Without you, I couldn’t do this - and when I say this, I mean life in general.
And Rosanna… as I write this I haven’t known you long, but I feel like I know you better than any other person on this planet. I love you. I love how you love me back. I trip and stutter far too often, but you’re there to keep me upright. Thank you for this. I hope you’re always there to keep me standing.
Like I say, it takes an army to share a book like this with the world. I may have wrote the words, but it’s Dianne Hall who helped bring these sentences and scenes to order. Your editing and guidance made all the difference, and I look forward to lots of future projects together.
As for Ruth Wilkinson and your talented artistic design skills… well… all I can say is thank you for producing a beautiful cover I absolutely love. I know I drove you insane with my darn perfection, but I think we created something meaningful, don’t you? Here’s to you, Ruth. You did a stellar job.
To Rob Cate too, and the amazing designs you’ll soon see dotted throughout these pages. I urge you to view them, for they truly are wonderful. Thank you, Rob. You helped bring these words alive in visual form.
And to the Beta Readers and Early Readers who not only provided the finishing touches to this tale, but helped share it before anyone else had chance to, you should flick over to the next page. I think you may like what awaits.
Finally, here’s to you… the reader… the fine individual who reads these very words. Whether I know you personally or not, I appreciate you and value you and look forward to getting to know you. This journey I’m on isn’t mine, it’s ours. The fact you’re part of this matters, and I hope you’ll delve further down the rabbit hole after you’ve read this novel (more on this after you’ve read the book…)
And finally-finally, here’s to The Kid; my son; my light and my muse. You’re beautiful and changed my life for the better. I’m so proud of you, and I want the world to know I wake up each day striving to do you proud.
Thank you, all. Let’s toast to literature and the finer things in life.
Matthew Turner
A Big Thank You To All Those Wonderful People Who Helped Transform This Book From Good To Great. To This List Of Beautiful Beta & Early Readers… Thank You. I Appreciate you
Rosanna Ashton Kirsty Vizard
Gayla Ber Michael Mardel
Shia Lee Becca Warner
Kayla Santerre Lisza Shoemaker
Leslie Eagle April Reynolds
Carly Mullaney Andrea Mirlenbrink
Vijay Bharadwaj Joel Duncan
Tayla Elise-Rogers Joann Chimi
Tom Davis Hazel Robson
Emi Risher Nealey Stapleton
Rebecca Conlon Steve Sieger
Linsi Brownson Erin Al-Mehairi
Dennis Clark Sarah Lister
Michael Schmidlen Max Hunter
Nicole VanderWall Charlie Bossinger
Angie Stormer Kai Wong
Abhinav Kadambi Daniel Hucks
Emma Thomas Joe Trey
Mori McCullogh Sorcha O’Dowd
Rachel Steeves Helen Kitchen
Nigel Sullivan Joana Artesa
Diane Kasperksi Sandy S Schairer
Nicole Welch Ali Miller
Kimberley Wyatt Molly Dennig
Leah Stewart Ruth Wilkinson
Kenna McKinnon Guy Vincent
Gail Ofterdinger-Ledgister Christina Stenger-Jones