Silenced

AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Daring to say thank you is important. At least it is for me. In thanking someone you are acknowledging that they had a hand in your work. That you did not do it all by yourself. And should – in fact – not try to do it all by yourself.

Writing a book is really like baking a very complicated kind of cake. As you struggle with the mixture and the meringue and the icing, you need extra pairs of hands. And you need time and energy, motivation and patience.

I find it easy to write. The words come of their own accord; there’s no need to force or coax them out. But sadly that is no guarantee that they will be perfect. I see it the minute I print the text out from the computer; I can tell where the story isn’t holding together. And I wrestle with all those letters and words, trying to force them to lie in the right way. Sometimes it works. But sometimes it doesn’t work at all.

First of all, a warm thank-you to everyone at my Swedish publishing house, the fantastic Piratförlaget! Sofi, Jenny, Cherie, Madeleine, Ann-Marie, Lasse, Mattias, Lottis, Anna Carin and Jonna – where would I be without your energy and constant encouragement? Particular thanks to my publisher Sofia, who carries on constructing a framework to keep the way ahead open, and makes me believe I can write any number of books. And to my editor Anna who always, always (and that repetition was deliberate, Anna) has the stamina to go on even when I don’t, and is the raising agent in the part of the cake mixture that’s called editing.

Many thanks, too, to everyone at the ultra-competent Salomonsson Agency – Niclas, Leyla, Tor, Catherine and Szilvia – which has secured enormous success abroad since the start of our collaboration in May 2009. I’m proud to be represented by you!

Thanks to all the friends and readers who are following my journey through the book world step by step, almost as if I were a rock star and not a writer. It’s wonderful the way you don’t just read my books but even get me to sign them when you’ve bought them as presents for other people.

Thanks to Malena and Mats, who provide me with time.

Thanks to Sven-Åke who continues to support me when my own knowledge of police work runs dry.

Thanks to the sales staff at Walter Borgs Jaktbutik who helped me select the perfect murder weapon.

Thanks to designer Nina Leino who makes my books look so incredibly smart.

Thanks to Sofia Ekholm who continues to occupy a special place in my writing. There’s soon going to be a new typescript to read through – I hope you have the time and the appetite!

And thanks to my family, who take such unconditional delight in my successes and travel the length and breadth of the country to be there when I’m talking about my book or kicking my heels behind the signing desk in some bookshop or other.

Thank you.

Kristina Ohlsson

Baghdad, spring 2010