The Girl in the Red Coat

Acknowledgements

Star billing in these acknowledgements has to go to my agent Alice Lutyens and my editor at Faber, Sarah Savitt. They have both been named as rising stars recently and frankly I’m not surprised. I feel very blessed to be supported either side by two such extraordinary women. Alice, you have a fantastic creative editorial eye and a super sharp business sense — what a combination! I feel very blessed for having landed with you. I lucked out again when it came to my editor, Sarah — I know that your incredibly wise, creative and perceptive editing has made this a far, far better book. You are both so on my wavelength and I thank you from my heart.

Sophie Portas, the brilliant publicity manager at Faber.

Anna Davis, who runs the Curtis Brown Creative course — your clear headedness, advice and integrity have helped me enormously as did the wonderful course you devised. Chris Wakling for the wonderful teaching on the course.

To all the autumn 2011 Curtis Brown Creative group — I get the sense we are all going to be part of each other’s writing journey — you all certainly have been part of mine. Thanks to James Hannah, Theresa Howes, Lisa Berry and Julie Malamute in particular for reading the novel and giving such helpful feedback.

All the staff and tutors at the creative writing MA at Aberystwyth University. I’m so glad I made the decision to go here!

To the great organisation that is Literature Wales — your support has been invaluable.

Ulrike Ostermeyer, the editor of the German edition, for your wonderful, inspiring enthusiasm.

Melissa Pimentel and Sven Van Damme at Curtis Brown for all your help. Thank you both!

Eleanor Rees for your elegant and astute copyediting. Luke Bird and Mark Swan for your stunning, hugely creative cover design — I love it!

To my parents — Christine and William — you are both an inspiration. To Lucy and Sophie, who are friends as well as sisters and such creative people. To my grandmother D.F. Southcott — I wish you were here to see this. To my two lovely children. To my husband Mark. In his book On Writing Stephen King mentions how often a writer turns out to have a supportive partner and I have that in spades. You have always encouraged me and never once suggested I might be crazy for wanting to write. This book is for you.

The author wishes to acknowledge the award of a New Writer’s Bursary from Literature Wales for the purpose of completing this book.