Siduri may have taken a long time to write, but it always featured the same cat, Pollyanna. Pollyanna wasn’t the only reason I kept going, or even the main reason, but I so wanted to get some of her personality onto the page.

So, thank you Polly – you mad little minx!

Once I’d finished the novel, I sought some expert advice before trying to publish it. Every author hopes to be showered with plaudits and acclaim. While Bryony Pearce (a wonderful writer) didn’t exactly do that, she did the hard part — she told me precisely and kindly where I’d gone wrong and how to fix it. If haven’t followed all her advice, that’s my bad, not hers.

So, thank you Bryony.

Thanks also to the Troubador team for their patience. Thanks in particular to my copy editor, Ian Skewis. Ian is also an accomplished writer as well as a thoroughly decent human being.

Of course, and always, then there’s my partner, K. K was there each time I gave up. K was there to say, ‘I don’t understand’. K read Siduri on at least three occasions and each time offered encouragement – before following it up with page after page of comments.

So, finally, and although I now suffer from RSI, I’d like to thank my K.

J J