The Monster Who Wasn't

by T C Shelley

  Beatrice laughed.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I’d like to say thank you first to my family. To Tess, for telling me I should try to get my books published, and Rick who told me he agreed, that I had to take the risk or I would regret it. To Sue, for telling me I could write. To Mum, Nell, Julie, Jen, Jenny, and all the nieces and nephews who said they’d buy a copy. I have used your names throughout my books, maybe not this one, but you’ll see them in print.

  I also need to thank my fabulous agent, Catherine Pellegrino, who has been a powerhouse and it amazes me what she can do. I fell on my feet when I found her. Also, Hannah Sandford, my editor, for her encouragement and advice and helping me turn my words into a story. To Jessica Bellman, my desk editor, for making everything perfect.

  And to God, for all the Samuels, Daniels, Beatrices and gargoyles.

  Thank you to you all.

  T.C. SHELLEY studied Creative Writing and Literature at university. She has been teaching English for over twenty years and her first school was classified as the most remote in Australia. She loves an audience and long before she took up teaching was writing and performing her poetry and short stories. She began writing novels to entertain her daughter, who wisely suggested that she try to get them published. Shelley lives with her husband, her daughter and two dogs in Perth, Western Australia. The Monster Who Wasn’t is her first novel.

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  First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  Text copyright © T.C. Shelley, 2019

  T.C. Shelley has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN: PB: 978-1-5266-0083-7; eBook: 978-1-5266-0082-0

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