One of the best things I’ve discovered in trampling my path in the world of publishing is the fantastic supportive network of writers, bloggers and publishing professionals. The following writers have conversed, chatted, tweeted or private messaged all along the way and it’s been a pleasure getting to know everyone and learning about their own writing careers. Thank you in particular to Carmel Harrington, Margaret Scott, Andrea Mara, Cat Hogan, Catherine Ryan Howard, Hazel Gaynor, Elizabeth Murray, Orla McAlinden, Sharon Thompson, Elizabeth Reapy, Sharyn Hayden, Lorna Sixsmith, Susan Lanigan, Tric Kearney, Sadhbh Devlin, Shane Dunphy, Pam O’Shea, Alana Kirk, Sheena Lambert, Pauline Clooney, Margaret Rowe and Caroline Busher.
As a blogger myself, I am all too aware of the hard work and passion that goes into writing and maintaining a working blog. Writers in recent years have come to rely on book bloggers as not only a wheel in the publicity machine but a generous, supportive network, who work tirelessly to support writers and share news, updates and a general love of books. I am slowly getting to know book bloggers, both in Ireland and the UK, but in particular I would like to single out Lisa Redmond of Lisa Reads Books for her very kind beta reading early on and Linda Green at Books Of All Kinds, who also read some early work and offered valuable critiques.
One of the closest friendships I have developed in recent years is with Margaret Madden, book blogger at Bleach House Library. We have enjoyed many a book chat and journey home from a Dublin based launch and I’m delighted to have her launch December Girl in our shared home town of Drogheda. .
To my best friend Caroline English who introduced me to reading as a seven year old (I refused to move to books without pictures until she MADE me) and was a beta reader. To Ramona Ward, who also volunteered her time to read a very early draft, all the way from the US.
To Gareth Yore, who wrote the original essay December Girl is based on and who kindly took me to the sites explored in the book. Walking the land where my imagined characters walked was invaluable in the writing process.
To Tracy Brennan of Trace Literary Agency who works tirelessly to place her authors with the right publisher. I am lucky to be represented by her and I look forward to our future endeavours together, wherever they take us.
To my family, for the babysitting services, to my brother Alan for his historical expertise, to my husband Ronan, who never wavered in his belief that I would achieve the dream and who allowed me the space and time needed to write and edit. We are still negotiating on installing a library in the house – but I know I’ll win out as always.
To Sam McGrane, who was possibly more excited when the news of a publishing contract came through than I was and who will drop anything to help our family, which she has adopted as her own.
To my beautiful children, August and Bonnie who simply by being born, helped inspire me towards writing and finishing this book. I wanted to leave something behind for them and I found writing was an incredible place of expression among the difficult early days of parenting.
To all the team at Bombshell Books – who first signed this book, particularly to Betsy Reavely, Emma Mitchell and Sarah Hardy.
Finally, I would like to thank my English teacher Margaret McCartan, who shone a light on my writing skills in my teenage years and helped form the idea that one day I would write a book. I wonder how many other writers found themselves feeling warm and fuzzy whenever they received praise for their writing in school? It is for this reason that I have dedicated the book to English teachers all over the world – who instil a love of literature, encourage good writing skills and help hone the belief in budding authors what they write can have an impact on someone, somewhere.
I hope that this book in some way, somewhere, will do that.
* * *
December Girl Page 28