For my husband, Miles, thank you for always believing I could do it. And for giving me Frank, Arthur, and Albert—sunshine I can hold. I love you all to the stars and back again.
To my siblings, Philip, Lara, Emma, and Anna. You all proudly called me a writer before I trusted I was one. Thank you for stumbling through life with me and making me laugh until I cry.
Thank you to the wonderful Whinneys, for all your love, support, and endless food.
To Lucy and Martin—thank you for the strength of your friendship. And your undiluted excitement when we knew I would be published!
To Stephen M. Nash. You may not be able to say “consumerism” but you write like a diamond. Start your book today. Ditto Toots. Tynna dy feiro allan o dy drwyn. Rwyt ti’n ardderchog. Nick M. M., for your love. And Shanaz, for keeping small, yet still managing to run Chaat, the best restaurant in London.
Thank you to Carlene, Cathy, Fabia, Francoise, Rosie, and Sam for everything and more.
Thank you, Mari, for listening to me witter on about books and for reigning in my imagination when it creates yet another ailment. Rwyt ti’n ardderchog hefyd! Andrew—thank you for sharing my amazement that this is actually happening. And Ian, for your “500 words a day” rule that got me started. To Lou Channon and all at Brighton Goes Gospel—for joy and sanity. And to Laura Treneer, for being an angel on earth.
To Jo, Barbara, Jackie, and Catherine—thank you for making me read books I would have missed. And thank you to Allie, Debs, Lucy, Sandi, and Suzanna for your wisdom, kindness, and talent. And especially to Nikki—it’s been great to share this journey with you.
A big thank you to Sophie Gordon—you believed in me at the beginning of this road and I’m forever indebted to you.
A big thank you to Carlsen, Running Press, and Albatros Publishers, for taking a chance on a debut author from across the sea.
And finally, to my writing spirit. Thank you for choosing me.
LISA HEATHFIELD is a former secondary school English teacher, specializing in working with hearing-impaired children. Seed is her debut novel. She lives in Brighton, England, with her husband and three children.
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