ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to:
Simon Porter, for being my benefactor, for knowing it would happen, for putting up with my writer’s moods and for everything, forever.
Poppy Mariska Porter-Mascull, for letting me read through drafts in peace while she was eating her tea, for knowing that The Visitors were ghosts and for writing her own brilliant stories.
My agent Jane Conway-Gordon, for getting to the heart of things and for loving both Daniel and Adeliza.
My editor at Hodder and Stoughton, Suzie Dooré, for saying yes, being such a good laugh and a sensitive yet meticulous editor. And to Francine Toon and Rosie Gailer at Hodder for their friendly and helpful ways.
My lovely mum Liz Beeson and the oracle Russell Beeson, for tireless editing, love and conviction.
My brothers – Jonny, Robert and David Chadwick – and my Aunties and Cousins, for whooping and being proud. And to Emily, Alex and Sonny for reading and discussing my work.
Marie and Kevin Porter: to Nana for reading first drafts and all the hot dinners, to Grandad for school runs and being Leo the Lion.
Lynn Downing, for reading so quickly and enthusiastically, with a mother’s eye on little Liza, and listening to me drone on. (Love to Abbie and Isobel.)
Kathy Kendall, Theresa Roberts and Ella White, for consuming everything I’ve ever sent them and the long hours on the telephone.
Francine Koubel, for years of support and our discussions of the novel over Italian meals in London.
Dorothy Judd – an exquisite writer herself – for her grace and goodwill.
Ann Schlee and Daphne Glazer, for expert writing tuition and encouragement.
Kerry Drewery, for being my loyal writing friend and fellow pianist.
Alexis Hepworth, for defending Daniel.
Sarah-Jane Potts and Sue White, for believing in me.
The Media Studies team at AQA – particularly Kim Doyle – for all the fun and my first opportunity in publishing.
Dr Chris Sutcliffe, for giving me his blessing to leave school teaching and write.
Roger Huggett, Carol Dawson and Tracey Smith, for the gift of the violin.
Debbie Cowie, for responding to novelist hairdo emergencies with flair.
Pauline Lancaster and her family, for being brave.
Alison Parry, for showing clemency and not burning me as a witch.
David Landick the parcel man, who delivered my first novel and always asks.
Rose Kimmings, Assessment and Advice Officer; Ginny Matthew, Senior Children and Family Support Worker; and Emma Blanchard-Moore, Multi-Sensory Impairment Consultant, from the charity Sense, for their valuable time and relating their experiences of working with deaf-blind people.
Bernard Chang, FRCOphth, FRCSEd, Honorary Secretary of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists UK, for his expertise regarding all aspects of Liza’s eye condition, operation and recovery. Also to his once colleague Jackie Trevena, who looked up eye diseases for me during one very helpful phone call.
Prof. Denis Judd, Professor of British Imperial and Commonwealth History, New York University in London; and Dr Keith Surridge, teacher of British History for American programmes in London; for their kind assistance with diverse aspects of the Boer War.
Paul McKinnell from Spa Valley Railway for his knowledge of Edenbridge Town Station and the late Victorian rail network.
Staff at the Imperial War Museum Research Room, for their help in finding obscure Boer War diaries, letters and documents.
James, the lad on the bus from Filton College, Bristol who taught me how it feels to be deaf.
My Great-Great-Great Grandfather James Golding born 1810, who farmed on hop land and the real Adeliza Golding born 1868, my Great-Great-Aunt, who died so young and haunted me.
This book is dedicated to the memory of Alison Bonnington, who listened to the story of my first novel over a long lunch in Oxford then frog-marched me to the computer room to start writing it. Thank you, Alison.
The Visitors Page 24