The master mason Robert Smythson is considered one of the first architects in England; in the Elizabethan era, the concept of an architect, though known in France and Italy, was new. Smythson was an innovator who developed an English Renaissance style by fusing elements of Flemish and Italian architecture with English gothic design. The buildings designed and built by Smythson, his son, John, and later his grandson, Huntington—with their dramatic display of symmetry, their elegant façades and huge grids of windows—were the most remarkable and romantic structures of their time. While some examples of these magnificent houses have survived, such as the splendid Hardwick Hall, others have been demolished or unwisely renovated or have deteriorated beyond repair.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am deeply grateful to all who helped bring The Tutor to publication. I want to thank my stellar agent, Leigh Feldman, for her immediate and unswerving belief in this novel. Her conviction was a gift and gave me courage. I feel extremely fortunate that Megan Lynch at Riverhead Books was my editor; her complete understanding of my story and my characters made working with her a thrilling experience, and her brilliant editing pushed the book to a new level. I wish to thank my terrific UK editor, Venetia Butterfield at Viking, for her helpful and important edits. And I would like to express my appreciation for my new Riverhead editor, Sarah Stein, who did an excellent job of ushering this book into print.
Many thanks to Michael Frank, Jean Garnett, Mark Hage and Mercedes Ruehl, whose frankness and close readings made this a better book. Michael, an incredible reader and friend, sometimes said things I didn’t want to hear, but in the end I did listen. And Mercedes’ ability to translate her talents from the stage to thoughtful criticism was a blessing. I wish to thank Elizabeth Gaffney for her editorial insights, advice and lovely friendship during our parallel journeys on perpendicular streets. Huge appreciation goes to Maren Kugelberg, my Enthusiastic Reader, for reading every draft I wrote, for listening to me read countless sections out loud, for demanding to know if I was working on my novel and, if I wasn’t, for herding me back to it.
James Shapiro’s wonderful book A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599 first gave me the idea of writing a fictional account of one of Shakespeare’s “lost years.” I am extremely grateful to Professor Shapiro for his enthusiasm and generosity; his suggestions for sources were immensely helpful, as was his reading and commenting on my manuscript. My profound gratitude goes to Sir Bernard de Hoghton, the fourteenth Baronet of Hoghton Tower, for meeting with me and recounting the fascinating stories of his ancestors and for sharing his boundless knowledge of Lancashire and Catholics during the Elizabethan era. And thanks to Jack Herney, who many years ago taught me to love history and research.
Special thanks to the early readers whose insights and comments were very important: Anne Cattaneo, Alexis Chapin-Downs, Jennifer Cobb, Julie Novacek Godsoe, Patty McCormick, Mark Millhone, Dr. Carmela Perri, Sally Wofford-Girand. And special appreciation to Marisa Bartolucci, Kate Crane, John Eastman, Louise Eastman, Anne Edelstein, Rachel Foster, Tom Hahn, Betsy Israel, May Katz, Jennifer McCarthy and the late Eileen Roaman for their help and encouragement. Much appreciation goes to Michael Keller and Jim Vandernoth. At Riverhead Books, thanks to Dave Cole for great catches and excellent queries and to Alexandra Cardia for cheerful assistance. I’m thankful also to The Writers Room in New York City, where I started working on this book, and to the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., for its fine collections and exhibits.
I am eternally grateful to my family—David, Brandon and Carden. I could not have written this novel without their belief in me. I am thankful for their love and for their continuing with daily life while I sat all day and often much of the night with my laptop open and my head in a trance.
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The Tutor: A Novel Page 33