“Nah,” Morgan says, nodding at the steady rain outside. “How about we park here for a little while instead.”
I glance over at our friends laughing and teasing and swapping stories, and realise this is exactly where I want to be. With my new photography work under one arm, and an evening of freedom stretching out in front of me, I slide my hand into Morgan’s, feeling my small space expand with possibility.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, my gratitude goes to the team at Walker Books for plucking me out of the slush pile and believing in my writing, especially my editor, Nicola Santilli, and my publisher, Linsay Knight. They both understood everything I was trying to achieve with this story and I’m so fortunate to have gone through this debut experience with them by my side. Thank you to everyone at Walker for their enthusiasm about my creepy little novel, and to Amy Daoud for the cover and book design.
Heartfelt thanks to Fleur Ferris for her ongoing kindness and encouragement, and for providing so many lovely blurbs to choose from for the cover; I would have gladly used them all if I could! Also to Ellie Marney and Rachael Craw, whose words I’m honoured to have gracing my book as well.
To my extraordinary critique partners, Erika David, Janelle Weiner, Ingrid Alexandra and Rebekah Beddoe, who have encouraged, advised and reassured me in this journey to publication, as well as brainstormed and commiserated with me over various manuscripts, revisions and rejections – thank you for your wisdom, support and friendship. It has helped me more than you know.
Also, a debt of gratitude to Emily Mead and Emily Marquart for critiquing assorted chapters, query letters and manuscripts over the years and for making this long road so much more enjoyable with their friendship. Much love to Abigail Henderson, Georgina Kinkade and my sister, Vicky Watson, for being my earliest readers and encouraging me to think of myself as a “real writer”.
Thank you to my kidlit buddies on Twitter and in Jen Storer’s Duck Pond who make the sometimes lonely task of novel writing so much more fun and inspiring. And to the readers, reviewers, librarians, booksellers, book bloggers and bookstagrammers who celebrate their passion for stories so tirelessly and enthusiastically – you are absolute treasures and so very appreciated.
To my parents, Pat and Roy Bolton, and my in-laws, Pat and Rob Epstein, thank you for always being my unwavering cheer squad.
Finally, and most importantly, thank you to Anthony Epstein, the most patient and supportive partner in crime I could ever ask for, and our boys, Hugo and Harvey, who make me proud every single day. Without your love and encouragement I would never have got this far. Look, kids – Mum finally made it onto a bookshelf!
SARAH EPSTEIN spent her childhood drawing, daydreaming and cobbling together books at the kitchen table. A writer, illustrator and designer, she grew up in suburban Sydney and now lives in Melbourne with her husband and two sons. She is passionate about YA, especially the thriller genre, which is her favourite to read. Small Spaces is her first novel.
First published in 2018
by Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd
Locked Bag 22, Newtown
NSW 2042 Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
This ebook edition published in 2018
The moral rights of the author have been asserted.
Text © 2018 Sarah Epstein
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Epstein, Sarah.
Small Spaces / Sarah Epstein.
For young adults.
Subjects: Suspense fiction.
ISBN: 978-1-760650-11-7 (ePub/mobi)
ISBN: 978-1-760650-10-0 (ePDF)
COVER IMAGE © Jan Faukner/Shutterstock
For Tony, Hugo and Harvey.
Small Spaces Page 28