Cry of the Firebird
Page 32
Fiction: Shirabe is not one of their glass violins from their collection.
CULTURAL-SENSITIVITY NOTE
I grew up knowing of the Bushman of the Kalahari as a magical people, and I was in awe of them. Now years later, their name has been changed to San, and many people believe that ‘Bushman’ is a derogatory term. I have had professors at universities and anthropologists living with the San on the ground both tell me conflicting information about the name that the San were given, and while some have accepted it, some still preferred to be called Bushman. Neither San nor Bushman is a term they chose themselves. This story is not about their name.
I write this story with the utmost respect to the San, to highlight their plight, and bring awareness to the unjustness that is still happening across Africa.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Once again, I want to thank everyone who journeys beside me as I take an idea and shape it into a book.
Brian Culver, man on the ground in Kimberley, South Africa, who talked to me about all things relating to the Kimberley and flamingos, at all hours.
Jenny Parkes, a reader who chose to go into a raffle to be my reader killed in this book. Congratulations!
Natalie Hatch, for friendship and because she’s snarky and funny and gave me the perfect line to use: ‘Murder is bad, but if you are going to do it, don’t leave a paper trail.’
Antoinette Hermann, ex-South African Police Force, any policing errors are all mine—thank you for your guidance on procedure and all the different name changes etcetera.
Andries Johannes van Tonder and Vaughan Smith, two of my long-time readers. I decided to put your names in to make you both smile. As FIFO workers, thank you for your loyalty as you have continued to follow me from no matter where, Afghanistan to the Amazon, South Africa to Australia, wherever you are: enjoy reading this one.
Keyan G. Tomaselli, Distinguished Professor, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, for your help on HIV research and the San.
Ferdinand Veer Jr, for your on-the-ground information and research on the San.
John Jang, from HARIO Co. Ltd., for your information about the amazing glass violins you manufacture, and for allowing me to use them by name in this book. I hope you can hear that the music they make in my novel is as beautiful as it is in real life.
To the Quirk family who shared their story with me, and inspired the story of Quintin and Lily’s love and their devotion to be together—always.
Debbie Kahl who named my glass violin, Shirabe, for me—and for her love of everything Japanese, culture, language and place.
The team at HarperCollins, Harlequin Mira, especially Rachael Donovan, for pushing me deeper and further in my stories, and, for the second time, naming my book. Thank you. My editors, Laurie Ormond, Chrysoula Aiello and Alex Nahlous, for not giving up on me and helping me make each story better than my last. George Saad, for my almost-pink cover! I love it!
My beta reader, Petro Grobbelaar, many thanks for your help in various edit stages.
Amy Andrews, long-time writing friend, for the idea to write a book with a ‘flamingo in so I could maybe get a pinkish cover’. My male-dominated house now has a decidedly pink hue to it!
Robyn Grady, Gayle Ash and Alli Sinclair, who haven’t fired me yet. To writing journeys—however windy the path seems to be.
To my readers who continue to buy my books, and who love wildlife, different cultures and stories as much as I do.
And my sons, Kyle and Barry, for putting up with me in my life between two worlds, and for being the most amazing young gentlemen a mum could ask for.
Lastly, to my husband, Shaun. For everything, always, but especially for the freedom to stretch my wings and fly beside you.
ISBN: 9781489260901
TITLE: CRY OF THE FIREBIRD
First Australian Publication 2019
Copyright © 2019 by T. M. Clark
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