Medalon

Acknowledgments

I always threatened that my acknowledgment would read something like: I would like to thank my children, without whom this book would have been finished several years sooner...

In fact, without their unwavering faith, it might never have been finished at all. I would particularly like to thank David, for his endless supply of coffee and for turning out so well when his mother spent so many of his formative years lost in another world. My heartfelt thanks also to Amanda, for her excellent proofreading and for naming the God of Thieves, and to TJ for being such a good listener – although I wish she had not waited until I was halfway through the final draft before asking, “What would happen if R’shiel was Joyhinia’s daughter?”

I would like to thank Irene Dahlberg and Kirsten Tranter for seven pages of insight that pointed me in the right direction and Lyn Tranter at Australian Literary Management for her patience.

My heartfelt thanks go to Dave English from the Alice Springs Yacht Club, for his expert advice on sailing. Nor can I forget to mention Toni-Maree and John Elferink MLA, for their unwavering support when I needed them most and for putting up with my eccentricities on a daily basis.

Last but not least, I must thank my good friend Harshini Bhoola, whose relentless enthusiasm and endless reading of draft after draft of this series earned her an entire race of people named in her honor. She deserves a place with the gods.