Chapters (49)
A bucket-load of thanks to my wonderful editor Martina Arzu, Claire Dean for her brilliant copyediting skills, and the rest of the team at Aria and Head of Zeus. I still get a thrill every time I hear from you because I can’t believe I’m an actual published author with an actual publisher in the UK – a place I can’t wait to visit again now our borders are finally opening.
Thanks to the team at Bloomsbury Australia, and to Ross and Melanie here in New Zealand who have gone above and beyond to support this local author – you are both superstars!
To my incredible staff Brea and Rachel at my favourite bookshop in the world (okay I may be biased), I am lucky and grateful beyond words. Thank you for being champion booksellers and for making The Booklover Bookshop the special place it is today. To all our loyal customers, thank you for your endless support.
To my fellow booksellers who have survived the past two years of Covid chaos, I raise my glass to you because it has been incredibly tough. At the risk of inciting further heated discussions, I believe providing books to our community is and should be an essential service – books bring more solace and comfort to those isolated and anxious than a pair of rollerskates or a six-pack of beer ever could!
As F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote: “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”
To my readers, you belong to a very special group. Without you I wouldn’t be typing this right now. Without you, books and bookshops would cease to exist. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing to be a reader and most especially for choosing to read this book.
About the Author
OLIVIA SPOONER lives in New Zealand with her husband, three children, a big hairy dog and an overweight cat. Olivia’s previous novel A Way Back to Happy tells the story of Emma, Trish’s friend. Olivia loved writing about Emma, Trish, Mags, and Lily so much she decided to tell Trish’s story next. Olivia is the proud owner of an independent bookshop, where she happily shares her love of books with everyone who walks through the door. When not surrounded by books or creating stories, Olivia is most likely to be found at the beach or simply out walking – the more remote the location, the better. She loves a good meal and to the disbelief of her children, adores a massaged kale and avocado salad. And chocolate. Just not together.
An Invitation from the Publisher
We hope you enjoyed this book. We are an independent publisher dedicated to discovering brilliant books, new authors and great storytelling. Please join us at www.headofzeus.com and become part of our community of book-lovers.