Chapters (34)

Thank you to my family and friends and to everyone who encouraged and supported me while I wrote this book. We are living in strange times, through years that none of us will forget, which makes creating art in any form harder to realise, and more essential than ever. I’m so grateful that I am part of this creative community, that I get to write and be published; it’s a ‘pinch me’ moment every day.

I am ever grateful to my publisher, Jo Mackay, for your faith in me and patience. Huge thanks to the dedicated, wonderful team at HQ and HarperCollins for your ongoing support and for turning my story into such a beautiful book. Jo Butler, editor extraordinaire, I loved working with you.

Enormous gratitude to my agent Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown. Your wise counsel and positivity keep me going. Thanks to the rest of the most excellent team at Curtis Brown Australia.

Thank you to astronomer Associate Professor John O’Byrne from Sydney University, who was generous with his time and expertise. It was utterly fascinating to be able to look at a view of the night sky over Florence from 1496.

To my early readers, thank you to Kevin Ralphs for your honest, critical eye and ongoing friendship and support from afar. Thank you to my mother, Karen Harcourt, who reads with the eye of a copyeditor and the heart of a super fan.

Thank you to the booksellers and independent bookshops who do such an amazing job of keeping books and the joy of reading alive. Someone is reading my book because of what you do and that’s priceless. A special wave to my favourite little corner of the world, Gertrude & Alice Bookstore in Bondi. To be asked about how my manuscript is going when I buy a coffee each morning is just the best boost—small acts of kindness from some of the biggest hearts in the business.

I have a group of funny, gorgeous, loyal friends, and it is because of their company that I am not entirely a hermit. Thank you, dear friends, for reminding me to laugh.

My family is the bedrock of my world. Love and gratitude to Phoebe, Sean, Alex, Faith, Lily, Harry, and to Rebecca, Ed, Louise and William and to my mum, you are amazing.

I have three gloriously unique children; Oliver, Clare and Zoe, thank you for respecting my work, giving me peace and quiet when I ask, and for believing in me. I love you.

Finally, to my readers, thank you to everyone who read my first book and I hope you enjoy reading this one.

Copyright

ISBN: 9781489249173

TITLE: THE BRIGHTEST STAR

First Australian Publication 2022