I’d like to send my most enormous thanks to the following people:

My editor, Kirsty Stansfield, and the fantastic team at Nosy Crow – for all their hard work on this book.

Illustrator Matt Saunders and designer Nicola Theobald – for making The Middler utterly beautiful.

Nancy Miles – for being my agent extraordinaire and championing The Middler all the way.

The teachers and students from Bath Spa University’s MAWYP, especially the very talented class of 2016 – for their friendship, wisdom, and honesty.

My first creative writing teacher, Nicky Morris, and all my brilliant fellow What-nots – for believing in my writing from the very start.

Jodie Hodges and Jenny Savill – for encouragement and ideas along the way.

Margaret – for endless support.

Simon, Dennis and Victor – for simply being the most excellent people I know.

Janice, Alan & Claire – for being my mum, dad and sister. Without them, Maggie wouldn’t be Maggie, because I wouldn’t be me.

COPYRIGHT

First published in the UK in 2019 by Nosy Crow Ltd
The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place
Crosby Row, London, SE1 1YW

Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

Text copyright © Kirsty Applebaum, 2019
Cover and inside copyright © Matt Saunders, 2019

The right of Kirsty Applebaum to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. 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 Nosy Crow Ltd.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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ISBN: 978 1 78800 345 2
eISBN: 978 1 78800 346 9