Being a bit of an armchair traveller myself, my experience of the world is somewhat limited. So I’d like to say a huge thank you to the people who shared their worlds with me: Laura Goss (New Orleans), Kim Curran and Dan Holloway (Pad Thai), Phil and Jo White (Kefalonia – in particular, the goat bells!), Victoria Connelly (Venice), my bestest chum Helen Smith (for inspiring Stella and Harri’s friendship), and Phil Henley (Thailand and the inspiration for Alex’s story). I’d also like to thank the very lovely Alison Howell from www.foot-trails.co.uk, for inspiring Emily’s story – she’s a shining example of what can happen when you take a chance on your dream.
For excellent Mini spares knowledge for Jack’s car (and for generally being brilliant), grateful thanks to Phil Jevons, Dan Guest and Dave Jevons. Big thanks to my dedicated posse of writerly superstars – Kim Curran, Danielle Derry and Linsey Pearson – for your honesty, enthusiasm and all-round fabulousness in reading the various edits of this book.
I’d also like to thank the fantastic people I’ve met on Twitter, especially the six superheroes who flew to my rescue when I needed colour suggestions for Harri’s wardrobe: Melissa Dixie, Rin Simpson, Sarah Siddons, Leigh Fenn, Jane Colston and Mandi Millen.
Thanks as always to my wonderful family and to my awesome friends for just being the best mates in the world and inspiring me in more ways than they realise. Also, big thanks to Siobhan Brown at Stourbridge Yoga – www.stourbridgeyoga.co.uk for much-needed relaxation and unending thanks to my family at Calvary Church, Kingswinford, for all your support and love. For everything that’s been and is to come, thanks to the Master Storyteller, who knows it all.
Finally, to my lovely Bob: knight-in-shining-armour, support team, book widower and the man of my dreams. Thank you for loving me.
It’s still a dream come true to be able to create worlds for other people to wander in. Thank you for choosing to step into mine!
Fairytale of New York
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
A Paperback Original 2010
1
Copyright © Miranda Dickinson 2010
Miranda Dickinson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978-1-84756-166-4
EPub Edition © 2010 ISBN: 9780007352517
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