The Second Mrs Thistlewood
Page 23
When writing a novel, the author can get too close to the story and stop seeing the flaws. I’d therefore like to thank Louise Walters for her superb editorial input and guiding me towards a sturdier story structure. Susan would have been a lesser character without Louise’s input.
An important word of thanks goes to Beverley Sykes from superscriptproofreading.co.uk for providing a top quality final buff and polish to the text of this story. Any remaining errors are mine, and mine alone!
My fellow writers at the Plymouth Writers Group deserve a mention. Each month we work on assignments and their reactions and feedback are so helpful. Special thanks goes to Veronica Bright and John Ashby for reading and critiquing this story before I approached the final edit.
The museum at No. 1 Royal Crescent, Bath, England, inspired settings and scenes within this story. The property encapsulates the splendour of Georgian life for the wealthy and was a template for Beckey and Samuel’s home. I visited No. 1 on a sodden spring day, expecting my visit to last an hour or two. The volunteers were so knowledgeable and enthusiastic that I spent four hours in the house writing notes, taking photos and enjoying the stories and anecdotes. (https://no1royalcrescent.org.uk/explore/ has wonderful images of the rooms.)
Book cover designer, Robin Vuchnich, has created a magnificent image, sure to catch the eye of readers. Sincere thanks to her for capturing the essence of this tale in her creation.
And thanks to you for reading this story. May it inspire you to overcome difficult situations and remain hopeful in the face of adversity.