by Ruth Heald
Best wishes,
Ruth
www.rjheald.com
Acknowledgements
Many people have contributed in large and small ways to the production of this book, but the underlying foundation has been my husband, who has supported me in everything I’ve done, and continues to provide an ever-patient sounding board for all my ideas.
The Mother’s Mistake is about mothers and daughters. Although my own mother isn’t here to see the novel published, I will always remember her relentless determination and enthusiasm in helping me get the word out about my debut novel, 27: Six Friends, One Year and I’m forever grateful.
I wrote The Mother’s Mistake while I was on maternity leave. After a difficult pregnancy, I was lucky to have an easy ride of early parenthood. My daughter has been a source of joy throughout the writing process. I’ve learnt so much from the delight she takes in the world around her and it’s a pleasure to watch her develop and grow.
I’d also like to thank all the family and friends who have supported me in the development of my novel, including those who have advised me on police operations, medicine, social services and psychology, and those who have read chapters of the book and provided feedback.
I’m grateful to my editor Christina Demosthenous, firstly for signing me to Bookouture and secondly for providing such insightful editorial feedback. She has been unfailingly positive and allowed me to push back deadlines when I’ve been unwell, making the whole process very rewarding and stress-free. Thanks also to the rest of the team at Bookouture, a highly talented group who have provided ongoing help and guidance.
There were many people who helped me on my way to my publishing deal with Bookouture. My online writing group, the Neons, helped me fine-tune the early chapters. My mentor, Claire McGowan, provided invaluable feedback on the book and was an essential guide to the publishing industry. Marco Crivellari kindly read the manuscript at very short notice and gave me extremely useful feedback, drawing on his background in television. Debi Alper provided objective advice on publishing options, which helped me make a decision on which path to take.
And finally thank you to everyone who has taken time out of their lives to read my book. One of the greatest pleasures for me is knowing that there are people out there reading and enjoying my work.
Published by Bookouture in 2019
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An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Ruth Heald, 2019
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Ruth Heald has asserted her right to be identified
as the author of this work.
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-78681-532-3
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
