Authors: Rhonda Roberts
Gladiatrix (47 page)
I've been fortunate in having marvellous support along the way; my heartfelt thanks to â¦
Omori Teriyuki Sensei and Omori Setsuko Sensei, my first Aikido teachers who gave me the gift of Ki.
Inuzuka Shizuko Sensei, my Ikebana and Omote Senke teacher who showed me the wonder to be found in everyday life.
The NSW Writers' Centre, a true haven for writers.
Abigail Nathan, for her incisive comments.
Arabella Lee, for her kind guidance.
Lesley McFadzean, for her sage advice.
Inspector Julie Boon of the NSW Police Force, for sharing her breadth of experience.
Sean Williams, for his kind generosity to a complete novice.
My agent, Richard Curtis, for his keen insight and astute efforts on my behalf.
Those four strong, wonderful women: Rowena Lindquist (Cory Daniells), Kim Wilkins, Marianne de Pierres and Louise Cusack. I couldn't have done this without your kind generosity.
Terry Dowling, a great Australian writer who has been a fantastic mentor and inspiring role model.
The wonderful team at Voyager and everyone else at HarperCollins. Particularly the hard working account managers who go out and the sell the books and Darren Holt and the design team for such a gorgeous cover.
Stephanie Smith, Associate Publisher â Voyager, a brilliant editor as well as an amazing human being. You made this happen.
Jackie Ginnane, an angel on earth.
Jill Keys, a guiding light through thick and thin.
Richard Caladine, my fellow adventurer.
Rhonda was an academic at the University of Wollongong for eleven years, studying the formation of knowledge systems in different cultures and historical periods, in particular Japan, Australia and the USA.
She is very interested in martial arts and trained in Aikido for four years in Japan and Australia. She is now learning Tai Chi, Qigong and Chinese sword.
Rhonda lives in the Illawarra with her husband and two dogs and swims in the ocean every day that she can.
Harper
Voyager
An imprint of HarperCollins
Publishers
, Australia
First published in Australia in 2009
This edition published in 2012
by HarperCollins
Publishers
Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
Copyright © Rhonda Roberts 2009
The right of Rhonda Roberts to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the
Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968
, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Roberts, Rhonda.
Gladiatrix / Rhonda Roberts.
ISBN: 978 0 7322 8855 6 (pbk.)
ISBN: 978-1-74309-619-2(epub)
A823.4