The Book of Emmett (27 page)

Outside, they see a stripe of red fire burning in the long grass in a faraway paddock and soon they pass the luminescent orange of a haystack on fire, the heat drawing in all within its orbit. Behind them the lights of Rob's ute are steady eyes in the hungry night. And then they press on and the dark folds itself around them and the light retreats like a fallen army.

In the writing of this work of fiction I'm grateful for all the help I've had. Despite his busy schedule, my husband, Alan, read early drafts and with his encouragement helped me more than he can ever know. And later, my friend and editor Nadine Davidoff was both bracing and liberating. Being accepted by publisher Meredith Curnow was special enough, but hearing her speak of the characters as if they were real was completely unforgettable and will always stay with me. And Brandon VanOver has been a kind and thoughtful editor with that rarest quality, a sense of humour. My RMIT teacher, Antoni Jach, was also helpful and my dear friend Margaret Geddes listened to more than her share of potential plots along the journey that this book has become. My sister, Sarah, and my brothers, Anthony and Russell, were generous and patient during the writing of the novel, and I thank them for it. Finally, thank you to my children Phoebe, Alice and Christopher; you are always inspiring.