The Godmother (46 page)

If this book is about anything, it is about the fact that no one knows what lies around the corner. I had written four crime novels and was struggling to find a good idea for the fifth. Then I met a girl called Catherine Gosling at a hen night and everything changed. She said she had an idea for a book about a woman, like her, with far too many godchildren, but no children of her own. We had a booze-fueled, over-excited conversation about it between stripping, playing with sex toys and drinking far too much. I have had those kinds of evenings before (with less stripping); I meet a lot of people who have an idea for a book, and in the cold light of day wake up and realize that it was all a bad idea. Not in this case. The idea stuck and soon characters were beginning to form in my head. So, to Catherine Gosling, my fellow hen and much-loved godmother, I salute you. The birth of
The Godmother
is thanks to you.

Second thanks, then, must go to Felicity Gillespie for getting married. Because without her taking that mighty leap of faith, I wouldn't have found myself stripping in the first place. She also proved herself a great editor yet again. I'm sorry I've been so hopelessly occupied recently.

Third, but really first, I personally owe a vast amount to Eugenie Furniss at the William Morris Agency for getting the best out of me, guiding me and introducing me to certain people who shall remain nameless. All I had to say was, “You know that expression, three times the bridesmaid, never the bride? Well, this is three times the godmother, never the—” That was it. She clicked her fingers, ordered another glass of white wine, and took it from there. I wrote it but she knew who'd publish it best of all. And so to Harrie Evans and her team at Headline. What can I say but thank you, thank you, thank you. I know how hard publishing is, but you make it look easy and far too much
fun. And then to Dorian Karchmar in the New York office who took this book to a whole new level, thanks to you and everyone at HarperCollins USA.

This has been both the toughest and easiest book to write. Tough because of things conspiring to stop me from writing but easy because it was like a protracted conversation with any one of my girlfriends. So to them and my sisters, I raise a glass. Thank you all, you know who you are. To David Bolton and Electra May for keeping me upright. To Anne Lewthwaite Haribin for keeping me sane. To Carmen Gloria, Vivi, Taffy, Andrea, Mickey, Amelia and Katie for giving me extra hours when I needed them most.

My love and thanks to Adam for his years of support. I know you think all my books should be dedicated to you; what I hope you know is that, deep down, they are. I love you.