Migrations(83)



“To life. They’re hidden everywhere.”





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First I’d like to thank my wonderful agent, Sharon Pelletier, for taking a chance on an unknown Australian author and encouraging me to write this book. You were patient and supportive, and without your leap of faith Migrations might not exist. It certainly wouldn’t have found the perfect home it did, at Flatiron, without your hard work, so thank you so much.

An enormous thank-you to my editor, Caroline Bleeke, who believed in this book from the start and has worked so tirelessly to strengthen the novel immeasurably and then to see it into the hands of readers. You have truly been a dream editor, Caroline, and I can’t thank you enough for your kindness, your generosity, and your dedication. Likewise, the whole team at Flatiron have all my gratitude for seeing the potential in this novel and working so hard to see that potential fulfilled, from the gorgeous design, both within the pages and on the cover, to the gutsy sales ideas to the international reach you have achieved. I couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you to my extraordinary publicist, Amelia Possanza, and to the rest of the wonderful team at Flatiron, especially Keith Hayes, Nancy Trypuc, Katherine Turro, Marta Fleming, Kerry Nordling, Cristina Gilbert, Amy Einhorn, Flatiron president Bob Miller, and publisher Megan Lynch. Thank you, also, to Matie Argiropoulos and the team at Macmillan Audio for their work on the audio production.

Thank you to my clever UK editor, Charlotte Humphery; publisher Clara Farmer; and their team at Chatto & Windus; and to my lovely Australian publisher, Nikki Christer, and her team at Penguin Random House. It’s been a joy to work with you all and I look forward to what’s ahead.

Thank you so much to my team of amazing friends. Sarah Houlahan, for sending me those early academic papers about Artic terns and for giving me so many science tips with such enthusiasm, and for listening, always. Kate Selway, for reading the manuscript and doing a “science pass” on it—your details made all the difference. Rhia Parker, for reading the earliest draft of the manuscript, as you always do, and for helping me with such great ideas. Caitlin Collins, Anita Jankovic, and Charlie Cox, for listening to me drone on about the various ups and downs that come with writing a book and for always doing it with a smile!

Thank you to my family, Hughen, Zoe, Nina, and Hamish, for your love and support, and Dad—thanks for teaching me about donkeys! To my grandmother Charmian, and my late grandfather John, for your support, and Pa’s insight into how boats move when in a storm. Thank you to my cousin Alice, for showing me around Galway and taking me to Irish sessions; your love of the ocean became a big part of Franny. To my brother, Liam, my grandmother Alex, and most of all my mum, Cathryn (who has diligently read every word I have ever written in endless, endless drafts); the three of you have been so unbelievably wonderful, I could not have written this without you, and I am truly so lucky to have you as my family. And to my partner, Morgan, you have been such a rock throughout this process, believing in me, sharing my excitement, and picking me up when it’s hard. Your passionate conviction in your beliefs is continually inspiring, and you’ve taught me that no one person is ever too small to do their part. Thank you.

Lastly I want to acknowledge the wild creatures of this earth and say that this book was written for them out of sadness and regret for those that have been wiped out and for love of those that remain. I truly, deeply hope that the world without animals depicted in Migrations does not come to pass.





ABOUT THE TYPE

Migrations is set in Fournier type. Fournier has a clean look on the page and provides good economy in text. Monotype, in 1924, based this face on types cut by Pierre Simon Fournier, circa 1742, which were called St Augustin Ordinaire in Fournier’s Manuel Typographique. These types were a stepping-stone to the more severe modern style made popular by Bodoni in the late 1700s.

Charlotte McConaghy's Books