ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I WAS LUCKY to be born into a world where books and reading were everywhere. When I was four or five, I remember my dad complaining about the cats getting into the garbage bin, and I suggested writing a sign asking them to stay away. When my dad informed me that cats couldn’t read, I was shocked and felt sorry for them – in my world, everyone and everything that was alive could read, just like we all made sounds and moved. So, my acknowledgements begin with my mum, who taught me to read, the rest of my family (especially Dad, Lissy and Annie), my teachers, my school librarian, and the authors of so many marvellous children’s books, who helped a bookworm like me take such joy in words, and never stop.
The journey to publication has been complex and wonderful, and many people have helped. Erica Wagner is my publisher (I still get a kick out of saying the words ‘my publisher’!), who saw the potential in the Freedom Finders, championed it into reality, and gave rock-solid advice and deep kindness.
Elise Jones is my editor, who has been like a wonderful dance partner – responsive, enthused, aware and communicative. She cares about this series as much as I do, and her dedication shows everywhere on these pages. (I’d show you a first draft by way of comparison, but that would be too embarrassing.)
The rest of the team at Allen & Unwin have been so excited by the series and committed to its success; I couldn’t have asked for better support.
Stephen Mushin gets a special shout-out for being a genie-skull who always has my back, comes up with the best ideas, and encourages me to shoot for the stars. Sher Rill Ng has produced amazingly lush cover art for the series, which I just love. Hamish Maxwell-Stewart and Rebecca Read at the University of Tasmania were terrific at spotting details where my imagination had coloured outside the lines of actual historical fact.
My great thanks and respect also go to Ruth Langford, Tony Burgess, Tony Brown, Denise Robinson, Lisa Fuller and, especially, Theresa Sainty, who generously made time to discuss and enrich the Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural content in this book, and to the Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation, who approved the use of the palawa kani word ‘Waylitja’.
Caitlin Barratt, Keeley Jones, and Mr Jeffery’s Grade 5/6 class of 2016 were all great guinea-pig readers in the early days. Lola Conolan piqued my interest in Conolan family history and the Irish rebels of Van Diemen’s Land; I was so touched when she read an early draft and told me that she loved my fictionalised portrayal of Bernard Conolan. I treasure the time we had together, and wish we could have more. Deep love and gratitude also to my Mamabake friends and everyone else who listened, made cups of tea, and became the proverbial village it takes to raise two children and a book series.
My husband, Matt, is my bedrock and life partner in every way, including being the dad of Anwen and Ben, who fill me with oodles of love. Lastly, thank you, dear reader, because there would have been no point in writing this book at all if it weren’t for your readiness to read it. (I’m only sorry that no cats ever will.)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EMILY CONOLAN IS a writer and teacher, who is also known for her humanitarian work. For her role in establishing a volunteer support network for asylum seekers in Tasmania, she has been awarded Tasmanian of the Year, Hobart Citizen of the Year, and the Tasmanian Human Rights Award. The stories of courage and resilience she has heard in the course of her work with refugees, combined with tales from her own family history, inspired her to write the Freedom Finders series.
