Charlie Weatherburn and the Flying Machine would not be half the book that it is without the network of people that I am surrounded by.
My friends, family and work colleagues were incredibly supportive during the writing and illustrating of this book. Whether they know it or not (they do now!), every one of the following kind souls helped me turn my idea into a reality. So a big thank you to:
Mum, Dad, Georgina Laidlaw, Chris & Claire Souter, Nick Souter, Andrew Dowdy, Jay Millington, Narelle McNaughton, Darin Bendall, Katherine Mok, Adam Schilling, Sapphira Butler, James Mansfield, Rob Shattock, Yen Vuong, Doug & Mary Reith, Ian & Jodie Whitehurst, Miranda Moreira, Catherine Acton, Nicci & Scott Leung
In particular, there are a handful of people to whom I owe a great deal for their input and assistance, and without whom this book would probably not exist. They are:
- Luke Cuthbertson: For providing the pep talks and motivation I needed to “get it done.”
- Kelly Steele: For providing critical feedback that helped shape the book into its final form
- Hilary Reynolds: For her brutal honesty, experience and insights into what makes a quality children’s book
- Andrea Innocent: For sharing her vast experience on bringing professionalism to the world of illustration
- Kevin Yank: For answering technical questions about ebook file formats and network ports with patience and clarity
I’m also hugely grateful to the literally hundreds of people who have promoted the book via email to parent groups, friends, family, work colleagues, and posted about the book on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and elsewhere, often accompanied with flattering comments that make me feel all gooey inside.
And finally …
- My wife, Kimberley: For her understanding and encouragement during the last two and a half years, while I toiled away on the computer until early hours of the morning. Like they say, behind every great man …
Hang on a sec. Did I just use the word “great” in reference to myself? I’ve released one book and already my ego’s getting out of control. Somebody bring me back down to earth!
But seriously, to all of these people—thank you, thank you, thank you!
