The Extremely Epic Viking Tale of Yondersaay (34 page)

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Authors: Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

Tags: #Vikings, #fantasy, #Denmark, #siblings, #action-adventure, #holidays, #Christmas, #grandparents, #fairy tale, #winter

BOOK: The Extremely Epic Viking Tale of Yondersaay

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THE END

Acknowledgements

I owe a debt of gratitude to a great many people. The book started out as my Masters in Creative writing thesis at the University of Cape Town. I’m grateful to my teachers for their expert advice, encouragement, and support, especially to Ron Irwin, Jean McNeil, and the late Stephen Watson. A shout out to my fabulous classmates: Hazel Woodward, Sue Sega, Sally Cranswick, Penny Busetto, Mo Ismail, Marcus Low, Paul Leger, Sam Wilson, Charlie Human, Monica Jacobs, Lisa Lazarus, Ellen Banda-Aaku, and Nape Montana.

Massive thanks to my writing buddy Kira Schlesinger for her daily chats in the research commons and for keeping me sane, well, more sane that I otherwise would have been. Thanks also to Robin Moger, another research commons desk mate for his friendship and support and for being an astute and constructive early reader of the book.

Luke Fiske was an inspirational teacher and supervisor, always kind, thorough, thoughtful and encouraging. I wouldn’t have written this book if not for Luke, he believed in it from the beginning – if you didn’t like it, it’s all his fault.

Thanks to Michelle Magwood and Olivia Birdsall, the first anonymous readers of the book, for their words of praise and encouragement. Extra love to Michelle for her continued friendship.

I’m so thankful to early readers of the book, Mary Auxier for her exquisite editorial advice, and to Libby Ferda, Ciaran MacGlinchey, Rachel Ferriman, Michele Rowe, Joanna Trollope, and Jack Ritchie. Thanks to Emer Horgan and her friend Tatsuo Kitagawa for translating the line of Japanese.

To the best agent in the world, Ali MacDonald, you are the cat’s pajamas and the bee’s knees.

Thank you to Georgia McBride for saying yes to this book, and for everything that’s happened since then - it’s been a wonderful ride. Huge thanks to my lovely editor Tara Creel for her diligence and support, and to Jaime, Nicole, and the rest of the indefatigable team at Tantrum Books.

AOIFE LENNON-RITCHIE

Aoife Lennon-Ritchie
is an Irish writer and actor. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and two children. She is only one-sixteenth Yondersaanian, but she has red hair and white skin so is often mistaken for a full Yondersaanian.

If you would like more information on Yondersaay, have a look at the author’s website
www.aoifelennonritchie.com
and the book’s website
www.extremelyepic.com
. For even more information, or to go to the island over the school holidays, try emailing the Shetland tourist board, the Yondersaay tourist board, and the Scottish tourist board and ask to be invited to Yondersaay.

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