Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the Canada Council for the Arts for their support under Grants for Professional Writers: Creative Writing. Also the Ontario Arts Council for a Writer’s Reserve Grant as recommend by Tundra Books, as well as a Writers Works-in-Progress Grant. 

I am grateful to the following persons for their support and encouragement:

Marcella Hannon Shields Ph. D., Psychologist and author of: "Once Upon a Time there was a Little Girl," and the Spinsters. Outstanding women who have enriched my life and helped me sort out the threads so that weaving the pattern of story could begin.

Peter Carver’s sensitivity and respect for the written word have made working on this story a joy. His excellent guidance and support from the beginning have made all the difference.

My long time friends and fellow writers in Writer’s Bloc. Draft after draft, your enthusiasm for Kate’s Ring never waned. I am so grateful.

Sandra Birdsell, Humber School for Writers—working with you was a pleasure. Your belief in this story gave me the courage to open up new possibilities for Kate’s Ring. Your enthusiasm was electric and often made me smile.

Kathy Stinson and Peter Carver and the participants of the seaside retreat in Port Jolie, NS. I am forever grateful to have experienced the chance to write in my home province and to be with a diverse group of talented writers. Your care and encouragement for my project gave me the nerve to change the direction of the novel.

The Rockwood Nuts, your mentorship and careful workshopping of Kate’s Ring meant the world to me.

For all my friends, colleagues and youth readers who gave generously of their time to read the entire manuscript, in some cases more than once, thank you, and thank you also for offering your creative ideas to this work. 

To Barbara Greenwood, Sarah Ellis and Sharon Jennings for providing me with the concrete tools to write this story..

Special thank you to Dr. Jim St Clair, Mull River, Cape Breton, educator, historian, author and CBC radio broadcaster, for your detailed and informative answers to my last-minute questions.

To the lovely and talented people at The Gaelic College, Highland Village. The Beaton Institute, and the Whitney Pier Historical Society Museum my heartfelt appreciation.