To my proofreaders: Christine Grover, Diane Hernaman, Pam Rymill, Dave Keable, Steve Tumbridge and Angela Tumbridge.
To the homeless people I lived with during Christmas 1999, for inspiring many of the characters.
To Pete Rymill for cover artwork. 
To Rob Gimes – my model for Robin Forest.
To Christine for her tolerance and patience while this novel was being written.

And to fill up the page, a list of friends, colleagues and heroes, who have surely influenced my life and provided novel inspirations:

George Hendry, Adrian Cull, Roger Lofting, Chris Farley, Alan Carter, Pete Smith, Alex Lane, Andy Brook, Tom Hood, Anna Villani, Tony Morris, Barry Harris, Bill Bannister, Bob DeAngelis, Joseph Kent, Richard Bird, Michael Grundy, Raymond Mayers, Kathleen Oliver, Brenda Moore, Gilllian Fellick, Emma Towers, Pat Secker, Brenda Smith, Frances Carey, Hettie Dixon, Christine Matthews, Jennifer Gold, Clare Pettitt, Clive Baty, Dave Pooley, David Potter, David Storey, Debbie Harrison, Don Grunbaum, Doreen Murphy, Emma Jay, Terry Tremlett, Emma Pemberton, Bob Pamplin, Grahame Points, Chris Larkin, Alan Huggins, Geoff White, Graham Roper, Heather Carnera, Paul Hernaman, Steve Lobb, Brian Smith, John Hobcraft, Jeremy Ceh, Kate Faithfull, Robin Hernaman, Keith Edgley, Keith Francis, Mike Dunion, Ken Allen, Jim Mullarkey, Sandra Stops, Roy Caselton, Hayley Gilmour, Ken Larking, Tony Woodhouse, Roger Clark, Kevin Dixon, Doug Coleman, Steve Rapley, Leslie Barnes, Lisa Robertson, Valerie Saywell, Terry Underwood, Tony Briley, Trevor Martin, Chris Fincham, Audrey Richardson, Jimmy Smith, Joseph Gillam, Michael Pizer, John Matthews, Mandi Garnham-Taylor, Mfanelo Bhebhe, John Lennon, Mike Alston, Graham Hill, Fred Dawson, Joanne Howard, John Stowell, Damon Hill, April Barclay, Jenny Keable, Mike Alston, Miles Henderson, Dave Herring, Ron Laver, Nadia Cane, Kay San Soen, Steve Thomas, Nicky Derbyshire, Nigel Booth, Sue Potter, Paul Leach, Peter Hayes, Jane Barnes, Chris Knighton, Stuart Peacock, Tim Morris, Christine Hayes, Tony Cook, Richard Baker, John Harmer, Terry Willingham, Terry Reid, Jacqui Hearn, Gordon Bird, John Kirvan, Ian Chambers, Eddie Crowther, Robin Morgan, Rhys Roberts, Lisa Halil, Ron Crowther, Richard Barnes, Les Long, Richard Strawson, Robert Boardman, Robyn Mitchell, Roger Dowgill, Rowland Costin, John Richardson, Sam Morgan, Sandra Beckerleg, Robert Wyness, Peter Webb, Julia White, Anne Morris, Paul Dodge, Mick Lee, Jennifer Bull, Dave Beckerleg, Sarah Gore, John Porter, Carol Guth-Hayden, Josephine Lyne, Ellis Chinn, Frank Porter, Brian Wilson, Pete Higgins, Agnetha Faltskog, Tony Pook, Sarah Cohen, Phil Chambers, Louise Towers, Wendy Grunbaum, Amy Derbyshire, David Galley, Geraldine Churchill, Anna King, Peggy Crowther, Roger Carpenter, Michelle Deacon, Keith Nicholls, Steve Tate, Sheena Mackenzie, Andy Llewellyn, Derek Corps, Brian Dunleavy, Stuart Adams, Peter Kaufmann, Sue Laver, Clive Selby, Suzanne Welton, Tim Moore, Simon Barnes, Tony Overland, Steven King, Laurie Murphy, Velma Barnes, Trish Cumbers, Pablo Contreras, Janice Herring, Duke, Bob Gray, Kevin Dixon, Patrick Bennett, Jan Blackhall, Susanne Chumbley, Cathy Boniface, Geoffrey Edler, Tony Frewer, Tony Rowberry, Jeffrey Green, Linda Towers, Jeffrey Keller, Elizabeth Livings, Joan Martin, Jim Hurley, Christine Shepherd, Lesley Worts, Anna Hine, Pamela Wright, Edie Allen, Sally Hendry, Robert Goddard, Michael Barclay, Gunther Schoemans, Jim Hair, Neville Skeet, John Grant, Geoff Lobb, Lyulph Hesling, Rod Cattini, David Barsby, Victoria Hazael, Charles Golding, Tony Gibbs, Neil Brett, Graham Love, John Dixon, Tony Thorne, Mark Longhurst, Paul Carlier, Malcolm Heymer, Peter Barnes, Margaret Richardson, Chris Rees, Dave Watkinson, Roy Johnson, Christine Crowther, Pete Goodwin, Tony Beesley, John Ringwood, Sabrina Achilleos, Nigel Derbyshire, Cathy Logan, Nick Duarte, Philip Frogg, Alan Warne, Susan Kipping, Norman Lewis, Robert Curry, Wally Greaves, Julie Banfield, Grace Potter, Marion Muspratt, Teresa Harrison, Chris Towers, Janice Wells, Mick Linsell, Jim Macintosh, Kathleen Kent, Bernice Dunn, Susan Baldwin, Susan Evans, Dave Hughes, to name but a few.