ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As ever, the list of people who made this book possible is enough to form a rebel army – but, at the head of it stands Jock Simpson, unsung and long dead. He was my English teacher at St John’s Grammar in Hamilton and the man who saw not only the flicker of a writer in the boy, but an interest in the history he was passionate about and which was not taught in any class I was in. If any man began my journey through 13th century Scotland and beyond, it was him.
As an uncaring youth, I failed to see what he had given me until much later and this is my way of saying a shameful sorry for never having acknowledged it while he lived. Hard on his heels, of course, has to come Nigel Tranter, whose books on Scotland’s history, particularly the trilogy on Bruce, are hard acts to follow. I hope he is not birling in his grave too much.
I am also continually indebted to the members of Glasgow Vikings (www.glasgowvikings.co.uk) and the rest of the Vikings, national and international (www.vikingsonline.org.uk) who provide entertainment and education in several countries and have caused a beer drought in at least one small island. Although they are predominantly Viking, they are interested in all aspects of Scottish history and can gear up to fight at Bannockburn recreations at the drop of an iron hat. The upcoming 700th anniversary is keenly anticipated and I owe gratitude to the NTS and the Bannockburn Heritage Centre for their kind help in this and later volumes.
Katie Espiner, my editor at HarperCollins, has to be congratulated for taking no nonsense from this auld Scot and insisting, wee English beauty that she is, on not permitting me to descend into Scots-speak more than two or three times.
None of this would have been possible at all if my agent, James Gill of United Agents had not had vision to see the possibilities in my writing – I hoist my glass in his general direction.
The process of writing this has been encouraged by a firm band of fans, who have followed the Oathsworn and now want to carry on reading – my thanks especially to Warren Cummin, descendant of the very Comyn in the story, who takes a keen interest from the distant reaches of Canada.
More power to you all for your praise, criticism, comments and unfailing humour. I hope this one pleases you as much as the others seem to have done.