Acknowledgements - The Night Market

It still feels ridiculous to admit this, but The Night Market began as a joke.

I know, but bear with me here, it’s not as bad as it sounds.

Years ago, on some godforsaken corner of the internet, I said I was going to write a vampire novel. At the time, it felt like the one thing I’d never do. The world didn’t seem short of them, and I’d been badgered for years to ‘give it a shot’ so much that the suggestion had become a running gag. The problem was that the joke landed a little too well, and there was some enthusiasm for the idea. Letting people down was . . . humbling.

So that night, half out of guilt and half out of curiosity, I wrote a couple of hundred words and buried them in an already stuffed folder called ‘Ideas’. They sat there for years until a conversation with HQ encouraged me to brush the dust from them. What followed the following weekend was a resurrection that had no business taking place. By the end of it, The Night Market wasn’t a punchline anymore.

While most books I write take a year to form and introduce themselves, this one kicked in the back door, plonked itself down and refused to leave. I’m grateful it did. Because in the time it’s been squatting in my brain, sharing its theme and characters, I just didn’t have the heart to evict it.

I should point out before anybody else does, the irony of a dead concept suddenly springing to life, much like a vampire itself, is not lost on me.

To the friends who kept nudging me toward this story, you were right. Hayley and Hannah especially, your support all those years ago mattered more than you probably realised. This title wouldn’t exist without it. And while I’m told I should point out that admission is not legally binding and does not entitle you to a share of the royalties, I hope the knowledge makes you wealthier in the way that only truly matters.

Again, to reiterate for legal clarification: not monetarily.

Emma, I didn’t gently enter your life. I crash-landed into it, and you somehow made space for me anyway. Thank you for your steadiness, your patience, and for always standing beside me, especially during the stranger stretches of writing this. There’s an adage that writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. This was more like an episode of Wacky Races. I don’t know if that makes me Dick Dastardly in this analogy. I didn’t think that far ahead. Either way, you were cheering me as I crossed the finish line.

Abel, yes, I’ll point out that you named a chapter for me. You did that. That’s forever now. I hope when you’re old enough, you’ll read it and smile. It’s one of my favourites. Your old man loves you.

Mike, we’ve both been through the wars, but in the process, I got to fight side by side with one of the best people on the planet. You’ve always had my back, I’ve always got yours. I still say you’re the best thing Wales has produced. Way better than the lamb, or that train station with the really long name.

John, I have sat for the last hour trying to put into words my appreciation. The generosity, the kindness, the energy you pour into others – it changes people. I suppose this is my way of returning that love, in a form that can continue weaving its way through the world, even when I’m long gone. It’s the best I can do to carry it on.

To Kupocon – every one of you beneath that banner that Alex and Allan raised – no one stands alone. You’ve all created something that feels like home, where community becomes family. To Nikki & Dan, Mo, Jools, Katie & Jenny, Liam, Emma & Dan, and everyone else, thank you for making that family important and treasured. Heddy, Caleb, Paul, I spoke about creativity and inspiration being a circular process. This here is my turn on the wheel.

Scott & Sam, Cero, Kirsty & Dodge & Phoebe, you’ve been the steady hands at my back while I built this thing. Thank you for the check-ins, the encouragement, and the moments we’ve talked that made things make sense. Oh, and the pizza too.

To all in the Discord, survivors of multiple Neil Breen movies, we came together for a single reason. We stayed together because of a better one. Shouts to Elusive, Minifig, Britcomrade, Igor, Tribit, Amy, Chad, Estejor, Theodore Papadopoulos, POFG, Naht, Rod, Willz, SDU, Nemb, Sisaiah and everyone else.

To everyone at HQ, especially Sophia and Georgina, thank you for seeing something in a half-forgotten premise, encouraging it to grow and steering it accordingly. Publishing is a leap of faith at the best of times and I appreciate the amount put in me. To Ellen who created the spellbinding cover, Lou and everyone in Marketing who pushed to ensure it’s seen by the world, the careful scrutiny of Jon who strengthened every page, and everyone not named here – this book is what it is because of you.

And finally, to you – whether you’re holding these pages, or listening to someone narrate this (please, whoever that may be, take a bow) — thank you. Time is the one thing none of us have enough of. The fact you’ve chosen to spend some of yours in this world means more than I can say.

Christopher Byford