The dedication to my latest book, Annihilation: Origins and Endings, reads as follows:
For Theo
My silent companion during the writing of this book. You didn’t offer any suggestions, but you sat beside me throughout.
The question is, who is Theo?
Two years ago, my aunt was no longer able to look after her dog, a Maltese Terrier, due to ill health. We offered to look after him, and Theo soon became an integral member of our family.