There was a new experience for me this week when I gave a talk about my writing to a live audience. And no, they hadn’t been tricked into coming along and then being locked in the room! At least, that’s what I was told.

Last year, I accepted an invitation from one of the social groups in the Northamptonshire village in which I live to join them at one of their monthly get togethers. Thinking it was about time I started doing this sort of thing, I gladly accepted and popped the date in my diary.

Amongst other things, we paid a visit to the dim and distant past when I described how writing stories first took hold of me at school. We held our collective breath as I explained why it then took me something like thirty years until I finally wrote a novel and why that horror show will never see the light of day. Then I took a run through my approach to writing and the process for getting a story from a draft manuscript to a published book.

I ignored the hecklers in the back row and managed to avoid all the stale biscuits and cakes that were thrown at me. I even dealt skilfully with the fire alarm that some joker set off and the police raid that resulted from a tip-off that there were drugs being used on the premises (perhaps by members of my audience as they struggled to keep themselves awake). Well, OK, perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit there.

Honestly, though, I had a marvellous time and thoroughly enjoyed chattering away about my writing for close to an hour. In fact, I had such a good time I am going to start looking out for more opportunities to do it all over again. Just need to find some more unsuspecting fools who won’t know what they’re letting themselves in for!

My thanks to the Byfield Second Tuesday Group for their generous invitation and to Andrew Spackman for taking the photo I’ve shared here.

Photo taken by Andrew Spackman.