Thank you to Jill Craven, Reader Development Officer for Barnsley Libraries, and all the members of Dodworth Readers’ Group for making me feel so welcome on Tuesday evening. There’s nothing nicer than talking about books with people who love books too.

While I’m no stranger to chatting to people in book stores during signing events, I’ve never stood in front of an audience and given a ‘formal talk’ before.

Now I’ve been interviewed by the local paper and by BBC Radio Sheffield, but the idea of addressing an audience really made my knees knock! Not only was the prospect daunting, I also had to think about what to say. Fortunately, Jill had given me plenty of time to plan my talk, but I still had to decide whether the members would want to learn about how my plot for The House on the Shore came about, or whether they’d like to hear about my writing process. And should my talk be ‘off the cuff’ or planned down to the last comma and full stop?

I’ve attended author talks before, and most of the speakers have the audience rolling in the aisles, but I’ve never thought of myself as a funny person. Oh, I enjoy a joke like everyone else, but I’m not known for coming out with witty or pithy phrases.

So it was with some trepidation that I set out on a rather damp Tuesday evening. But I need not have worried. The ladies I met were charming and I managed to raise a laugh or two from them when I told them about my own experience of staying on my own in a remote Highland croft!

Jill is a mine of useful information for any writer, and through her kindness I’ve made many useful contacts. Thank you, Jill!

And I raise my glass to the ladies of the Dodworth Readers’ Group. Not only did you listen to me, but you made me feel very welcome. I had a lovely time talking to all of you, and the supper afterwards was fabulous. Stephen especially liked the scones!