Another step on the road

The build up

Last time I was a long way from home. This time I was on home turf …

The posse arrived early at the Crow and helped to set up the book displays and the drink – with care to give equal prominence to both.

Jon at the Crow

The bit with the speeches

Proceedings started with a small experiment – a show of hands if you fitted into each of the following categories:

1. Author

2. Work in publishing

3. Blogger

4. Member of a writers’ group

5. Member of a reading group

6. Involved in the sale or distribution of books

7. Ever read a book!

The results were a perfect illustration of what had brought this disparate group of people together on a cold December night; although many people raised their hands several times, the only thing we all shared was a passion for books.

The guest authors
















Vicky Blake & I found plenty to smile about

Martin Millar with Skint

Kate Bousfield, Derec Jones, Sarah May, Victoria Blake and Martin Millar were all there. Mark Crick didn’t make it unfortunately – though he did phone from somewhere on the motorway between Manchester and Crystal Palace.

There was a very welcome unexpected addition to the guest list when Zoe Fairbairns arrived. I remember reading Benefits and being blown away by it when it was first published back in 1979. 27 years later, it’s still in print. The book captured the zeitgeist to perfection and propelled Zoe into iconic status. I could easily have been struck dumb at meeting one of my all-time heroines, but wasn’t given the opportunity … Zoe, like all the other guests, was warmth and generosity personified.
















Not only did I meet Zoe Fairbairns, but she's holding my book! My cup definitely runneth over .

The bloggers

Then it was time to introduce the bloggerati. Among those who had travelled from afar to be there were Minx from Cornwall, Skint from Cardiff and Cailleach from Ireland. Sadly, Sharon wasn’t able to make it after all. Next time …

Derec Jones aka Skint with Rhian

Once again there was an unexpected newcomer to the list – one that symbolises the power of the blogosphere. Enthusiasm was sitting at home idly blog-surfing. He hopped through some links and came across this post on Britblog and from there arrived here.

‘That’s just down the road,’ he thought. ‘And it’s now!’

He jumped on a bus and was a welcome addition to the throng.

The blog stats
Source: Sifry's alerts/Technorati

• There are 57 million blogs worldwide

• 100,000 new blogs are created every day

• The total number of blogs doubles every 230 days

• There are 1.3 million posts each day

The main event

Derec Jones then introduced the catalyst for the whole evening, Kate Bousfield, who wove her inimitable spell over all present by reading the prologue from Coven of One.

Minx - note co-ordinating book and underwear

The important footnote

Meloney Lemon drew people’s attention to an Amnesty International leaflet publicising 10 December as Human Rights Day. Many of you will know that the issue of people trafficking ranks very high on my political agenda and was the subject of Trading Tatiana. In case you’ve forgotten, the UK has so far failed to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. If you haven’t already done so, please put pressure on the government to perform this minimal step.

The conclusion

Glasses were clinked, credit cards were battered, the till pinged, books were signed and all the authors sold copies of their work.

Organising the evening had been a short but steep and intense stretch of road. I can honestly say it was worth every scrap of the energy put in.

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to a successful and entertaining evening.

Now for the next step on life’s road …