Conferences and Work Displacement

Well, I survived the Southern Writers Conference in Earnley (near Chichester). It was a great weekend and even the M25 behaved this year which can only be a bonus.
Its a wonderful setting near the sea with acres of gardens and very beautiful but oh so noisy peacocks. The weather was good and it was sooooo relaxing. I love the social side of the conferences, sitting around in the gardens chatting while someone else cooks gorgeous meals!

Lots of writer friends there, Lesley Cookman, Della Galton, Patricia Kitchin, Catherine King, Freda Lightfoot, Ray Allen, among others. (apologies to those I've left off...)

The programme was full of sessions and main speakers who were all excellent but my favourites were.....

WILL RANDALL who is not so much a travel writer as a traveller who writes about it humorously afterwards, if you see what I mean. Very interesting and amusing and tells a good tale!
Ian is currently enjoying Will's book about his adventures running a chicken farm in the Solomon Islands. (among other things)

The other fascinating speaker was Andrew Crofts a ghost writer for not only the rich and famous but also for those who just have a story to tell. It was eye-opening to hear about the behind the scenes organisation that goes along with ghost writing. Especially if the subjects are famous and don't want anyone to know they are NOT writing every word themselves! Like we believe that anyway.......


So, after a fun weekend of great food, a cheap bar and much good company, it's back to a chunk of hard work before the RNA conference in Leicester next month.


I have however now discovered more work displacement activity in the form of MySpace and Facebook. I know it was originally for kids but now we grown ups are asserting our right to use it! I've discovered loads of authors on there, even my favourite Harlan Coben has a page on MySpace. Now I have to be organised and limit my time on-line! I could easily play around all day.... and to think I couldn't understand why anyone would want to use the internet!

Because I really could not get to grips with the attractive Apple laptop (the replacment for the one chav-cat smashed up) I've just bought a new very pretty pink laptop. All small and pale pink and girly; however I now know that next year it will be obsolete when I am able to get my hands on this very very very gorgeous Hello Kitty machine. Oh my.......... Is this not truly fabulous? I am preparing my Christmas list as we speak.

Now I am going to work.

JOKE. Why does the Elephant have Big Ears?

Because Noddy wouldn't pay the Ransom! Boo boom!