Typically, in the midst of all this amazing weather I am land locked. Well, maybe not locked exactly, but unable to get on the water.
This is partly because my sailing mates are absent, and also on dry land, but also because last week I gave two talks at the Penzance Literary Festival, which has grown since its inception 5 years ago to a really fabulous festival with so much going on it is wonderful - and not just literature but arts, music, and plenty for children.
Talk No 1 was about my exploits sailing and how I came to write about it. Mr B had rehearsed me I don’t know how many times, which was very helpful, and also meant I wasn’t quite so nervous, but I was still pretty wobbly beforehand. Unfortunately we got there to find there was no laptop. Luckily Tony had brought his as well as the stick with all my images on, so all was not lost.
The audience was smaller than I would have liked but very appreciative which was encouraging, so I felt less nervous about the next talk which was about the role of independent publishers - a Q&A session with myself and another friend as authors, and two publishers.
We started off well but lost direction somewhere in the middle, and I was dismayed to find that the two publishers who were there were at pains to say how much they do for their authors, whereas I have to do all my own marketing and selling which is very hard work.
So that was a bit dispiriting. But the best bit of the day was a swim off Battery Rocks in Penzance. The water was crystal clear and felt silky and cool to my overheated skin.
As I write, Al, who owns Snap, the lovely Dragon we crew, has just arrived with the boat, so we will get out on the water soon, and Mr B is on a train hurtling back towards Cornwall after a short absence. They will shortly all be safely gathered in - I hope…..
10 comments:
Being landlocked is no fun. We are still trying to fix our ******* engine so that we can get out in this glorious weather. T will probably be off to the Scillies before we are able to ask for tuition. See you Thursday, I hope. :)
PS loved your talk!
Glad your festival was a success and lucky you to have a swim at Penzance...was that the sea pool that was devastated during the storms? My daughter's friend Michelle was trying to raise funds to get it restored and not getting much help from the local authorities,
Your friends will be home by now so I hope you can get sailing again,
best wishes,
Di.x
Well Sue,
two very different talks and experiences. I'm sure that you did well.
Would love to have had a swim in that lovely water, it must have been heaven. Unfortunately the only "fresh" water around here is the local canal & clean it isn't.
Take care
Kim
Hope you enjoyed your time on the water. I'm sure you will have because you seem to love it.
Unfortunately dinet get out as Al had to go, and I've had a gummy bug. But we will soon!
Kim - I've been swimming every day recently - bliss!
Di - yes the Jubilee Pool is sadly still closed but they're trying to raise funds to get it open again. It's beautiful and so sad to see it shut.
Sally - good luck with the engine but give Tony a ring anyway. thanks so much for coming to the talk - I was so very glad you were there!
Well done - you did it and I'm glad you had an appreciative audience. We swam this week too - such a lovely feeling on a glorious day.
Chris - swimming is wonderful at the moment isn't it?
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