I attended the Big Book Group show at the Forest Arts centre in New Milton in June. It was an event for all groups and everyone who loves to read. Authors Elizabeth Haynes and Sarah Rayner were present giving an interesting insider's view of the world of the writer.
I was invited as a local writer, to say a little bit about my e-book 31 12. I was also able to read the first chapter. I borrowed my daughter’s kindle to do this, (haven't got one of my own yet, hoping book sales may eventually oblige). Friends from my writing group were there in the front row for moral support. On my daughter's insistence, I decided to ‘glam up’ a little. She owns a beauty salon, so she gave me ‘the works’, including blue sparkly nails to match my dress. It took a lot of getting used to. But then I thought of Jacqueline Wilson and her rings; perhaps my nails could be my trademark.
One of my writing friends, when he met me in the foyer before to show, asked if I was part of the cabaret. I myself was beginning to wonder if I'd overdone it. But once the show had started and the two headliners came onto the stage with their beautifully manicured nails and seductive gold shimmering outfits, I was glad my daughter had been so persuasive.
I had my five minutes on stage, (well more like three minutes forty seven seconds), with the bright lights shining. I surprisingly wasn't particularly nervous. It might have been due to the fact that I couldn't see the audience and because the competition with the England v Sweden match was great; it was not a big attendance. But hey, it was quality not quantity. There was a lot of interest and during the interval a number of people told me how much they enjoyed the reading.
I went home on a high and relived the evening, even in my dreams; bright lights shining. It felt so real, it was. The bright lights were actually heralding yet another migraine. It was obviously too much excitement for one evening. As my dear mother would have said ‘no pain, no gain’.
