Well, I managed to post about the first two days of the four day event, live from Harrogate, but I’m afraid the heat and longevity of the days proved a little too much for me and I failed to keep the momentum and couldn’t continue the schedule of writing a post on my phone at 1:30 a.m in preparation for going live the following morning. You can find my first post about Thursday at the event Here and the second post about Friday, Here. This post will be a final overview of my weekend at the event.
I apologise for any errors or bad formatting with images with the previous two posts, but I was doing the posts when I returned to my room, and from my phone. I was putting live blogging before presentation for this event. I do hope I am forgiven.
The issue with the painkillers and my neck was sorted by a wonderful chemist in the town of Harrogate who said if my Doctor faxed them a mini prescription to cover the days I was there, they would be able to fill it that afternoon, which they did. Phoning me when it arrived. Both Doctors surgery and Chemist were wonderful and my weekend continued.
The panel I went in to see on Saturday was the New Blood panel chaired by Val McDermid who remembered to us, A. S. A. Harrison, author of The Silent Wife, who died in April, Β and said she should be there.
She went on to Β say she is excited to read debut authors each year which I thought was brilliant. The New debut authors on this years panel were, Derek B. Miller, Anya Lipska, Malcolm Mackay and Colette McBeth. They were wonderfully inspirational to listen to for someone pushing to get through that door. I am now desperate to read the books of all authors on that panel, because they sounded interesting and just up my street!
A couple of interesting things came out of that panel. Anya Lipska feels an agent is important as your cheerleader as you can’t cheerlead yourself and Val Mcdermid said “if you don’t have the time to write, you don’t want to do it,”
I kind of agree, even ten minutes thrown in here and there will grow into something. You just have to keep pushing.
The weekend then fell into a relaxed afternoon of Pimms on the lawn and clambering not very gracefully on huge green chairs for photographs. Dinner was eaten in town with Mel Sherrat, Octavia Grey and Pamreader before heading back to the bar for more alcohol and chats with more wonderful crime festival goers. I was lucky to be catch up with the very lovely, Nic Helfrich and her husband Axel, both from Germany, and Martin Frankson from Ireland amongst others.
Over the weekend I wasΒ able to spend some quality time with friends Mari Hannah and Mo, David Jackson, Octavia Grey, Mel Sherrat, David Bastiani and Pamreader as well as meet up with and say hello to friends old and new.
There are many many more people I have chatted to and spent time with this weekend, but I am slightly terrified to attempt to list them all, for making that fateful mistake of missing some people out. Needless to say, the thing you can take from this post, is that what ever you take away from the panels, it is the people who are there, who are the important attraction for me. They make the festival what it is. This years festival has been an absolute blast and I can’t wait for next years.
Next years event is to be organised by Steve Mosby and I can’t wait. The young uns have it! Lets see what happens π
davidbastiani says
This makes me miss it all over again! Great post… π
Rebecca Bradley says
It was rather great wasn’t it π
Here’s to next year!
Annalisa Crawford says
Sounds fantastic. One day I’m determined to go to a writing festival. Glad your meds were sorted so easily!
Rebecca Bradley says
You should definitely go to a festival Annalisa. You would love it. I think it’s made better nowadays because so many people “know” each other through the use of social networks, predominately Twitter at Harrogate. They are so much fun and so helpful for making those connections with fellow writers even more solid.
I was surprised how easy it was at the Chemist. I would have struggled had it been the weekend, but luckily it wasn’t π
Helen Phifer says
Brill post, I’m glad you managed to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Next year I’m giving Creative Thursday a miss and hoping to go for the New Blood panel and an overnight stay.
Rebecca Bradley says
I look forward to seeing you next year!
yasminselena says
Nice little reportage! π X
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Yasmin. I had a ball! π
yasminselena says
Oh and Val McDermid = legend! The Wire in the Blood series is pretty amazing, disappointed with the last one in truth, but the others are solid, grisly, emotive tomes and Tony Hill is a dude. I would have been a bit awed to have been in the same breathing space as that woman! x
Rebecca Bradley says
I loved Wire in the Blood!
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself so much. It sounds as though you went to some terrific events, and I just love that comfy big chair! Thanks for sharing about it.
Rebecca Bradley says
The chairs were extremely popular, especially with the children! π
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the formatting of your other posts. That you did it from a phone is most impressive.
No one has time to write – we make time to write.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Alex. It’s not quite as easy to do a post from a phone, especially when wanting to add photographs, but I thought it would be easier to do it while there rather than trying to remember it all once I was back.
Julie Flanders says
This sounds like such a great time! I totally love Val McDermid’s books so I got excited just reading her name. Great pic in the green chair too, how fun!
Rebecca Bradley says
It was wonderful Julie. I’m really excited about next year now!
Jacqui Murray says
Loved this. Val McDermid is a favorite of mine–and the quote fits her. Miss Kate Brannigan. I don’t suppose she shared why she stopped that series?
Rebecca Bradley says
She didn’t no. She was just chairing the panel so it wasn’t really about her. She was a great chair though. Kept things moving along wonderfully!
Anya Lipska (@AnyaLipska) says
Only just caught up with this, Rebecca. Your giant green chair shot makes me laugh – and looks a bit like how I felt up there on stage at first… I loved the experience and the feedback from crime fic fans during and after the event was just fabulous.
Vikki Thompson says
I would LOVE to go! Maybe next year π
Xx
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