IT'S A CRIME! (OR A MYSTERY...): Some snippets from Harrogate's Crime Writing Festival 2009

On approaching Paul Johnston, talking to Martin Edwards at the time:

‘I remember you.’
Oh dear.
‘You were here last year and told me about an error in my book.’
Oh dear.
‘The one about the pub in Athens.’
‘Well, I did tell you about an error but it wouldn’t have been me on that one. I don’t know anything about pubs in Athens.’
‘The name changed across the pages.’
‘Ah, that probably was me then. A continuity error.’
‘Yes, a continuity error. It’s now been corrected.’
Relief.
Nice to be remembered in a positive way.

Later on the Sunday, I saw Johnston walking down the opposite platform at York station and gave him a wave.
He shouted across the tracks. ‘Where are you going, then? London?’
‘No, south Wales.’
And I wondered if Johnston was on the right platform as he seemed to be the only one on it. Let’s hope he arrived safely wherever he was going.

A lovely Swedish lady, I first met last year.

She told me that she had left publishing and returned to journalism, but she also shot through a list of Swedish novels that have been sold to the UK. Alas, I had no notebook on me at the time to take down the details, but she has promised to email them to me. I have now found her new email address on the web and if I don’t hear from her in a week or so, I will contact her to remind her. (Actually, I may not be quite that patient...)

We also had a chat about being of a certain age, the economy and job opportunities. I went to Harrogate as I needed perking up and she was inspirational. I now feel better about my job hunting and back in attack mode. I feel certain that her move will work out well for her.

Jake Kerridge, crime reviewer of the Daily Telegraph…

Possibly thinks I am a pest. We got talking again, having first met at last year’s CWA Ellis Peters Dagger award night, where literary agent Jane Gregory and I baffled him with the science of sewing and making clothes at the end of the night. Having loved Mrs D’Silva’s Detective Instincts and The Shaitan of Calcutta, I asked him if he’d consider reviewing it in the DT. When he popped to the loo, I wrote the title, author and publisher in his notebook for him. But perhaps I am not too much of a pest, as he did next to me at the next event. I do hope he reads the book and enjoys it as much as I did.

Colin Campbell, Matt Hilton and blogging…

Conversations can end abruptly with people movement in such festivals. Colin Campbell’s last words to me before Matt Hilton joined us and the conversation moved on were ‘I don’t understand this blogging lark.’ After a couple of exchanges between them, I interrupted and informed Campbell that I was aware of Matt Hilton because I’d seen that he’d left a comment on Pauline Rowson’s blog and followed the link through to discover his site and debut novel. Both are former policemen, quite charming and neither made me feel nervous. Perhaps the aggressive traffic cop I came across in London in the 90s was a one-off after all.

Allan Guthrie on his mother…

Natasha Cooper asked the male writers of Men in Crisis present if they feared shocking their mothers. All said yes. Allan Guthrie later added, ‘My mother’s more dark and twisted than I am.’ Well, he said it.

3 Comments

Glad you discovered Matt Hilton through my blog. I'll be sure to let him know. Couldn't make Harrogate this year, sounds like it was fun. Maybe next year...My crime novels are steaming along nicely.

Posted by: Pauline Rowson | 30 July 2009 at 14:41