So you’ve probably read all about the inaugural DIVA Literary Festival that was held in Birmingham at the beginning of this month, and despite my best intentions, I’m late to the party for blogging about it. Ho hum.
I wanted to say a big thank you to DIVA for making this event happen. Brey and I run a small weekend event in Nottingham every year and that’s tough enough. Something on this scale—it needs a dedicated team, oodles of enthusiasm, and boundless energy…
The DIVA team had exactly that. And they pulled an awesome event off for a lot of grateful folk to enjoy.
My highlights:
1) This one is the same for me at every event—the readers. Meeting new readers is a pleasure, particularly ones that like crime, blood, and guts. Never Enough was a big hit, and that made me a happy author indeed.
2) The sense of safety and community: it’s always amazing to gather a whole host of “our people” in one place to see what happens—and it rarely disappoints. So many smiling faces simply enjoying the weekend and all it had to offer.
3) Stella Duffy’s acceptance speech— hilarious and full of expletives. It made me want to read (and re-read) every word she’s ever written.
4) Being on panels with colleague authors and getting to talk all about words with readers.
5) Getting my glad-rags on and dancing with my beautiful wife.
“Lowlights” (I’m an author,
I can make words up!)
1) It ended.
2) I have to wait another year to do it all again.
Thanks again to everyone I met—you make these events fabulous. And thanks hugely and muchly to Team DIVA! Here’s to next year!
authors, bold strokes books, brey willows, DIVA, DIVA litfest, lesfic, Robyn Nyx