The Bournemouth Literary Festival has started with various events on all this week. There was a great feature - with photos of some of those taking part (including me!) - in the Daily Echo last Friday 26th September 2008.

Last week I took part in an interview with Lillian Avon and David Jones (co-directors of the Festival) for a pod cast (that's a first!) and this Thursday 2nd October Lillian and I are being interviewed on Radio Solent from 6.05 pm.

One extra bit of news is that I will have a small piece based around a spooky experience published in the next issue of Fate and Fortune.

The Bournemouth Literary Festival this year is running from 29th September through to 5th October 2008 with an international flavour. 'International Culture - A World of Words.' Check the programme of events on the website.

Yours truly is on the programme and can be seen in action at 6.30pm on Wednesday 1st October for a reading and book signing session at ECT International College, 24 West Hill Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5PG.

Meanwhile, I'm about to complete the second draft of my new book, Second Best. However, I took a break from the writing in order to attend the Society of Authors' regional lunch at the Ferndown Golf Club on 11th September. Great, as always, to be able to talk books/writing throughout the course (or courses!) of the lunch knowing a love of reading and writing is what we all had in common. I came away not only well-fed, but full of renewed enthusiasm.

Writing can be pretty lonely, so I can't recommend joining a group, course or writing association too highly. A great way to re-charge those writer's batteries.