It was great to listen to some fascinating talks from some great writers.
Michael Smith talked about the unsung war hero Frank Foley dubbed by some as the British Schindler.
The talented local writers from the Oxford Writers Group talked on the theme of Oxford as a Character in books - I can understand what they mean. Oxford is a city so steeped in history that it just begs to be written about. I was reminded of Jonathan Green's 'Christmas Past'. I worked the eBook of this last December and found the references to places in Oxford heart-warming and familiar.
Bill Heine from Radio Oxford, a writer himself spoke of the darker side of our fair city, and introduced us to his newbook. Heinstein of the Airwaves. I didn't actually know that he's the guy that lives in the famous house with the shark sticking out of the roof.
MG Harris gave an enthralling talk about some of the background to her Joshua Files series and we were all treated to a reading from the next, yet to be released book in the Joshua Files series.
Bill joined in the lively Q&A afterwards but it seems that the election fever brought out his intense journalistic nature and poor old MG got something of a Paxman style grilling over the nature of some of her characters.
Of course, the focus of MG's visit was to promote her Joshua File series - I'm a little over halfway through 'Zero Moment' right now and it's a cracking good read. I really think that the people who are calling her the next JK Rowling aren't exaggerating at all. I admire her drive and commitment to what she does - Pinky says that I looked like a little boy queueing up to meet his idol when I was waiting to get my copy of 'Ice Shock' signed. I guess a little hero worship can't hurt once in a while ;)
After the talk and the signings we had some fun talking about eBooks and looking at a selection of eReaders that I'd brought along. Here's the pair of us geeking out with an iPhone and a Kindle. I think she was particularly impressed with the treatment that I'd done to 'Engines of the Apocalypse' - I have to admit that that's one of my favourites at the moment.
All in all, a fun day and glittering showcase for writers in Oxford from the budding horror writer to the literary superstar!
