Plymouth Literary Festival
Wow. The first Plymouth Literary Festival in nearly a decade hit the ground running (14th-15th February 2026). And I was absolutely delighted to be included, giving an author talk about my journey from Cashier Number Three Please to publication as a crime writer.
I compared the ease of writing and getting published as a business author, with the challenges of self-publishing and marketing my first crime thriller, Redline. Which, as it turns out, is a whole new business in itself. My talk was interspersed with readings from Redline by Nigel Howells who brought my characters vividly to life. Nigel is also involved in the business of crime – his Moonstone Theatre Company specialises in producing fabulous murder mystery events across the South West.
It was lovely to have such a receptive and engaged audience. And to receive comments like: “A very enjoyable talk”. “Lovely to hear the story read so well.” “Very relaxed style.” “Journey to get to publishing stage extremely interesting”.
As the former voice of customer experience, I now have a new passion – to create a fantastic reader experience. So it is gratifying to get feedback from my readers and, in this case, my audience, which tells me that my storytelling, whether on the page or in my talks, is bringing them so much enjoyment.
I can’t wait for my next author talk – or for the return of the Plymouth Literary Festival next year. Watch this space for more news.
