Caerleon 25

Everyone wants to know about how I spent last week in Caerleon.

What can I say except that it was was wonderful - and WET. Last Wednesday (how has it got to be a week since then??) was definitely time to start thinking about building an ark. The rain came down in torrents and even the college buildings were starting to flood! But the warmth of the atmosphere made up for everything as it always does.

Caerleon is always wonderful but this time it was extra special. Because this time lovely Anne and Gerry Hobbs, the fabulous couple who started Writers' Holiday and who run it with no extra funding, providing the warmest of welcome to everyone who joins them, were celebrating their 25th year of these holidays. So there was an extra special buzz about the event this year.

There was also a little extra work for me and my dear friend Kathy who I have known ever since we met at my very first ever Writers' Holiday years ago. (To be honest I've forgotten quite how many) We were organising a special presentation for Anne and Gerry to mark this special occasion - a memory book with messages and cards and photos from everyone at the event this year and from past speakers, attendees and other friends. This took some doing as I had to sneak into all the classes and announce what we were doing and then make sure the book was available for everyone who wanted to sign. Then Wednesday was spent sticking cards, photo9s and written messages in as well.

So it was probably just as well that it was raining then as we never saw very much of the day other than all the time spent on the book.

I loved meeting up with old friends and of course making new ones . Back this year to run courses were Marina Oliver, Jane Jackson and Lesley Horton and I had a great time catching up with them. As well as the fourteen courses running through the week there were some great Main Lectures from wonderful authors like Katie Fforde (current chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association) , Simon Whaley, Jane Wenham-Jones and Zoe Sharp, Lucy Mangan and agent Teresa Chris. Non-writing partners of attendees could also do a course on painting and drawing with Andrew Earney who you might remember is also at Fishguard.

Unfortunately my camera died on me while I was at Caerleon this year so I haven't been able to download any new photos so I'm having to post a couple from previous years including Zoe Sharp (above) , the bookroom at Caerleon with Jane W-J in the green dress. And of course the lovely Anne Hobbs who together with husband Gerry makes everything run smoothly and that everyone has the best time possible.

And now that the secret is out I can reveal that my next book - Kept For Her Baby - which will be in the shops in the first week of September has this special dedication:

For Anne and Gerry, to celebrate this very special Caerleon Writers' Holiday.

And now you all know why.

if you want to see the presentation of the special book and get a sense of the warm and friendly atmosphere of Caerleon, there is a short video on the Writers' Holiday website. (Special thanks to Simon Whaley who videoed it on his phone and to Anita Loughrey who put it up on the site.

While you're there why not take a look at the courses available for next year (25th July - 3oth 2010) - and yes, by popular demand, I'll be back teaching Writing Romantic Fiction. And the Babe Magnet will be running a course on Writing True Crime so once again you'll get two for the price of one - Crime and Passion at Caerleon.

I know it's a long time away, but lots of people were already booking for next year before they left this year and if that's not a recommendation I don't know what is. If you can't make Caerleon in the summer, then there's always the Fishguard Writing Weekend 19th - 21st February. Maybe I'll see you at one of them.

I'll end this post with a wave to anyone reading it who was at Caerleon this year - specially everyone who was on my course. You were a fantastic group and I had a lot of fun working with you. I hope you learned lots and if you get abny good news about your own writing please let me know.

And I'm already looking forward to next year!