EXPERT? MOI?

When I first started writing - and being published - I had no idea what sort of journey it would take me on. I assumed writers sat at the keyboard and wrote and publishers got on with, well, publishing. I had no idea back then that I would have to sell my own work to a certain extent. The experience that opened up a whole new world to me was when I was in a charity anthology for breast cancer research and was invited to W H Smith in Cardiff where Carole Matthews was the biggest name at a book-signing. I remember being in awe of such a well-known author and I had to pinch myself that I was in such company. But book-signings led to talks in libraries and book groups. The first talk I ever gave I typed my speech in triple-spacing and Times New Roman 20. I read it aloud over and over again at home, timing it to fifteen minutes. On the day I more or less knew if off by heart. I was in good company that day - Margaret James and Jane Bidder (aka Sophie King) and was happy to let them answer questions from the audience.

I progressed to jotting down ideas and talking, ad lib, between prompts. I've heard Jane Wenham-Jones speak for half an hour without a single note to prompt her as to what to say and without a single um and er. Again I was in awe. But I am - unlike Jane - not a natural public-speaker. At various conferences I've sat and listened to a panel of experts answering questions from the audience. Obviously they have no idea what questions they are going to be asked, and they have impressed me with their instant, intelligent, professional answers. And I've thought - I could never do that! So, it came as a bit of shock that I was asked if I would be on the panel of experts at a prize-giving for a short story competition. My instinct was to say no. But in my head I could hear my dear old dad saying, 'There's only ever one first time for doing anything. The second time it's with experience.' As many reading this blog will know I'm profoundly deaf and have a cochlear implant so I'm going to have someone sitting beside me fielding the questions from the audience, and repeating them to me. Trisha Ashley is the big name on the panel this time.

And as lots of people will be looking at me I will need to boost my confidence by wearing something that stands out from the crowd.

So, time to dig out my flashy jacket, take a deep breath, and tuck another writing-related experience under my belt.