It doesn’t quite feel like a year since I was at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, but this weekend found me back at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate along with a bunch of like-minded crime writing fans.
This year I was there for Friday and Saturday again. Cunningly I’d made a bookish t-shirt (get yours here – full transparency: I make a couple of quid for each one), posted it up on Twitter and invited anyone to say hello. More on that later.
I think I’d been there about 2 minutes before bumping into some friends.
I’ve seen a lot of chatter online over the past day or so about people being worried about talking to people there, or about it feeling cliquey, or not being one of the cool kids and not getting invites to parties or the latest proofs of exciting books. Charlotte Duckworth shared a great blog post: Some honest thoughts about the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, which lead to a really good discussion on twitter today.
I was a festival newbie last year, and it was great to have a friend to hang out with (thanks Ellen and Fran again!). I can totally see why it might feel overwhelming to be there with so many people, favourite authors all chatting with each other. How do you go up and tell someone you loved their books? Or their blog? The first time I did it I worried about what to say, and that I was going to make a fool of myself.
It takes a lot to go up to an author you like to say hi, and they’re always talking to someone else. Then you worry that if you do get to chat for more than a ‘hi I love your book’ it’s taking up their time or they’re just being polite.
There’s talk of setting up something for next year where anyone new can come along and find someone to show them around. I think it’s a great idea. That, and better name badges/lanyards – I found myself squinting at names (the author names are in quite a small font!) to try and work out who people are. My next bookish t-shirt might have to be something like “Hi, I’m Dave, aka @dakegra from espressococo” in large friendly letters!
I found that once I’d plucked up the courage to talk to someone, it became easier. Friends I’d met last year introduced me to others, and I’d do the same – hi, have you met x? They’ve got a fabulous book/blog etc.
Years ago I’d made myself some Moo Minicards. Until now they’d mostly been used as bookmarks, or added to books I’d sent to people. This year I was handing them out when someone asked if I was a blogger. Can recommend! (here’s my referral code: https://refer.moo.com/s/dakegra)
So, despite worrying about how I might be coming across, or if I was going to say something daft, I just jumped in. Found authors whose books I’d loved and said hi. I’d taken some books to get signed, and can confirm that if you approach an author with their book in your hand and a smile, they will be delighted to see you. William Hussey (author of the shortlisted, fabulous Killing Jericho, go read it now) told me that if you loved an author’s book, please do tell them! I resolved to do that as much as possible over the weekend.
At the end of the day, everyone was really friendly. I had a bunch of nice comments about my t-shirt from quite a few people, and Mark Billingham recognised me from twitter because of the t-shirt as he was signing my book. And twitter friend Caro (@TurnUp4TheBooks) bumped into me outside the tent and said hello (that t-shirt really does work) and we had a brilliant chat about books and libraries and minis. Made my day.
Bumping into Jamie-Lee Nardone from @blackcrow_pr who I’ve known online for years and done a ton of blogging for was a thrill, and she invited me to sit and have a chat with her and her husband Martyn Waites (who I’ve reviewed on the blog before) and friends for a bit, one of whom turned out to be Susi Holliday, who I’d met last year! Great to catch up.
Also sat there was Beth Lewis who I’m an absolute HUGE fan of, and after years of shouting about her books online (you need to read The Wolf Road, like now) got her to sign my proof copy. Also finally tracked down (not a stalker, honest) the fabulous Rob Parker, who I’ve chatted with and talked about his brilliant books for almost as long as Beth’s, but have managed to miss at pretty much every event we’ve both been at. A beer in the bar and a natter about books, blogging, Bond (he has a brilliant podcast, Really 007) and a bunch of other stuff.
I’d met Stuart Turton a few years back at a book event in Derby, and we’ve chatted on twitter about this and that, so it was great to see him and talk about his new book The Last Murder At The End of the World. That ended up with me being introduced to Harry, his agent, Tom Hindle (author of Murder On Lake Garda, which is going straight on the list) and his accountant Chris (@authortax – who I promptly started promoting his new business to a friend whose husband is an author – networking!). Turned out Stu knew Alice Bell, whose first book Grave Expectations I absolutely loved so I was able to fanboy at her too, and get her to sign book 2 for me later.
Saturday was drawing to a close when I also got to meet the lovely Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things (which is utterly fabulous), and bumped into the equally lovely Chris Whitaker, of whose books I have raved about a LOT and you’ve all read them anyway as he’s absolutely everywhere.
I also got to say hi to Jo Callaghan and tell her how much I loved the audiobooks of her books, and say congratulations for In The Blink Of An Eye winning crime novel of the year.
Dan Stubbings (looking very dapper, I must say) and I (slightly more dishevelled by this point) were just getting our now traditional Harrogate selfie when I spotted Lauren Beukes talking to some people by the beer tent.
Now Lauren was one of the first authors I featured on the blog. I’ve been a huge fan since her first book, Zoo City. Her latest novel, Bridge, is brilliant. Again, we’d talked online via twitter for years. I’d even got a tiny cameo in Broken Monsters.
I had to say hello. But she was deep in conversation. The time on my car parking was running out. My social battery was running low.
I asked Dan how long I should give it before going over.
“Just do it mate,” he said.
I did it.
A lovely way to round out the festival – the last author I met was one of the first ones I’d had on the blog. After years of shouting about her books to anyone who’d listen, finally getting the chance to say hi and have a chat about books, castles in France (long story) and many other things topped off what had been a brilliant couple of days.
I started this post meaning to talk about being an introvert at a festival. It is still kind of about that, but hopefully as you’ve seen, authors and bloggers and people are generally brilliant. Even if it’s just to say that you loved their book, or their t-shirt, it’s so worth it.
If you find yourself at Harrogate next year and don’t know anyone, come find me. I’ll be the one in the bright t-shirt in the beer tent talking about books. And if I’m talking to someone, take a deep breath, sidle in and say hi. It’ll be fine, and we can all make some new bookish friends.
See you next year?