Ten Reasons Why I Loved the Edinburgh Literary Festival

1. I got one of these…

Which I will probably never get the chance to wear again, but I was allowed to keep it, so it will go in my box of special writerly things.

2. I hung out with fab fab fab fellow authors like Annabel Pitcher, Marcus Sedgwick, Caroline Lawrence, Malorie Blackman, Linda Strachan, Moira Munro and lots more.

3. I hung out with Jacqueline Wilson too. (If being at the table next to her at breakfast in the hotel and exchanging a polite smile can be classed as ‘hanging out’.)

4. I experienced The Yurt – of which I had heard. Sitting in the Edinburgh Festival Authors’ Yurt sipping earl grey is one of those rights of passage that makes you feel you’ve really arrived as an author.

5. I went to see some extremely wonderful shows which were on at the Fringe Festival. (Fascinating Aida, Ruby Wax, Idiots of Ants – all brilliant!)

6. I LOVED doing my event.

7. Which was sold out. (By the fabbest, nicest crowd ever!)

8. I indulged my stationery obsession by spending about two hours in Paperchase (we don’t have sophisticated shops like that where I live).

9. I also indulged my inner grammar fascist when I discovered that even the people who write signs for the authors’ area at a BOOK FESTIVAL do not know how to use apostrophes.

10. Most of all – I just loved the fact that I was asked to be part of this brilliant, fun, exciting and hugely entertaining event. Thank you to all involved in putting this on. And thank you to Orion for helping make it happen. (And for introducing me to Vodka Martinis, which it turns out are rather nice.)