I’m pretty sure I’m back at home in England now, but to be honest I wouldn’t be surprised if I were actually at another book festival somewhere, possibly standing in a very hot tent trying to entertain an audience comprised of kids between 4 and 16, their parents, and a whole bunch of adults who’ve wandered in to find out about… well… I’m not sure.
Whatever they were after, they got some crazy improvised stories about global destruction, superheroes, Hay being swallowed by a whale and broken kitchen appliances. They also got some very smart 6 year-olds asking riddles and (I hope) some interesting tips on how to write. Who knows. I was baffled by the whole thing and I was the one doing the workshops.
That’s how the last week or so has been for me. I was in Hay for the How the Light Gets In festival of philosophy and music. Where did I fit in? Well, I studied philosophy, then became a musician, then finally found out I could write books. My events were obviously book-related, but I did also raid the music stage on the last day and the festival organisers were very kind about letting me do an off-the-cuff set of original songs at the piano.
It was all very confusing, because earlier in the week I’d been at Listowel Writers’ Week, over in beautiful Kerry, Ireland. So it was Ireland one day, Wales the next. Two very different festivals, but I would highly recommend both to all writers and readers.
Listowel is a tiny village with a huge festival. I suppose Hay is the same, but for some reason Listowel Writers’ Week felt like a bigger deal. Perhaps it’s because I was at the opening ceremony. Perhaps its because my events were bigger. Perhaps it’s because only in Ireland would I have found myself at the piano in the hotel in the middle of the night, leading a raucous singalong of everything from Motown to Irish folk classics and the blues.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve never been at a book festival where the police raided the hotel because the writers were having such a ball.
So, fellow writers and fellow people-who-like-books-and-a-good-time: make a note of these two festivals for next year. Listowel Writers’ Week in Kerry and How The Light Gets In at Hay.
Pictures may follow, if I can find my camera. Also, where’s the cheese I bought in Ireland? I’m sure I put it somewhere…
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