#IndyBookTourCymru2019 got off to a hugely enjoyable start today at the Pen’rallt Gallery and Bookshop in Machynlleth.
I had a wonderful time discussing None So Blind and In Two Minds with the readers – and writers – who gathered for coffee and cake in an event hosted by the lovely Diane Bailey who runs the Pen’rallt with her husband, Geoff.
Diane, who chaired the disussion, asked gratifyingly perceptive questions about the books and my writing process and, for over an hour, the group and I discussed crime, historical fiction, the importance of place, Welsh language, culture, getting published, plotting vs. letting the thing unfold, the importance of research, falling in love with your characters – such a delightfully wide-ranging conversation. I had an absolute ball!
Here are a couple of quotes from the event that particularly thrilled me (sorry but, to a writer, positive feedback is like water to the parched):
‘I’m not normally a historical fiction reader, nor a crime reader but I’m an Alis Hawkins reader now…’
‘I didn’t want the book to finish. I was bereft at the end. When my father offered me another book I said ‘But it won’t be the same…’
Those are responses totally worth driving over a hundred miles for!
Many, many thanks to all who came and made the first event of the tour such a wonderfully enjoyable event – and for buying the books – if you’re reading this, I really hope you enjoy them.
As for the rest of you, if ever you find yourself within striking distance of Machynlleth, please, do yourself a favour and visit the Pen’rallt Gallery and Bookshop. It has such a welcoming feel – there’s a settee in the window! – and a wonderfully eclectic mix of books. There really is something for everyone there.
Let’s hope the rest of the tour is as fun as today was – huge thanks to Diane and Geoff for hosting the inaugural event of #IndyBookTourCymru2019.
Alis Hawkins 