I spent last night at Glencaple bookclub – a local group about a year old, who seem to have retained a real passion for books and reading. It was the first time I’d attended a book group as either a reader or an author – the whole book group thing sort of passed me by – and I have to say I really enjoyed the experience. Apart from the thrill of seeing so many copies of my book, all out there in the hands of real readers, the questions were a fascinating insight into how people read the book and what they thought about the characters and plot.

Some of the questions I had expected, but there were others that really had me intrigued. Perhaps the liveliest – and most unexpected – discussion (to me at least) was on the subject of what the characters in the book really looked like. I know myself that when I’m reading (and also when I’m writing) I form a picture of the characters I’m reading about. What was most interesting to me was what what a wide range of impressions these readers had. I came home exhausted, a little croaky, and energised. If there are any book groups out there  who’d like to arrange something similar, please get in touch via the contacts page

Meanwhile my mentoring sessions for the Koestler trust continue – I was going to say a very different kind of meeting, but actually when it comes down to it, they’re not that different: the passionate and detailed dissection of the written word. You can read more about a recent one from the mentee’s point of view on his blog here