Crimefest 2011 was thoroughly enjoyable, and for me it offered a chance to relax from the frenetic activity at work following our recent business merger. I spent much more time chatting to friends old and new than attending panels, though I did enjoy all those I did attend. And happily I found time to do a bit of work on and thinking about my plans for the next Lake District Mystery.
Our pub quiz team, the International Bloggers, included Karen Meek of Eurocrime, Dorte from Denmark and Kerrie Smith from Mysteries in Paradise. We didn't make a great start, and shamefully I managed not to recognise Jane Marple from Peter Guttridge's cleverly selective description, but we did have productive rounds involving anagrams and Hitchcock movies, and were rewarded with some freebie books and audio books. It was a great pleasure to meet Dorte and Kerrie and their husbands. As always, Peter did a great job with the quiz questions.
Karen kindly sent me the photo of the quiz team. And Pauline Rowson (who also blogs splendidly) sent me the other two photos, taken by her husband Bob. Pauline and I first met a few years back at a TV studio. The full story is less glamorous, we agreed, than it sounds, but it was great to see her and Bob again. One photo shows me with Pauline, the other was taken at the Severn House drinks reception, and features Peter Guttridge, Ann Cleeves, Michael Walters (someone else I was delighted to have the chance to chat to at some length) and Maureen Carter.
I'll post a bit more about Crimefest - when I get my breath back!
Martin - So glad you're back safely. I'm glad, too, that you had such a good time. I'll look forward to reading your posts about Crimefest.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures! It must have been fun to meet our blogging friends, too. Wish I could have been there.
ReplyDeleteReally good to see you again, Martin - it was a thoroughly enjoyable (if exhausting!) weekend. I'm already looking forward to next year!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see a couple of pictures of a wonderful event! It was such a pleasure to meet some of my blog friends, and I also wish that Elizabeth, Margot and several of the others could have joined us.
ReplyDeleteMartin, it was good to see you at CrimeFest last weekend. I wish I'd had longer to chat to you and many others.
ReplyDeleteMargot, Elizabeth, wish you could have been there!
ReplyDeleteMike, Dorte, Rhian, it was great to see you all.
Great to chat to you again at Crimefest, Martin. We certainly look as though we're enjoying ourselves.
ReplyDeletePauline, it was a great event, wasn't it?
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