Yesterday saw a landmark event for any author: my first public reading. I read out the first few pages of The Yellow Moth, which was recently published on the cover of OpenPen Magazine, Issue 11.
Almost everything about the event went wrong: my mother was late, her partner went for a wander and got lost, the roof fell in on the venue an hour before the shindig began, nobody could get through to anyone else about it. But, by a mix of serendipity and enthusiasm, we all managed to find seats in the trendy cellar of a really cute pancake house. My mother’s partner resurfaced, a spot was found to park the car, people figured out where we were and I discovered the best gluten-free pancakes in North-East London!
The readings were entertaining and articulate and there was a sketch show of almost painful hilarity. It was a pretty wonderful night after the initial hiccoughs, and the OpenPen team, Anna and Sean, are really lovely folk.
As for my reading, I think it went alright in the end. Apparently the audience couldn’t tell how badly my hands were shaking and I only stuffed up over one word! All in all, good night’s work.
The Yellow Moth will be available to read in OpenPen Issue 11, to be published on 26th April 2014. It can be found in lots of independent bookshops all over London and the South of England and is completely free. For more details, visit the OpenPen website.