Crimefest 2009 - Part 3

The fact that I am already posting about day 3 of Crimefest is in itself a feat. Normally I end up posting the following day. This time around I have some free time before I hot foot it to the Michael Connelly interview so I thought that I would use the opportunity to post.

Today (i.e. Saturday 16 May) due to the fact that I had a late breakfast and also because I somehow found myself helping out on the Registration table, I managed to miss the first two panels. The first one was Criss Cross: Conan Doyle & Poe Anniversary Panel Past & Present and the second was Hakan Nesser being interviewed by Ann Cleeves. It was a shame that I missed the first two panels but I am certain that I would have been in a worst state of mind if I hadn't had any breakfast. Luckily for me my breakfast companions were the delightful Zoe Sharp and her husband Andy.

I did manage to get to the third panel of the day which was Simon Brett who is one of the featured guest's being interviewed by Gyles Brandreth. It was in my opinion one of the best interviews that I have sat through. As serious as the interview was there was a lot of humour and a lot of laughter. Part of the reason for this was because Simon Brett and Gyles Brandreth are old friends and it certainly came through with the quips flowing back and forth from the two of them.

I also managed to attend part of the interview between the CWA 2009 Cartier Diamond Dagger recipient Andrew Taylor and Peter Gutteridge. I say part, because I found myself agreeing to do a Shots joint interview along with Ali Karim and Mike Stotter with Michael Connelly. I slipped out of the interview when I realised that I had left my books that I needed to get signed in my room and as luck would have it as I was just going to go back to sit in on the rest of the interview I bumped into the delightful Gaby Young from Orion Publishers along with Michael Connelly. It was really nice to meet Michael again and for me what was even more welcoming was the fact since I have met Michael a number of times now he knows who I am. I was going to wait until Michael had done his event before asking him to sign my books but he immediately asked me if I wanted them signed and proceeded to sign them there and then. He is such a lovely person! After I managed to extract Ali from the interview with Andrew Taylor we met Michael Connelly and Gaby Young downstairs in the Club Lounge where we were subsequently joined by Mike Stotter.

The interview was a leisurely one and mainly done by Ali Karim. So watch out on the Shots website for when the interview is posted. Of course , those of you that twitter along with Ali will have seen his twitter about Michael's arrival at Bristol.

This evening I have the Constable and Robinson Author Party to attend followed by the Gala Dinner where the winners of the Last Laugh Award and the Audible Sounds of Crime Awards are going to be announced. As to the decision about which dress I am going to wear, I still haven't made up my mind. What I do know is that this may be another late night!