It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was putting together – with the help of some very generous people – the first ever South Warwickshire Literary Festival. And yet here we are again, doing it once more. It’s a bit different this time round; here in the UK life is expensive and the luxuries are usually the first thing to go but hey, we plough on, right? Otherwise what’s the point in doing anything? Exactly.
Still young enough, I hope, to learn new things, one big thing I’ve learnt from organising the festival is the importance of teamwork and even more important, having a happy and cohesive team. Bad teams make bad decisions, unhappy teams make even worse ones. So I’m truly grateful to be working with friends and colleagues I’ve got to know over the years in the world of writing. Even if updating the website or wrangling with payment options or writing begging emails to sponsors prevents me writing my novel, I know the festival wouldn’t exist without the silent, steady input from others. But then humans, despite our multiple failings, are social creatures who like being with others and thrive in communities. It’s just the way we are. No point fighting it. Although maybe, should the opportunity arise, I’m sure there are some of us who’d hop aboard the hermit bus in the blink of an eye.
But anyway, here’s to more planning and scheming for this year’s festival. I hope you’ll come, see what all the fuss is about, spread the word and all that.
September 23rd, 10am to 4.30, Harbury village hall, Harbury, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. There’s a seat there with your name on it!
Jacci Gooding, Author 
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana… where does it all go! (Apparently time moves faster as we get older just to spite ‘science’… )
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