A writing "holiday"

By my reckoning, that's half way through my Writers' Holiday at Swanwick, so I thought it was time to put fingers to keyboard to let you, my poor, long-suffering reader, know how it was going.

Great is the simple answer!

The easy bit first, the teaching.  Regular sufferers of this blog will be familiar with my agonising about teaching - the old "who am I to do it, how do I even know what to do?" thing.  Well, the kind folk here have eased those concerns beautifully.  I'm blessed with a great group of aspiring crime writers, very talented too, some 50 in number, who have been good enough to listen to what I'm saying and even feedback that it's all making some sort of sense.

Big relief, and, if truth be told - big smile too.  I've been preparing for these lectures since just after Xmas!

Secondly onto the more vague issue of the "feel" of the place.  And that's a big rocket to the clouds too.  It's great.  All the people here, staff and students, have been so warm and welcoming, there was never an issue of me feeling awkward or out of place.  The campus is stunning; beautiful and peaceful too, as is the local countryside.  I never thought I'd say this, but I went for a run yesterday and it was nearly (nearly!) as fine as my native Devon.

The school is beautifully organised, it's impossible not to feel at home, and here's a measure of that.  We had a disco for our entertainment one evening, and even the ungainly, arhythmic Hall creature felt no hesitation in dancing, or some such approximation thereof.

So, for those of you who aren't here and might spare a tiny thought for this wandering author, fear not for all is well.  And for those of you who are, here's a hearty thank you for treating me to such a fine time.  Cheers!