I chose life as a writer because I love to write. Right? But I think I also chose it – or it chose me – because I can embrace my inner technophobe, my inner introvert and, frankly, my inner slob (my, I have a lot of ‘inners’!) I can sit in front of my ancient computer – using only the most basic of Word functions of course – wearing tattered old jeans and a dogeared sweatshirt and with a legitimate excuse to avoid talking to anyone for hours – days – on end!

Bliss.

But now the paperback of Another Us has been published and everything has changed. Suddenly I am being invited to appear on more panels and podcasts than you can shake a stick at. Well, at least three! The local WI want me to do a virtual talk, other debuts are inviting me to be interviewed alongside them and my friend’s friend’s book-group would love me to pay them a visit. Which is all lovely, really it is, and I am genuinely very honoured and flattered. But it requires me doing three things that don’t come easily to me – looking presentable, being sociable to order and mastering this brave new world of technology.

Reader, it has not been without its challenges. All this Zooming and the We-Meeting and the House-Party-ing. It’s all very confusing. The first panel I took part in, I hadn’t really thought through the set-up at all, and my face was barely poking above the bottom of the screen.  My lighting was also very gloomy, and I looked exactly like I felt – a startled little mole peering into the headlights. The next time, of course, I overcompensated – I bathed the room in bright light and stuck my laptop on a pile of jigsaw boxes, thus giving the poor viewer a birds eye view of my lockdown roots surrounded by a ring of the red hair dye – still there after I coloured it for the Ebook launch. Worst of all, I hadn’t realised when you’re on Zoom, people can still see you when you’re not talking. I wish I’d known this one in advance. That way, I might not have picked my nose, slurped my tea, checked my text messages and – at one point – vacated my seat entirely whilst I let the cat out and simultaneously  hollered to my husband to bring me a glass of wine ‘because I bloody need it’. Happy days!

Then there was the time that my arm got the shakes from holding my phone in front of me for what felt like hours while I chatted gaily; the bemused viewer probably wondering why I wasn’t seeking urgent medical help instead of wittering on about the inspiration behind Another Us; (yes, I know now you can purchase little tripod things designed for just such occasions.) The time my son and his friends were milling around in the hallway prior to a night out, demonstrating their extensive knowledge of very rude words. The time …

I finally sussed it all out. I got my roots done. I worked out the most flattering camera angles and lighting options. I learned to sit still with a sensible expression on my face. I bribed and blackmailed my family …

Now, of course, no one wants to interview me. The little hubbub of excitement around Another Us’ launch is over and my lovely editor is reminding me, ever so gently, that the edits on Book Two are due …

Happy days!