hello old friends

Oh my goodness, where does time go?

If you'd asked me recently when I'd last blogged I would've said, "Oh, a few weeks ago...." But January? Eep! Back to putting 'me' first (and that includes this blog!)

So, I shan't be filling you in on everything I've been doing recently - ain't nobody got time for that!

I know I bang on about Newcastle being spectacularly beautiful - but hello! It IS spectacularly beautiful. A few weekends ago I trekked up this hill to Nobby's lighthouse with some friends to see Elsewhere - a music festival with a difference.

The difference was that it was held in what must be the most spectacular venue in, well look, I'm gonna say the world.

Come on. Check it out!

The performances were sublime, especially Paul Dempsey and my new love Steve Smyth who has the voice of an angel and a devilish grin. He also plays his guitar so hard the strings pop.

Then it was off to this fab venue, Newcastle City Hall, for the Newcastle Writers Festival. Three days of fabulousness. My head's still exploding with ideas. Don't ask me what my favourite session is - I don't think I could tell you (although I think it's the session on Biography with Erik Jenson and David Leser). The program was chockers with interesting people and topics. Can't wait till next year!

I moderated a fab panel on self-publishing with these guys. Now, I've interviewed many people over the years, but these three were just so wonderful. So honest and open with their answers it was brilliant. We stuffed a lot into that hour, but could've talked all night. Greg Field, Francesca Suters and Nim Gholkar are the authors - look them up!

Now, another Novocastrian blogger, A Curious Novocastrian, Instagrammed a fabulous piece of art over the writer's festival weekend and despite having spent HOURS in City Hall I'd never seen it. Well, how on earth I missed something so enormous and so gorgeous is beyond me but here it is.

Friday night (yep, I'm up to this weekend!) I went to the opening of a freshly curated exhibition at The Lock Up. I love The Lock Up. It's such a unique space. Even to this day it freaks me out, and I can't spend more than a minute or two in one of the old cells without feeling claustrophobic - but it's a space that challenges your ideas.

Look at what was happening in the old exercise yard! Music, critters stuck to the roof and lots of people chatting over a glass of wine. Bliss.

Hope all's well in your world. See you again really soon x