” I guess Buffalo ain’t geared for me and Paul,” as Willie Nelson sings in “Me and Paul”, his song about life on the road. I think you could say the same for me and Bristol. At last weekend’s CrimeFest, I was scheduled to be appearing alongside my friend and fellow author, Bill James, but Bill had to pull out due to a sudden family illness, so it all came down to me being interviewed by Paul Johnston. Which would have been okay had we had more of an audience than 25/30 folk scattered around a room with 120 chairs. The energy level wouldn’t have lit a 40 watt bulb.
It wasn’t all bad, though. I found a place close by, The Boston Tea Party, which did excellent coffee, [unlike the hotel itself, where it was British provincial hotel institutionally undrinkable]; thanks to Alison Joseph’s recommendation, I had a very good lunch at the Bordeaux Quay; and on Friday night, at the Watershed, saw Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York, which, despite running out of steam a little in the last quarter, was inventive, very funny, well cast, and, ultimately, quite moving. And back at CrimeFest on Saturday morning, the Swedish writer, Håkan Nesser, was entertaining, talking about his work to Ann Cleeves. 100 plus people for that – not that I was counting.
2 responses so far ↓
Michael Walters // May 18, 2009 at 9:56 am
I was bemused that the numbers were so small for your session – if it’s any consolation, I thought it was one of the highlights of an entertaining convention.
And I very much enjoyed our brief conversation about D H Lawrence, Eastwood and the remarkable Enid Goodband…
Norm/Uriah // May 18, 2009 at 8:14 pm
I agree with Michael. We were a small group but quality is more important that quantity and I am sure we all enjoyed your interview with Paul Johnston. I was particularly chuffed that you chose The Man Who Liked Slow Tomatoes by KC Constantine as one of your favourite books. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only person this side of the Atlantic who had read this novel.
I am sure it was that hotel coffee that had my heart racing or it could have been meeting Donna Moore. ;o)