First, we had the drama of arriving at the longlists.
Then we had the scurrying about of spelling checks, (for example, someone spelt SLIT instead of LIST which was rude – ok, that was me) and photo errors (at one point we’d put a photo of a disc jockey with a similar name on the website instead of the author).
But in case you think CWIP needs to be trained better - we had proper grown up press coverage and a general sense that we are doing something positive in a time of you know what.
So then we got adventurous. The amazing Abigail Mann (runner up for CWIP prize 2019 with The Lonely Fajita suggested that we do a writerly ‘Witty Wednesday’ on Instagram.
Keen to harness this assistance of such a lovely previous CWIP winner, I bravely placed my phone in one hand and cava glass in the other, before pressing the button at 7 hours. My face was sideways the whole time, due to a panic about which way up I should be, but the story of Abigail’s writing shifted focus from me remaining at an angle for the duration.
Second time around, I spoke to the wonderful Beth O’Leary, who modestly batted off the fact that trillions and squillions of copies of her fab book The Flatshare had most probably been sold in the last hour. Deservedly so. This time I was the right way up, but my volume had got turned down, so no one can hear me. Thankfully, we heard Beth.
THIRD TIME LUCKY – I got the amazing and fascinating author, Michelle Gallen. I was ready for her. I was the right way up, had had only two sips of my cava – but wait… no Michelle. I chatted gamely to the CWIP community, in what I hoped to be an engaging manner – until Michelle found a way in. None could stop us now. Away we went in merriment and awe. Her book Big Girl, Small Town knocked the spots of me …as did she.
Soon these Witty Wednesdays will be installed on the website. Each time we do it - your questions get more and more exciting…. stay excited and I’ll stay upright.
