The Author's Voice

I have just spent the most wonderful week as part of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. There is so much I could write about it, but the thought that is jumping up and down is the author's voice. This has many meanings. As aspiring writers we work hard to find 'our voice', that elusive thing. Justin Cronin said that voice was taking ownership of what you want to do as a writer…you need to know yourself for your voice to come through… Interesting….

We had a fabulous night of poetry under the stars in the desert where Andrew Motion, Lemn Sissay and others read their works…the night before I heard Pam Ayres read her work…there is nothing like hearing a poet read their poems. Just listening to them you feel the poem.

But as an author I dread reading my books. I am dyslexic so it's hard to read aloud. However I realise now I am depriving my readers. During the festival Paul Blezard and Julia Wheeler asked several writers to read their work… JoJo Moyes, Judy Finnigan and Joanne Harris. The works came alive hearing the voice of the authors. I was able to video Joanne and it was pure magic. The video here. She said on twitter 'Anyone else reading my work aloud feels like a form of translation…'

So how do you feel about hearing the 'author's voice'? Does it enrich the experience for you? Or does it take away from it?

Oops and Name Dropping

I should have been here on Thursday and in fact I even drafted a post which is great...except it is on my lap top which is in London and I am in Dubai...

Not a good and then I forgot about it totally because I was taking part in my first literary festival and not just any one, but the one I have volunteered at for the past few years- the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature. I had crossed the divide! And, well, wow...

Last year Biddy and I manned the Green Room, led authors on tours, and had the best and most exhausting of times. This year I ran two writing workshops for a school and Sharjah and sat on a panel session on first fictions discussing the different ways to publication...definitely a pinch me transformation.

This week reminded me to two things. The first was how blessed i am to be living my dream and second was that what you put in - volunteering in this case really pays off.

I want to post a photo but the festival hasn't released it yet...it's a picture of all the authors and there's is little old me standing in front of of Nicholas Sparks and David Nichols...and I think I spied the delicious Giorgio Locatelli over my shoulder as well........how cool is that. What a difference a year can make....

I sorely missed my partner in crime, Biddy. It would have been sweeter to have her there to share in the change of status but hopefully this year will bring her turn.

Liz Fenwick and Michael Portillo

As I can't post the big group picture I'll share this one instead...