Last weekend, I spent two lovely days at a local literary festival at the village of Saint-Clémentin in the Deux-Sèvres. Guests included Michèle Roberts, Leigh Russell and Blake Morrison, plus a number of local writers and poets.
Walking with poetry – the mill
There were walks with poetry, writing projects with local schools, participative poetry readings, interviews, workshops, local crafts and gastronomy and a wonderful bookshop.
Local authors like me were encouraged to sell and sign their books. And the sun shone.
Welcome from Madame le maire
Given that Saint-Clémentin has only just over 1,000 inhabitants, staging a three day littlest with over 50 authors and as many events was miraculous.
But the local writers’ group and an army of volunteers are to be congratulated. It only took two years of planning, the organisation of a military operation and energy resources of a new galaxy to do it.
With Leigh Russell
Blake Morrison and Michèle Roberts
With Cathy and Jon Welch who ran the bookshop
Reading a poem
Saint-Clémentin
And I sold a lot of these!
And some of these!
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, and PERFIDITAS. Third in series, SUCCESSIO, is now out.
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Almost makes me want to move to France with all that culture and writing stuff going on!
Glad you enjoyed it and that your new booklet The 500 Word Writing Buddy was selling well. It’s jolly useful info for beginners.
Thanks, Denise. Everybody was so enthusiastic and the talks a very high standard. Lovely to have gone to something local for a change.
Hi Alison
thanks for replying and what lovely photos on your blog – pasted them on my facebook page ( my author page).
We had a writers’ meeting this week in Limousin and I recommended your writing buddy book.
Best wishes
Sue
Thank you, Sue, for the recommendation!
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