Travel with Angela Lansbury: What I learned about best-selling books at Writers' Summer School, Saturday Start at Swanwick in Derbyshire, August 2022

The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, England, UK.

Writers' Summer School takes place every year in August at the Hayes Conference Centre, in Swanwick Derbyshire. It starts at tea-time on Saturday and continues until breakfast on the following Friday. This year it was August 13 to 19th. I drove from London up the M1 motorway towards the exit 28 after Derby, my car with a suitcase packed, crammed, with 7 daytime and 7 evening outfits, fancy dress, a glamorous outfit for the last night party, and several of my books to sell in the bookroom. I was anxiously watching my speed, and the distances, hoping to reach the Hayes in time for tea, when they serve cakes. Coffee and hot chocolate and drinking water are available all day, free, from machines. I made it in time for tea and enjoyed lemon drizzle cake.

Splendid Saturday - Meeting Other Authors

Book Room Sales

I placed my books in the book room, using a small stand to raise a couple of the books. I was very pleased to sell two books, and sign one of them, Quick Quotations for a new friend, Steve, who bought my book on quotations because he collects books of quotations.

My friend, Carolyn Street, who I know from Toastmasters International in Singapore, had displayed six of her books. She sold them all, and I had written chapters in two of the books. I had a chapter on Authentic Writing For Your Audience in Authenticity & Us, and a chapter called How To Unblock Writer's Block in Fear & Us.

Ambassadors

At the first night's dinner ,Carolyn was with the newcomers on a table with a couple of the old timers who volunteered to be Ambassadors. Next year I shall be an ambassador. One thing I discovered for Carolyn was that the Lakeside bedroom block has a guest laundry room with washing machines and dryers.

Who Was Our Opening Speaker - and What was her best-seller book title?

Our after dinner speaker was the author, Erin Kelly, author of a crime novel, The Poison Tree. I had looked that up earlier and found she had cleverly copied the oxymoron title from a chilling, short poem by William Blake.

Which Books Pay Most?

She entertained us, telling us how her book, the Crime Novel, The Poisoned Tree resulted from her being told by her agent that crime books sell most and pay most to the author. She got a laugh with the contrast of how she had no interest in writing crime novels, but when told how well they paid, declared she had always wanted to write a crime novel.

Another interesting fact she told us was that she took two years to write a book. I aim to write a book a year in order to have something new on the table in the Swanwick book room each year.

Romance Writers

After a brief refreshment and bathroom break, I joined the Get to know you group session. I sat at the romance writers' table for a photo. But ended up with the short story writers.