Litfest planning gets serious, and a disappointing lunch in Tehidy

Thursday evening 10 people crammed into my tiny living room for our monthly Penzance Litfest planning meeting. We have a moveable feast of a team, and monthly get togethers range from 6 to 13 people when everyone is able to make it. A lot of work goes on in-between the sessions so it's a good chance  for everyone to get briefed on what's happening across the board. The programme is shaping up nicely with proposals coming in daily from people who generously give their time to run a Litfest session.
So at this early stage the main tasks are: Getting venues sorted out; structuring the schedule to get a good balance of interest for the audience; responding to proposals and inviting people we would like to see; refreshing the website and designing the programme. One of our big tasks for 2014 is to build a strong members and friends programme.
One of the main issues for any Literary Festival is the question of funding. As an independent community Festival we have little external funding, and we keep our ticket prices low with the aim of being inclusive for all, but it's an expensive business, and for it to be sustainable, we need a long term plan. Watch this space...
And on Friday friend Eve & I went for a lovely head-clearing, leaf-swishing walk through Tehidy Woods. The squirrels were out in force, the jays brushes of colour swooping through the trees, and the clouds cleared to a blue autumn sky. First we had lunch in the café at the Tehidy visitor centre. Unfortunately it really wasn't very good. A Mushroom and stilton tart that had a 'soggy bottom' to make Mary Berry cry, and stilton that looked very much like cheddar to me! I've been there before and it was okay, but won't be rushing back!

Radio Cornwall, Cannington Grange and serious planning

After a fabulous weekend away at Cannington Grange to celebrate my good friend Rod's 60th birthday, there's a busy week ahead.
I signed up to NaNoWriMo this year. The idea is to write a 50,000 word novel in a month and I'm a bit behind. 23,000 words on the page and only 5 days to go. I might not make it but I will have made good inroads into Book 2 of Tales of Ice-cream and Espionage, so even if I don't hit the magic 50,000 word count, I'm pleased I decided to do it..
I was on BBC Radio Cornwall yesterday talking about Book 1 'The Dangerous Truth bout Mad Catwomen' and about Penzance Litfest 2014.
We're getting down to serious planning now for the Penzance Litfest. We have put out a Call for Proposals and they are coming in thick and fast.
The Litfest is put on entirely by enthusiasts who work voluntarily. Last year we delivered a five day event with more than 110 separate sessions with subjects ranging from workshops on Cornish poetry to Radio plays performed live to Salley Vickers being interviewed by Patrick Gale.
2014 is the fifth Litfest and we have adopted a theme of 'Celebration' so we're looking forward to being even better than last year.
But there is a lot involved - and this week the planning gets serious as we tie up the Venue bookings, get a shoot organised for photos, revamp the website, start shaping the schedule, and sifting through the proposals that we have already received.
There will be time for cafes. I'm back at the Lost & Found this afternoon for the Writers' Café Open meeting where we will be discussing the Christmas Bash.
But this morning, it's back to the Writing, and Winciette Jenkins second outing in (working title) The Dangerous Lies of Blue Eyed Boys'

My novel, the Penzance Litfest, and Chapel St Cafes

I did say this blog was about walking, writing and sitting in cafes. I have been doing a lot of all of those things since I lasted posted a café review, but my writing activity has been diverted towards publishing my first book as an independent author: The Dangerous Truth about Mad Catwomen.

In the meantime, I have visited some very memorable cafés. Notably Mr Billy's in Chapel Street Penzance, where the food is delicious; the service friendly; and the coffee and tea superb. It deserves its own post




Rippley in her first modelling job



Another favourite is the Lost & Found, also in Chapel St, Penzance, I frequent it frequently, because we hold the Writers' Café Penzance there on a Tuesday afternoon. And there will also be more on that later.
The Lost & Found makes, in my opinion, the best cake. Last week's Courgette & Lime cake was a triumph. I have never been convinced by courgette cake before. It seemed like a vegetable too far in the cake stakes, but I am a convert. It was probably the lime flavoured cream cheese frosting that won me over, but the cake was delicious too - soft and moist and yummy.


And finally, in Penzance, The Exchange deserves an honourable mention. The Exchange is one of our favourite venues for the Penzance Litfest, of which I am the co-chair for 2013/2014.  It's become our default meeting place for impromptu planning sessions. Yesterday John Pestle & I sat talking about how brilliant our volunteers are, and what we need to do to make their volunteering an enjoyable rewarding experience; Peter Levin (Chair) & I sat and talked about the excellent session already lining up for next summer; and then conferred with Patrick Gale, our festival patron, about some of the people we might invite down.
So more on all of that later too.