The last week or two have been a bit of a blur, for a whole host of reasons – and some of them weren’t even writing related! So I’ve been quiet on the blog front, and not really had much chance to stick my head above the parapet in social media world, either. Which is a shame because, although I don’t think I’m that adept out there, I do enjoy the interactions when they happen.
I have said before, though, that my favourite kinds of interaction are face to face, and I am missing the opportunities to get out and meet people. Somehow, the gatherings of six individuals two metres apart don’t really inspire me – especially as I’m partially deaf so I’d probably have to ask the others to repeat themselves more often than I normally do.
That said, my own preference in the current circumstances is to avoid all unnecessary contact. This virus needs to be suppressed until we can confidently vaccinate against it. I haven’t been personally affected by it, either directly or through having a family member or close friend having it. Nevertheless, with a daughter who’s a nurse, a son who’s another essential worker, an ageing mother and a partner who could be considered vulnerable, I’m not going to be complacent about it. So, I miss those gatherings, but I’m not in a rush to return to them.
What I did experience just over a week ago, though, was my first video link with a Facebook group that was interested in 
my books and writing. I did flag it in a previous post, For One Night Only, but was apprehensive at the time because I had no real idea of how it was all going to work out. Did it turn out perfectly? No, not really, but some of that was down to my unfamiliarity with the system. It took me nearly ten minutes to work out where the comments and questions were, so for a while I wasn’t sure if I was talking to thin air. And then, when I got to the end, there was another breakdown in communication which led to me terminating things prematurely. But, apart from that… I think it went quite well.
If you are bored stiff and looking for a way to fill just over an hour of our time, you can pop over to the Bibliophile Book Haven Group page, where you’ll see my video link on the top row. (You never know, you might find something else that appeals as well.) That said, if you can’t spare an hour but have a passing interest, you can always fast forward in places.
Remarkably, though, I haven’t written this to get you to watch me. Frankly, I haven’t watched it all through myself (who the hell enjoys watching and listening to themselves anyway?). The reason I mention it is simply that, in spite of the slip-ups and the inevitable apprehension (or terror – I always get those two confused) in the run up to it, I really enjoyed the experience. It seems like a great way to connect with readers and other authors, so I’ll definitely be looking for opportunities to do similar things again. And, if you’re offered the chance yourself, I’d recommend giving it a go.