In all the excitement, I haven’t said much about what’s taking up my time at the moment. It’s the Essex Book Festival. This doesn’t feature much in the list of literary festivals, and I suspect there’s an element of snobbery involved. I mean, Essex – not exactly Hay on Wye, is it?
Luckily, no, it isn’t. It’s a varied, fun affair with a long reach. In most years, the Essex Book Festival ran all through March and appeared in towns throughout the county – a literary walk in Harwich, an author talk in Basildon, a book-binding session in Colchester. Last year, it was caught out by the increasing fear of catching Covid, and then by the lockdown. This year? Back with a bang, running throughout June, July and August, partly online and partly in person – walks, swims, cycle rides. Tomorrow I am going to Cressing Temple Barns for a story writing session with Agnieszka Dale, a Polish author who chose to live in England and write in English, and really looking forward to it.
The online sessions have been fun, too. One participant joined late, apologising and saying that she’d had to see the kids off to school first. “It’s 7.32 am out here,” she explained. She was logging on from Maine in America. We’ve had participants from all over the world. But one of the highlights so far has been Syd Moore, author of the Essex Witch museum books, leading a session on writing about artifacts from the Thurrock Museum archives. Halfway through her talk, she suddenly said… “Hang on, gotta answer the door… ” Oh, the joys of working from home. Even happens to authors.
If you get the chance, check the Essex Girls Liberation Front. Syd Moore and Sarah Perry (The Essex Serpent) started it, and I’m right behind it. Essex girls have more fun.
Julia Chalkley 