OK and Hello

I have had a busy but enjoyable week overseeing and participating in events for the 6th Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.

As part of my chaperoning duties I spent an hour with two New Zealanders,the lovely Lauraine Jacobs (Editor of Cuisine Magazine) and Lloyd Jones the author of some great novels including Mr Pip. I had heard Lloyd could be difficult and was prepared to be rebuffed, but I found him very easy going and he, bless him, asked me lots of questions about me and my life.

I sat next to Vikas Swarup ( Author of Q and A ) at a dinner at the gorgeous Sarong restaurant, both of us in stitches listening to readings by Tom Cho and Dany Leferriere. I dont think Dany was consciously doing a stand up comedy routine but thats exactly how it came over. I listened whilst Vikas to my right and Asitha (Ameresekere..film maker) to my left discussed the merits and otherwise of writing for screenplay and writing prose. I, in the middle kept quietly eating and did not try to talk about things I clearly knew nothing about!

The lovely Tara (protege to Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka ) reclined in my lap whilst also seducing a very sexy Italian at one of the best parties I have ever been to ...the cutzy Japanese DJ was a perfect representation of a Japanese comic book babe, all long hair and wish bone legs in 60's boots and mini skirt. Great dance music though, lots of Stones..ooo yes that reminds me..I hung out with Sam Cutler, The former Roadie of the Rolling Stones..nice guy..limited vocabulary though!!!
thats as much as I'm telling at this time!!