I got back late last night from three days’ work in Edinburgh.  Later than I expected, in fact, due to a bridge strike holding us up at Pitlochry for an hour.

As I tweeted at the time, it was fun watching the increased exasperation of the conductor as he tried to explain the situation to the obligatory drunk in the carriage.

Among the work was, of course, my Edinburgh book reading on Tuesday night at South Bridge Blackwell’s.  I think it went well – there was a good crowd, people laughed in the right places, and I wasn’t too nervous.

My major flaw of talking too fast was reportedly non-existent, but replaced, I am told in constructive feedback, by a tendency to walk about too much while reading.  I guess I am still learning this whole “being an author” malarky.

In fact, someone told me that as they were buying their copy at the til after the reading, the member of staff serving them said that it wasn’t their sort of book personally, but they were persuaded by my reading to buy it – which was really lovely to hear.

I enjoyed the reading a lot – among the crowd was Niall, who features in the book (though he’s disappointed he tails off somewhat from the plot after chapter 5).  It was the first time I’ve read to someone who is a part of the story.

There was also a  good number of people unknown to me, mostly I think coming along on the back of the store’s mailing list – many thanks to the wonderful Ann, Events Manager at South Bridge Blackwell’s, for plugging the reading, not least through the sign in the window that I now realise I should have asked to take as a memento!  Among the folk I didn’t know at the event was a woman whose in-laws came from Belmullet in Ireland, and thankfully she agreed with my not entirely complimentary analysis of the village.

Thanks to everyone who came along, especially those “strangers” who I didn’t get a chance to speak to personally afterwards.

Next up on the tour is Aberdeen this Saturday – 12pm at the Langstane (not Union Bridge) Waterstone’s, then a week today in Stirling.

Please do come along if you’re in the area.  I promise not to walk about too much while reading.