Fenlandphil's Blog A blog from the low country

I didn’t find out about this event organised by indiebookfair.com until it was too late to hire a stand for our Whittlesey Wordsmith’s writing group. However I thought it would be a good plan to visit and see what the event had to offer. I had no intention at all to buy books, I have according to my lovely wife, more than enough as it is.

Indie authors are those that often self publish their own books either individually or cooperatively with other authors. It is a great community and they, like all the authors I have met are encouraging and supportive.

The hall was nicely laid out and there certainly wasn’t any space for more stalls, it was fully booked. The public seemed to like it too it was getting quite crowded as I walked around. It was a really interesting event and a chance to amble round and meet other local authors. The exhibitors catered for just about every genre, from children’s stories, to puzzle books for elderly dementia sufferers and just about any subject in between.

A particular highlight for me was meeting Carol Carman; Carol had been the sound engineer for Dennis of Grunty Fen’s, broadcast on Radio Cambridgeshire, working with the late Pete Sayers, (Dennis) and Christopher South. The programmes, were broadcast on Radio Cambridgeshire every Sunday morning, they were what the wireless was made for. Christopher South would interview Dennis learning more about the wild world and community that is Grunty Fen. Christopher South has written four books about this intriguing community. I bought number 3 in the series from Carol.

Close to Carol’s stall was a remarkably dressed lady M T  McGuire a science fiction author, one of the panellists on the author panels I attended later in the day I didn’t catch her forename, which I know isn’t M..

Niche Comics Bookshop had a stall in one corner with Angela presiding and Gill Ashby, author of the Bright Old Sparks Books in attendance.

It was great wandering around chatting to the authors and despite my resolve not to buy any books I came away with 3 in total.