It’s a grey day in British countryside, I’m looking out of the window and the clouds are flowing fast, pushed by the high winds we’ve had in the last few days. This is the first time I’ve had a chance to sit down properly and steal a few moments to reflect on the last few weeks.

It’s been a month since I attended ShiMMer, a UK based author and reader event I know a lot of you will be familiar with. As I’m about to fly out of the country and into sunnier shores for a much deserved holiday I’d like to share my reflections with you.

Last June I attended Euro Pride Con. It was my first author and reader conference and despite initially signing up as a reader, a friend convinced me that since I’d published one book three weeks before the conference, that I should go as an author.

I’m a planner and I like to be organised, however, there are are parts of me that thrive on going with the flow and that’s what I did.

I had an amazing time at EPC, met lots of wonderful authors and readers, and shock horror, more than one person wanted to buy my book!

By the time ShiMMer came around last month I already had two novels and two short stories under my name. Still have no idea how that happened, but it did and nothing made me prouder than seeing my books on my table. I loved catching up with friends, authors and readers, making new friends and trying my best to not come home with more books than I left with.

This was what ShiMMer was about. The coming together of people in the community, talking books and having fun.

I brought my sister along with me as my helper and boy did she help. From taking photos, to making sure my table looked great all the time, to doing a sandwich run for me and a few hungry authors, she was amazing.

Now the thing is, my sister isn’t a reader. I can tell you this because she will say it too. It’s not that she doesn’t enjoy reading but more that she needs the right book to grab her, and then she can’t put it down. Sounds familiar?

So anyway, there she is making lots of friends, chatting to authors, readers, making jokes and having the time of her life. This doesn’t surprise me, after all she’s a great person and everyone in the room were great people. When we had a moment to ourselves I asked her if she was enjoying herself. We are both introverts (yes, really!), so it can be very daunting to be in a room full of people you don’t know. It’s hard for me when I already know a lot of people so I knew how hard it would be for her knowing no one. She told me she was having a great time and everybody was awesome. She lit up every time she had a new friendship request on Facebook throughout the day and the following days.

Isn’t it amazing that as a community we are so different and also so similar that we get each other in a way I’m not sure other communities do? In the run up to ShiMMer I saw posts from people who were putting out there that they were anxious about attending. The response from others was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. We’re all in this together, if we’re weird, let’s all be weird together, if you’re anxious, you’re not the only one.

I am lucky that what I write is accepted by everyone I know. I have good friends, a supportive family and a great job with people I can talk to who also support my writing. It’s easy sometimes to take all of it for granted.

Being at EPC and at ShiMMer, seeing everyone having such a great time reminded me why I do what I do, why I invest so much time and energy in my writing. Because it’s not just about the writing, it’s about finding that place where you fit in, where you can be as weird as you like as long as you bring custard tarts with you.

I’m not sure this rambling makes any sense. I guess I just wanted to acknowledge the love and support within this community. We don’t always get it right, and goodness knows we can also get it very wrong but our core is good and our imperfections make us quite perfect, in my eyes at least. And when we get together? Well, you have to be there to experience it!

If you have a chance to attend an author and reader event don’t think twice. Throw yourself in and join the craziness.

You can still buy tickets to attend this year’s Euro Pride Con in June here and complete this form to express your interest in attending ShiMMer next February.

I will be attending both! With or without custard tarts.

Till next month…