Adorable Appledore
One of the streets going down to the sea in Appledore. Photo: © Felice Hardy
Celebrating Literature & Arts by the Sea
Appledore Book Festival takes place from 15th to 24th September this year and it’s located in lots of different venues around the charming little fishing village of Appledore. I was lucky enough to be a speaker there on the afternoon of Monday 18th September.
‘Appledore? Where’s that?’ You may well ask. It’s three miles from Bideford on the north Devon coast – the quiet coast that’s not near a big centre of population like the south coast, and it’s an unspoilt small town with sandy beaches. Above all, it doesn’t appear to be a magnet for mass tourism and that’s what I really like about it. Appledore is a maze of narrow streets with sweet little fishermen’s cottages painted in pastel colours, and there are some lovely independent shops, too….including delicatessen, craft shops and art galleries.
First of all we had the biggest crab sandwich I’ve ever eaten – or even seen – at The Coffee Cabin on the seafront. Not cheap at £14, but HUGE and decorated with a generous amount of salad.
Felice being interviewed by Susan Sandon. Photo: © Peter Hardy
My talk was in St Mary’s church – where more than 90 tickets had been sold to people who wanted to come and hear me talk! That’s the biggest audience I’ve ever spoken to. With my brilliant interviewer, Susan Sandon (retired MD of Penguin Random House), I sat on a stage, miked up, and with two large screens to either side of us which projected our images for those too far away to see us clearly.
Susan interviewed me for 45 minutes with some excellent and searching questions. I didn’t do any readings from the book this time. The ‘in conversation’ style talk was followed by Q&A and then a book signing in the church hall next door, hosted by Waterstones. Lots of books were sold and it was a fun and stimulating afternoon. Having felt sick with nerves when I gave my first ever talk back in May, I now get quite a buzz from it. I especially like being asked good questions by the audience.
The audience waiting for me to come on stage! Photo: © P.Hardy
The festival is run as a charity and the profits go to the local community - and for running the Appledore Book Festival’s Schools Week Programme.
