World Book Day Vs The Beast from the East

Well then, World Book Day is always fun and always interesting and 2018 was no exception.  I was up early on the eve of WBD to visit schools in London and before I'd even left Norwich train station, my life turned into an action-packed snowy adventure thriller divided into two dramatic episodes: 

Part I: The Longest Journey

and

Part II:  The Revenant

Well, I eventually got to visit Francis Holland School in Regent's Park and how glad I am that I made it because that place is lovely!  And so is everyone inside.  And I got to eat bread and butter pudding with custard as well which is one of the best things you can possibly eat when it looks like Narnia outside. I nicked the photo (above) from the school's website. I'm talking to the lunchtime literary society and I don't think you can see it from this photo but they're all eating sandwiches.  Books and book talk and eating sandwiches in the warm during a snowstorm is actually my idea of Paradise.  As I said, Francis Holland School is very nice.

And then I skidded through the snow to my hotel and the person on reception said the magic words, 'Hello, we've upgraded you to a family suite' which was completely unnecessary because there was only me and I don't take up that much space - but, on the plus side, it did mean I got to walk around my rooms and laze on my chaise longue.  On the downside, it meant I had to go to sleep next to this creepy picture...

And then.... well, the Beast from the East did its worst and the rest of my week got mothballed.  Or rather, snowballed.  But it's OK, these things can be rearranged.  And even though it was looking a bit ropey for a time, Abellio Greater Anglia got me home!  I'm extremely grateful to them.  The train was warm and it kept moving.  And I loved the fact that the train driver went a bit scatty and started saying things like, 'The next station stop is Snowmarket' and 'We are now approaching the Suffolk-Norfolk border - please have your passports ready.'

So in spite of all the drama, World Book Day was as fun as ever - but just not in a way I was anticipating.

Oh, and, very importantly, the winner of my WBD giveaway is Sharon Bullough of Sheffield.  Signed copies of 'The Nearest Faraway Place' and 'Sophie Someone' will be in the post when it's safe to step foot on the pavement.  Thank you to everyone who sent me an email.  I wrote all the names on separate slips of scrap paper and waited to see which one Irma Bunny would run off with.  Simple but effective.