I have a problem with writers I admire. It is probably because writing is an unfulfilled ambition, but I just cannot behave naturally around them.So when Anna Pavord, author of "The Tulip" and many other books and gardening correspondent for The Independent newspaper, wrote to say she would like to visit I went into a bit of a panic.
Friends and family assumed that it was that I was worrying abut the state of the garden but no - it was much more serious than that.
I am pretty much immune to celebrity culture - usually I meet "famous" people and neglect to notice that they are "famous" - being on tv just doesn't do it for me.
But writers, now that is quite different . . . either I am propelled into being incredibly boring - and I mean incredibly - I once talked to Adam Nicolson about slugs and ways to exterminate them for a full 20 minutes - or I am reduced to a squeak. Very generous friends have in the past introduced me to Candia McWilliam, Claudia Roden, and Naomi Wolf and have been rewarded by me becoming suddenly mute. They don't bother now.
So my panic was worry about which route I would chose - tedium or tongue-tied.
However - neither happened (well I might have been boring but I kept away from the subject of slugs). Anna Pavord is just very, very interesting and interested - it was a delight to meet her and we shall be in The Independent in September.
7 comments:
I don't buy the Independent - I'm a Times gal myself - so be sure to remind us so we can go read the article.
I've not met many famous people - generally I'm pretty cool - but I suppose I would feel very different if it was a person I actually admired.
I thnk I would be a bit tongue tied if it were Alan Titchmarsh!
Heather
WOW WOW and thrice WOW.
I too am not impressed by celebrity but people who actually do something, that's different.
You will let us know when so we can all go out and buy the Independent (for my sins I am a Telegraph girl)
I once met Alan Titchmarsh in make-up and I made a point of ignoring him - he's actually better looking than on TV where he looks like a gnome (in my opinion)
You are definitely in the ascendancy.
Oh, you lucky thing. Anna Pavord is a bit of a heroine of mine too. She talks so much sense, which makes a refreshing change these days!
Really enjoyed catching up Jane. Can so identify with your nervousness - I would be the same. TV - no real interest - but wrters - wow! I'll look out for you!
Slugs...I think that I can come close to that...I once sat next to an extremely charming academic and chatted about nits for an entire meal. I still come out in a cold sweat thinking about it.
How exciting! Maybe you can share what she writes with us...
I've nominated you for the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award - see my blog for details.
Marie x
We get the Independent through the week, the Telegraph and Independent on Saturday (our papers in bed with coffee day) and the Herald on Sunday.
I generate a lot of waste paper.
Alice - we I could certainly bore abut nits this year! I've just been into Glasgow to buy school uniform (only 2 weeks left of the holidays) and a special curly nit comb - oh the glamour.
Thanks for the nomination Marie!
J
x
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