Durham didn't disappoint ...

Last weekend, I appeared at Durham Book Festival with Sophie Hannah and Dreda Say Mitchell. That's me on the left. The Cruel to be Kind event was chaired by Peter Gutteridge in a packed town hall.

It was bitterly cold on Saturday in Durham but there was a great atmosphere, a real buzz about the place. In the streets outside, a food festival was also going on and my senses were hit with wonderful smells from around the world as I approached the venue. Durham did its best to impress and it didn't disappoint.

I'd like to thank New Writing North for inviting me to speak and congratulate them for putting together another fantastic Durham Book Festival. It just gets better and better. The city loves its festivals. Roll on 2013!