2007 has been filled with solitude. I have not been out much meeting other writers. I didn’t attend workshops, literary events or anything.

I have been busy at my day job, slaving at a computer. I even postponed my vacation.

Then came the two weeks of vacation. I met new people, enjoyed new things, visited some amazing places including the Taj Mahal and then realised that my solitude has not really helped me much in my writing.

I need to get out there and enjoy things. I need to be among people who talk books, who breathe books.

So I went to three events – the first one was organised by SCBWI – we met an editor from Bloomsbury and the second was organised by the Book Circle to listen to Michael Rosen and the third was an event by PEN – a panel discussion. Both were revealing of the current situation in British books. These events gave me an idea of what went on in schools here. They introduced me to people who are passionate about books, covers, content, censorship, reading in classrooms, reading at home, cross-over literature and what not.

That is something I have been missing while I was sunk under paperwork in the day job. Who is going to understand my need to talk about reading at bedtime.

So here comes 2008 and I am all prepared to attend more such events.