Peculier, once more

Craig every second Tuesday. 

Kia ora and gidday everyone.

I know the world seems a mess in so many ways right now, but I hope that wherever you're reading this you're finding some ways each day to have some joy and goodness in your life. 

I've been quite busy lately - in ways good (lots of writing and projects) and not-so-much. So it's kind of snuck up on me that next week, all going to plan, I'll once again be back in the historic town of Harrogate in northern England, enjoying criminally good times with great people. Hopefully. 

Antipodean Noir: Vanda Symon, Stella Duffy, Jane Harper, Christian White, and Craig Sisterson at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in 2019

The (usually) annual Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate is one of the world's best festivals. Not just crime writing festivals, festivals. It's a thrilling weekend where authors bestselling and new mix and mingle with readers, reviewers, and fans of crime writing in the grounds of a historic hotel where Agatha Christie once reappeared after sparking a nationwide search. I was last there pre-pandemic, in 2019 where I had the amazing pleasure of chairing an 'Antipodean Noir' panel before a sold-out and highly engaged audience. 

That was my fourth time at 'Harrogate' (the shorthand in the crime writing community for the festival) - the first three times in 2012, 2016, and 2018 I hadn't done anything onstage but I'd had an amazing time regardless. You're just surrounded by creative, cool people who are brought together by a love of good crime writing, so you never know how a day may go. A large part of the fun is the 'off-stage' stuff, where everyone just hangs out in the bar and outside areas - some of my fondest memories are spontaneous dinners, random late-night chats, or chatting with a range of authors in the 'Big Green Chair' (I did it as kind of a joke, and to find somewhere quieter, the first time - it kinda became a thing after that) for website piece or other things. 

Me with award-winning, internationally bestselling crime writers Yrsa Sigurðardóttir of Iceland and Paul Cleave of New Zealand in 2016 

One of the things I love most about 'Harrogate' is that in addition to the authors onstage, many other crime writers come to town for the festival too. It's like an unofficial annual retreat for the crime writing community. Hanging out in the grounds of the Old Swan Hotel (where Dame Agatha reappeared, all those years ago), glancing across the crowds mixing and mingling is like the crime bookshelves from your favourite bookstore come to life. Everyone having a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones. Collegiality abounds. New stories made.

I'm feeling a mix of excitement with a hint of trepidation this time - I know this festival will be different to past ones, given COVID and various steps being taken. But I'm hopeful the same great vibe will be bubbling away throughout too - just like it was when I went to my first festival in two years, Bloody Scotland, last September (Harrogate will be only my second crime festival since September 2019, after going to several each year pre-pandemic). 

Queen of Crime Val McDermid's 'First Blood' panel is always a highlight of the festival, showcasing fantastic new authors joining our crime writing community

Like every year, there's an amazing onstage programme, with too many highlights to mention. This year's Festival Programming Chair is the marvellous Denise Mina. You can check out the full programme here. 

'Headliners' include: the legendary Michael Connelly, who's celebrating 30 years of his Harry Bosch books and is busier than ever with the hit Bosch: Legacy and Lincoln Lawyer television shows, along with new books; the brilliant Tess Gerritsen, author of the 'Rizzoli and Isles' books; the fantastic Kathy Reichs, creator of the Temperance Brennan forensic series; and the marvellous John Connolly, author of the Charlie Parker books; among others. 

One of the onstage highlights each year is the 'New Blood' panel hosted by Val McDermid, where the Queen of Crime showcases four amazing new crime writers, to a sold-out audience. This year's lineup looks pretty superb - I'm particularly excited to see Māori storyteller Michael Bennett (BETTER THE BLOOD) - perhaps the first indigenous author to be onstage in the history of Harrogate? (I'll have to check) - and fellow newcomer Emma Styles (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD GIRLS), who grew up on Whadjuk Noongar Country in Western Australia. 

(No longer) Strangers on a Train. 

But as I said above, while the onstage programme is full of highlights, many of the best Harrogate memories are created offstage. I have lots to share, but here's just a couple as an example. Back in 2016, I got another 'crazy Harrogate story' even before I got off the train from London. Choosing to read rather than write during my journey up that day, I was powering through a proof of WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman, fully engrossed.

As I got up to switch trains in Leeds, I glanced behind me at the line of other passengers, wondering how many were also going to Harrogate. A blonde lady right behind me looked familiar. She smiled, "Hi, I'm Laura Lippman". I don't know who was more surprised and chuffed - Laura to spot someone reading her book in public or me, who'd been so caught up in the terrific tale I hadn't noticed the author was sitting a few seats behind me!

Only at Harrogate.

Another of my favourite stories/memories: hanging out one evening in Harrogate I'd meant to have gone to dinner with a group of people, but had missed them in the busy-ness. I ran into Isobel Dixon, the fantastic poet and agent, who was in a similar boat and so we spontaneously grabbed dinner together at the Drum & Monkey. We had a terrific meal, chatting about life, the universe, and crime fiction. Our waitress, Becky, was as wonderful as the food, and it emerged she was a big fan of crime fiction, particularly Martina Cole. Isobel and I encouraged Becky to come along to the festival the next day, where she could meet Martina, who was appearing. Unfortunately Becky was working a double-shift, so couldn't. So the next day I grabbed a copy of Martina's debut, told her the story, and she signed it for Becky so I could drop it off at the restaurant. One extremely happy reader! 

That's the magic of Harrogate - with some many cool people who love crime fiction all in the same place, and an atmosphere of everyone mixing and mingling, you never know quite what will happen. After three years away, I'm looking forward to experiencing some of that again next week, while conscious it may be a wee bit different too. 

Getting in some frisbee golf with Kiwi author Paul Cleave and German bestseller Wulf Dorn 

Have you ever been to Harrogate, for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival or otherwise? Are you a fan of crime writing festivals and meeting authors and readers? Please share your thoughts in the comments. 

Until next time. Ka kite anō. 

Whakataukī of the fortnight: 

Inspired by Zoe and her 'word of the week', I'll be ending my fortnightly posts by sharing a whakataukī (Māori proverb), a pithy and poetic thought to mull on as we go through life.

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei

(Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain)

A view across to Aoraki/Mt Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand