Jenny Barden On Bumping Into Editors At The Conference

Jane Holland (Commissioning Editor for Salt Publishing) has bought some ‘violent heels’ for Greenwich. Help! I’ve only just found out, and now my already jangled nerves are close to squeaking point. Why, I keep asking myself, since everyone at the last Conference (my first) was overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming? The reason is that this year I know for a fact I’ll be ‘meeting’ editors, rather than simply (and only maybe) ‘bumping into’ them - like this…

Me (at the Pure Passion Awards): ‘Super do, isn’t it?’ (Hic) ‘What a pity we don’t all wear name badges then I’d know who I was talking to! Do you write?’

VIP: ‘I’m with Pan Macmillan, actually.’

Me: ‘Ah…’ (Attempt at an intelligent smile whilst brain goes into overdrive)

VIP: ‘My author’s over there…’

But this time it’s going to be different because I’ve had chance to prepare: an opportunity to do all that background research that editors find so impressive. Yes, Jane Holland and Lyn Vernham (Director of Choc Lit), and Julie Cohen for that matter, and you too, Mistress of the Blog, just see how hard I’ve been working:

I’m on my way!…