As someone who makes their living from writing, I often visit places that will fuel the creative part of my brain, such as an art gallery or a museum. So last month I was pleased to spot road signs for the Crafts Alive craft fair at Rodmarton Manor. Run by the Gloucestershire Guild, this event offered a welcome opportunity to visit the private house reputed to be one of the finest Arts and Crafts Movement homes, and I booked a ticket to visit.
Unfortunately, my outing seemed to coincide with monsoon season. As I parked in a muddy field, I was glad I’d had the foresight to bring my ancient polka-dot Cath Kidston raincoat and my favorite umbrella, bought in a French market a decade ago on a school trip with my daughter, and of sentimental value way beyond its 10 Euro price tag. By the time I arrived at the manor house, my feet were afloat inside my shoes, but the rest of me was relatively dry.
Not wanting to drip on Grade 1 listed floors, I stashed my brolly in the designated bucket beside the admissions desk. I then spent a pleasant hour admiring not only the beautiful arts and crafts on sale, but also the fabric, fixtures and fittings of the manor house. On completing my tour, I returned to the entrance to reclaim my umbrella, only to find it gone.
In an instant, the bubble of pleasure created by my visit burst. How could anyone stoop so low as to steal an old brolly at an event selling items priced at double, triple or even quadruple figures? Surely its patrons could afford their own umbrellas?
By now the sky was blue and the sun was shining, but my mood was dark. As I slunk across to the tea room, I eyed with suspicion anyone carrying an umbrella. I planned to accost them if they were clutching mine.
I knew I should be more philosophical about the incident. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. As I sidestepped puddles and mudslides, I tried to offset my loss against what I had gained from my outing: creative inspiration and, more prosaically, the start of my Christmas shopping.
I decamped to the tearoom in the stable block. Fortified by fresh coffee and a delicious peanut butter cookie, I emerged feeling more positive. At heart, I’m an optimist. So, before leaving the fair, I’d return to the scene of the crime, just in case my AWOL umbrella had turned up.
Dear reader, I’m very pleased to tell you that it had. I don’t know whether someone had mistaken it for their own and returned it on realizing their error, or whether a chancer had borrowed it during the worst of the downpour.
But I do know this: among the many other benefits of my day out was the restoration of my faith in human nature.
This post was first published as my Young By Name column in the October 2025 edition of the Tetbury Advertiser. (Click the link to read the issue for free online.)
IN OTHER NEWS
After a very busy couple of months, and before all the Christmassy things in my diary kick in, I’m enjoying an event-free October – or rather, a month in which I’m not taking part in any public events as a speaker or organiser. So it was a particular pleasure to go along last week to an event where I could just sit in the audience and relax: an author friend’s book launch at Shirehampton Library. AA Abbott was unveiling her latest psychological thriller, Lies Between Friends (see my review below), set just a couple of miles from Shirehampton in another part of Bristol.
Eons ago in my very first job, I used to commute by bus from Bristol to Avonmouth, which took me through Shirehampton High Street, but I’d never really ventured off that beaten track. So turning down Station Road to find its neat little town library was a revelation to me. This was an evening event, starting after dark, so I can’t show you a photo of the outside of the building.
I love library events – their staff are always so keen and kind, and the audiences of local library members so engaged. Plus, they attract brilliant speakers, often for a very low admission price, or even free of charge.
AA Abbott was interviewed by local bookblogger Nicola Smith (who blogs via Instagram at @NicolaSmith1987). AA Abbott is always a lively, interesting speaker, which is why I’ve often included her in the line-up of guest speakers at the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival. She gave great answers to Nicola’s questions, plus some intriguing readers, followed by a fun Q&A session that included insights into the helicopter scenes in the book, thanks to a helicopter pilot’s wife in the audience!
Find out more about AA Abbot at her website here: https://aaabbott.co.uk/
PS I’m hoping to see Shirehampton Library in daylight soon, as I’ve since been invited to take part in a cosy crime event there one afternoon in November or December (date tba). In the meantime, my own next library event is on Saturday 13th December at Yate Library.
WHAT I READ LAST WEEK
Lies Between Friends by A.A. Abbott
I’ve really enjoyed the first three of A A Abbott’s psychological thrillers with “Lies” in their titles, all set at least partly around Clifton, the affluent suburb of Bristol, so I was keen to read this one as soon as it came out.
As ever, in the familiar setting of Clifton, Abbott creates an engaging set of flawed characters and a complex web of intrigue – including, as you might guess from the title, betrayal by longstanding friends and acquaintances.
Through fast-paced, short chapters, she propels the reader through the endless twists, turns and surprises that regular readers expect from her books. Her polished, succinct style is peppered with witty turns of phrase that make me smile without detracting from the seriousness of the plot issues.
I particularly like the way that she always finds a positive way to wrap up the story, with heartwarming redemption for the most deserving, without ever being sentimental. Highly recommended.
