Monday 26th April 2021 - Beach Huts and Podcast

When I walk along the promenade and past the beach huts, I like to look at what their owners have named them. There is ‘Claridges’, ‘Little Red Shed’, ‘Sandy Bottom’, ‘Ruby Tuesday’ and ‘The Gin Trap’, to name a few but the one which may have passersby wondering is, ‘Linga Longa’. This beach hut belongs to a lady who, in the past, has lost huts to storm surges. The surges have broken hers and others’ huts into sections, shards and splinters before taking these off and depositing them further down the coast. This explains the name for her latest beach hut; she is hoping it will; ‘Linga Longa’ than her previous huts – I hope it does too. Last week, with such beautiful mornings, I couldn’t resist taking a photo of ‘Linga Longa’, with its backdrop of the cliffs and deep blue sky.

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to record a podcast; this is something I have not done before. The invitation was from a group who broadcast authors reading from their publications. The podcasts provide readers with a sort of ‘try before you buy’, and authors with some publicity. Before I started recording, I listened to a couple of the available podcasts and was heartened to hear they were not all perfect. I chose to read the introduction and the first chapter from my novel, On the Verge, which fell nicely into the suggested time for the recording. After having read my novel a number of times, both before and after the editors’ corrections; I thought it would be a piece of cake. Instead, it was really strange because I felt quite tense which I guess was because I was scripted and wanted to make sure I made the right emphases and pauses where needed. I felt more relaxed when I was interviewed live by BBC Radio Norfolk, both on the phone and in their studios! In the end I submitted what I considered the best recording and today I received a message of ‘thanks and great’, plus I was advised my recording will be included in the podcast due to be released at the end of May.