Here’s what this writer’s life was like on the hottest day of the year.

6.30 Too hot to stay in bed, so I got up and made tea (it’s never too hot for tea). I’d hit a snag with the ending of book 2 in my cosy crime series, but woke with part of the answer and wanted to get it typed before I had to go out.

9.15 Breakfast eaten and more tea drunk, I picked up the box of books and things I’d packed the previous day. I’d done that before we realised Gary would have to stay in for a vital delivery and therefore couldn’t drop me off. The box didn’t seem that heavy when I left home…

10.00 – 2.00 Barbara (left) Mandy (centre) and I talked to people about writing (and the heat) and tried to interest them in joining Solent Writers’ Circle. I think we did pretty well. Several people took our leaflets either for themselves or others they thought would be interested. One of the other groups in attendance is interested in some of our members going along to talk to our, and in having me give a reading / talk.

The photo (thanks, Christine) gives away the fact we drank tea, but at least I hid the large wedges of home made cake (which Mandy actually resisted!)

2.30 – I didn’t have to carry my box back! (Thanks, Gary)

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to cool down, drinking tea, a little more writing and research into the make of car my character Cameron would drive. Thanks to the many people who answered my query on Facebook. That was an interesting and fun exercise.

6 ish – A cup of tea and then a walk looking at cars. Thanks again to Gary who told me what I was looking at. I spotted a couple of Jaguar XFs actually in our road, which seem perfect. (I’m not as unobservant as that might suggest, I’m just not a car person.)

7 ish – Had dinner and switched to wine. Wondered how weird it would be to knock on the door of a person I don’t know and ask if I could sit in the driver’s seat of their car for a moment and then take a quick look at the boot to see if it’s big enough to hold a body.