How did you get here?

I posted last week about how I’ve got an article in The Writers’ and Artists Yearbook for 2023 and ‘24. I’m really proud of this, but how it came about might surprise you…

The Yearbook’s editor was on a short weekend trip to Bath, and for maybe twenty minutes, she was killing time in a cafe, waiting for her family. Next to her lay a stack of Bath Life magazines. She found herself at the last page, carries a regular feature about local bods who do stuff. This one was about me. She read it and got in touch! (I was so chuffed, I thought it must be a prank…)

(c) Bath Life

> How did I end up on the back page? I met Bath Life’s lovely editor, Sarah Moola, at a “thank you party” Netflix hosted for the region’s TV and screen industries the previous November. I’d tried to pitch her a piece all about my dark green satire Skin In The Game [here and here], which was about to go on stage at the New Wimbledon Studio. The pre-show timing didn’t work, but she kindly ran this piece instead.

> How did I get to be at the party? I was working as a “host / gofer”. Less black-tie, and more theatre blacks, and face mask for me! But the buzz was huge; E veryone was on cloud nine for being allowed to socialize again! And with Netflix, no less. But how did I get that gig?

>Before the pandemic, it was getting harder and harder for me to find communications consultancy work that worked around primary school hours (no partner, no family). Most organisations who need me are in London, but of course, childcare will only stretch to 6pm if you’re very lucky… So for most of my son’s primary years, I tutored GCSE English and ran a lovely after-school mythology / folklore club. And one of the children’s dads ran an events company….

You got it: I have an article in The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook because – while I have talent and experience and all kinds of other exciting things – I ran an after-school club to make ends meet.

We don’t always see the threads as clearly as this, but they’re always there and important to remember. (This isn’t the only golden thread that comes out of my mythology club, but that’s a story – about a feature film! – for another day.)

PS – if you’d like to read that Bath Life article without eye-strain, it’s the penultimate page, here.