What a fabulous event! Thrilled by all the performances, and the capacity audience willingly joining in on songs, and sitting captivated by stories. I am proud of everyone who was involved – fit to burst! I was out on the landing at one point and I could hear music from the writing workshop and laughter from the performance space, and suddenly thought, yes, ok, this is officially a success.

I got a bit distracted by taking over the filming, and left my phone the other side of the room, so my tweeting of photos went for a burton, not assisted by negligible signal at the Observatory. If anyone else took pictures they are willing to share, please contact me!! (Thanks to Sarah for the ones already shared)

There’s always some learning from trying tp do something for the first time, (need longer to set up, 2 sites makes everything 3 times more stressful) but I really think we pulled it off, and we were exactly to time all the way through, astonishing.

There are a huge number of people to thank, and I will do that in a minute, but first the NEWS.

While we were judging the competition we chose 5 stories which stood out as firm favourites for all involved.

So these are the judges recommended stories (in no order whatsoever)

Cindy George With You Through the Night
David Mathews Wednesday Afternoon
Dizz Tate Time Man
Helen Morris I thought I had Time
Pippa Gladhill Winter’s Evening in Békéscsaba

Congratulations to them all, and we’ll be in touch about a little extra prize.

We will get the video of the day up as fast as possible, so that those of you who couldn’t make it can see what you missed.

Right: that thank you list

Musicians
Shadrack Tye: Tina Longoford, Paul & Sam Robson
Pepper & Shepperd: James & Anthony
Rosemary Lippard
Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Summer All Year Long: Juliet, Laura, Tash, Gaynor, Tati, Jill, Lyn, Alix, Bea, Patrick, Peter

Actors:
Carrie Cohen
Ray Newe
Jonathan Rice
Katy Darby (and for direction and rehearsing the actors)
Nicky Diss
Sarah Feathers (TWICE)
Sean Patterson
Saul Reichlin
Tony Bell

Judges / Hosts
Robert Shearman
Imogen Robertson
Anita Sethi

Judges:
Alison Moore
Lizzy Barrett (Shortlisting)

Workshop Leader:Paul Sherreard
Workshop Musicians: Sarah Lloyd and Ian Kennedy

Authors who read their own work
Jayne Pickering
Dizz Tate
Cindy George

All the Other Authors
Andrew Gepp
David Mathews
David Turnbull
Emma Timpany
Helen Morris
Pippa Gladhill
Sarah Evans
Tannith Perry
William Davidson
and of course every one of the 106 people who submitted stories to the competition.

BSL Interpreters: Sue Prosser, Nadine Arditi and Hannah Robinson

Volunteers and other contributors to the common weal
Michele Yuen (last-minute bookstall wrangler)
Bartle Sawbridge, Catriona Brodie & Mark, Stuart Morris, Jane Cooke, Alix Adams (leafleters)
Chris Bone, Paula Read, Lily Peters, Mervion Kirwood (spirited stewarding)
Roselle Potts (last-minute camera person)
Alix Adams, Muireann Grealy & Sarah Southerton (Setting up and taking down, catering and looking after performers and making sure everything ran to time)
Rebecca Gediking (who got up even earlier than everyone else to open the library for us at 7 on a Sunday, and made our need for the additional venue a piece of cake – what a Star!)
Nick, Louise and Catherine at the Royal Observatory for crowd management and helping set up and take down.
Tati Howell and Michele Yuen (Administration of the competition)

Additional marketing: John French at ROG and Ruvani da Silva at Better Libraries, everyone at Spread the Word

Getting the book done in time for the festival
Proofing: Louise Swingler
Printing: Everyone at TJ International especially John Rance

Good Advice and contacts Andy Ryan, Sue Lawther, Gemma Seltzer

and of course the audience!

If you were in the audience and didn’t get, or didn’t have time to complete, a feedback form you can do so on-line. We would really appreciate it!

If I have forgotten to thank anyone or spelt their name wrong, I am truly sorry – put it down to over excitement, but tell me so I can amend this.