Clearly Nina Stibbe is already very popular as this event was completely sold out. It was a most amusing occasion with plenty of laughs from everyone especially with James Runcie in the chair and he seemed to get the very best out of Nina who was clearly enjoying herself.
Many people had read her best selling memoir, "Love, Nina" and several had read her first novel called, "Man at the Helm" so she seemed well known already. Her third book, Paradise Lodge, is set in a rather chaotic old people's home set in the 1970s.
The story and the description is told through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl who works at the home. The way she describes the stumbling chaos and the underlying affection for the old people is very touching. Nina did a short reading from her new book which the audience appreciated.
She was asked if she ever had the feeling that 'she was not funny enough'. She said that her writing and the way she conducted herself were the normal way she behaved. She admitted that she had always had lots of friends and so this may have helped, however, her targets were to try and win the Man Booker Prize, to promote both the book and the feeling of "Love, Nina" and also to work on her voice.
Asked if she had trouble in getting rid of a character she said that this had come up and she was tempted to use a 'hit squad' to get rid of someone, but so far had not used this idea but she felt it could be quite a useful ploy!
This event was supported by the 'Anon Writers in Wendbach'.
This was an entertaining hour and clearly Nina Stibbe is going to be an extremely popular writer - she is already on her way.
Paradise Lodge