Encouragement for aspiring authors

If your New Year resolution was finally to get round to writing a book, there will be words of advice and encouragement at the ‘Meet our Authors’ event being organised by the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust on the afternoon of Saturday 21st March at Bicester Motion.

‘Meet our Authors’ promises to be a relaxed gathering where writers and publishers whose work has been supported by the Trust will reveal how they go about producing a book and the highs and lows of getting it printed and on to the bookshelves. The intention is that there should be informal discussion involving the whole audience, so that first-timers can benefit from the experience of established authors and anyone interested in motoring history can enjoy. 

Speakers will include Guild members Michael Edwards, who has written and published a series of books on De Dion, Paul Skilleter, who needs no introduction as the Jaguar expert, and prolific motor sport author Ian Wagstaff. They will be joined by David Knowles, whose book on Syd Enever of MG has just been published. 

Guild member and MSMT Trustee Giles Chapman, author of more than 60 motoring books, and MSMT vice-chairman Peter Card will moderate the discussion – and make sure everyone gets a good hearing!

Guild Vice President Ray Hutton, who chairs the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust, told News Briefs that a number of those who attended the Trust’s Self-Publishing Workshop 18 months ago had said that they especially valued the personal contact with book publishing professionals.

“So we thought to arrange a more informal get-together,” Ray added. “Meet our Authors is a Saturday afternoon gathering where intending authors and others interested in motoring history can mingle with established writers and publishers and gain from their experience. And it will be held in the Hagerty Clubhouse at Bicester Motion, the epicentre of the classic and historic car world. Come and join us!”

The attendance fee is £12. Numbers will be limited, so if you would like to reserve a place, a booking form is available on the Trust website.