It’s been one heck of a week. I can hardly believe that 7 days ago I was starting my first day at Erotica with my partner in crime and fellow Northern Bird Lucy Felthouse.

I rolled into London on Thursday with the biggest, heaviest suitcase ever. Having no lift at the tube station we arrived at it took 3 people to get my case up the stairs. Thanks to the random and very helpful strangers who got me to the top. I’m so glad I arrived on Thursday, it gave Lucy and I time to gab and get prepared because from Friday on it was sheer madness and mayhem.

Tobacco dock is a very pretty venue and we found ourselves upstairs opposite the TV X room. Downstairs was dark and intimate and amazingly vaulted whereas upstairs was light and glass fronted rooms. We were in the light and set about setting up our stall.

which were finished off with the two AMAZING banners created by the talented Kev Blisse who’s graphics design eye made our stand so pretty and eye-catching.

These banners caught the eye of many people and we actually got some sales at our table from people picking out books on the banner first. They really worked well for us and by the end of the three days I was totally capable of putting them up and bringing them down too!

It’s very difficult to remember what happened when now. But Friday was much busier than I anticipated it would be. I do remember the first day was full of tits and arse. I think every day was but after Friday I’d acclimatized to the special air of erotica. The air that makes people feel relaxed to wear whatever they feel sexy in. I love that freedom, though I stayed fully covered up. Maybe next year I’ll take off a layer or two. *LOL*

Our able assistant Zak Jane Keir was a great help and great fun too. She added her badges to our table of smut and got stuck in giving people directions to the loo plus other things. we gave a lot of directions and I think people generally found their destinations! Tobacco dock is a little maze like when you first arrive but very pretty.

One of the first people we met on Friday was Paulie. Oh, Paulie. we still don’t know exactly what he was doing but he did a lot of wandering round, talking and making people shriek with surprise and laughter. The weekend wouldn’t have been the same without him and his cheeky nod and wink every time he walked past the Stall.

I was tired Friday night, I really was, but then Saturday happened. It was MANIC! And we had a table surrounded by smutty writers. It was AMAZING!

The brilliant KD Grace and Kay Jaybee arrived with us and helped set up for the day. They only had a few books with them but both pretty much sold out in mere moments. These ladies are good! As the day went on we acquired more smutters. The bubbly Aoife Brennan who was operating on waaaay to little sleep but never slipped from being happy and smiley was one of the first followed by Ashe Barker, Toni Sands, Kristina Lloyd, LC Wilkinson , Modesty Ablaze and Jilly Boyd. It was glorious, manic and smutty. what fun!

With help from Barry the sound guy we got some readings done on Saturday, they brought in the crowds for certain. In fact one cheeky chappy from the Bondara stand told me my reading turned him on, ooo er missus!

Books flew off the stall and I barely seemed to get time to draw in breath. Special thanks goes out to the charming brothers who kept us entertained with jokes and poignant observations, I know one was called Scott as I signed a copy of my novel Fulfill Me for him but i’m not sure we got the name of his brother. Anyway, you two energised us at the smut stall and we really appreciate it, thanks.

Also Charlie and Sonya who came over later in the day. You ladies were brilliant and quite, quite mad. You perked me up and helped me make it to the end of the day. We had sold so many books on Saturday that KD got her lovely hubby to bring us more books to sell on Sunday. we enjoyed a quiet meal with some of the smutty author folks and chilled out Saturday night. Just one day left to go…

Sunday had a mellowier feel, which got quite surreal at one point. I met a panda. Yes, a panda. Lee Schofield who made our weekend happen with the aid of lovely Lisa (Thank you both for all your support and help) brought us a panda.

A lifesize panda. I think the panda was the most unexpected thing I saw at erotica.

And I saw rubber puppies, a human pony pulling a trap, a priest with his dog collar on (go rev!), mistresses and slaves on leads, masters and slaves, naughty school girls, clowns, rubber dolls, a geisha, living statues (Mechanical Fracture)…

But the panda takes the biscuit.

We all but sold out on Sunday. It was glorious. I got photos with lots of lovely folks too. God bless each and every scantily clad inch of you all. You were friendly and welcoming all weekend.Thank you!

All day Sunday the lovely Renee from Sh! womenstore helped us out. she was a lube lobbing, leaflet giving sales machine, her unending energy really helped us out as Lucy and me were definitely lagging by that point.

Thank you so much, Renee!

We had such a busy day Sunday too, meeting folk and chatting and just generally having a ball. The Lovely Nigel from Give Lube chatted with us for a while and snapped a pretty picture of the smutters behind the table

It was glorious. I know I’m missing people out, like John the photographer who carried some of our books to erotica for us and the very lovely Chris who made us smile. It was lovely to catch up with Crowned Jewels and meet Kat from Planet Earth and folks I’ve only ever tweeted with before! Then There’s East end Caberet who posed for a pic after buying books and the lovely half naked men who walked past our stand so often perking up our flagging interests.

I’d like to thank each and every person I interacted with at erotica. Each and every one. You rock. You made it a fabulous weekend.

The Gallery