Time to party (legally)! -- Joy Kluver

It's been a very long two years, hasn't it? One of the things I've missed most during this time is literary meet-ups e.g book launches or book festivals. Moving online helped a bit but being in person makes such a difference. I had three book launches online. They worked well as they reached people far away but for me, it was hard not seeing people.

Last year I made it to Theakston's CrimeFest in Harrogate. It was lovely to go but a lot of people were missing and the vibe just wasn't the same. This July though, things should be back to normal and I've just booked tickets for the panels I want to go to. I decided to do this rather than buy a full pass as it's cheaper this way. Excitement is building on social media as we discover who else is going. It's like being kids at Christmas again.

Of course, one of the best things about Harrogate is Betty's. No trip to the crime festival is complete until you've sampled their superb hot chocolate!

Are there any festivals that you've missed over the last two years that you're pretty desperate to get back to? As much as we work alone as writers, meeting with other authors often gives us the charge and the inspiration that we need to get back to our writing. And I know I could certainly do with that right now!