Forty people came to hear Cecilia speak about herself, her books and the writing process as part of the Bayside Literary Festival. We were a mixed bunch - writers, readers, poets, afternoon tea lovers, men and women of all ages. We enjoyed a fascinating insight into a writer’s life (and mind).

Cecilia felt quite at home at the BHS rooms because she enjoys history; it the closest thing to fantasy for her; it’s like another realm. She researches history in order to write her books and provide the reader with accurate detail. For example, she found a book about the customs and etiquette of dining through the ages and used some of the material to create the dining sequence in Lady of the Sorrows. Cecilia has a great love of language; she reads the dictionary and loves to use old English and Welsh words that have the right sounds for the context of the story. Protagonists’ names just come to her and other names she chooses to suit the story. Her characters arrive from her subconscious; in fact she likened writing (fantasy) to daydreaming – the thinking that comes before (the task).

Cecilia told us how it was an unbelievable buzz unpacking a box and seeing your books for the first time, or spotting them on a book shelf in a shop.

We all agreed that Cecilia has real talent and is a wordsmith of quality. Many thanks to Cecilia, Kidna Books, Hampton Street who sold books on the day and Ali Hill from the Bayside Council for supporting us in the organisation of the event.