Last weekend saw 150 writers from all over Scotland converge on the Westerwood hotel in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow, for a weekend of talks, competitions and workshops, good food, good company and a hell of a good time.

I was thrilled to be awarded second prize in the self-published book category for A Last Journey, my memoir of my husband’s struggles with dementia. Not only was it judged on content, but cover, blurb, layout, author bio and website.

It was great meeting up with many writing friends and catching up on news from around the country but now it’s back to ordinary life, if it can be classed as that. I completed my adjudication of Ayr Writers Club’s Scottish article competition and am preparing for my talk next month to carers in Dunbar.

As to Chatbots – I hate them. I’m trying to arrange car insurance, TV and broadband and heating providers and I can never talk to a human. Nuff said.

And it’s AI generated too!