Hilarie: Let us entertain you at our literary event

Sep 19 2009 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BEING A self-confessed lady-who-lunches on my days off, I have a particular fondness for one Examiner event in particular.

The annual Literary Luncheon, which has been going for well over 20 years, combines two of my favourite things - a chance to enjoy good food with friends, and have a real belly laugh while being entertained.

Although, it has to be said, that the luncheon produces a certain amount of stress beforehand (because I’m one of the organisers) I never fail to relax into the occasion and always emerge feeling re-charged and in a good mood.

This year we’ve got a line-up that includes the former schools inspector Gervase Phinn, who is always good for 10 minutes or more of stand-up comedy, and Yorkshire MP Austin Mitchell, another of the region’s gifted and humorous public speakers.

We also have Malcolm Rose, a children’s author, whom I interviewed earlier this year. A former scientist turned writer, he impressed me with his easy manner and intelligent conversation - I have high hopes of his postprandial contribution.

I’m also looking forward to hearing from chick lit novelist Lucy-Anne Holmes, who will be travelling from London to tell us how she transformed a blog into a book.

And because we always try to have a balanced menu of speakers, we’ve included Lynne Green, the author of an art book about world-famous Yorkshire potter David Potter. She will bring a touch of culture to the event.

If you’ve never been to our literary luncheon before, let me give it a shameless plug by saying that it really is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon.

I’ve yet to attend one where the speakers didn’t keep us all amused, surprised and thoroughly entertained. It’s most definitely worth taking the afternoon off work.

Tickets, costing £25, are still available but selling fast. For further details call at our customer reception office in Queen Street South or telephone 01484 430000.

See you there.

* A veterinary friend of the Man-in-Charge attended a talk on avian medicine the other night and says the lecturer posed an interesting question.

“What,’’ she said, “is the most common cause of a cough in parrots that have been brought into the surgery?’’

The attending vets puzzled over this for a while, coming up with a whole range of medical conditions and diseases.

Such questions are usually designed to test their diagnostic skills, so they weren’t going to let it go without a fight.

The Man asked me the same question over breakfast on Thursday morning.

“Could it be that they’re copying their owners’ coughing,’’ said I.

Which was the right answer

and just goes to show that sometimes no knowledge at all is a real benefit.