So who was that strange looking man mumbling into the microphone and awarding rosettes for fancy dress costumes in Whiteparish yesterday? Er, it was me. The carnival’s theme was children’s books, so I was invited along wearing my local author hat and had a rather splendid day to boot. There were some simply gorgeous costumes, from the Gruffalo to the Famous Five, and even one girl dressed as five (count ‘em) Harry Potter characters. It was tricky to decide the winners, but everyone was positive about the difficult decisions I had to make, with plenty of polite applause and smiles. After the judging and the parade I got to dish out envelopes of prizes (surprisingly satisfying), before announcing the fete’s opening and attending my own stall to sell my children’s books and draw cartoons. Thanks to everyone for being so immensely friendly and welcoming, and ensuring we had such an enjoyable time.

Father, daughter and book signing stall at Whiteparish fete