I was recognised today, at my local pool, while doing laps, by a lifeguard. “Hey!” he said. “I had to ask – are you that writer-woman that was in the paper a while back?”

I was. I am. How utterly strange.

In less appealing news, it seems that I do resemble the hideous photo of me which appeared with the article – at least when wet, kind of bald-looking and with odd lines etched into my face from swimming cap and goggles. Make of this what you will.

In a stunning twist, my newest fan managed to get through an entire conversation about children’s writing without mentioning J.K. Rowling or the phrase, “Hey! Why don’t you …?”. Well played, lifeguard, well played!