A life-long lover of Marmite and a visit to two libraries in the West Midlands

I'm back from the West Midlands where I met some very interesting people and had a good chat with them about how I write my marine mystery detective crime novels and thrillers, but I have to tell you that I committed a great sin while there. No, I didn’t run amok naked and wailing through the centre of Burton-Upon-Trent or Perry Common in Birmingham – though that might have been interesting or sad, depending on your point of view, and it might well have got me in the newspaper headlines, although I did make it into the Staffordshire and local press – but I failed to visit the Marmite factory, or even sniff the very air where it is made!

Yes, I know, how, as a life-long lover of Marmite, could I have possibly missed out on such a wonderful opportunity? (I need to have my fix every day on toast otherwise I suffer withdrawal symptoms). So, while I was in the actual town where the wonder product is produced you’d have thought I would have spared some time to worship its hallowed ground. But no, and neither did I get to visit the three breweries in the town and sample the beer, because I was in the Reading Café in the Library explaining how I write my marine mystery crime novels, answering questions about my novels, supping coffee and signing books with some lovely local people.

And I also have to confess to another sin while in Burton-upon-Trent, I said no to the lady in the library café who offered me Branston pickle on my cheese baguette. Sorry, sorry, I forgot that Burton-upon-Trent also contains a suburb by the name of Branston, known for inventing Branston Pickle. If I am ever invited back I promise I will sup ale and eat Branston pickle until I am well and truly sozzled and most probably sick. And I will bow down and give thanks for Marmite at its very door because all those lovely vitamins are so perfect for stimulating the little grey cells of this crime author. Keep up the good work, Marmite! I will be back.


Deadly Waters