The Reading Agency worked with Random House to organise an afternoon tea for a reading group with Phil Hogan, author of A Pleasure and a Calling. Pewsey Bookworms were the chosen group, read their blog on their afternoon below:
Pewsey Bookworms were thrilled to have the opportunity to meet Phil Hogan and discuss A Pleasure and a Calling, a book that generated one of our most enjoyable discussions. After a morning visiting galleries we arrived at Bea’s tea room next to St. Paul’s Cathedral where we met Phil, his publicist and editor. Over a scrumptious tea we were able to chat with Phil and found him very friendly and relaxed.
It was very interesting to find out more about the book from Phil’s perspective and what he had intended – surprising to know that he hadn’t intended the book to be amusing but we had all found it very darkly comic. Some quotes from our group:
“Phil was surprisingly easy to talk to considering he had written such a sinister book”
“Phil was surprisingly laid back about his book…you would think he would be quite possessive about his characters after spending so much creative time with them”
“Phil said he wanted to make Mr Heming lovable…but I didn’t find him so, a very sinister character”
This book will stay with us all for a very long time as will the most wonderful afternoon in the company of a charming and interesting author. We all hoped he might consider writing a sequel and although he says he has no plans to do so we are hoping he will!
