Paul opened the door and led the way along a dark corridor to the studio.
Sue Bartlett from Rottingdean Writers group was already there in front of a large microphone. Paul put his headphones on and I sat down next to Sue. We exchanged greetings and chatted politely. I looked through the notes on my lap. I'd made a list of things I wanted to mention - my workshops, the benefits of writing, the link between writing, health and wellbeing, Lapidus - the writing for wellbeing organisation. Just then the door opened and Pete Sanders, from Coastway Hospital Radio arrived and the seductively inviting, intro music was playing. It was 5 O' clock and we were on air!
Like many things, it wasn't half as gruelling as I thought it would be. Thanks to Paul and Pete for their gentle interviewing technique. And to Sue with her excellent cache of stories. I've just got round to listening to it and after my initial embarrassment realised I'd mentioned most of the things on my list. I didn't realise how many times I'd said Ummm - that was a surprise!
Despite this, the lovely Pete invited us to Coastway the following Sunday. This was a wonderful experience with Pete and Ruth, who host a regular Sunday morning programme for people in hospital, complete with quizzes!
I even got to read a poem. It's National Poetry Writing Month and I was inspired by a friend who told me there is a planet made of water. Apparently he'd heard about it on the radio.
Here's the Reverb show and the poem too:
Thought Bubbles
They've found a planet
made of water,
like a great big bubble
suspended in sky.
I wonder what it would be like
to land on?
Or bump into -
like a bouncy castle
or those balls you squish for stress?
Perhaps you'd bounce right off it
into space,
or fall into it
and it would fold around you,
like a lovely big hug.
Christine Hollywood, April 2014
