#MRWritersClub Entry - Moran, Fielding, Kinsella & Khorsandi come to tea!

For those that don't know Man Repeller is one of those supermodel bloggers who's posts have been worshipped for many a year.  While I've not been as enamoured with her uploads as some I do love that she started Man Repeller's Writers Club, a weekly essay of 500 words or less on a topic of her choosing.  The one that was given last week was fan fiction, now I've never tried fan fiction before as it congered up images of sad losers in their rooms pretending their life is better than it really is, which was my bad.

My first attempt inspired me, got the writing juices flowing and made Thee Middlesister's world all happy.  Who knows, maybe I am one of those sad losers now but that's a title I happily embrace and I've uploaded it here for prosperity.  Hope you enjoy it.

HSCS Girl

I’m early.  But I always am, it’s like I still can’t believe I’m a part of these lunches even though we’ve been meeting like this once a month for over a year now.  It’ll sink in one day I’m sure.

Through the doors of the Sticky Beaks café in Cambridge (they’re all coming to me this time) I see our table has been reserved.  Five seats, tea and cake, several different newspapers, note pads and iPads are laid out in organised splendour.

Shappi is there first after me.  Ms Khorsandi is fresh off of her comedy tour and writing her next book. She always was warm and inviting from the first moment we met but now time means there’s strength to the sparkle in her eye.  We are still saying our hellos, love your dress, where’d you get those earrings? How’s the book going? when we hear a crash.  A table has gone over and there is creamy coffee and scones everywhere, so we know that means Caitlin has arrived.  

Mrs Moran whirlwinds her way to the table and takes up two chairs, the waiter kindly brings a sixth to save the fuss of ‘last time’.  Cat starts in with the drama of the morning involving kids, a rock star that slept over and a pot of jam that ended up on said star’s foot (we don’t ask how) and then turns to me and from nowhere imparts the kind of advice or insight that people travel miles to ancient Indian gurus to hear.   I normally write down a lot of what she says, sometimes I just record the whole meeting and play it back picking out the gems (inbetween the jam).

Helen and Sophie come in together and round off the committee, these ladies have smart and sassy all sewn up.  Your first impression may be they’re ‘mean girls’ due to their outfits and outlandish language but if so then shame on you.  Never have I found more kind hearted, funny and generous people than Kinsella and Fielding.

I’m the protege.  The latest in a long line of unknowns these four ladies have taken under their wing and guided towards their dreams (Caitlin hates it when I talk ‘all gushy’ like this).  It’s something they started many years ago and turned my world upside down when they picked me to be the next HSCS girl (Helen, Sophie, Caitlin, Shappi in case that wasn’t clear).

We go over newspaper reports, articles, blogs and images and they help, encourage and cajole me into writing more of my book as half way through and I've hit a diamond wall - brick would have been easier to crack.  We get a break through and I rush off to get writing while they say their goodbyes and make future arrangements, texting me the details.

I wonder how my life would have turned out if they hadn’t read that man repeller post I sent in?