The very term “Dragon’s Pen” conjures up mental images of a group of fire-breathing monsters, ready to roast and devour all who cross their path. Add in nervous interviewees, feeling a bit like lambs to the slaughter – and an audience – and you have all the makings of the TV series.
How did all this relate to last week’s meeting? Well, in name and format, but there the analogy ends. Our interviewers Carrie, Kirsty and Linda weren’t dragons. Far from it. A more friendly, supportive group of human beings you couldn’t hope to meet. Our audience was equally minded. The soothing air of encouragement in the room was palpable.
All of the above notwithstanding, the hurdle of trying to give a balanced proposal for a novel in just three minutes was challenging. Seven brave souls lined up to give it a go. Their ideas were wide-ranging and thought-provoking.
First we heard about a resurrection-themed dystopian mystery involving guilt and salvation. We quickly moved on to a pitch where the central characters were two teenage busking siblings in a town where inhabitants were mysteriously disappearing. Next came a concept for human society a few years hence, ravaged by an out-of-control virus. A sudden change of pace brought an idea for a letter-based messaging system to help bereaved children. A change of direction again brought a submission about alternate history/time travelling between the eighteenth and twenty first centuries. We were then treated to a tale of the life and loves of an ancestor, a young convict transported to Australia. The final plot of the session was an idea for a tale about a couple’s relationship against a background of education system turmoil.
Our interviewers’ questions skilfully teased out more detail. Susan was crowned the well-deserved winner and recipient of the evening’s prize, a suitably adorned dragon’s pen – a very apt trophy for the competition. After all, it would be fair to say that all the entrants were composed of the “write stuff!’
Bob Bower