Last Saturday’s showcase for local talent on the Costa del Sol was, in itself, an inspiration but sadly poorly attended.  It proved an excellent forum for networking and talking to like-minded people about their work but unfortunately members of the public were notable by their absence.  The authors who read extracts from their books were varied in their subject matter but of an equally high standard in the quality of their prose.  Jean Gilhead‘s novella “Living in Bright Shadows” was both an evocative and touching portrayal of families.   There was an emotional extract from Patrick Stokes’ first novel “The Harvest of Inadequate Lives“, the story of a homosexual serial killer and JG Harlond read a scene from her newly published novel “The Chosen Man” which had listeners begging to hear more.  A talk by Alison Proctor on introvert and extrovert personalities generated lots of discussion and was particularly relevant to the authors and artists in her audience.  Most people of an artistic leaning have an introvert personality; they like to internalise their thoughts and work through things alone before committing themselves.  Today however, that is not enough, artists and authors have to reach deep inside themselves and find an extrovert side to their nature in order to market and publicise their work.  No wonder we find that part so hard.  It goes against our natures, literally.