After my long military career, I next worked in retail for 25 years, so since retirement I’ve had no wish to go into shops unless necessary. Until recently, I’ve particularly avoided supermarkets, although it was in such an environment that I completed my earliest retail training.

Anyone who knows me will be aware that since the latter years of my working life, I’ve felt the urge to write every day, and I have an ongoing desire to maintain my physical fitness. Since my retirement 8 years ago, I’ve increased my cycling mileage, usually heading out for a ride at 6.30am. In the past few months I’ve followed this with a brief session on weights, and then later in the day, a brisk walk of between 3 and 5 miles.

It was during June this year, that I started frequenting a local supermarket during my walk. Being a large store, it has a sizeable cafeteria, so it occurred to me to walk the 1.5 miles at a brisk pace, stop there for a coffee and write for a while in my A5 notebook, followed by a brisk walk home. For the first couple of weeks I’d buy my initial coffee, and then while writing for up to 90 minutes, I’d enjoy free refills. This routine has continued, but with a fringe benefit.

In early July, a middle-aged gentleman approached my table.

‘Please excuse my impertinence,’ he said. ‘I’ve noticed that you’re in here regularly and always writing. Are you keeping a journal or are you working on something more serious?’

‘I’m a creative writer, and presently working on my next crime novel.’

During the brief conversation that followed, I discovered that he loved reading thrillers and crime stories, owned a Kindle, and was delighted to be offered one of my business cards.

A few days later, a gentleman in a wheelchair was parked up next to a nearby table, and his lovely wife, of Philippine descent, fetched their drinks from the machines close by. She took the coffees to their table and approached me.

‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I glanced at your handwriting a moment ago, and I had to compliment you on it. I love to see good handwriting, and it’s so rare these days.’

‘I normally use a keyboard,’ I said, ‘but when I’m out and about this is the best way of continuing with a story.’

‘Oh, you’re an author… do you have any titles published?’

‘A few,’ I said, and deftly produced a business card from inside the front of my notebook. ‘This is where you’ll find my website and the full range of my work.’

‘Thank you so much,’ she said, turning the card over. ‘You write poetry too?’

‘Yes, and short story anthologies.’

‘Oh, I must check out your website.’

We had a chat, and she told me that she loved reading thrillers. Her husband joined the conversation and explained that while he preferred paperbacks, his wife used a Kindle and particularly liked vigilante stories. Not only was his wife pleased to hear about my work and be given a business card, but she was keen to have my autograph to add to her collection.

Apart from those lovely people, later in July, I had three more welcome ‘interruptions’ as I sipped my tea or coffee and continued writing. Needless to say, it feels great to get out for my daily walk, pause to write while enjoying a hot drink or two, and do more for my brand than Amazon. 

I’m happy chatting online to other writers, but it’s refreshing to talk to readers, who, hopefully, after our conversation, will sample and enjoy my work. I never saw the day when I’d look forward to spending time in a supermarket again, but in life, you never know what’s around the corner.

I sincerely thank my regular readers for choosing and supporting my brand. If you’re new to my writing, I hope you’ll soon become one of my valued readers.

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