Duncan Fallowell, Hay and a Dracula's attic happening

Hay Castle: The flat there is available at £25 a night, click here. You too could live like Edward II

It's a mark of Madame Arcati's selfless philosophy that she happily cannot resist another Duncan Fallowell epistle, in response to a reader's suggestion that he interview someone connected with poor old Diana for his Peepshow book. This thought then associates with his recent performance at Hay Castle at the Real Hay Fest and its contrasting advantages to the wretched Hay Fest ...

"I agree about Diana but I have already written a piece on her which forms the last chapter of ANOTHER book which I've almost completed called The Ones That Got Away.

"I performed - yes, that is the word - a shortened version of the Diana piece at Hay Castle recently and I think it worked fantastically well. It was pouring with rain. The official festival site out of town was tented and a wash-out - firemen were called to pump it out. But I was in the huge, dry State Room which was up a narrow staircase, with three great windows overlooking the castle lawns. It's often used for storage and there was extraordinary lumber everywhere - old gilt mirrors, decaying cabinets, Raj Gopal's Indian dancing costumes, a French bed, frayed Turkey carpets. Dracula's attic!

"I had the room blacked out, a big log fire blazed at one end, flamelight flickering on the ceiling. I was at the other end beside an urn-shaped lamp. Creepy electronic music played as people filed in and sat themselves in the dark intervening space. In fact it was a happening."

Keep your ideas coming for other sleb stars for Duncan's Peepshow book - see posting below and send comments there. Publisher Susan Hill is keeping an eye on proceedings which is just as well ...