C is for Chaplin’s and the Cellar Bar in Boscombe, my very favourite grassroots music venue. While there are numerous Bournemouth venues mentioned in Imogen Imagine, there are a couple of important scenes that take place in Chaplin’s. Both of them are flashbacks that help the reader to understand the nuances in Immy’s relationships with both ex-boyfriend Carl (before they were a couple) and with her brother Toby. It’s the interweaving of Immy’s relationships with those two, as well as with her endlessly supportive best-friend Jen, that lie at the heart of the story of Imogen Imagine.

I first discovered Chaplin’s when I was looking for a suitable venue for the launch party for Dead Man Singing. I live within walking distance but somehow hadn’t ventured into it before. Since then I’ve become something of a regular attender of Conrad Barr’s Monday night Solid Air sessions – typically three singer-songwriters playing for between 30 and 45 minutes each, with sets largely made up of their own songs (though the occasional cover sneaks in from time to time). Sometimes none of the acts on the bill grab me, but usually there’s something that lights me up. Live music is a wonderful thing, and Bournemouth is lucky to have such a thriving local grassroots scene. In the acknowledgements at the end of Imogen Imagine, I wanted to namecheck a few of the artists I’ve particularly enjoyed at Chaplin’s. Obviously, there wasn’t room for everyone and I hope those who didn’t make the cut won't feel left out, but if my list encourages anyone to check out those performers on YouTube or playing live, then something good might come out of it. I’ve said this before (and I’m sure I’ll say it again) but if we don’t support live music, we run the risk of losing it. That applies doubly to the grassroots scene which doesn’t enjoy the same level of financial support as major venues. Who knows, you might discover a new favourite.

Gloriously, Conrad invited me to stage an Imogen Imagine takeover night last week at Solid Air, with Olly Hopper-Pay and Lee Rasdall-Dove (the voice of Carl Denby) each playing sets of their own material, with a middle set consisting of me reading extracts from Imogen Imagine, plus music from Olly, Lee and Hannah Gadsby, all of whom featured on the recorded version of Imogen Imagine. I wasn't sure how the music crowd would take to an author invading their territory, but the reception was great and I was proud to tread the boards of the famous cramped Chaplin's stage for a second time.