Is there a Doctor in the House

Disgraced for plagiarism one week - booked to speak at a writer's
festival the next. That's crappy timing

So I was not surprised that Dr Raj Persaud failed to show up at the
Screenwriter's Festival this week, to face a marque filled to
overflowing with 600 writers, journalists, editors...

I was told he didn't cancel, he wasn't pulled from the schedule - he
just stopped answering the organisers' calls, and a substitute was
quickly booked for that slot.

I do wonder what the reception would have been like. Low key, curious
and embarrassed, I suspect. I find it hard to believe that he would
have been barracked - the mood at the festival was mellow and generous
(helped by the sun, the setting and the excellent wines.)

I've no idea when this entry will make it onto the blog - my email
server is refusing to send mail, and after two hours of fiddling I am
still no closer to discovering why!