This evening I’m doing a live interview about my Nocturne book with Katie Derham, presenter of BBC Radio 3’s ‘drivetime’ programme In Tune. I’ve been told that the interview will start at around 6.25pm and end at 6.35pm, so in the second hour of the programme.

Normally these interviews are done in person in the London studio, but as I live in Edinburgh I’ve been offered the possibility of doing my interview from a BBC Studio here.

I know this studio, which is a small cubicle in a row of others. I will be the only person in the cubicle, responsible for watching the ‘red light’ myself. I have to wear headphones to hear the interviewer, and of course, when you speak while wearing headphones, your own voice sounds strange to you.

Naturally you can’t see your interviewer or any visual cues she might be wishing to give you. Thus it’s not a totally relaxing way of doing an interview, but from the point of view of sound quality, better than doing it via Zoom from my study at home.

If this message reaches you after the interview has aired, you can listen to it (free of charge) on BBC Sounds for 30 days afterwards. Just follow this link and click the ‘Listen Now’ button.

Our magnolia tree has started to blossom (see photo) and Spring feels close at hand.