Sheesh

I was doing a bit of surfing, prompted by a newsletter from the Arvon society, which runs a slew of creative writing courses. Try one - they're jolly good. Anyway, I landed up on the website of a female novelist/journalist, who kicked off with the following: "Xxx is one of Britain's most talented contemporary writers." I shan't tell you her name, since anyone given to such shameless self-promotion may well be the type to flame anyone who objects.

But really, how can you have the nerve to actually write that about yourself? Especially given that frankly, Ms Xxx, I for one have never heard of you.