Nice interview, Jo. I continue to be impressed at your work ethic in securing all these gigs considering you're unagented. It shows it can be done with a bit of elbow grease.
Which is a good thing since no agent, anywhere, seems interested in me.

(I suspect they have me classed as small-publisher material, which is fine and dandy since I'm happy where I am anyhow)
But, yeah, I have loads going on for this. I have another radio interview tomorrow, I just got a lovely call out in Culture NI, I have some magazine stuff due, it looks like there'll be a bookstore event, and book groups and all sorts. And, to be clear, as you say - pretty much all of this I have dredged up myself just by asking, and being cheeky, and asking again, and pleading.
Oh, and networking. Women Aloud over here has been fab for that - the arts council know me now (and, thanks to Lottery and Arts Council funding the book I'm currently gnashing over the first chapter of has already paid me more than any other and made writing a bit more sustainable), I have lecturing work and got a couple of events at the Belfast book festival (and an invite to the Dublin one but I'm on a much-needed holiday at that point. And yes, I was still tempted to haul my ass down to Dublin an hour after getting home for it, but even I recognised that was pushing things a bit much...), some conventions in the autumn...
It can be done, people! Ask. Keep asking. Build. And repay every favour you get - retweet others' stuff, call them out (I gave
@HareBrain 's a plug this morning on another forum etc), help when you're asked. It can be done. Honest.
Actually here's the Culture Ni piece. Some good stuff in this (and it was a nice surprise to be included!)
10 Northern Ireland Holiday Reads