Spotting a poster for the event, Abi was gobsmacked to realise that the Ben Hatch featured on the poster was the same Ben Hatch she had grown up with in Buckinghamshire. Ben and his family lived in a windmill (he was called Windy Miller at school for years, though he’s 
not been scarred by this experience at all. Or so he says!).
Abi and her family lived next door. Abi and Ben’s mothers were best friends but both families lost touch after their mothers died within five months of each other.
Ben was equally gobsmacked when Abi introduced herself; neither of them realised they both lived in Brighton. They’re now planning to get in touch with mutual friends and organise a reunion in the summer.
Author Ben Hatch and local resident Abi Brown at the ‘Writers in the Hall’ event: ‘Are We Nearly There Yet?’.
Photo of Ben & Abi courtesy of Gill Hasson.