Oh boy! (The 'boy' being a very appropriate exclamation for reasons to come shortly.) But where do you start with describing an event with this man?

He is a formidably prolific writer covering both novels and screen. He's also a human dynamo and like an Alka-Seltzer that never stops fizzing.

When he speaks, taking notes is not an invite to a repetitive strain injury clinic, it's a 'book your appointment now' scenario.

He loves to emerge from the solitary occupation of writing now and again, to meet cast members and speak at events such as this and he says it's a pleasure to meet people.

He indicated that this was why he speaks 'so fast'. And fast it was too. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but Horowitz's verbal abilities are far mightier than the pen in hand taking the notes. He's also, always, great fun.

Horowitz has two main audiences. I won't say 'target audiences' as I believe one has arrived by fluke. He writes young adult/child novels and he should be commended and admired for getting young boys to read.

Alex Rider, teenage spy, captures their attention and imagination and the novels have made it to the big screen.

We had a clip from Stormbreaker, appropriately set in the Brecon Beacons (where the SAS train and Alex was no exception).

Horowitz may not be J K Rowling, but he has a significant presence in this arena. In 2005, at another festival, I queued along with many young boys to have a set of Rider novels signed for my godson. It was a long queue that required patience.

On Thursday, by the time we had moved on to the evening 'adult' Horowitz Hay event, Paul Blezard, his interviewer told us that Horowitz had spent three and a half hours signing after his younger-person event earlier in the day.

That very definitely beats my queue of four years ago and it's good to hear that there is even more enthusiasm now.

Horowitz's other audience, dare I say it, is women of a certain age. He may have written many other crime dramas, including Midsomer Murders and Poirot, but with Foyle's War and a charismatic actor by the name of Michael Kitchen in the lead role, the icing was on the cup-cake for this audience.

And so it was that at the evening event with Horowitz, many present were 'women of a certain age' and appreciating every moment and thought expressed.

On the receiving end of world-premier exclusive Hay Festival preview clips, we saw a trailer for the new series of Foyle's War. Horowitz informed us that to get such an exclusive he'd had to sleep with the producer, adding, 'but I have been married to her for 22 years.'

The new series is more pacey and has new music, with the first of three episodes focusing on the story of the Russian POWs in Great Britain whose return was demanded by Stalin. Kitchen's acting remains understated, so don't worry that it might appear a new show entirely.

Another trailer premier was for Collision, a 'state of Britain piece' that will be broadcast by ITV over five consecutive nights later this year.

It's about road accidents on the A12, a story of interrupted journeys and how people's lives are changed. Collision has 75 characters - with an impressive cast line-up - and covers 125 locations. When going down the contemporary road, Horowitz doesn't entertain half measures.

Two final funnies from the life of Anthony Horowitz: after two series he plucked up the courage to invite Honeysuckle Weeks, who plays Sam, for a drink. There, he said, he received the 'biggest put down' of his life when she asked 'Did you know you were at school with my Dad?'

During questions, someone in the audience asked how Horowitz relaxes. (I was wondering if he ever slept, at this stage in the proceedings. Possibly achieved by tranquiliser dart?) Quickly, he replied 'I do have a wife, but that's mainly a business relationship.' After sounding a little desperate to think of something relaxing, chucking out a couple of suggestions, he settled on walking his chocolate Labrador in Suffolk.