Will Self cycled through the streets of Shoreham on his fold-up bicycle looking around, seemingly for the first time, at his surroundings.

The sight on Tuesday evening could have been the start of a comedy sketch for the TV personality, journalist and author. Perhaps the crux of the problem at the sold out Meet The Author event for his new novella Shark.

"It's always a pleasure to be at a City Books event and this is the... Oh! A plectrum!" started Self as he made the discovery on the stage floor, before relaxing into conversation.

His intellectual, hilarious, fascinating and at points extremely serious romp through his thoughts and feelings about creative writing students, John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten and Saturday Live's Richard Coles (both advertised before Self's entrance as upcoming events) were a pleasure and privilege to watch.

Eventually: "I'd better talk a bit about this book." As he unfolded his glasses he told of the 16-hour days of writing to ensure concentration - the reason his face now "looks like this, I used to be an Adonis".

Questions from the audience after his reading seemed to stretch his patience - did you ever get an appliquéd jumper like Michael Fish's?; why don't you use chapters, paragraphs or line breaks?; but how do people know when to go to the loo or for supper?

The evening was about the prequel to Booker-shortlisted Umbrella. But only a handful of people in the audience had read his books. His draw is as much about Self himself as it is about his work, whether he likes it or not.