When were you most nervous?

During my career, I have been through some memorable, stressful and nerve-wracking experiences.

I have flown in a small plane, with a corpse in a body bag knocking against my leg. 

I have been thrown around in the belly of a small transport plane by a wild and terrible storm  - unable to fly below it because of the mountains or above it because of the lack of oxygen. 

As these things tend to happen in threes, it would be remiss not to mention being a passenger in yet another transport aircraft, which landed without its wheels down after the pilots forgot to lower them.

I've also had angry soldiers pointing handguns at my head through the window of my car, just before I attended a British embassy reception next door to the palace they were guarding. I still have panic issues entering crowded and noisy rooms.

The only time I have been abseiling (with former members of the special forces) resulted in me clinging onto a rope for dear life halfway down a six-storey building. My knee was smashed, my head banged up and I held on grimly, wondering what the hell I was doing when there were perfectly good stairs inside.

I've chatted with royalty, presidents and politicians. I've gatecrashed a royal VIP reception with two members of the British media, accidentally bumping into the Sultan and his bodyguards in the process.

And which of these experiences was responsible for my heart beating fastest? None of them.

Waiting for a review of your book is the most stressful experience of all. 

When a stranger puts their own opinion of your work in front of potentially thousands of other people, it gets your heart and your mind racing. Can you actually write? Were the funny parts funny? Will readers understand what you are trying to convey? Will your efforts provoke at least some form of reaction?

Putting your book in the hands of readers means you're about to find out. And I wouldn't have it any other way. If you've gone to the effort of buying and reading my book, you're entitled to publicise your reaction and feedback of your own.

Also, I've shared something of myself with you and - if you're so minded - I'd like to hear what events had your heart racing.  

Whether it's your reaction to Paths Not Yet Taken or a recollection of a heart-racing event in your life, let me have it!

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