This is rather a self-indulgent post as I re-live the Bloggers Bash. I can’t believe it’s already a week since I was in London meeting up with bloggers, some of whom I met last year, some of whom I only knew online and others whose blogs were new to me.
The Bash, now in its third year, is organised by Sacha Black and her minions, Geoff le Pard, Hugh Roberts and Ali Isaac. This year, as well as the presentation of blogging awards in a wide range of categories, the day included presentations and a panel debate – as well as much hugging, socialising, eating cake and a huge amount of chatter and laughter.
I experienced my usual ‘country bumpkin goes to the big city wobble’ a couple of days before. What if I was left sitting in a corner all by myself? What if I got lost and never made it to the Bash? I dread getting lost in London by jumping on the wrong train on the underground (Glasgow’s underground is so simple. It goes round in a circle so if you miss your stop you sit tight until it comes round again – there’s none of this changing to join other lines) or taking a wrong turning because often I confuse my left with my right.
Anyway, armed with numerous bits of paper with step by step instructions I made it from Euston to Victoria – paying for the tube ticket with a contactless debit card made life easier than queuing. At Victoria I had a bit of a panic when I couldn’t find the exit named on one of my bits of paper – neither could three rail staff. As I approached three police officers coming out of their office, they backed off in a very unfriendly manner. Two of them vanished but I trapped the third between me and a wall as I brandished bits of paper and asked where the particular exit was. He demanded to know where I was going which, at first, I thought was none of his business really but realised when I reluctantly told him that he then knew in which direction to send me.I checked into my overnight accommodation and did a recce with my instructions to find the venue so I’d know where I was going and how long it would take. It was a nice evening so I didn’t mind that I’d walked an extra two miles because I missed a turning. Nice young man in reception looked confused when I asked if this was the venue for tomorrow’s Bloggers Bash. His colleague informed me it was the venue for an International Bloggers Conference.
Jessica Norrie and I actually met on the way and introduced ourselves and then we were there being offered welcome hugs by Hugh. Any worries about not finding people to talk to me vanished: despite the fact that the majority of us are complete introverts and usually run a mile from large gatherings the buzz bloggers generate when they get together is quite incredible.
The awards, for which there were 6,561 votes this year, were announced at intervals during the day – for a full list of winners see Sacha’s blog here.
The presentations by Suzie on how to make money from your blog and Elena on Pinterest were fascinating. Elena made it all sound so easy for a few giddy moments I was convinced I’d reactivate my Pinterest account as soon as I came home. Hmm! A lively debate took place with the panel of Suzie, Elena and Christoph Fischer.
Check out the blogs of those who attended (apologies if I missed any) and see what an extraordinary range of topics people blog about.
Ritu – But I Smile Anyway
Shelley – Shelley Wilson
Jessica – Jessica Norrie
Willow – Willowdot21
Graeme – Graeme Cumming Dot Net
Rebecca – If Only I Could Read Faster
Marje – M J Mallon Author (Kyrosmagica)
Lucy – BlondeWriteMore
Sheila – SC Skillman
Noelle – SaylingAway
Sherrie – A View From My Summerhouse
Allie – Allie Potts Writes
Helen – Journey To Ambeth
Mary – My Dad Is A Goldfish
Christoph – Writer Christoph Fischer
Eloise – E. De Sousa
Julie – Julie Lawford
Steve – Sun In Gemini
Alex – Alex Raphael
Ellen – Ellenbest24
Elena – Elena Peters
Davy – Inside The Mind Of Davy D
Lance – Lance Greenfield
Sally – Smorgasbord – Variety Is The Spice Of Life
Icy – Icy Sedgwick
Matt – The Gay Stepdad
Susie – Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride
Adam – Adam Dixon Fiction
Lucia – Rereading Jane Eyre
Alexina – BOOKSTORMER
Ruth – Image & Word
Melanie – Melanie Roussel
Sue – Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo
Suzie – Suzie Speaks
Donna – Jot to Jot
Sacha – Sacha Black
Geoff – TanGental
Ali – Ali Isaac Storyteller
Hugh – Hugh’s Views And News
If you are interested in attending next year’s Bash put the date in your diary now – June 09, 2018 and I think you can sign up on Sacha’s blog to receive email notifications regarding the Bash.
What a fun post. I love seeing the photos. I’ll get there someday!!
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Thanks for dropping in. Glad you enjoyed the post and oh, yes, you should definitely get there – it’s great fun. 9th June, 2018. You’ll know lots of people even if you’ve never met them before!
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Ahhh what a lovely round up post – Think I might need to do something about that double chin I’ve grown though! I hope to see you again next year, and I’ll make sure I’ve done some wander posts so we can discuss theories!
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Thanks, Sacha. I’ve put next year’s date in my diary and hope to be there. Looking forward to some of your weird and wonderful posts – though I realise finding the time isn’t easy for you with so much else going on and books to get out. What double chin?
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I felt like I talked my head off all day and yet I Still didn’t get around everyone! Maybe we should do one of those dating things next year where everyone gets to meet everyone else and talk for two minutes before the bell goes and we have to move on to tbe next person! 🤣 Lovely post and pics, Mary. Xxx
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Glad you liked the post and pics, Ali. We just need to keep attending each Bash in the hopes that eventually we’ll have managed to catch up with everyone!
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It is great to see you all. Some day perhaps! Thanks, Mary!
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I was hoping you would be there, Olga. Next year – 9th June. Put it in your diary now!!!
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It really was wonderful to finally meet you, Mary 🙂
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Likewise, Sue. It didn’t feel like meeting someone for the first time.
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No, it didn’t…it just felt like not enough time 🙂
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What a wonderful wrap-up. 🙂 Love the photos, too!
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Thanks, Sarah. Roll on June 2018, I say!
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What a great post, Mary! It gave me the link to all the winner, too, which I hadn’t seen before, though I voted. Glad you enjoyed yourself.
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It was a great day, Sue, and I’m so glad I went. It’s astonishing how the awards have grown in such a short time – so many more blogs were nominated this year (some completely new to me) and an amazing number of votes cast. Maybe see you there next year?
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A lot of good energy in the room as I follow some of those blogs already and I loved your book No More Mulberries.
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Thanks, Lea. I think I found your blog through one of the bloggers I follow. It was a fabulous day. Thanks so much for saying you enjoyed No More Mulberries – you made my day.
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Great to see you, again, Mary.
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It was great to see you, too, and I was delighted to finally meet Sue. I hope your weekend event at Portmeirion went well.
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It was really good, Mary. Full of adventure and discovery… and the weather played its part, too!
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Reblogged this on Sun in Gemini and commented:
Mary’s gentle and lovely review of the Blogger’s Bash.
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Thanks for the reblog, Steve.
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Great post, Mary. Our paths don’t seem to have crossed at the event, but there were so many people to talk to. Maybe next year…
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Hi Graeme, glad you enjoyed the post. You were one of several people I didn’t get the chance to talk to. As you say, next year! It’s in my diary.
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Our time will come, Mary!
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Great pictures! I almost feel like I was there. Thanks SO much for sharing.
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I wish you had been there, Barb. Next year?
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Sounds like a fabulous event Mary. Will look into coming next year 😀
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Yay! That would be great. I’m sure you’d enjoy it.
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I feel like I’m looking at celebrities who I’ve gotten to know virtually, yet you were with them IN PERSON! Lucky you. Thanks for sharing this great account of the bash.
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the post and seeing the pics. It was a fabulous day – you should come next year.
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How I wish!
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What a lovely post, Mary. You have taken so many fabulous photos, all so natural looking, no forced smiles, just happy faces. Who would have thought that so many introverts could look so at ease! That’s the Bash for you! A truly magical event. 🙂
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Thanks, Marje. I’m afraid my photography skills aren’t great but at least this year, unlike last time, I did remember to take some pics. You’re right – it was a magical event and I’m already looking forward to next year’s.
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Me too, and I think you underestimate your photography skills Mary, you captured natural poses so well. 🙂
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Fantastic share Mary. Thanks for taking so many photos and putting some faces to the names of our blogging community of friends. 🙂
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Welcome, Debby. You were missed. Will 2018 be the year you make it to the Bash?
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I”m sure hoping so Mary. 🙂
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I left you a thank you on Sally’s post of your book. I was thanking you for the ‘hello’ video clip from the Bash, and I had a good chuckle when you said you only packed 1 bag. 🙂
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Such a happy day meeting everyone. Mary! I felt right at home, surrounded by old and new friends!
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I’m so glad you felt at home, Noelle. Residents of the Blogosphere are a friendly, welcoming bunch!
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Lovely to see you again at The Bloggers Bash, Mary. As usual, I didn’t get a lot of time to catch up with everyone, but I’m glad I saw you when you arrived. So very pleased you enjoyed the event. I look forward to seeing you at The Fouth Annual Bloggers Bash, next year.
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Thanks, Hugh. It’s always impossible for the hosts to spend much time with the guests. I’m sorry I’ve nto included a pic of you. The ones I took were way too dark as the flash wasn’t working – well, it wasn’t because I forgot to switch it on. Roll on June 9th 2018! 🙂
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No problem about the photo, Mary. I think I may have had my fair share of photos of me around the world of blogging and The Bloggers Bash. I was editing the video yesterday, and hope to finish it today. It’s looking great. 😀
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Sounds like fun!
Maybe next year….
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The more the merrier! It was great fun and everyone is really friendly and welcoming.
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That underground system in Glasgow sounds like a revelation! Just ONE line?! That would make everything so much easier!
A lovely post with some great pictures. It was fantastic to meet and talk to you, and I hope you have a successful year with your writing. You can tell us all about it at the next Bash! 😉
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We have an inner and an outer circle. They used to call it the ‘clockwork orange’ because the trains were orange. Glad you liked the post. It was good to meet you and I hope you also have a successful writing year – maybe even monetarising your blog? Here’s to June 2018.
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…great post, m’Lady 🙂
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Thanks, Seumas. It was a great day. It’s a pity your visit to London was a week early and we couldn’t meet.
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This is brilliant, Mary! Although I can’t believe it was only last week – it feels like a month ago haha! Love your pictures too 🙂 What a wonderful reminder of a weekend full of hugs and laughter xxx
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Thanks, Shelley. It really was a great weekend and if time continues to fly by as fast as it is doing this year it will seem like no time until we’re all be back in London for Bash 2018!
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Fab post! Shame I didn’t get to talk to you. I will do next year 😀
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There isn’t enough time to talk to everyone. I’ve already suggested somewhere that we need a PJs & Prosecco sleepover so we can catch up with everyone.
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Thank you p.s. I am glad you cut some of me off it haaha! Lovely post and so pleased to have met you. As for trapping a policeman *sniffs* they say it is always the quiet ones… *huge grin*
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Thanks for commenting, Ellen. I’d never pretend to be a photographer but I liked the lovely smiles under the decapitated heads. Maybe I’ll get the top bits next year. It was good to meet you.
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Haaha! Mary on your picture I don’t look as big so you carry on decapitating as long as it’s virtual. See you next year. X
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Mary Smith has gathered us all together for a photo shoot and reminder of the International Bloggers Conference, fondly known as the #BloggersBash.. I think perhaps it could be renamed as International #Bloggershugsfest… head over and see all the reasons why you are going to go next year on June 9th…
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Thanks for reblogging, Sally, and for letting me use a couple of your pics. I only realised after posting that I haven’t included one of Hugh! I took some of him but they were too dark to use. Sorry, King of Hugs!
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It is so wonderful to relive last week through your post!!!!! It was an awesome event and I am pretty sure that next year will be even better! Great to see you again!!! ❤
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Thanks, Ritu. It was good to see you, too, even if there wasn’t enough time to talk. Cakes were awesome!
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Next year Mary!!! And glad you enjoyed the cakes!
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