It’s been a whole week since the first Annual Bloggers’ Bash and the first Annual Bloggers’ Bash Awards were held in London.  However, the day itself is still very much on my mind.

If we were having coffee I’d be telling you about the Bloggers’ Bash.  Haven’t seen the video yet of all the bloggers who attended, introducing themselves? Then click here and meet the group.

I was very nervous when the day finally arrived.  I’d only ever spoken to Sacha, Ali and Geoff via Google Meet Ups.  However, I received the biggest hugs I’d ever received from people I’d never met before and Geoff presented me with a lovely bunch of sweet peas from his garden.  By the time we sat down and were eating breakfast you could have sworn we’d all known each other for years.

Realising we were running late, it wasn’t long before I left the other three committee members and made my way to the courtyard at the British Library where we had told everyone to meet.  Dylan, who had joined us for breakfast, kindly walked me to the area and, upon arrival, a small group of people walked towards us.  They’d recognised the T-Shirt design we’d told everyone the committee members would be wearing.  Before long I was deep in conversation with people I’d only ever chatted to via the comments section on WordPress, or via the occasional tweet.

Within an hour most of the group were assembled, photographs had been taken, introductions had been made, and we were one big happy family.  Even when I announced that I wanted everyone to stand in a long line and to announce themselves to the iPhone I was pointing at them, there was no hesitation from the group.

Inside Pizza Express, I found myself sat next to Marj, Conny, Helen and Mel. According to Marj, I never shut up.  I was chatting away and firing all sorts of questions at them about why they blogged, why they published posts at certain times of the day, and who they knew really well in the blog world, amongst other things.  I apologise to them now.  They must have thought I had a wind-up key attached to my back and that I would not stop talking until the key stopped turning around!

Awards were announced and I was surprised not only to hear that Hugh’s Views and News took joint fourth place (with the wonderful Ali Isaac) in best overall blog, but that it had also taken second place in the funniest blog category.  A big thank you to those who nominated me for these awards and to all of you who voted for me.  I was so shocked that I could not eat the rest of my pizza!

When we finally made our way to the pub that key in my back had been wound up again and I started firing questions at more unsuspecting bloggers. Here I got my chance to have a catch-up with Suzie who I had previously crushed with a ‘Hugh Hug’ the moment she appeared in the courtyard at the British Library.  We share a similar wicked sense of humour and laughed a lot about the four-hour twitter conversation we had had a few months earlier with Steve while watching The Eurovision Song Contest.  I still have the whole conversation on Twitter and I’m sure the BBC could make a fantastic sitcom out of it.

The day seemed to fly past and it was not long before people started to leave. I was successful in stopping Sherri and her husband leaving by persuading them to let me buy them both another drink but, unfortunately, I lost the battle with some of the others.  Obviously the key in my back had been wound-up again and people were making a run for it!  I was delighted to have met Sue Vincent and to have been able to talk to her about her wonderful and inspirational son Nick.  He’s a hero of mine (click here to find out why).

Here’s a full list of everyone that attended the First Annual Bloggers Bash.

Geoff Le Pard  – TanGental

Helen Jones – Journey To Ambeth

Sacha Black – Sacha Black

Ali Isaac – Ali Isaac Storyteller

Ellie Marinova – A Writer’s Caravan

Suzie Speaks – Suzie Speaks

Graeme Cumming – Graeme Cumming Dot Net

Conny Kaufmann – Study. Read. Write

Marjorie Mallon – Kyrosmagica

Esther Newton – Esther Newton Blog

Lucy Mitchell – Blonde Write More

Melissa Barker-Simpson – Melissa Barker-Simpson

Julie Lawford – Julie Lawford/ A writer’s Notepad

Dylan Hearn – Suffolk Scribblings

Stuart France – Stuart France, Writer

Sue Vincent – Daily Echo

Sherri Matthews – A View From My Summerhouse

If we were having coffee I’d be telling you that I did not want the day to end. Of course, like everything, it had to end, but it’s a day I will never forget.

Oh, there’s the little matter of “The Truth App” as well.  What started out as a short story has now become a bit of a serial.  Why?  Because many of you wanted more.  Thank you to everyone that has read, commented and liked the story.  Part 4 will be published next week.

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