That’s exactly how long it is until the best blogging event of the year opens its doors to lots of lovely bloggers from all over the UK and beyond.

The Bloggers Bash, for anyone that doesn’t know (and where on earth have you been if you don’t), is an annual event for bloggers. It’s a physical meet up in London, England and it’s open to any blogger from any platform, in any country. There will be speakers, awards, a debate panel, lots of laughs and great conversation – what more could any blogger want?

This year, it is being held at the Wellington Suite in the Grange Wellington Hotel. 71 Vincent Square, Westminster, London SW1P 2PA on Saturday 10th June 2017.

There’s only three things that you will need to be allowed in:

1. Yourself

2. A massive hug ready for Hugh

3. A ticket.

Bloggers Bash tickets are now on sale for the BARGAIN price of just ten English pounds – £10.00 GBP and with only a limited capacity there are only a small number left. So, it’s first come, first served and if you ain’t got a ticket, you ain’t coming in!

Tickets can only be purchased via PayPal in advance from the bottom of the post.

We’re busy preparing an agenda, which will be released shortly, and for more information, you can read the FAQ’s here.

Don’t forget to join the bloggers bash facebook group, follow us on twitter, and use the hashtag #bloggersbash.

If you want to be the first to hear about anything bash related, then sign up to our mailing list here.

Let’s not forget the small print:

The SMALL Print

• Tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled
• Tickets are non-transferable
• Tickets are limited on a first come first served basis
• Cost of a ticket is for entry to the event only (not for food or anything else)
• Those buying a ticket agree to comply with any health & safety rules set by the venue and to behave in a way that will not impact upon the enjoyment of other people
• The Committee reserves the right to change the venue and/or agenda of the event
• Payment for tickets via PayPal only
• Tickets will be sent to the email address provided by paypal no later than three days before the event
• If you want to be involved in the link up post sharing blog addresses before the event you must send your blog address to: annualbloggersbash@yahoo.co.uk

So, what are you waiting for?

HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKET YET???

The 2017 event is now over and the date for 2018 is 9th June.

SaveSave

The post #BloggersBash Tickets Selling Fast – Buy Yours Now! @bloggersbash appeared first on Sacha Black.

But a rumour abounded that some BOOB was on the loose, and wanted to sabotage our plans. He/she/it/genderneutralbaddie would be in disguise. But which one would be outed/thwarted/twatted? Sacha said she was having none of it and maybe we should re-open nominations….

Nooooooooooo…

What did the committee get up to the night before the bash?

Laundry done

Stuffing Winners Envelopes 

Extremely important – life or death envelope stuffing. In which Hugh was nearly hospitalised during severe paper cuts, and Geoffle attempted mouth to mouth to save him. It all got a bit awkward when we realised all that was needed, was a plaster.

The Medicinal use of Wine

Copious amounts of wine were used as an antibiotical-neuraligiasiac, with Hugh declaring the Swansea based Chateau Mumbles the best Pinot Beige he had tasted since Boy George offered to ‘big him up’ one warm day in 1988. Meanwhile Ali scribbled in her new notebook, ‘The Bash – Myths and Legends of Princeling Sacha and the Dragooned Geoffle’ (available soon from all good pharmacists) and the cats slumbered on.

Fridge Raid

In need of carbohydrates to fill a void left by shoe shopping, one Bashiste headed for the fridge…

She thought she would find cheese, but found the secret and much criticised cake mountain instead. She is now to be heard mumbling ‘brownies please’ as an echo in the coolant.

‘Try anything once, except Incest and Folk Dancing’ per Sir Thomas Beecham

We did, we have and further posts will follow to prove it.

Hot News: the leader of BOOB (Back Off Our Blogs) has fallen for SACHA’S cunning stratagem and has been trapped by one of her infamous fortified BRAs (a Blogging Rearguard Action). If he escapes he is likely to appear at the Bash disguised as an exotic Painted Bearded Geoffle (see Ali’s Bash -Myths and Legends for beautiful hand drawn woodcuts of the various Geoffles known to science, though some are still only known to his mother). If seen, approach with caution. 

If you don’t know who the committee are by now, I am shocked. But let me introduce you:

Sacha Black – Founder of the Bloggers Bash and chief bossy boots

I created the bash because I fell in love with the blogging world. I made friends, real, lasting friendships and I wanted to be able to meet them, and so the Bash was created. It’s an opportunity to provide a forum for any blogger from any platform to come and socialise with all your pals.

The Bash awards were created to ensure that those friends who couldn’t make it because they lived far away could still be a part of the activities.

I am a writer of YA fantasy and dystopian novels. I also write writing craft tips/posts and novels, the first of which is due out late this year. Subscribe here to find out more.

Ali Isaac – Organiser and scheduler of the committee as well as general creative genius

I am a writer and blogger of Irish myth and fantasy. I started blogging because I found out so many fascinating things about Ireland when researching for my books, and then thought maybe others would find them interesting too.

Writing can be very isolating at times. I was so happy to find such a welcoming blogging community to be a part of at WordPress, and wanted to meet some of my lovely blogging friends. Oh, and Sacha made me do it.

Find me on www.aliisaacstoryteller.com

Geoffle Pard (a.k.a. Geoff Le Pard) is Team Boy Scout.

Once upon a time, in a deep sdark forest I was a lawyer. I stopped and started blogging. That was two years ago. Last year about now (‘that doesn’t make sense, Geoffle. How can it be both last year and now?’) Sacha said, ‘Should we arrange a meet up for bloggers?’ I said, ‘Don’t be daft; they’re all sociopathic introverts.’ That was (a) my first and last piece of useful advice and (b) ignored and the rest is history.

I’ve stayed involved for two reasons. One, it is really the most tremendous fun and…. actually that’s it.

I started out writing novel length collections of words, involving not a lot of show and an awful lot of tell. Since I started blogging, I’ve eradicated the word torrent, published two novels and, Tada!!, tomorrow, my first short story collection is launched. I’ve also exposed some poetry to public gaze and been pleasantly surprised at the lack of ridicule – poetry is HARD. Here’s my author page were you to be interested in my oeuvre.

I blog at

geofflepard.com

and tweet at

@geofflepard

Hugh Roberts – Chief entertainer, networker and general giver of hugs

Hello, I’m Hugh, and I am now living back in my home country of Wales. I’ve always loved to write but always allowed being dyslexic stop me from publishing anything. Then I discovered blogging and I haven’t looked back since. I’m hoping to publish my first collection of Short Stories in December 2016.

When Sacha invited me to join the committee of the Bloggers Bash, I had no hesitation in accepting. I’ve always been a ‘people’ person and was very excited about meeting up with fellow bloggers. I loved being part of the team put together and although it involves lots of hard work, I’ve enjoyed every single moment.

On my blog you’ll see that I write about this, that and everything else. I’ve written several well-received posts about blogging and have much more planned. I’ve even started my own weekly photography challenge, but my main passion is for writing short stories that come with an unexpected twist.

Blog: Hugh’s Views And News

Twitter: @RobertHughes05

FaceBook: Hugh’s Views And News

That’s it folks. Until tomorrow, when the results will be announced at 5:30pm BST.

The post The #BloggersBash PJ Party appeared first on Sacha Black.

Now, not all of our wonderful community can make it. The joy of blogging is that we can meet new friends from far away lands. So I thought we would do something that CAN include everyone. I am please to announce the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards.

Is there a blog you simply love? Has someone made you smile week after week? Maybe they have super helpful and informative posts? Or perhaps you have been inspired by them. Now is your chance to nominate a fellow blogger for one of these six awards. Winners will be announced on the 1st August at the bloggers bash and for all those not physically there we will also announce the winners live on twitter using the hashtag #BloggersBash.

There are 6 categories you can nominate a blogger in. Nominations will be open for one week from today, therefore closing at 6pm BST on the 8th July.

The top few bloggers with the most nominations in each category will be pitted against each other in a public vote to win the award. Voting will be open for two weeks, from 16th July – 30th July, and results announced live on the 1st August.

The categories are as follows:

The Best Overall Blog Award is the Grand Champion Blogger. Nominations for this category should go to any blogger who you think has excelled all round. They continually produce fantastic blogs that never fail to entertain, inform or inspire. Who’s blog do you adore? Is there a blog you just wish you had written? Then this is the category to nominate them in.

The Funniest Blogger Award does what it says on the tin. Is there a blogger who continually makes you laugh out loud? Did you laugh so hard you cried? Maybe you snorted drink through your nose at one of their jokes. Who’s the funniest blogger of them all?

The Most Inspiring Blog Award again does what it says on the tin. Who consistently inspires you? Is there a blogger that’s thought provoking and inquisitive? Or perhaps they have become a muse to you with constant provision of inspiration? Who’s the one blogger you has touched your heart and inspired you? This is the nomination for them.

The Most Informative Blog Award is an award for the blogger who has the most informative posts. Maybe they constantly post about new and interesting topics you love. Or maybe they are posting about fascinating topics you know nothing about. have you found yourself longing to read a particular bloggers posts because of their content? Then this is the nomination for them.

The Best Dressed Blog is an award for the most stylish blog. Who’s blog looks sleek and sexy? Maybe they use stunning imagery, or perhaps they just have a unique written style to their blog posts. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so only you can judge who’s blog is the best dressed.

Last but by no means least is the Services to Bloggers Award. Who’s the kindest blogger of them all? Which blogger goes out of their way to help others? Maybe someone helped you kick start your blog or reblogs your posts. Perhaps someone consistently provides useful posts on how to boost your own blog. Or maybe you want to nominate someone who provides a platform for others. This is your chance to thank them.

To nominate a fellow blogger for any of these awards please either leave a comment below, with a link to their blog, or if you would like to nominate anonymously, then please email the name of the blogger with a link to: sachablack87(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

This is meant to be a bit of fun and a chance to include everyone in the Bloggers Bash, so please do nominate to your hearts content. Share this post and encourage others to nominate and remember to vote when voting opens on the 16th July.

RULES:

1. Please only nominate one blogger per category. If someone else has nominated the same person, that’s fine, you can still nominate that person. The more nominations each person has the higher the chance of them being put to the vote.

2. Please include a link to the nominated bloggers website, so that I can find them when setting up the voting system.

3. This ones voluntary – but if you like, add a little explanation as to why they have been nominated.

That’s it, and good luck everyone.

The post Annual Bloggers Bash Awards – NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN appeared first on Sacha Black.

Everyone is welcome. If you fancy joining us for the bloggers bash in London this summer then read on…

DATE: Saturday 1st August 2015

TIME: 11:00am

LOCATION: Outside the front of the British Library 

The British Library
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB

Click the link for the map – but its basically next door to Kings Cross train station.

PLAN: Meet outside the library – weather dependent – either have a coffee in/outside of the library if there is space, or  Geoff  and Hugh will fearlessly lead us to a few other spots close by. I imagine copious amounts of food and beverages will be consumed! :p

DETAILS: For anyone who is like me and at risk of veering off into Neverland when attempting to navigate London, I am going to suggest the following:

If you are going to come, drop me an email with your email address and phone number or Facebook or however you want to communicate. Closer to the day I will send whoever is coming my number or (with express permission) another persons phone number – in case lots of us get lost and my phones engaged – in a kind of phone tree style or something similar. I will figure this out closer to the date. 

Sachablack87(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Hope you can make it

#BloggersBash

The post The Biggest Blogging Event of The Year is HERE #BloggersBash appeared first on Sacha Black.

This may well be the post that finally makes you say she lost her mind. I feel a bit insane even considering pressing publish on this one. But I’m going to, because this wonderful little community has welcomed and inspired me more than I can describe, so I’m standing up and saying ‘I’ll do it.’

This is an open invite…

How many of us have said we would love to meet each other? I’ve said it countless times. We spend hours of our time, talking, supporting and encouraging each other. We become friends, colleagues, fans and sometimes tutors of each others work (Esther). We beta read, critique and promote each others work, yet we remain friends from a distance, stuck behind a 2d computer screen with no concept of what we are like in real life.

A couple of things led me to actually publishing this post.

1. Geoff posted a video of his bungee jump the other day, and I heard his voice, I sat bolt upright at my computer and realised he was actually a person! A real one with a voice he doesn’t just squirrel away behind a computer screen like a robot.

2. Dylan and Graeme mentioned the other day that they had already met each other. The idea to organise this has been floating in my mind for a while, hearing that they had actually met each other gave me the courage to know this was actually possible…. I think.

What am I actually blithering on about?

Ok, I’m saying, no, I’m volunteering to organise a meeting, a get together, a social, fuck it, a rave if you really want… But I’m putting my hand up and saying I’ll do it.

I will research, find a venue, organise dates, whatever else needs doing and I will figure out a way for us all to get together. An Annual Bloggers Bash. Ok, maybe not annual, I’m not brave enough to commit to that, yet, and you might all be axe murderers…

Maybe we will all descend on Hugh for a summer day out on Brighton beach, or maybe we will all descend on the Big Smoke stand on a stage and read our work out, maybe we wait till winter and November for NaNo and all sit in silence for a write in! I don’t know.

If this is a terrible idea then stop me now I don’t want to be sat in the corner of some pub eating my sunday roast dateless, stood up because none of you wanted to meet up.

But what of our wonderful international friends: Charli, Norah, Ula, Rachel, Ali, Ronovan and Keith to name just a few. Unless you are planning a trip to the UK anytime soon in which case I am happy to organise around you, then I think there are enough of us with phones, laptops, iPads and tablets to set up countless Skype and FaceTime streams simultaneously, or some other craziness.

This is a totally open invite, just because I haven’t mentioned you specifically on here, doesn’t mean you’re not invited, you absolutely are… hey if there’s enough pressure, we might even coax the ever elusive but wonderfully furry story reading ape down from his rainforest office.

The party specifics? I have no idea, until I know how many people are up for this, then I don’t know what to suggest. For now, drop me a line, share the post, spread the invitation…

If you read to the end of this post, then there must be a hint of enthusiasm for this… so leave me a comment, heck if you’re feeling generous offer me some help to plan this!

The post Official Launch of the Annual Bloggers Bash appeared first on Sacha Black.

The thing is, we ask for advice even when we don’t really need it, don’t really want it and then, we don’t really follow it!

I have a bee in my bonnet about this because I annoy myself asking for advice.

Why do I do it?

I… Infact WE all already know the answer. Don’t we?

For example:

Should I go out tonight?

Even though your asking with a little wry smile you already know your going, so why do we bloody ask?

Should I eat a second bar of chocolate?

No Sach, of course you shouldn’t, because once you do, your guna be wracked with guilt over the calories you have guzzled, feel guilty, fat and then reach for a third bar to console yourself – why do I do it? I just shouldn’t ask because I already know the answer!

The real irritation I have with asking for advice is really, deep down, we’re all just looking for self justification. It’s kind of arrogant! We want everyone else to agree and justify what we want to do, even when we know it’s a bad idea.

Oh what should I do? – my (fictional) boyfriends cheated on me… again – should I take him back? I mean he is really sorry this time.

Why can’t we just be confident in our decisions? In what we already know we are going to do. Why do we pretend and deny that we haven’t made our minds up?! The moment I ask for advice I’ve already made my mind up. I know it, whoever I’m asking knows it too. Yet we both persist in dancing around the perpetual advice fence: you justify whatever course of action you really want to take, and the person giving advice rolls around the reasons why it’s a bad idea.

What’s the point? Waste of air.

AND…. Even when we do get advice we never bloody follow it! Humans are awful at following advice. We all give it, and even when we ask our dear friends what they would tell themselves, we still don’t follow it!

So – I decided –

Fuck advice, I already know what I want to do….

I have been searching for the right writing course for two years, the course to give me the right knowledge to finish my novel and kick start what I hope will be a writing career – my dream.

Why I thought to ask whether or not to do it I have no idea. I only got annoyed with what I heard, because really, all I wanted was confirmation I was doing the right thing, and who can actually give me that? No one but me!

Yes it’s 350 quid, but I can pay it over a few months, yes I have a newborn. But so what. Who do I actually need to justify it to?

Does having an infant mean my life goes on hold? That my dreams stop?No. More to the point, if I did put my life on hold, what kind of role model is that for my child? Do I want him to learn that you can be lazy and find excuses not to follow your dreams? Or do I want him to know that he has to work, hard, play hard and never give up….

So, I’ll ignore the pessimism, stop asking for advice and do it anyway. My money, my time, my choice.

I might be, covered in sick, soaked in pee, stinking of baby poop, slightly delirious, and temporarily daisy the milking cow, but that doesn’t mean I can’t follow my dreams…..

Even if I have to do it one handed, smelling of baby fluids and caked in puke. Failing that I’ll do it in the bath once the boys asleep!

The post Tales of Advice appeared first on Sacha Black.

In true Sacha style, not only was my proposal unique (that’s a story for another day), so was the way I met my beautiful partner.

As if fate had always intended, not only did I live on the same street as my future girlfriend, we had mutual friends, and I worked in the pub she drank in.

I must have served her a million times before we met, and for some reason we had never noticed each other.

That’s a good thing because we were both in relationships.

About three and a half years ago on exactly the same day, fate struck again. We both became single, under different circumstances but it happened on exactly the same day. Both having been in substantial relationships neither of us were particularly fussed about meeting someone.

Exactly six days later….

I was at work, had been in the kitchen of my student bar so stank of chip fat and grease, but a mutual friend of ours persuaded me to grab my spare t shirt and head to the club. So off I went with my stinky work combat pants and spare t shirt, no make up and no hair done, generally looking a state, and slide up to the bar to cue for a pint. At this point my future girlfriend apparently spotted me with our mutual friend at the bar (I was oblivious at this point) so she decided to grab my attention.

She trotted up to the bar and barged passed me shunting me to the side as she whispered in our mutual friends ear. Furious I turned round ready to scruff this random rude girl up. I looked at her, and melted instantly. She was genuinely the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I felt sick with butterflies.

She went back to wherever she came from and I grabbed our mutual friend gasping “who’s your friend? Tell me she’s gay and tell me she’s single??”

The mutual friend groaned and said she is, but only recently I wouldn’t go there if I were you.

Too late.

I was hook line and sinker for this gorgeous women.

I made our mutual friend introduce me, and we stood chatting, I was barely able to make conversation I was so hideously full of butterflies and adrenaline.

There was at this point another girl, who was obsessively chasing me and I had absolutely no interest in her. I told the future girlfriend this and she said, bold as brass in front of me “well why don’t you let me kiss you in front of her, and she might go away…?” she said grinning at me with her cute white teeth and mesmerising smile.

I about threw up there and then, and felt my legs want to give way. I giggled completely unable to utter a response, and wished beyond anything that she would just kiss me, and ravish me right there in the club. I wanted her. BAD.

We spent the rest of the night chatting and talking, she had me wrapped around her little finger instantly, and I was captivated by every syllable she said. Four of us went back to my house for a while and then we walked everyone back down our road a few houses and into her house. We chatted until the early hours of the morning. It must have been about 4 or 5am and I started to shiver  her house was not the warmest, so she went to get me a duvet. The four of us carried on chatting and I sat on the sofa next to her as she laid the duvet over us. Our mutual friend sat on the other side.

Whilst we carried on chatting she put her hands under the duvet, and edged it closer to mine. I could feel the warmth from her hand getting closer to mine and it made my stomach churn.

Our little fingers connected, and I could feel the electricity between us. We held hands under the duvet till the light came up. I said good night we her number in my phone, and walked home with a grin I couldn’t remove.

We spoke all week and met up a few days later. A week after we met, on my birthday, all our friend were out, it was a london underground party and I was dressed as ‘Angel’ a slower song was being played by the Dj and we sidled up to each other dancing slowly arms locked around her neck. She looked into my eyes and her soft lips touched mine. It was the most delicious kiss I have ever had, and all our friends cheered whilst they danced around us!

That was three and a half years ago. Now, in 5 weeks time, she will be my wife.

I will tell you how she proposed next time!

NOTE: This is not actually us!!

The post My lesbian love story… appeared first on Sacha Black.