Plot’s Dash, To The Blogger’s Bash

Plot had forgotten something, but was buggered if she could remember what. She had that lurking feeling of something critical, something just out of her line of sight, something that would, if she didn’t figure it out, blindside her at ten to five on a Friday afternoon, when it would be too late to do anything about it till Monday. She had a think, but it was no good, her mind was a bit like stale bread soaked in milk, but less useful; it wasn’t playing ball.

A Walk and a Lark usually cleared her head so Plot plodded over that direction, for a bit of fresh air. No one did fresh air quite like Josy, Susie Lindau would do fresh air at speed, usually hurling down a mountain, backwards on roller-skates or something; and, Shannon at Must Hike Must Eat would do hard core fresh air with wafts of glorious home cooking, but Josy… well, Josy reminded Plot of someone who would (more than just occasionally) pause to smell the roses, or the wisteria, and probably photograph them too, which seemed just about perfect.

There was no one home, come to think about it, this should have come as no surprise, ‘The clue’s in her title’ Plot thought to herself, “She’s probably out walking, or larking, one or the other. That’ll be why it’s so quiet, actually it’s awfully quiet everywhere, I wonder where everyone is?”

In the distance there was definitely something going on in town, every now and again, the wind would catch a few bars of music, or someone talking on a loud speaker but it was too far away to pick up what was being said. Plot bumbled on her way, as only Plot can.

Meanwhile in town, the hustings were on for the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards. Bloggers from all over the World were taking part and had come to gather votes before the Nominations closed on Monday 30th April, all the hotels were full and you couldn’t get a room for love nor money.

It was all very organised, and the event had been broken down in to sections

Best Overall Blogger

Nominees: Retirement Reflections, Daddy And Dad, Jenny in Neverland, Life, Books, and More…, I’m A Writer, Yes, I Am!, Me and My Books, Gin & Lemonade, Linda’s Book Bag, A Brummie Home and Abroad, But I Smile Anyway…, Smorgasbord-Variety is the Spice of Life, Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo, I’m Sick and So Are You

There were some fabulous Bloggers in the Best Overall Blogger category. Emmaline AKA A Brummie, Home and abroad wrote about travels, far and wide; Sally of Smorgasbord – Variety is the Spice of Life, blogged about health, and writing, as well as providing a service promoting authors; Lorna from Gin & Lemonade wrote about the loves of her life, (Isla, her husband Neil, Coffee and Books) and when access issues turned up, she’d give that a rattle too: Ritu blogged about everything, poetry, Family, quotations, she shared other peoples work and somehow found time to teach, raise her family and finish the first draft of her novel.

All of them, amazing writers each in their own way, and somehow or other friends of Plot, who having made her way into town, was currently having a lonely pint in The Bloggers Arms. “Where are they all?” she thought, “and what is it I am supposed to be doing today?

If she had remembered that the hustings were on, Plot might have been concerned about  choosing who she was going to vote for, competition was really stiff. Phil, Jill, Alice, Angela and Fatty McCupcakes had all made her laugh till her sides ached. She went Down the Hall on the Left for some respite but that just made her laugh more!

Funniest Blogger

Nominees: Professional Moron, Barb Taub, Monster in the next room, The Tattooed book geek, Whinge Whinge Wine, Hot mess memoir, Midlife Smarts, Fatty McCupcakes, Shallow Reflections, The Cynical Sailor & His Salty Sidekick, Down The Hall on Your Left, The Phil Factor, Jen Med’s Book Reviews, Judy E Martin, Lutheranliar Looks at Life

Plot, happily oblivious to everything that was going on was looking for inspiration for her next post, whilst enjoying a lonely pint in the Bloggers Arms. “Where is everyone” she wondered. As it was, she found a little inspiration in the bubbles of her drink, that looked like miniature multicoloured bullet points, perfect for a post about unicorns.

• National Animal of Scotland
• Associated with purity
• Has magical healing powers
• Prone to being lured into traps by treacherous virgins

Plot wondered how such a mythical beast came to end up pooping rainbows.

Meanwhile two friends were nominated for the Most iInspirational Blogger Award,

Most Inspirational Blogger

Nominees: Ali – The Dragon Slayer, Dinosaurs Donkeys and Ms, Erika Kind, Memoirs of Miss Waves, Tina Frisco, London Unattached, Sage Wolfsong Creations, Unfold and Begin.com, Jill’s Book Cafe, Like Mercury Colliding, Out an’ About, My Dad Is a Goldfish, Mumofthree World, Half Baked In Paradise, Rachna says, Brilliance Within, Words In the Light, SYL65’S BLOG, Chocolate’n’Waffles, You Are Awesome, Robbie’s Inspiration, Love Books Group

Fiona ran a very successful travel blog, London Unattached, and Angela’s You are Awesome blog was always worth a read.

The phone in Plot’s back pocked buzzed, it was Suzanne

“Where are you? We are all here, and everyone is set up!”

A familiar knot of anxiety formed in Plot’s stomach. “I knew I was supposed to be somewhere” she thought, still having no clue where she was supposed to be, or what she was supposed to be doing. Still, Suzanne was up for Most Informative Blogger, so there was no better person to ask.

Most Informative Blogger

Nominees:Beauty Balm,  Chat about books, Bibliobeth, A Writer’s Perspective, When Women Inspire, Mombian, chrismcmullen, Notebooks and Glasses, House of Heart, thoughtsofjustafan, Jennifer Gilmour, Trick Besides, Odds n Sods: A cabinet of curiosities, Talk About Pop Music, Sizzling Towards 60 and Beyond, The Book Trail, The Cobweborium Emporium, Postcard Reviews, Wild Daffodil, An Historian About Town, Global Housesitter x 2, Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

“Hi, what was that again? Where am I supposed to be?

“The Hustings, woman, you are supposed to be here!”

“Oh bugger” thought Plot Putting an inch to her step. Once again she considered how she was built for comport not speed, as she raced towards the park.

Plot didn’t know any of the nominees for the Best Book Review category but she was pretty sure that if she knocked them sideways on her way it would make a pretty poor first impression. She tried to slow down, but gravity had now come into play and she was building up a head of steam, there was quite a lot of Plot to gravitate.

Best Book Review

Nominees: Between the Lines, Story Snug, Cleopatra Loves Books, CrimeBookJunkie, The Book Owl, The Bookworm Drinketh, Grab This Book, Heavenali, Lisa’s Ramblings, The Book Review Cafe, Swirl and Thread, Olga Author Translator, Read It Daddy, StefLoz Book Reviews, Black Books Blog, The Vagaries of Us, Whispering Stories, Books n All Book Promotions, BiblioManiac, damppebbles.com, Father Reading Every Day, Jo&Isalovebooks, mychestnutreadingtree, Anne Bonny Book Reviews

Services to Bloggers

Nominees:Bang2Write, MakeItUltra, Em Linthorpe, Annette Rochelle Aben, Portobello Book Blog, The Militant Negro, Nicholas C. Rossis, Rosie Amber, Always Trust In Books, Two Drops of Ink:A Literary Blog, Compulsive Readers, bytheletterbookreviews

Luckily the next stop was Services to Bloggers, her pal Em Lindthorpe was nominated here, and Em had totally revamped Plot’s Pinterest Page making it look all professional, and like Plot knew what she was doing. This just goes to show how appearances can be deceiving.

Hidden Gem

Nominees: So Many Books, So Little Time, A Mindful Traveler, A Simpler Grace,  Bookliterati Book Reviews, Retired? No-one told me!, The Dreampacker, KalifornicationX, therebemonstershere.com, Fiction Is Food, Jane Dougherty Writes, Meadowtree Style,  Must Hike Must Eat, Image Earth Travel, Book Lovers’ Booklist, Being In Nature, Teagan’s Books, Sarah Tebb, The Tennis Foodie, Off-The-Shelf Books, Willowdot21, Deb’s World, Unbound Roots, Wheelescapades, Novel Deelights, The Quiet Knitter, Queer Little Family

On she went, past the Hidden Gem stand where competition was tighter than Plot’s waistband. Gemma couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Plot’s red face!

“Oh Gemma! How much further?” Plot wheezed

‘Don’t worry, you only have to go past the Best Pals , then you are next” Gemma replied between chuckles.

Plot took a deep breath and ran on.

Best Pal

Nominees: Bookwitch, Annika Perry’s Writing Blog, collenchesebro.com, Anita Dawes and Jaye Marie, Dare To Live Courageously, Ladies living in Bookland, Rachael’s Thoughts, witlessdatingafterfifty, A Chronic Voice, Books From Dusk Till Dawn, Being Anne, D. G. Kaye, Invisible-no-More, thewanderingdarlings, From Michigan to Germany, A Walk and A Lark, Just Another Blog From a Woman, fancypaper

The next category was a killer, and not just because it was uphill again, Plot loved loads of these Blogs, and their writers were becoming proper friends, “How am I going to choose just one” she lamented to herself. “They are all great, and I’d take any of them to the Pub, or preferably all!”

‘See ya later – if you are still breathing’ shouted Cherie on Plot’s way past.

Plot tried to shot back, but there was nothing. Orla and Hailey were killing themselves laughing at the state of her.

Eventually Plot got to where she was supposed to be.

Someone had nominated her for Best Newcomer, which she was thrilled, excited and slightly embarrassed about. Plot figured that she must have pulled the wool over everyones eyes, but that they would soon catch on that she hadn’t a clue what she was doing, but for now, while everyone was blissfully unaware, she would ride the wave.

Best Newcomer

Nominees: A Knight’s Reads, The Daily Tales of Gregg Savage, Katie’s Book Cave, Loving the Fifty Something, sarahsthinkingagain, The Horror Club, My Plaid Heart, Zooloo’s Book Blog, Losing the Plot, The Beardy Book Blogger, Over The Rainbow Book Blog

If she could get her breath back, she would like to wish all the other bloggers in this category the best of luck, and if you haven’t voted yet there is still time, but not much, so check out those blogs and get voting.

As it is though, she is currently in a heap gasping for breath and wondering when someone is coming with gin.