CyberMummy 2010

I apologise in advance to any readers who didn't attend the CyberMummy 2010 blogging conference. I'm sorry you weren't there, especially if you wanted to be, to experience a phenomenal day.

There are not enough superlatives to describe my experience. The content sessions were very good, the goody bags plentiful and the organisation excellent, but it was the bloggers that made it such a unique and powerful event.

When I walked into the reception of the Ibis Hotel in Earls Court, several of my favourite bloggers all ran over to greet me. I burst into tears. The rest of the day was a bit like that. Recognition was followed by grins, scream and hugs. 

I'm finding it difficult to describe just how amazing it is to meet people for the first time when you already know them so well. I felt like I had been friends with all of them for years. Conversation came easy, there was no need to make small talk. Everywhere I turned I saw my friends. Even bloggers I didn't know that well were friends by the end of the day.

I'm deliberately not mentioning any names, mainly because I haven't got time to add any links before the boys wake up from their naps, but I do want to thank Sian (Mummy Tips), Jen (Alpha Mummy) and Susanna (A Modern Mother) for bringing us all together.

I could have spent a week with everyone and still felt like we hadn't talked enough or hugged enough.

The most moving part of the day was the final content session, the crowd-sourced keynote speeches. These were blog posts read by the bloggers themselves. I was over the moon to be asked to read. Here I am:

It is one thing to write a post about having wind on your wedding day and the death of your father, but it is another thing entirely to read this to a room full of friends. I struggled to compose myself at the end.

The following morning I woke up crying. I couldn't stop, tears were pouring down my face. I think this was a release of emotion and grief and that can only be A Good Thing.

I was overwhelmed by the response from those in the room. I'd like to thank everyone for their hugs, kind words, tweets, emails and mentions on their blogs.

It was lovely to see so many of us winning prizes in the draw. Please, Weather Gods, let it be sunny enough for me to need my Summer's supply of Wilkinson's Sun Care products!

A few of us were sensible and had some dinner to soak up the wine, I even vlogged it!

The parties carried on late into the night (I know this because I was one of the last bloggers to go to bed)! There were more tears, brought on by laughter this time.

I can't wait for CyberMummy 2011!




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CyberMummy 2010

Smell the Coffee

This morning I opened a new jar of instant coffee. As I twisted I heard the plastic lid slowly peel away from the foil, then pop off in my hand. I carefully removed the gold seal - in one piece - and inhaled. I breathed in deeply. I adore that aroma.

I remember my Mum calling me every time she was about to open a new jar of coffee. I got to stab, then peel off the thin film of foil. I was allowed the absolute pleasure of the first sniff.

I don't recall ever opening a jar of coffee and not sticking my nose in. If Presley and Cash are in the kitchen with me they will have a sniff too, although Cash hasn't quite grasped the concept. He blows out, like a woman in labour who is panting as the baby's head crowns because she has been told not to push.

I couldn't write about smelling the coffee without considering its other meaning. You see, I had a realisation this week. I did wake up.

I've spent many evenings recently sat here, at my laptop. I have followed my virtual world closely for some time and sometimes it gets me down. So I have simply decided to spend more time in the real world. I went to my creative writing group on Monday night and had a wonderful time.

I want to spend more time writing fiction. Once the World Cup is over I would like to spend more time songwriting with my husband. I will continue to blog and focus on the positive aspects of my online life, the friends I have made and the opportunities to write, to take photographs and to laugh and cry as I read some amazing blog posts.

I am nervous about walking into Cybermummy on Saturday, but I intend to embrace the opportunity to meet the people I like, love, respect and admire. Be warned, I like to hug. I will most probably scream with delight when I see friends old and new.

Let's make the most of our time together in real life. Let's share a cup of coffee and raise a toast to friendship.

I wonder what my boys will remember from their childhood, when they are older. Will they open a new jar of coffee and think of me? I hope so.





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Smell the Coffee

Let the Dog See the Rabbit!

Let the Dog See the Rabbit!

And the Winner is....

The winner of the Flexibath is:

*drumroll*

Emma from Me, the Man & the Baby.

Congratulations Emma, I'll be in touch.

Thanks to everyone who entered and thank you Random.org.

And the Winner is....

836 Words and 3 Pictures

This week there is a Gallery/Writing Workshop mash up!

The joint theme is emotions.

As I spent some time analysing my emotions I realised how complex they are. I am an emotional personal.

Today I could quite easily take my pick and write about sadness, disappointment, disillusionment, apprehension and fear, but you don't want to read about that, right?

After a morning playing in the garden with my boys I could certainly cover off happiness, joy, pride, amusement and love.

So I am listening to The Flaming Lips at Glastonbury (jealousy!) and writing about something wonderful that happened to me this week.

On Tuesday I attended a book launch. A piece I wrote is in the book Word Soup Year One. I am now a published writer.

Excitement built last week as the team from Lancashire Writing Hub projected extracts from all of the pieces in the anthology on to buildings in Preston and Lancaster.

My name in lights!

When I saw these photographs I literally squeaked with excitement and did a happy dance!

On Tuesday night, at the launch,  I was given five copies of the book, beautifully bound, with my name on. 

Here they are:

I felt pride, joy and disbelief. The book is stunning.

The pieces for the Word Soup Year One anthology were selected by the brilliant Jenn Ashworth and I am in the company of some amazing writers: Tom Fletcher, Sarah Hymas, Socrates Adams, Nicholas Royle, AJ Duggan, Mollie Baxter, Norman Hadley, Rachel McGladdery, JA Brunning and Peter Wild.

So how did this happen?

Well, it all began with this blog, my Baby, Baby Baby. In May last year I started writing, tentatively at first. As my confidence grew I tried my hand at creative writing. Earlier this year I read a piece of flash fiction that I had written at an open mic spot at the Word Soup live lit night. I was then asked to submit a piece for the anthology. I was overjoyed to have 'My Old Man', written about my father, selected. I was invited to read my 836 words at Word Soup in April. It is an emotional piece. I made people cry. Result.

You can buy the book here or win one here.




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836 Words and 3 Pictures