The Bloggers Bash 2019 – Highlights and Photos #bloggersbash @BloggersBash

I can count on one hand how many bashes I have attended – five in total. Each have been different but one aspect is undeniable – I have put on a little weight since the first one.

I blame Ritu’s wonderful cakes!

Do check out Ritu’s new author blog:

https://ritubhathal.com

It was lovely reconnecting with old friends and making new ones too.

Unfortunately, as with all bashes there is always that moment when you realise that you haven’t had a chance to speak to everyone. So apologies to those I missed and to those I only chatted to briefly.

I took very few photos. Getting lazy…

But here are some, below myself, with Willow and Ritu.

Congratulations to Ritu for winning best book blog and to Sam Smith at Loving The Fifty Something Blog for winning the writing competition this year. I really enjoyed chatting to Sam and wish her every success and happiness with her writing and inspirational lifestyle.

Highlights

I particularly enjoyed listening to guest author Gemma Todd talking about her writing journey.

From working class girl with no books in the house, or readers in her family, to librarian and Headline author! That shows determination, tenacity and a love of the written word! Gemma flitted across the stage in an exuberant but down-to-earth way making me smile. She shared some touching anecdotes about her father and her genuine authenticity shone through.

The journey of a writer. Interesting and emotional talk by @GemTodd #BloggersBash pic.twitter.com/P9uZF22BEv

— Shelley Wilson (@ShelleyWilson72) June 15, 2019

I’ve followed Gemma on Twitter and will be finding out more about her book series which sounds fab. You can find out more about Gemma on her author website is via this link: https://gxtodd.com

Other highlights of the day were the flatlay session with Suzanne Elliot. Great tips from Suzanne followed by Sacha helping me with my creation.

Sacha Black’s invaluable advice was simple: less is more – don’t clutter your #flatlay photography. Add items to identify your unique style.

In Sacha’s case she includes a skull in her #flatlay. In my case, I could consider adding an item in red (like the colouring on my book cover.)

This is my work in progress flatlay… red item to be added at a later date. Perhaps a red bloodstone!

And The Panellists

Discussion was very interesting too. We heard from three knowledgeable bloggers/writers.

Listening to @esthernewton201 @ShelleyWilson72 and @FulltotheBrum during the panel discussion at the #BloggersBash pic.twitter.com/oucKOMJo6n

— Suzie81blog (@suzie81blog) June 15, 19

Great summation of the bash by my lovely friend Ritu: https://butismileanyway.com/2019/06/17/chai-and-a-chat-37-chaiandachat-bloggersbash-special-bloggersbash/

The perspective of a new blogger who hadn’t been before – Marian:

https://justmuddlingthroughlife.co.uk/2019/06/16/annual-bloggers-bash-2019/

More about the Bloggers Bash and Flatlay workshop from Eloise:

https://eloisedesousa.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/bloggers-bash-flatlay-workshop/

https://eloisedesousa.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/bloggers-bash-2019/

From the Bloggers Bash Website:

https://annualbloggersbash.com/2019/06/15/winners-of-the-2019-annual-bloggers-bash-awards-and-blog-post-competition-bloggersbash/

And Willow’s wonderful account full of photos: https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2019/06/16/the-annual-bloggers-bash-june-15-2019/

Sherri’s fab post on the bash: https://sherrimatthewsblog.com/2019/06/18/five-years-and-another-fab-bloggers-bash-2019/

Bye for now.

If you haven’t been to the bash yet I hope you might consider coming!

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Scrummy Food, Tulips and Cocktails #Food #Montreal #Canada #Holiday #Tulips

One of the things I discovered as we were sitting in the taxi on route to catch our bus to Heathrow was I’d forgotten my coat! So, I ended up borrowing my eldest daughter’s jacket when I could – this furry brown one was my favourite!

Here I am at Venice, Montreal, wearing her jacket and my woolly hat! And here she is when she grabbed it back on a later day outside Bevo Bar and Pizzeria!410 Rue Saint Vincent, Montreal QC H2Y 3A5

As you can see we stopped for a cocktail – the first of many!!! We went there on another evening to sample their fantastic pizzas. Yum…

I did buy myself a new jacket… think tulips and jazzy coat. I’m in the slideshow below. The tulips were stunning at the Botanical Gardens, Montreal. Talk about a field of colour…

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Getting back to cocktails. See the green one below? That was my favourite! We were on a rooftop bar, and it was the bizz!

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The food… Boy, was it tasty – my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Here are a few of the amazing dishes we tried… Look at this plate of beautiful food at Arthurs Nosh Bar… 4621 Notre-Dame O Rue, Montreal QC H4C 1S5 Not only does it look like a work of art it tasted like one too! It was well worth the wait. We had to queue to get in but this looked and tasted fantastic. A definite favourite!

And these two meals were from the same pub which was very near our AirBnB, Pub Bishop and Bagg 52 Rue Saint Viateur O, Montreal QC H2T 2K8 the food was amazing. See those potatoes they were cooked to perfection. Yum… And there vegetarian option was fantastic too. All very hearty but tasty food.

Then, we tried a vegetarian/vegan place called Lov. I chose the vegan burger and it was fab. 464 McGill Rue, Montral QC H2Y 2H2

https://www.lov.com/
At Taiyo we ordered from a tablet on our table and after a while we couldn’t quite remember just how much we ordered! Needless to say we ate everything but had less room for the amazing banana fritters. 1709 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 3K4.

Montreal is definitely a foodie’s paradise. This is just a sample of some of the amazing restaurants we went to and the cocktails… what can I say? Whilst on holiday, it’s imperative to let your hair down!

Time for a diet… and detox. Lol.

Do check out my other Montreal posts:

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2019/06/06/notre-dame-basilica-montreal-canada-travel-holiday/

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/grafitti-murals-montreal-canada/

And check out this post on Canadian travel:

https://noatech.travel.blog/2019/06/09/16-top-rated-tourist-attractions-in-canada/

Have you been to Montreal?

Do comment, I’d love to here from you.

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

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Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 131 #SynonymsOnly

It’s nice to welcome Colleen back after her break finding and settling in to her new home in Arizona. I’ve missed writing poetry but I’ve been super busy getting feedback back from my early readers and beta readers on my WIP: The Curse of Time Book 2 Golden Healer.

The synonyms I’ve chosen for beginning are dawn, and for consume – exhausted.

The tulips are from my recent trip to Montreal, Canada – Botanic Gardens. I had a wonderful time there on holiday with my two daughters.

Fields of Bright Tulips

With every dawn

Inspiration finds a way

To bloom in choice words

Until exhausted I dream

Fields of bright tulips

Hope you enjoyed my tanka poem.

Bye for now, happy creating!

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

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16 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Canada

Whilst I am missing Canada thought I’d share this from Noatech Travel Blog. Looks like I must go back one day. There is so much to see in Canada.

Noatech Pvt Ltd

The second largest country in the world, Canada has no shortage of beautiful landscapes and unique sites for travelers to explore. From coast to coast to coast, the country is home to vibrant and culturally rich cities, along with incredible natural wonders.

In Western Canada, the Rocky Mountains and cities of Vancouver, Victoria, and Calgary dominate most itineraries. In Central Canada, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, are some of the most popular destinations. For those who venture out to Canada’s Maritime Provinces in the east, the beauty of Gros Morne National Park, along with the cities of Halifax and St. John’s, provide their own unique character.

Off the beaten path, but equally impressive, is Canada’s North, where great rivers flow out to the Arctic Ocean, creating some incredible territory for canoeists, and where polar bears can be seen in the wild. Travelers can explore the remote beauty…

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Book Review of Ripples From The Edge Of Life by Roland Chesters #Aids #HIV

Synopsis:

If, out of the blue, you were given just two weeks to live, how would you feel? What would you do? How would you prepare for the end? Who would you tell – and how?

This was the terrible position Roland Chesters found himself in in the late summer of 2006. He knew he was seriously ill – but had no idea he had both HIV and AIDS.

Luckily, Roland did not die. Expert medical help and his own determination not to give in saw him through. His life, though, had changed forever…

‘Ripples From the Edge of Life’ is Roland’s account of a life-changing diagnosis and its impact on him and those closest to him. More than a memoir, Roland’s story is not unique; ripples spread outwards, and this empowering collection gives voice to fourteen others who have survived similar traumatic diagnoses.

This book contains wisdom, hope, humour and inspiration in equal measure. It is an essential read for anyone living with a life-changing condition, and for those who support them.

My review

Roland Chesters didn’t expect to be diagnosed with HIV.

Why would he, when he had a monogamous relationship with his partner Richard, and only had one previous partner? This personal account documents the shock and aftermath of his diagnosis. It takes the reader on a journey through his treatment, his subsequent difficulties at work and the impact of learning to live with such a shattering, life-changing illness.

Undoubtedly, Roland reached some terrible low points, but his fighting spirit to overcome is inspiring. How amazing his partner was – I think this is one of the major points conveyed – that having a loving, supportive partner, family and friends is so important.

I have enormous admiration for Roland and all the other contributors who have shared such personal experiences to help others with such openness and candour.

The latter part of the book includes the diverse experiences of men and women living with HIV. I was truly moved by all of these accounts.

My recommendation: Definitely read – 5 stars – An educational and enlightening read on the challenges of those diagnosed with HIV which facilitates discussion on the topic of life changing hidden illnesses and AIDS/HIV.

Note: Thank you to the author for a paperback copy which I was pleased to give an honest review for.

Roland Chesters links: https://luminate.uk.com/who-i-am/

Have you read Ripples From The Edge of Life? Do comment below.

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

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Notre-Dame Basilica #Montreal #Canada #travel #holiday

This beautiful basilica is situated in Old Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West and faces the Place d’Armes square.

It is a truly stunning church, perhaps one of the most beautiful I have seen. The colour and splendour of the interior is so dramatic that you can’t help but draw a breath of astonishment as you walk in. Moreover, there is a definite sense of calm in this church, a spiritual feeling which is apparent from the moment you arrive.

I would definitely recommend it as a must see location if you are visiting Montreal.
Here is a short extract from Wikipedia singing its praises:

The interior of the church is amongst the most dramatic in the world and regarded as a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture.[1] The vaults are coloured deep blue and decorated with golden stars, and the rest of the sanctuary is decorated in blues, azures, reds, purples, silver, and gold. It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. Unusual for a church, the stained glass windows along the walls of the sanctuary do not depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal. It also has a Casavant Frères pipe organ, dated 1891, which comprises four keyboards, 92 stops using electropneumatic action and an adjustable combination system, 7000 individual pipes and a pedal board.[2][3]

I had the fortune to visit Montreal with my two daughters in May. Here they are in the photo below walking ahead of me taking in the spectacular view…

Approximately 11 million people visit Notre-Dame every year, making it one of the most visited monuments in North America.[4]

And here’s another image for you to enjoy.

Unfortunately my photos do not do it justice.

Find out more here: https://www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en/

I hope you get a chance to visit.

Do comment, I’d love to hear if you’ve been.

My previous post about Montreal: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/grafitti-murals-montreal-canada/

Do check out this post about all the wonderful tourist attractions in Canada: https://noatech.travel.blog/2019/06/09/16-top-rated-tourist-attractions-in-canada/

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

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Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – #Potluck – What is the point of writing a blog? Why do I do it? by Marian Wood

A lovely #potluck post from Marian Wood on Sally’s blog today helping encourage new bloggers to join the blogging community.

Show, Don’t Tell = Use Body Language

Useful post from Dan Alatorre about avoiding Telling and eradicating or at least reducing those crutch words that we love to use so much.

DAN ALATORRE

We have addressed hundred of writing related topics here on the blog; use the search button to find the ones you need.

This lesson is invaluable, so read carefully.

Wait, does invaluable mean no value or lots of value? Quick internet search… Okay.

Yeah, there’s gold in today’s lesson.

BODY LANGUAGE = GOOD

CRUTCH WORDS = BAD

Also, a way to find and deal with your crutch words. Didn’t know you had those? You do.

Tag, your manuscript is it!

First, let’s discuss dialogue tags: those little phrases that follow a section of dialogue.

“Run,” he said.
“Why?” she asked.
“There’s a T-Rex coming!” He exclaimed.
“Oh,” she said warily.

Okay?

One of my favorite things to do is to wait until a new author writes “Why?” she asked and then I say, “Lose the tag, we know she asked – the question mark gave it away.”

It’s fun for…

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Ways to Avoid Repetition of “I” in First-Person Writing

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/i-i-i/

Review of More Glimpses by Hugh Roberts #Shortstories #Collection

Synopsis:

Do you believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden? Or know the real truth about what lurks inside every mobile phone? Would you steal items from a blind person, or send your neighbours on a time travelling adventure fraught with danger and menace to save the human race from a bug? How about staying in a sleepy village where many murders have taken place or coming to the aid of royalty while out shopping?

These are just some of the subjects covered in the second collection of short stories and flash fiction from author and writer, Hugh W. Roberts.

‘More Glimpses’ gives the reader an opportunity to take a peek into the lives of normal, everyday people whose lives are all on a path full of twists, turns and unexpected endings. However, it’s not only about the humans; nothing escapes the extraordinary journeys Hugh has planned for you. If you are a lover of shows such as ‘Black Mirror’ or ‘The Twilight Zone’ then you’re in for another exciting trip in this second collection from Hugh. Come and meet the characters who had no idea their lives were about to be turned upside-down. Enjoy the ride!

“Hugh W. Roberts is back with More…Glimpses, that is! This is his second collection of short stories showcasing the dark and somewhat twisted mind of humankind. Roberts’ witty imagination, coupled with his love of stories from The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, crafts 32 more tales of dark humour and hair-raising tales in a variety of genres, some a short read, others a little longer to get your heart racing! In every case, just when you think you’ve got the tale figured out, Roberts drops in a completely unexpected ending that may make you jump, laugh or even ponder your use of technology! The Tunnel, Baby Talk, Floral Hall and The Right Choice were my favourites!” – Terri Webster Schrandt, Writer and Blogger.

My review:

Thank you to Hugh for my copy in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

I really enjoyed More Glimpses, so much so that I felt a desire to perhaps complete my own short story collection one day.

Well done to Hugh Roberts he’s done it again!

I’ve also read his first collection which I reviewed here: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/my-kyrosmagica-review-of-glimpses-by-hugh-w-roberts/

More Glimpses is an excellent compilation of short stories with something for everyone. Short stories and flash fiction isn’t an easy option by any means. Short story authors have the difficult task of encapsulating plot, drama and characterisation into such a short space and Hugh Roberts does this so well.

My favourites:

The Whistle – a tear jerker drama war story.

The Right Choice – science fiction – (think extreme gameshows!)

The Door, paranormal.

And – Fairies At The Bottom of The Garden – fantasy!

Highly recommended.

My rating: 4.5 stars.

Have you read More Glimpses? Please do comment…

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

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This lesson is invaluable, so read carefully.

BODY LANGUAGE = GOOD

CRUTCH WORDS = BAD

Tag, your manuscript is it!

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