BYRON LIT FEST SNAPSHOTS

For those who read the blog and packed in the woollies, my apologies. Trust me, it wasn't like this at all last year. We froze, we smacked locked jaws, we walked with endless cups of coffee waiting for some splendour in the grass. Nothing worked. This year, when we came all prepared, the sun chose to shine. I'm so not complaining though.


When you thought they couldn't get any younger, this lil one swept her feet above the ground.


A tisket, a tasket, a book full of baskets....
Now, turn those words around.....


The messages were on the boards....


And this panel was special for many reasons.

It was about an issue close to my heart. It packed the six of us, including the fine moderator Fiona Martin. At one point, it seemed like we'd off the stage, like we'd never get to the end of it, that time would run out (it did!), like all good things this too would end. There were so many perspectives, just as any discussion on blogging should well be. Marieke Hardy, Antony Loewenstein, Kate Crawford and Shalini Akhil made everyone in the audience realise how much more there is to learn in the blogosphere. Beyond that, there was a whole lot more.

You've heard the stories,Antony gave them a face. He recently finished a tour of some of the world's danger zones and spoke of bloggers who keep on despite the obvious dangers in places like Iran, Iraq, Egypt. There's another book in the works and I know this one can't wait.

I'd heard Kate Crawford a day before we met on this panel and loved the way she took on Mungo MacCallum, reminded us there was nothing wrong with Oprah and by the end of it all had us seriously Twittering away.

Marieke Hardy was the most colourful of us all. A hat tip for all her stories, of surviving being stalked online and persisting with one of the many things she balances in her packed young life. Her blog has resulted in a column, so never ever go into those bits of self-doubt. As I've often said before, if you do it with heart, if you put in your soul, if your writing sings, the music will accompany the lyrics.

Meeting Shalini Akhil is always great. She always livens up any panel. She holds her ground and boy can she debate. What I also like is how she shares much good stuff on her blog .

As for yours truly, the blog is the story.