It was all Helen’s fault… we wouldn’t have been at St Albans at all except we were meeting her not too far away. Having said that… just look what we would have missed! So we had plenty to talk about as we regained the car in the rain and headed off in the general direction of lunch and the third of the meet-ups we had planned with blogging friends.
This time we were meeting Helen Jones, author of the fantasy series The Ambeth Chronicles… and if you haven’t come across her yet, have a wander over to her blog, Journey to Ambeth.
We were far too early and debating whether or not to get a table. We needn’t have worried… Helen was already there too … a wave, a smile… and, for me at least, it felt as if I was meeting an old friend. The three of us had very vaguely met at the Bloggers Bash last year in London, but had barely had chance to say more than a quick hello, so it was lovely to be able to sit down and natter over a leisurely lunch in a lovely old pub.
You just get that feeling when you are on the same wavelength with someone… even from comments on a blog and the odd email… so it was a comfortable meeting and a happy one, with an awful lot of talking done in what seemed all too short a time…and I hope it won’t be the last as we live not too far from each other.
Conversation covered a surprising amount of ground… and I didn’t pick the camera up once. So no pics, I’m afraid! (Well, she might have retaliated…;) )We did talk a fair bit about one kind of photography though… the one that had set Stuart and me off on the writing journey. And red kites, of course… and architecture…and history…and I think we could have lingered much longer still talking…
So the picture is a kind of ‘where it all started’… for Stuart and me it was Uffington…and Waylands… and a tiny little chapel with the oddest light…. a place I hope to share with Helen one of these days.
Find Helen Jones and The Chronicles of Ambeth on her Amazon Author page:
The thought of finding magic in ordinary places is one that I love; the idea that just stepping off the path could take you somewhere unexpected. It’s part of what inspires my writing. When I was a child I did find a strange valley and hear a scream – the incident stayed with me and was the starting point of the Ambeth Chronicles.
I’ve lived around the world, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Sydney, but started life in Coventry, England. A couple of years ago I moved back to my native England and, once settled, started to write about Ambeth. The name ‘Ambeth’ comes from the Welsh ‘am byth’, which means forever, a nod to my Welsh family background and the fact that for me, Wales is my heart home.
Ambeth is not the only world I plan to visit in my books, but it’s where I am now. When I’m not writing, I like to walk, paint and study karate (when housework and family life permit!) Life has been a journey to get me to this point but I can honestly say I’ve lived it and am grateful for every day.
Or visit Helen at http://www.journeytoambeth.com
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
It must have been very nice to talk with her properly without having WordPress between you slowing down the whole process with comments and replies. 🙂
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It was, Bun… makes a huge difference to be able to natter across a table 🙂
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That’s nice. Much as I enjoy blogging, one regret I sometimes have is that so much information is lost by not being able to see the other person.
For example, there have been times in the past when I haven’t been quite sure how someone intended a particular comment on my site because all of the supporting facial evidence that would give me that information is missing.
It happens in reverse too. I use humor a lot, but I’m always afraid that something I write will come over as sarcastic or unnecessarily abrupt even though I never intend it that way. (It’s never my aim to make anyone feel bad.) The cheerful tone of my voice would make that clear but sometimes my words may not. 🙂
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I know… you have to have a certain amount of self censorship and auto-critic-ing and be aware of the possible way in which things can be read…. yet you are still going to upset someone when they read it in yet a different way again…
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It can be tricky at times. It’s already happened to me once or twice over the last year. 😦 The temptation is to play it safe all the time, but then I’d feel bad for the receiver if all I ever said to everything they wrote was “Great post!” I think most people prefer something a little less generic.
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So do I… Though sometimes a few words or a thank you are about right.
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You are the socialite, Sue. Bloggers Bash continuity woman extraordinaire.
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Well, if you are going to introduce us, Geoffle… 😉
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
The trouble is when writers meet for lunch… they never stop talking.. Sue Vincent meets up with Helen Jones..
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Thank you, Sue 🙂 It was a lovely lunch and, like you, felt as though I was meeting with old friends. I think we would have talked well into the evening if it hadn’t been for school pick up! Once I get through half term I’ll look at coming up your way. And wow, what a photograph! So much blue…
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That will be great, Helen… and I’ll take you to the chapel and you can see for yourself 🙂
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Reblogged this on Journey To Ambeth and commented:
I recently had a lovely lunch with Sue Vincent and Stuart France – truly, I felt we could have talked for hours! Looking forward to the next one…
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Aww that sounds amazing!
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It was, Suzie 🙂
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Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere.
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Obviously, I’m green with envy that I couldn’t join you. Sounds like you had a great time – and you’re right: that chapel does have the oddest light 🙂
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One of these days, I hope 🙂
You can see why we set off adventuring, can’t you, with light like that…
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Sure can 😀
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😀
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It’s great to meet up with blogging buddies. One of mine lives in Toronto and we get together a few times a year.
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It really is good to be able to meet eye to eye sometimes 🙂
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Yes, and there’s always a lot to talk about that has nothing to do with blogs.
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I’m not sure blogging was really mentioned much at all 🙂
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How fabulous that you guys got to meet up again properly! I’m proper envious! Glad you had a good time. Xxx
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It was wonderful, Ali! We are still hoping we can make the Bash this year too xx
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Oh wow really??? I thought you couldn’t come this year? Excellent!
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We’re working on it 🙂 Fingers crossed!
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Great, I’d love to catch up with you again. 😊
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We’re doing our best to organise things so we can be there… 🙂
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This is so exciting to read about, but more exciting to do. 😀 ❤ ❤ Happy times.
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It was really wonderful to be able to meet up, Tess 🙂
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One of these times I’m going to go to the Blog Bash. Never been to London.
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Then it is definitely about time you did, Tess! It would be lovely to meet you! 🙂
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And you too. Now all I need is to win a lottery. 😀
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me too, Tess, me too 😀
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