A gorgeously sunny afternoon saw the numbers swell at Wesley Anne, with our usual corner table struggling to contain the ranks. Usernames were proffered as wine was poured and pens uncapped, and with stories and poems forming a pile on the table in front of us like a pagan offering, it began.

These meetings are quite a casual event. We spend some time chatting, getting to know each other, discussing Red Bubble and all who sail in her. We were greatly appreciative of the presence of the divine Mummified, who cruised in with her usual exuberance and take-no-prisoners attitude, spilling an armload of sample books onto the table and demanding our opinions. Giving a table of writers wine and then asking for their views on Red Bubble is an ambitious undertaking, but not a word was wasted as she scribbled everything in her magical little notebook, and then silently slid below the table before disappearing in a puff of ether……..

The theme of this meeting was ‘feast’, and such a delicious array of words poured forth…..glazed pears, salt and pepper tails, skin like rice paper, browning apples and black cherry beer (Paul, when you taste your first Kriek, I’ll hear your yells all the way over in Northcote!).

The theme is merely inspiration, and provides a loose framework for the pieces we bring along. The theme for the next meeting is shoes & clothes…..make of it what you will.

We’d also decided to bring pieces from other Red Bubble writers; words that kicked us in the heart and lingered in our heads for days; words that needed to be shared. It’s easy to get locked into your insular little Bubble world, where the less prolific or vociferous writers could get lost in the shuffle, especially now we’ve reached over 50,000 members. Hearing each other’s recommendations was a fabulous way of sharing the magic of this place, and had our pens flying. There’s now a forum here where you can leave your recommendations, or pick up new names to keep your fingers dancing over the keyboard at any time of the day or night.

The meeting spun out into an evening of ink and imagination…..but if it’s gossip you’re after, well, my lips are sealed. I wouldn’t possibly tell you about Kristy Lee waltzing off with Mick8585’s beloved hat, or that for such a stunning woman, LisaG hides from the camera with hisses, leaving Chris growling “don’t touch the lens!” FriarTuck finally gave in to my persuasive bubblemails and turned up, and I wouldn’t possibly tease him about his spectacular exit (no, really, I wouldn’t). Newcomers Yasemin Sumner and Luckyvegetable were amongst the last left standing, as relaxed and at home as if they’d been to every meeting, still sitting with beers in hand when I ambled off home.

We left an array of plump little olive pips as evidence, salty crusts of bread strewn in glossy pools of balsamic vinegar and rosy stains in the bottom of wine glasses….’twas a feast, after all.

the troops gather

Luckyvegetable braves a reading

FriarTuck torments a certain camera-shy beauty

The only way I could get JulieJulie and Jessica Tremp’s attention was to ensure their wine glasses were empty (note to Jo O’Brien: I remembered the red balloons!)

Luckyvegetable and Paul Louis Villani, giver of THE BEST hugs ever, and a damn good writer (no more “I just write songs”, Paul!)

With an expression like that, this could be the door bitch, I think

Kristy Lee thinks she can take her on

While Yasemin Sumner wants a ringside seat

Thanks Perpen Dickular for the photos!