YALC Memories

Hello all, I hope you are all well and keeping yourselves safe. This weekend would usually be YALC weekend but obviously with everything that is happening in the world at the minute YALC has been postponed to next year. I didn’t want to forgot all about YALC though and wanted to look back at my memories for the wonderful YALC weekends I have had. Here is a little post all about my YALC memories!

2018!

I first went to YALC back in 2018. I was such a nervous wreck going to my first YALC and remember the terrifying tube journey to the Excel centre on the first day. I was in London with my family but was spending the YALC weekend with the wonderful Sarah and Sophie from The Little Contemporary Corner and the amazing Charlotte from Wonderfully Bookish. Sarah, Sophie and I had become fast friends in 2018 and this was going to be the first weekend we had spent together. YALC 2018 was the first time that I met Charlotte but she instantly because a best friend who I adore with all my heart and I am currently missing a whole lot.

This was my first ever weekend completely surrounded by books and people who loved books and it was so much fun! The YALC stress was real but the fun with friends, meeting authors and attending panels had me forgetting that stress very quickly.

A highlight of the weekend was meeting the wonderful Melinda Salisbury and the ‘weak steve’ joke being born. This little inside joke with Mel still live on in 2020 and I will forever find it funny.

I’m so glad I took the plunge to go to YALC back in 2018 because I met a lot of new people, gained a lot of confidence and spent the best time ever with my best friends.

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2019!

YALC in 2019 was a year to remember! We rented an apartment for the weekend and spent 4 whole days together. This weekend showed me what amazing friends I have, how much I love books and book events and what a mix of emotions YALC can be.

I had so many wonderful author interactions at YALC last year. I definitely got more confident when it came to talking to authors about life and their books. One moment I will always remember is my conversation with Karen Gregory. Karen is so lovely and her books have helped me through a lot so what she said to me I will cherish forever.

A highlight of this YALC weekend was just as the entire weekend was ending, me and Sophie spent the last 20 minutes in the excel centre playing catch with a hat. Here is a video of what happened, you can laugh at my expense!

I would love to relive this weekend. I had so much fun and made memories I will remember forever!

There you have it, my YALC memories. I cannot wait to make more YALC memories in 2021. This YALC weekend will certainly be spent a lot differently than planned but I still have my best friends, my books and the love for reading! We are also all safe! Have a lovely YALC weekend at home everyone and keep safe!