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What Do You Cherish in Your Life? #CBF17

Blogging is all about making connections, sharing information, emotions, opinions, memories. One of the best blogging advice I have for new bloggers is to participate in a Blogfest: choose something easy, and make new friends!

I made a fair number through the Cherished Blogfest. The cohosts this year are Dan AntionCheryl PenningtonPeter NenaSharukh Bamboat, Mary Giese, and Kate PowellPaul Ruddock, and yours truly. I’ve been away, so my post is up late, and I’m off to visit everyone on the list today.

The Cherished blogfest is open to anyone who wants to tell the world about something or someone they cherish. If you want to join us, click here. The blogfest is open until Midnight Sunday, 23 October.

Here’s my post for last year. The ask for the blogfest was this:

Often, objects lead us to memories.

The objects we hold most dear, harbor the most cherished memories.

For the CHERISHED Blogfest 2017, we invite you to talk to us about one of your cherished objects. Tell us what it is, post a picture of it if you like, and tell us why you cherish it.

Keep your post to below 500 words.

We will share memories, emotions, information: we’ll read and comment on each others’ posts, get to know each other better, and hopefully, make or renew some friendships.


My Cherished entity this year is my blog, and all You guys.

BlogfestI’ve now written on this space for about a decade, and have come to know some of you over the years. I count you amongst my friends, and look forward to your likes and comments. I’m active on social media, but nothing could ever replace the exchange of ideas and emotion I’ve experienced thanks to this blog. Your kindness has kept me going at times, and though I’m never very personal on here, your words have often given me comfort during the hard times– it has been a safe space to come back to.

I’ve been away for a while, traveling the Scottish highlands, and this blog was never far from my thoughts: a post about my trip will be up soon.

The Cherished Signup list is here: add the link to your Cherished post, not your blog.

How long have you been blogging? Have you taken part in any blogfests? Organised them? If yes, have blogfests helped your blog? Are you signed up for We Are the World Blogfest? Do you follow the Cherished Blogfest page? Will you be signing up for the CHERISHED Blogfest 2017?

I co-host the monthly We Are the World Blogfest: I’d like to invite you to join, if you haven’t as yet, to post the last Friday of each month a snippet of positive news that shows our essential, beautiful humanity. You could add a link and a badge to one of your regular posts that weekend, in order to participate.Writer's RetreatPlease join Daily (w)rite on its Facebook Page in case you’d like to be heard by this community. If you liked this post, you can have biweekly posts delivered to your inbox: click the SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL button. (Feel free to share this post if you like it. You’ll find icons to re-blog it via WordPress and Blogger to the left of this post.)

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Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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47 Comments

  • Liesbet says:

    I second all you say here about blogging and blogging friends, Damyanti! They are very precious, indeed. While I enjoy writing, sharing my adventures and, hopefully, inspire some of my readers, the relationships that have been created during my recent blogging years have been one of the highlights.

    I did not join the cherished Blogfest this year, due to lack of time and being on the road (not an excuse for you, though :-)) and finding out about the deadline a tad too late. I’d have to pick my camera or my laptop this year, in addition to my diary, which I wrote about in last year’s Cherished Blogfest edition.

  • Always find the Cherished Blogfest refreshing to read.

  • datmama4 says:

    I had planned on participating in this one, and then thought I’d missed it—if I’d realized the dates were extended, I certainly would have jumped in, but I was traveling and I suppose next year will have to suffice.

    I also cherish many online friendships. I used to be of the mindset that I had to know someone “in person” to feel a connection, and I’m happy to say that’s not the case as I meet and enjoy so many people from around the world.

  • I used to actively follow such blogfest 5-6 years ago, though nascent then. Since then, I have lost the intent to do so, because a lot of authors write on a same subject and a few used to plagiarize those entries.

  • Love that you picked your blog as you cherished possession, Damyanti. I’m glad to join the fest this year.

  • Your blog – what a great pick! I really cherish mine too and for the reasons you mention – connecting with others and exchanging ideas. Looking forward to hearing about your trip to Scotland.

  • Allie P. says:

    Thank you for putting the fest together. I’m sorry I missed the part about keeping a post under 500 words, next time I will try to do better following instructions.

  • I enjoy following and reading your posts about writing and everything under the sun. Happy Diwali, Damyanti.

  • Ally Bean says:

    Your blog! What a lovely thing to cherish. A blog, any blog, has the ability to connect us with people and ideas that make us more– well, more kind, more informed, more fun. Thanks for hosting this blogfest and #WATWB, too.

  • Donna says:

    Thank you for co-hosting ‘Cherished Blogfest.’ I was excited to take part for my second year. Thank you also for the reminder about ‘We are the World.’ I have read about it at Ally’s ‘The Spectacled Bean’ and am inspired to join in!

  • Anita says:

    Thanks for the info, Damyanti.
    I do agree with you. Blogfests are great!
    Would love to join the ones you have shared.
    Happy Diwali! 🙂

  • Thank you very much for this. I’ve been blogging for about ten years now, but I’ve never participated in any fests. I’ve never even heard of something like this. Looking forward to meeting some new people!

  • I almost skipped this because I though it was about the CBF! Yes yes yes cherish the friendships made through blogging. I met you through AtoZ…

  • I’m enjoying your pictures of Scotland. 🙂

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Thanks, Ian. I’m posting them on social media, while I write my post on Scotland :).

  • G.B. Miller says:

    I’ve been blogging since 2008. I’ve made quite a few blogging friends over the past 11 years, but they’ve slowly fallen by the wayside, with some going to Facebook, others simply not blogging anymore and others who have grown distant do to personal change. I still blog but now it’s mostly for me and mostly for Facebook readers. I rarely get commneters since the blogging platform I’m on makes it difficult (but not impossible) to comment on individual posts, and the topic is strictly my writing adventures, which is directly due to the fact that I’m simply burned out about writing general topics.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      So your blog is the same age as mine!
      Yes, some of my blogfriends are lost now, some I mourn as they have tragically passed on, but a vast majority remain, and are a big part of my life.

      Thanks for visiting me, and for your comments.

  • Peter Nena says:

    Thank you Damyanti. Through you I have met so many wonderful people. You are really the reason I still blog to date. I started my blog on a whim, as a joke, without any long term goals whatsoever, a place to discard my useless horror stories. Then you came along and brought several friends with you. Through the blogfests you organised my blog acquired new readers and followers and it took a different shape altogether . Thank you.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Thanks, Peter. I’m honored by your words. I’m not a horror reader, but I read and love each of your stories.

      You write so well. My only complaint with you is you don’t write more.

    • Me too, so thank you Damyanti!

  • BAEast says:

    no blogfests, but then i don’t have 32k followers!

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Blogfests are for everyone, regardless of number of followers. The Cherished is open for this week, please join in if you have a moment.

  • Sharukh Bamboat says:

    I really cherish the friendship that we share and I feel lucky that somehow you found me and help me find friends that have now become an extended family. I hope you had a great Scotland tour.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      That’s so good to know, and yes, BFF has become such a good part of our lives. Thanks for joining us, Sharukh!

  • I count myself as one of those fortunate to have found your blog just this year during a blogfest. How nice of you to say such kind words about those you’ve met and befriended along your blogging journey. I was planning to join cherished this year but ran out of time. I am stopping by a few to read and I’ll watch for it next year.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Emily, the list is open all of this week, so feel free to post any time if you have a moment.

      So glad I managed to reach out to you: it is kindness from folks like you that helps me keep my blog going.

  • Dan Antion says:

    Thank you Damyanti. It’s hard to explain how important finding your blog has been to me. You are high among the people I cherish.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Thanks, Dan. The feelings are mutual. I’ve counted on your support, and blog friendship.

  • Funny…. I started my blog to share my love of reading and books. Now, I love blogging almost more than I love reading.

  • hilarymb says:

    Hi Damyanti – how lovely to have been travelling over here … looking forward to your ‘report back’ … I couldn’t agree more about blog friends … I’d rather blog than FB?! I’m old!! Sorry but have other things going on at the moment – so next year … by the sound of it – cheers Hilary

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Well, FB is for old people, they say.
      The youngsters have moved on to other apps!

      Thanks for being my Luddite blog-friend. I enjoy the slower pace of blogging, and truly appreciate your long and thoughtful comments.

  • miladyronel says:

    Blogfests are always a great way to meet new people and catch up with friends. Can’t wait to read about your trip to Scotland 🙂

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Hiya! Thanks for stopping by my Blogfest post!

      Scotland post should be up soon-ish.

  • I loved your #CBF post from last year, Damyanti. I could imagine how it must have brought back so many cherished memories for you. Good to know how you connect with so many online friends. I can relate to that. Hope you enjoyed your trip to Scotland this year. Looking forward to your post soon. Thanks to your reminder, I managed to add my post just in time. 😀

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      You’re welcome, Esha. My Scotland trip has thrown everything out of gear: sorry about the late reminder.

      The posts can go up all of the coming week, so please feel free to spread the word!

  • macjam47 says:

    This has been a busy weekend, so I can’t take on another thing. I had my granddaughters yesterday and today is the fall party for our neighborhood and I am the one in charge. I will hop around and visit as many of the particpants’ pages as possible.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Enjoy the party! You can post anytime all of this week if you find a moment. The list is open till next Sunday.

  • bikerchick57 says:

    Damyanti, I also cherish all of the blogging peeps I’ve met online, including you. It’s been an interesting journey with people here in the US and around the world. Thanks for being part of that journey. ☺

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Thanks for being part of my blogging journey as well, Mary.

      This blog has gone from being a hobby, to a passion, to a family.

  • Jemima Pett says:

    That’s so nice, Damyanti. Thanks – and I agree with you. Online friends are to be cherished <3
    Hope you enjoyed your Scottish trip – look forward to seeing the details!

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Jemima, thanks for being such a good blog friend over the years.

      The Scotland post should be up soon.

  • I know blogging isn’t as popular as it used to be, but this is where I come to visit my online friends. It’s still my favorite place as well.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      I love visiting your blog, Alex. I get all the news from the blogiverse in each of your posts.

  • simonfalk28 says:

    Awww shucks. I’m sure many of us are as grateful as you are, Damyanti, for the exchange of words and experience we encounter in the blogisphere with bloggers such as your good self. Am loving your Scottish Highlands footage, a part of the world I thoroughly enjoyed in 2012. I could return there in a heartbeat. Sorry, I didn’t get to Cherished this year, recent days have denied me the time for visiting and commenting.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Glad you liked my FB posts on Scotland, Simon. I’m hoping to do a big blog post later in this week or the next.

      I’d like to take the opportunity here to tell you that I really do cherish your comments. You’re always so kind, positive, and encouraging.