If you get a blank screen, this usually indicates an error, and that your server is setup to NOT display errors. Check your error log. I have found that when this happens to people, it is usually another plugin conflicting with it (on the VB side) Try uncommenting this line the vbbridge.php file:
Code:
define('DISABLE_HOOKS', true);
As for showing the author in the thread, doesn't VB automatically show in the thread information who posted?