One Year Blogoversary

Source: birthdayexpress.com

July 12, 2012 I started a journey with a writing blog I titled Keep Inspired. My dream since I was 12 and read S.E Hinton's The Outsiders has been to write a book. I even feel I have a story to tell (read earliest 2012 posts for a recap); however, I also feel I have neither the perspective nor the wisdom to write it quite yet. These are things that can only come in time. In the meanwhile, I wanted to keep writing, reading (my love bigger than writing), and living a life that would take me where I need to be.

And here I am a year later with my writing blog now a book blog with a new name and all kinds of crazy social media hook up - really, this FB page thing is crazy! But I'm loving every moment of it and every person I "meet" and every book I get to talk and every moment God gives me another chance to let me be me.

It has been fun and that's thanks in large part to my readers (and now FB and Twitter likers/followers). I can't thank you all enough for every post you've read and every comment you've made - both here and on my FB, which I know some of you prefer.

I'd like to end with a shout out to all of my support...no mushiness, just heartfelt thanks. To the writing blog friends I started this with and with whom I'm still in touch: Carolynn...with 2Ns (aka Wry Writer) and donnaeverhart, you were among the Betsy bloggers who inspired me to start my own blog. I appreciate your encouragement over the past year and hope to continue through the next with you both.

Next came my friends (who I actually know in person, lol), Roshni and Matt. Once I started my blog, you became instant encouragers. Your encouragement built my confidence and deepened our friendship. Truly grateful for your families' friendship with mine.

I also have thanks to give to those who helped me transition into book blog mode. To Allison at The Book Wheel, who I found through the Top Ten Book Blogs contest on Story Cartel earlier this year, she introduced me to my main source of books to review, NetGalley.com. It is also through The Book Wheel that I found the next three bloggers: Thank you Rebecca at Love at First Book, for answering my questions about the ins and outs of book blogging and review methods. Thanks to Jennifer at The Relentless Reader for her help when I had questions while setting up my blog's FB page. And Leah at Books Speak Volumes, who has been doing this almost twice as long as me, thank you for a wonderful blog, which gives me something to look up to and forward to. You are a wonderful group of ladies and I appreciate your book blog comraderie!

And biggest thanks to my husband and kids who have supported my hobby and have recently joined me on some family reading adventures. My husband even opened a Goodreads account all on his own, just to friend me in support of my blog and new FB page! That's what I call love!