SO here we are … another year down. For me this is a great time to look over the last 6 months of my blogging journey. I started blogging (seriously book blogging) the first week of June 2009. From that date on it has been a wonderful whirlwind of:
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I have connected with people from all over the world.
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been introduced to books I may not have ever encountered
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Spoke with publishers and authors
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fed my passion for writing
I have given a lot of thought how I would wrap up my year. Do I post my favorite reads over the past year? Make resolutions for 2010? How about a bit of both…. walk with me down memory lane:
Dragon House will always hold special memories for me. Not only was this a fantastic read, this was my first book sent directly from the author.
Pope Joan was another read that really was incredible. Author Donna Woolfolk Cross is fantastic and she and I communicated back and forth for a few months while they were filming the movie for this book. This was all new to me…. chatting with authors?
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy was such a fun read. It was great to participate on Kay’s 2.0 Blog and chat with ehr on Twitter as well. This book is not available to the public yet but I have pom poms ready to go to cheer like crazy when it does. YA look out in 2010!
The Help by Katherine Stockett is a great example of the power of book bloggers. As I watched this book gather steam through the blogs I purchased it and never looked back from page one to the very end. This book holds a high place in my 2009 reading favorites.
Jantsen’s Gift touched me deeply and author Pam Cope and I talked for over an hour on the phone as I interviewed her and shared our common interest in helping children all over the world.
Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins were books I would have never dreamed I would have enjoyed…. I mean seriously…. fighting to the death? Yet… I read them because of the wonderful bloggers I had come to trust and I LOVED these books. I cant wait for book three!
The Book Thief caused me to really put a new author on my radar that was reason for applause. A book told from the perspective of death…. if you havent read this – read it.
And this list is not by any means inclusive to everything I have read and loved this past year – just some that stick out in my mind as what I would say to someone who asked what book I would recommend.
As for resolutions for this blog…
- I am excited to really take a close look at the challenges I will be doing this year and keep way better track then I did this past year.
- There will be more author interviews
- Word Shakers will get the kinks worked out and we will move ahead
- I want to better at keeping track of the challenges I am in…. (I still have clean up to do on the ones I am completing – so behind! (My challenge post should be up later today)
- Pondering Moments will be a mid week meme that will stem from book related questions and/or topics…. I am hoping to get more involved in a weekly discussion as I really enjoy talking all things bookish.
Finally I want to thank all of you that stop in and read my thoughts on books, crazy life moments that I share over a cup of coffee, and the day to day support. I so appreciate all of you. This past 6 months for many of you I have went from knowing you by a blog name – to a first name…. and that is pretty awesome.
May you all have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve!
Book Journey 