200 Blog Posts!

Wow! I can’t believe my little blog has reached blog post number 200. When I sat down and wrote my first blog post eighteen months ago, I had no idea what I was doing. Or what I was getting myself into!

Book blogging quickly became a really positive focus for me, especially for times where I was so unwell in the lead up to my Addison’s diagnosis that I could do little else than listen to an audiobook, or read a book if I was lucky. It’s been tough at times balancing my health and trying to keep my blog statistics up, but I’ve found a real love both for blogging, and the blogging community. Thanks to The Write Reads, I’ve found a bunch of friends who I just know are going to be the kind of people who are in my life for the long haul, and it’s so wonderfully strange to think all that comes from a united love of reading.

Over the last eighteen months, I’ve read and written about almost every possible genre. Blogging has really helped me explore what I love to read and what I love to write about when it comes to reading, too. Being on board so many different blog tours has opened my eyes to the way things work and really reminded me that I want to be onboard this train! I might never be able to work full time, but I’ve found something that I love, and that’s been such a confidence boost.

One thing that is mildly hilarious is that I ordered 1000 business cards for the London Book Fair this year, which arrived the day before it was officially cancelled, because Covid had taken too big of a hold. Since then, out of a mixture of boredom and increasing professionalism, I’ve naturally changed my details and my logo.

I’ve joined in with blogging for the Wolfson Awards two years in a row, and attended the awards last year in person, which was a real privilege. I’ve taken part in reading challenges, both on my own and in large groups. I’ve interviewed authors, I’ve written about books I’ve loved, and some I’ve not loved quite so much. I’ve met lifelong friends, like I said above, and I’ve found encouragement to keep going with my own writing as well as supporting the writing of others. Becoming a Hot Key Ambassador earlier this year really was like the crowning moment, and I know it’s only upwards from here.

Thank you so much to all my fellow bloggers who offer support, advice, friendship and laughter every step of the way, to all the authors I’ve worked with, and to all the publishers who keep me wonderfully busy with books to reads. Here’s to the next 200 posts!