Happy Birthday to ” … on Anything, Really”: 1 Year Old Today—Plus Grand Birthday Giveaway Begins!
Well, we did it.
Exactly 1 year ago today I put up my very first post here ” … on Anything, Really”, titled (appropriately enough, but possibly not very originally) “And so it begins …”
What I said on May 31 2010 was:
” … in terms of content I’ll be focusing on my writing, so expect to see plenty here about both novels and poetry, what’s coming up and what’s happening, as well as the interviews I do on radio—and I hope there’ll be a few online interviews showing up here!
But it won’t just be my creative work: I’m looking forward to having conversations around what I’m reading now, the books I’ve loved reading in the past as well as creative influences from other areas. I also love food and wine, trees, getting out into wild places . . . as well as having a little cat buddy who likes to have his share in the conversations. So hope to keep that promise of “anything really …”
Well, I think I’ve done all that and a little bit more, including reporting from the suburban front lines of Christchurch’s February 22nd earthquake and its aftermath. In the past year I have also held not one but three blog parties to celebrate the US, Australia/New Zealand and UK launches of The Heir of Night and also run a F-SF Guest Author Series.
Blogging Every Day …
When I began blogging, I also decided to try and blog every day if I could. In total, I have clocked up 406 posts, but I did miss one day: Febuary 23, the day immediately following the February 22nd Christchurch earthquake when the sector of the city I live in was still without power—and a great many other services, but power was the one that prevented blogging. I do feel, though, that this circumstance counts as an extenuating circumstance in terms of my objective to ‘blog every day.’
A Few Statistics:
- In terms of site visitors, my first month was the lowest for distinct visitors: 1476
- The highest month to date: 5000 distinct visits
- And readership has grown by approximately 50% this year from the end of 2010.
So, very modest compared to the followings enjoyed by Messrs Gaiman and Scalzi and also sites such as Beatties Bookblog, but hey— “… on Anything, Really” is still new.
What Else Has Happened:
An important reason for commencing blogging here on “…Anything, Really” was as a means of communicating more directly with my readers, many of whom are international. So I blog because I’m a writer and the core of the blog is around my writing. So what’s been happening with that while I’ve been blogging every day:
- Thornspell came out in paperback;
- The Heir of Night was published in the USA, Australia-New Zealand and the UK, with foreign rights sales into The Netherlands and France;
- I completed the first draft of The Gathering of the Lost, The Wall of Night Series Book Two to my publishers and am currently completing the final version (a process that was somewhat delayed by earthquake and aftermath, but that, as they say, is life);
- I have had poetry published in the following journals: Bravado; JAAM; the NZ Poetry SocietyAnthology 2010, across the fingerboards; the International Literary Quarterly and broadsheet 7: new, new zealand poetry;
- And through the blog I have become part of the Tuesday Poem community;
- I completed a number of blog and radio interviews with other writers; and
- Contributed a short story, The Fountain, to the recently published Tales for Canterbury anthology, a fundraising project for the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.
—
AND
B is for Blogs, Birthdays and Birthday Presents:
I decided that I wasn’t going to stick to the virtual for “… on Anything, Really’s” birthday. I am still thinking about a present for the blog—and yes, ideas would be welcome!—but I also thought the blog birthday could be time for another grand book giveaway draw.
Here’s how it works:
- The period of the competition will be from 31 May to 30 June 2010 inclusive;
- Entries in the competition will be drawn from comments on distinct blog posts during that period: so each time you comment on a new post your name will be entered in the draw again—but only once for each distinct post. (For example: if you post one comment each on 10 distinct blog posts, your name will be entered in the draw 10 times; if you post 10 comments on 1 distinct blog post, your name will only be entered in the draw once.)
- Three separate book sets are available to be won, each one to be drawn separately:
- The Grand Epic Fantasy Giveaway Set, comprising:
- a signed UK, trade format first edition of The Heir of Night;
- a hardback, anniversary edition of Sara Douglas’s Battle Axe
- Trudi Canavan’s The Ambassador’s Mission
- Ursula Le Guin’s Lavinia
- Neil Gaiman’s American Gods
- The Grand YA Fantasy Giveaway Set Comprising:
- a signed hardback copy of Thornspell
- Cassandra Clare’s complete Mortal Instruments trilogy: City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass
- Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief
- Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan
- The Grand NZ Poetry Giveaway Comprising:
- AUP New Poets: Harry Jones, Erin Scudder & Chris Tse
- Ingrid Horrocks’ Mapping the Distance
- Anna Livesey’s the moonmen
- Kerry Popplewell’s Leaving the Tableland
If you only wish to be entered in one of the draws, please enter the category you are interested in (e.g. Poetry; or YA Fantasy, or Epic Fantasy) by your name the first time you leave a comment.
The draw will be made on Saturday 2 July 2011 using Random Number Integer.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYTHING REALLY!
Ooo! I always feel like I’m cheating when I enter a competition here (why do I feel that? As if an author can’t win book giveaways…) Anyway, I’m interested in the Grand Epic Fantasy Giveaway Set!
Consider yourself in to win–as often as you comment on a distinct post! It is a good package though, isn’t it? 😉
Happy one year anniversary!!!! May there be many more to come.
PS I’m not a huge poetry nut but do read all the ones you post and are coming to appreciate them more, so if I do remember to post on a distinct post I’d love either of the fantasy sets.
Thanks you, Jacqui–I, too, hope there will be many more, although I suspect some will be ‘short’ given the commitment to everyday.:) I will enter your name for both Fantasy draws.
Congratulations on a very productive year – and on your exquisite taste – fantastically awesome books (but please don’t put me in the draw – as I’ve read all the ones I like – which is pretty much all of them – and of course both of yours – Just fantastic. And amongst all that work to have blogged every single day – Amazing 🙂
Thank you, Alicia—one of the joys of a bookshop I imagine must be getting to see all the books first, but yes, very much like sending coals to Newcastle.:)
Congratulations Helen, and happy birthday to your blog!
Thanks, Helen—from me & the blog!:)
Happy Blog birthday, Helen! 🙂 Wow. I really can’t believe it’s been a whole year!
“I know”: it feels like yesterday!
Happy Birthday to you and blog! I very much enjoy your posts and like your other readers, I’m sure, appreciate the time, effort and thought you put into them. A far cry from the quality of some of the other offerings out there…
Put me in for Grand Epic Fantasy and Grand YA Fantasy!
Hi Charlotte—well, I do think about the posts and put some work in, so I am glad that shows through for you as a reader.:) And consider yourself in both Grande Fantasie draws!
Happy Birthday! I have followed Supernatural Underground for a while and loved it, but this is my first time over here. It won’t be my last!
Please put me in for the Grand Epic Fantasy and the Grand YA Fantasy!
Welcome to “..on Anything, Really”—although the Supernatural Underground is very cool as well! 🙂
Grand YA package for me! I haven’t read the Mortal Instruments trilogy, I know right? Happy Blog Day!
Sharon, You’ve got to read the ‘Mortal Instruments’. Will put you down for the YA package.:)
Woot! This sounds like loads of fun. Sign me up 🙂
Consider yourself signed, Katie!
Congratulations Helen! 😀 And thank you for the awesome giveaway! I would love to be entered to win your Epic Fantasy Giveaway Set, if this giveaway is international.
Thank you! 🙂
It is international, Giada—because I am a ‘citizen-of-the-world’ as well as a ‘fair dinkum kiwi.’ 😉
Happy birthday!
You share it with Kevin 🙂
the epic fantasy sounds good – I still haven’t read Cassandra Clare!
I also have been introduced to poetry through your blog and would like to read more – the poetry draw sounds good.
I think you would enjoy Cassandra Clare, Jan. And happy birthday back to Kevin.:)
Congrats! I really enjoy the site. Good luck to you on many more years to come. If your giving away books the poetry or epic fantasy sounds pretty awesome!
Thank you, Steve.
And yes, I am indeed giving away books, so consider yourself in the draw …:)
Happy 1 year Blogiversary!! 🙂
I would love to be entered to win the YA Fantasy prize pack!
Thank you, ChelseaB—I have put your name on the YA fantasy list.:)
Happy Blog Birthday! I would love to be entered for the YA Fantasy pack 🙂
Consider yourself entered, Ashleigh!
Happy one year anniversary. You have a great blog. I would love to entered for the Grand YA Fantasy Giveaway Set.
Thank you, Crystal, on behalf of the blog:) Your name is on the YA list.
Happy Anniversary!! Heres to a better next year than the one that past.
I would like to be included for the Grand Epic Fantasy Giveaway.
Thanks Donnas, on all counts—‘Grand Epic Fantasy’ it is!
Happy Anniversary Helen!
Would love to be enter for YA fantasy set, thanks for the awesome giveaway 🙂