Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Happy Five Years to Me!!!

Winner -- Terry Martini


Well, it really did sneak up on me this year. For some reason, I was thinking the date was August 9, but I should have remembered that I started this blog five years ago the day after my mom's birthday.

I can't believe it has been five years already. I have to say that getting into this book blogging thing has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have met some wonderful people and authors...and have made a myriad of friends. Anyone who says online friendships aren't real...well, pshaw to them! I can happily say that some of my best friends are now people I met online (you know who you are).

I am a much more busy blogger than I was five years ago. I have 13 blogs on Blogger and two on Wordpress. I host several long-term reading challenges and I have a read-a-thon blog on which I host four week long read-a-thons a year. All of this on top of reading like a maniac, reviewing books for authors, being a mom of two preteen (one soon-to-be teen) boys, working at home as a virtual assistant and trying to write my own novel. The funny thing is, I have not really experienced any burn out. I even kept blogging through a serious illness in 2010, the dissolution of my marriage in 2012, and finally my divorce this past June. Whew! Never say die, right!? I always try to keep an positive and optimistic outlook and I think that has helped me to not burn out.

I'm so proud and thrilled to be the owner of The True Book Addict. I purchased my domain this year (www.truebookaddict.com) and I recently redesigned it all. I guess I will mention stats (even though I'm not overly concerned with keeping up with numbers) because I want to acknowledge the wonderful people who have appreciated my blog. So...

Number of blog posts since inception - 1351
Number of page views (all time history) - 1,140,720 (wow!)
Number of GFC followers - 702
Number of email subscribers - 111
Number of Bloglovin' followers - 329


Now, on to just a little something I would like to do in appreciation of my blog readers. I'm giving away a $10 (digital) Amazon gift card. All you have to do is leave a comment letting me know how you follow and please leave a way for me to contact you if you win. This giveaway is only open to current followers. I will draw the winner in one week (ending August 12 at 11:59pm CST). Good luck!

Thanks again for sticking with me over the years. It is much appreciated!


Sorry...I couldn't resist!

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Follow on Bloglovin

34 comments:

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. It means so much.

I apologize for word verification, but as soon as I changed the settings from only users with Google accounts, I started receiving a ton of spam comments...within one hour of changing the settings. The bots are on high alert apparently.

  1. Congratulations! What a milestone. I follow via bloglovin.
    campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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  2. Congratulations and thanks for all the read-a-thons, your read-a-thon was the first one I ever did :D

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  3. Congratulations! I always find blogging to be a great distraction when things in life are hectic/hard, and you're right that it's a great community :)

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  4. Happy 5 years!

    I would love to enter. I follow on Bloglovin.

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  5. Happy Birthday and you have many more in blog land.
    I follow you on GFC and I think Bloglovin
    CABWNANA1@bellsouth.net

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  6. Happy blogoversary!! 5 years is just amazing!!
    I follow via GFC.
    blackcapballistics AT gmail DOT com

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  7. Congratulations! I started this blog on August 9th, so my first year of blogging is coming soon.

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  8. Congrats Michelle! This is a blogging accomplishment that should be tooted.


    I've been a long time GFC follower and then Bloglovin' when Google threatened to give Friend Connect the boot.


    On another note, thanks for the blog domain advice :)


    wlbehr24 AT gmail Dot com

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  9. Congrats Michelle.

    I started taking part in reading challenges in 2011 and your Christmas challenge 2013 was the first of your challenges I have taken part in. Since then I think I have only missed Summer 2012 challenge.

    I hope you will keep going strong with your blogging for many more years.

    I follow by email, Facebook, Goodreads ( I think) and maybe GFC but as it doesn't work I am not sure.

    Jane

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  10. Happy blogoversary! Wishing you many more to come!
    I have followed for quite some time via GFC (fredamans) but now follow on Bloglovin'. I know I follow elsewhere too. :-)
    freda.mans[at]gmail.com

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  11. Aws happy 5 years Michelle! That's amazing! I so agree with you. It's an amazing experience and can really keep you going through the hard bits. Hope you have a fabulous year 6!

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  12. Happy 5 years of blogging Michelle!!! I am happy we are friends and I haven't learned a lot from you and enjoyed reading book along with you on Tuesdays and in your readathons. I keep thinking that when you publish your book, all these great connections you have made will be their to sing your praises. Thanks for all you do in the Book World!! Your presence is important to me and many others. I hope you have many more blogging anniversaries to come.

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  13. Yay! Happy 5 years!! Hopefull many more!!


    I follow via GFC!


    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  14. Happy bloggiversary! Wow, 13 blog! I don't know where you find the time to keep up with it all.

    I follow through rss. Message me on Facebook!

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  15. Happy Blogoversary!!!!! I think I'm coming up on my 5th year in September (wow, I can't believe that either!). You've been part of my blogging landscape for such a long time, and your readathons are always a blast- and they push me to read more and more. ;)

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  17. Congrats! I follow via GFC and email.

    nanze55(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  18. Congratulations and best wishes. I am an e-mail subscriber.

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  19. Michelle, what a great milestone! I am, unfortunately, a fair-weather friend who sometimes pops up and takes part in challenges, post comments occasionally here, then disappears for awhile. I am a much less focused and dedicated blogger than you are. Problems in life throw me off track and I don't always get back in line for quite a while. I'm trying, though :)

    I don't read too many historical books so some of the time we don't travel in the same circles, but I have always respected your work ethic, your beautiful blog layouts, and your kindness to other bloggers. You are the gold standard in my large, extended blogging world. I am amazed that you can do all that you do and not burn out, but I am so happy that you do!

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  20. Fictional 100 /LucyAugust 6, 2014 at 12:03 PM

    Happy blogoversary!! It was a happy day for me, when I was invited to TuesBookTalk (by Jane GS)--discovering your blog(s) and the warm, kind, and capable person presenting them, have been bonus blessings I am so grateful for. I mark this past year as the time I really began to settle in as a book blogger. Being part of the community of friends and book bloggers you foster has been such a big part of this. I send virtual balloons and flowers, and much gratitude to you.

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  21. Gina, a book dragonAugust 6, 2014 at 4:24 PM

    I messed up somewhere! I've added you to my blog roll, follow with GFC and have liked you on FB.

    WOW! What an awesome milestone and congrats for taking the step of the address purchase.

    Love your read-a-thons :-)

    bookdragonslair @gmail.com

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  22. Congratulations Michelle! Hopefully you will be blogging for many, many more years. You always have such interesting reviews and entries. I follow by GFC and email. tmrtini at gmail dot com

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  23. Congratulations. I follow by email. Tore923@aol.com

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  24. Congratulations!!! I follow by email denannduvall(at)gmail(dot)com
    I follow on Twitter, on Facebook, On Bloglovin and GFC too!

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  25. I forgot Pinterest.

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  26. Congratulations & thank you!!

    I am an email subscriber:

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  27. So fun! I love keeping up with all your doing. It's amazing! So glad I can be a follower of you ;) Keep up the great work and congrats!!!! (email follower) hmsgofita at hotmail dot com

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  28. Congratulations on 5 years!!! Here's to many more!! :)


    BTW, I follow through Feedly, and am FINALLY getting caught up on my blog reading after my latest move!

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  29. Congrats Michelle. I primarily follow through email. history(underscore)buff(at)hotmail(dot)com.

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  30. Thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for the outpouring of well wishes and love you have given me in your comments. You have made my blogoversary even more special...every last one of you. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends. I wish I could give you all a present. :)

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  31. Happy blogiversary, Michelle!

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  32. Happy anniversary! Those are some impressive stats!

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  33. Congratulations, Michelle! I have to say, when I first started following book bloggers, you were one of my favorite sites to read. You review a nice mix of books (though you do stick to a lot of my favorite genre--historical fiction!) and you add in the right mix of personal tidbits about your life as well. It's always been a joy to read and follow on Bloglovin' and Goodreads :) Please keep it up for many years to come!
    marykate dot sullivan711 at gmail dot com

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  34. Way to go Michelle. Given all of your achievements its hard to believe its only been five years. Here's to the next five and the five after that.


    http://pettywitter.blogspot.co.uk

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