Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Happy Blogiversary to me! And you and you and you! (Three book prizes)

You guys are the reason I blog, and I'm so grateful for those of you who consistently visit me even though I'm still learning how to manage my blog time so I can visit all the people I desperately want to! You inspire me to connect and give back.

Last May 3rd, I picked up this dusty old blog, gave it a makeover and started writing about writing. A lot. I've slowed down in recent months, but you guys keep me in the loop. I've learned a TON from you this past year. Through blogfests, twitter hash tags, and the interblog consciousness, I've become a slightly better writer :) and absorbed the nuances of an entire industry: the publishing industry.

My goal this coming year is to pay it forward. 

My year at a glance: Last summer, I became a contributor at The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog, which is an eclectic source of writing tips and publishing news. A few months later, my critique partners and I started Operation Awesome, home of the Mystery Agent contest. We've had the joy of seeing multiple success stories, including two agent-author signings who found each other via the M.A. contests (finalists on the blog today, btw). Beginning in April, several bloggers, authors, and readers have banded together to start Afterglow Book Reviews, to share the books that stunned and satisfied us with an incredible afterglow.

We've had book reviews, agent-led contests, giveaways of new and previously released books in all genres, and interviews with some of the most exciting literary rock stars, including authors and agents. But in paying it forward, we can always do more.

So my question to you guys on this day of anniversary is:

What can I do better? 


On that note, I have a book giveaway. There will be three winners, and you can tell me what you prefer to win in the comments. 


1) Follow and 2) comment with an answer to the above question to win one of these three prizes:


Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins


Break by Hannah Moskowitz


   and The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker


Thanks again for being fabulous blog buddies!!

9 comments:

  1. That's a tough one...maybe share more of your own experiences as lessons for those of us who are newer to the business of querying and submitting things.

    As to which novel I would prefer to win--that's a tough one too! I'm gonna have to go with The Liar Society :)

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  2. Happy Blogiversary, Katrina! I haven't been able to do a lot of blog visits lately because of school, so I've missed a lot of your posts. But I just want to say a quick congrats!

    I think what you're doing are great already. :)

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  3. Wow, happy Blogiversary!

    I agree with Jess, any lessons or tips would be great! You do so much already!

    And I'm dying to get a copy of The Liar Society!

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  4. Hm, what can you do better...just give more of you! :) I always enjoy reading your blog, even though I'm not that great at commenting. I'd love to see more of your own personal take-aways and lessons from your writing-- I love posts like that!

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  5. HM. I'm a firm believer that blogs are an extension of the blogger behind them :) and so whatever you give me WILL ALWAYS be enough! Keep doing what you're doing, do more of it, and keep being you ;)

    Happy blogiversary!

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  6. I love these answers! Thanks, ladies! *beams* I'm a happy blogger.

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  7. happy Blogiversary! The last year has been awesome. As for what can you do better -- keep being you! Hugs

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  8. Wow. I think you are doing great. Tonz more than I am at this point! =) I just enjoy coming here off and on to see what's going on. Great contest.

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  9. I think you're doing a great job here & at OO. You guys have really launched that blog with a bang, and you are both supportive and offer good content!

    I think your Pay It Forward theme is a great one. All of us have benefited from the knowledge of others, so we should all try to give back when we can.

    You rock, Woman!

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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