I didn’t really celebrate last year, but I’m going to this year. LE is two years old and I can hardly believe it. What started out as something to keep my mind occupied while staying home with the monkey (he was 10 months old at the time), has evolved into something I never would have thought possible.
When I first started, I didn’t know anything about the book blogging community and wasn’t really expecting anything to come from my little blog. It was just going to be a place where I could share my thoughts on books without flooding my personal one. Now two years later, LE has gone through some site changes (Blogger to WordPress, it’s own domain, a couple different designs), I’ve found a ton new friends who love talking about books just as much as I do and people actually want to know what I think. That’s the part that surprises me the most. I am one of those people, that after walking into a room, will find the darkest corner to hide in so I can people watch and read my book. I mean, look at this:
- Over 500 fans on Facebook
- Over 700 people following me on Twitter
- Over 160 email subscribers
- 312 book reviews (plus I have three more to write)
To say the least, I am completely amazed at the idea of people wanting to see what I have to say about books enough to follow me around the web.
One of the other things that has blown my mind since starting LE is how easy it is to get to know various authors and publicists. I mean, you never hear about authors in the tabloids or in the entertainment sections; so the idea that they were not hidden away, trapped behind a desk (which I guess is true some of the time), and actually available surprised me. I’ve met some great authors and a lot of them have stopped by LE over the last two years. I’ve had 41 authors write posts for LE, and I have had to increase the number of slots I have open because of interests, and I have had 12 different authors suffer through an interview with me. I am loving the fact that I can connect with these various authors.
So, to show my appreciation, and to thank everyone for sticking with me these last two years, I’m having a contest. Want to know what I have? The First prize package involves signed copies of Maria Snyder’s Glass series – Storm Glass and Sea Glass;
and the Second prize package includes TA Pratt’s Marla Mason series – Blood Engines, Poison Sleep, Dead Reign and Spell Games.
Both packages will include some swag, but I’m still working on those, so what they are is going to be a surprise. So that is what is up for grabs. I will state one caveat…the Glass novels are brand new, bought when I saw Maria Snyder in Monroe earlier this year; bu the Mason novels are gentle read, so not brand new.
So how do you get your hands on either of these, that’s probably what you’re wanting to know, right. It’s easy, I simply want to know What is it about book blogs that you enjoy? Is there anything you would like to see on LE? I’m always looking for ways to improve the site and I love hearing feedback. International entries are welcome, but shipping may be delayed a little!
As always, there’s more ways of getting your name in the hat:
- +1 for each place you post about today’s contest on your blog, social network, or anywhere you can. Digg it, stumble it, twit it, share it with the world. Wherever you share it, make sure you add a link to it along with your answer.
- +1 to any review you comment on, however, comments must be meaningful. Just give me the title of the review and I’ll be able to figure it out from there.
- +1 Join the Literary Escapism Facebook page and/or follow LE on Twitter
- +2 subscribe to Literary Escapism – either via a reader or email (see the RSS button at the bottom of the sidebar)
- +10 purchase any novel (ebooks not included, sorry guys, I don’t get credit for those) through LE’s Amazon store sometime during this contest and send a copy of the receipt VIA email for your purchase to: myjaxon AT gmail DOT com. Each purchase is worth ten entries and it has to be through the LE Amazon Link.
The contest will stay open until December 31st, at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the Research Randomizer and the List Randomizer.
I follow you on Facebook.
I follow you on Facebook.
I love reviews of upcoming and newly released books…and to see blurbs about future releases. Keep adding to the ever-growing wish list LOL
+1 sidebar: http://wickedwalker.blogspot.com/
+1 following on twitter as @raycee3
+2 following on google reader
Great contest
+1 Twitter follower @parajunkee
+2 google follower
+1 tweet: http://twitter.com/parajunkee/status/7204366069
I enjoy book blogs because they introduce me to new books and new genres. After I read the reviews, it’s easier to walk into a bookstore (or Amazon) and find what I want because I have a clue as to what novels the new book is similar to and what the premise is, beyond the back cover.
I like LE just like it is. :-)
+1 Sidebar: http://budgetinabox.blogspot.com/ (under Book Giveaways)
+1 Tweet: http://twitter.com/whatinabox/status/7204961175
+1 Twitter follower @whatinabox
+2 Subscribed with Google
I’m a twitter follower (seriouslykooky) and a subscriber =2
Happy anniversary!
Congrats on ur 2nd year!
I love book blogs, because I am always looking for new books to read! Being able to view a blog that has tons of books and authors as well as experts is an excellent way in which I can find new books.
What would I like to see more of on your site? More books of course! Keep up the excellent work!