Happy Blogversary to LE!

20 December 2009 Jackie Contests, Uncategorized 58

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.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

24 Comments

  1. I enjoy book blogs for two reasons.

    One, they keep me advised of new authors and the reviews give me something of an idea about how the authors writes.

    Second, they have giveaways and one can never have too many books on your TBR pile.

    I am a Follower

  2. Hi,

    I have you on facebook and I think also twitter. It is nice to keep track of stuffs that you write, but I like facebook the most since I get a longer update of your posts. +1

    Looking forward to many more posts and fun!

    I enjoy the new releases list that you have and the annoucements regarding books that are coming out. I am in grad school and it can be really overwhelming, and websites about fantasy books and said reading of fantasy books helps to bring some fun into my life.

    It would be nice if you could have a easier search option for reviews, based on rating, genre, author, series.

    Thank you and merry christmas!

    Amber

  3. Amber – You can actually search for reviews by all those terms except for ratings. I dislike ratings, so you won’t find any on any of my reviews. But there’s a huge search cloud for genres, each other has their own category (sorta). Although I don’t have one for series, I do have one based on what type of novel – vampire, shapeshifter, magic, etc.

  4. I love blogs to find great books that I otherwise wouldn’t know about and to meet like-minded people.
    +1 added fan on FB

  5. I enjoy book blogs because they introduce me to all the new titles that are coming out as well as give me a glimpse of what I might like and what I might not.

  6. I enjoy learning about new to me authors. I get to step out of my box and find new genres to read. I enjoy the contests too, but that is just an added bonus. I enjoy finding out background stories on my favorite authors and it’s always nice to find out whose books they read.

    I am a follower on google

  7. Happy Blogversary! Two years is a long time in the blog world. I love reading your posts, I don’t comment as often as I should but I’m working on it. I can’t think of anything to add to what you already do because you do a spectacular job on all of your posts.

    The best thing I like about book blogs is the friendships that can be found among the book lovers across the world.

    Don’t enter me, I just wanted to congratulate you. :)

  8. Happy Blogiversary! Two years is a huge accomplishment!

    I love learning about new books, new authors, upcoming releases, author interviews, and meeting other readers on book blogs. I also like having my own space to share books that I’m excited about.

    I would love to win either series!

    +1–I posted the contest in my sidebar–http://theintrovertedreader.blogspot.com/

    +2–I subscribe to your blog through Google Reader

    Thanks! And congrats again!

  9. Happy Blogiversary :D

    I love bookblogs, cos well I love books! And by reading them I find so many more to read. This has been the best year ever cos I have read so many good books

  13. Happy blogiversary, Jackie!
    I’ve come to really look forward to the roundups that you do.
    I love the community of bloggers and readers that I’ve found. Connecting with other people who love books as much as I do is such an awesome feeling! :-)

  14. Happy Blogiversary and thanks for the contest! I keep hearing many things about Marie Snyder’s Series’. I think I would have to say I like the reviews the best only if they are truly honest and not all 5 stars. I actually found a couple of books I thought would be good, but didn’t end up buying them once I saw all of the reviews for them.

    +1-Following on Twitter (emma015)
    +1-Facebook Fan
    +1-Twitter: http://twitter.com/Emma015/statuses/6975262660
    +2-Subscribe by Google Reader

    findjessyhere at gmail dot com

  15. Not entering contest, just wanted to say Happy Belated Blogoversary. Like to come here for the non-spoiler reviews and just see what is going on around the blogoverse in general. You have an excellently informative site and enjoy the Facebook and Twitter as well..

    Jackie B Central Texas

  16. Both series sound really great.

    I joined Facebook (booklover0226)
    I follow on Twitter (bl0226)
    +2 I am a subscriber

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 AT gmail Dot COM

  17. I love to read book blogs because I like to see what others are reading and how they like the books. I even enjoy bloggers who have different interests than I do. It helps me broaden my horizons. I would like to see you keep doing what you already do. Great blog.

  18. Congratulations on your second year, I am fairly new to your blog, but have enjoyed it. What I like about book blogs is that I can be introduced to new authors and or series that I either might not have known about, or not thought to read. Even it the person has different tastes, I always can find something new to enjoy.

  19. Happy Blogiversary! I enjoy the roundups you do – saves me time rather than going from blog to blog, plus you visit places I may not have heard about before.

    I do try to comment when I visit, but can’t remember specific posts at the moment. I’m off to twitter to follow there…

  20. I really like to have a place where I can “go” and read about all the different books you should or should not read in the genres i love, it gives me a good idea of what I could read next, even though it takes time before you can buy them in Denmark.

    +1 Following on Twitter (forceofstars)

    forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk

  21. Happy Blogversary!
    The thing I love about book blogs is that I get the chance to hear about so many different books. I get tips on newly released books and great books to buy or borrow. I’ve discovered so many great books and authors through book blogs! It’s also fun to hear other opinions about books I’ve read.

    +1 I’ve posted a link to this contest on my sidebar (under international contests) – http://www.yavampirebooks.blogspot.com

    +2 I follow LE and subscribe via Google Reader

    sosarora_11(at)hotmail(dot)com

  24. Book Blogs are a great resource. I normally stick to blogs for reviews! I love to see pictures of covers along with the blurb and reviews.
    I think the only comment I may have toward LE is to have an easier button to subscribe via email. For some reason I have not been able to do so=) I must be computer illiterate or something. Other then that- I adore LE.

    http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/group/giveaways +1

    http://twitter.com/chasNkai/status/7166146555 +1

    FB/Twitter follower +1

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