Hard to believe it's been two years of blogging for me already. I would never have thought when I was starting I would have come this far and gained so many friends. I actually didn't even want to start blogging as I didn't think I would have anything interesting to say, let alone that anyone would care to hear it. And the growth of Internet book stuff! It's been amazing.
I want to start off with a few wonderful words from an amazing person I meet way back before I came to blogging. And he was actually the one who brought me with him to this community.
Please welcome Ryan from Wordsmithonia, as he talks briefly of changes he's seen over his two years blogging too...
When Melissa first asked me to put my two cents in about the changes I've seen or have experienced since I've started blogging, it took me a while to think about what my answer would be. Like Melissa, I've been doing this for about two years now and my first reaction was, not much. At first thought, I didn't think I've experienced that many changes. Once I kind of sat around and stewed on it a bit, I did think of one change.
It's something that I never really knew was happening. In the past, I had always scoffed about people who claimed they had made great friends online. I didn't get it, I didn't see how you could be friends with someone you have never talked to with a computer screen between you. I thought they were just being, well strange would be a word for it. My views started to change, minimally, when I joined the Barnes & Noble book club forums. I got to know a few great people over there, people I found myself liking despite the fact I had no clue what they looked like. Once I started my own blog, my entire world view shifted.
In the last two years I've gotten to know some wonderful people that I'm more than willing to call friends. They are warm, friendly individuals who always seem to have the time to talk, even about things I'm sure they could care less about. They have helped me deal with personal issues, sometimes without ever knowing it. I can honestly say I can not imagine my life anymore without the wonderful friends I have me through blogging. It's one of the reasons I've kept blogging for the last two years. It's one of the reasons I can't even fathom a time when I may not want to blog anymore. I'm looking forward to many more years of having them in my life.
So how did I get here? What has changed in these 2 short years? Well...
It all started with me reading the
Magician series by Raymond Feist. Yep, hard to believe. I got laid off from work and started reading (actually started with my son's book
Eragon) and enjoyed it. My brother steered me to Raymond Feist's books. Loved them! So I went in search of a place to learn more about the books and books like them to read. What I found was the book chat forums at Barnes & Nobles. I found some wonderful people there and we chatted away on several books. Then a few of them started their own blogs, so in order for me to comment on their blogs I created an account. Still afraid of this new cyber world I was afraid to put my own thoughts out here for others to see. But curiosity got the cat and I started posting my self. These wonderful people I started with are still out there and still stop by often these days. :) I have to thank them for all their support and help as they really helped me get going. They are amazing people, so I hope you visit them and say hello.
But, I have to say so much has changed since I started. I've grown to enjoy a much broader range of books than I have ever thought I would. And the people here! I have made several close friend on the web and great people to chat with. And I'm surprised there are authors out there that WANT me to read their books for them and share them here. That is one amazing thing to me. I'm still shy at asking to read the books or interview the authors, but I'm starting to come around. I know everyone is so busy and time is of the essence for all, but I know in my mind what is the harm in asking? They can only say the worst of No.
I think the biggest change for me are the ebooks. I'm sorry to say I'm still in the old school of things and read the printed versions. I haven't gotten an ereader yet and not sure if I'm ready yet either. Sounds strange right. But it seems more and more books are coming out this way, and I'm missing loads of great reads not being with the times.
