MY BLOGAVERSARY. Why I Started Blogging and Why I Keep On.

Why I keep blogging.

In the process of getting my children’s book ‘Annie’s Special Day” published I have shared whatever I was learning with you. My latest was going to be the workshop from www.TheMuseonlinewritersconference.com called Marketing on a Shoestring. Then I read the last forum on Sunday while preparing for my post. On it there was a request not to share information unless I had permission from the teacher. I don’t have permission and don’t know how to get it short of going on their book’s face book page and then there wouldn’t be a promise he’d get back to me in time to write a blog post for today.(gasp!) So sorry readers, I really am. He was thinking outside the box and I think you would have liked the info but I can’t in good faith share it.

I started blogging because when the publisher showed interest in my book,  I was asked to do a blog tour and I felt I needed a blog to do that. Now I know better. Now I know that when I go on ‘tour’ I will be a quest on someone else’s blog and will be providing new content each time. My publisher, eTreasures publishing is in the process of setting up a blog tour for November. I’ll be sure and let you know where I’ll be visiting once I know the links. I hope the tour will create a buzz for my book “Annie’s Special Day,” so people will put in a pre-order on Amazon or at my publisher’s web site www.eTreasurespublishing.com . Also theoretically one could buy it on their e-reader whether it be a Tablet, Kindle or Nook.

In the process of getting my book published and sharing whatever I learned with you whether it be my blogging journey or my writer’s journey, you have been with me all the way. Now I finally see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I finally have an illustrator who really knows her business. She is sending me illustrations faster than I can comment on them. She is in touch with the publishers over what she needs to make my book the best possible.

In case I haven’t told you, I’ll give you a brief summary of what ‘Annie’s’ all about. “Annie’s Special Day” is a basic concept book about time and clocks and a little girl’s new adventure every hour. It’s her birthday and she stays up for twenty-four hours celebrating it. I think it’s perfect for ages kindergarten to seven and for any kid learning to tell time on digital or analog clocks. It’s a perfect accompaniment for teachers, parents, grandparents and librarians who want to teach time.

There seems to be some discrepancy in when it will be published. If the illustrator, Claudia Wolf, gets done with the illustrations by early December, then the book might be out by Christmas. Otherwise it won’t be out till early winter 2012. Claudia’s contract says she has till January 18^th to finish all the illustrations. And the original contract didn’t have a cover in it. We were thinking one of the illustrations would do. I have all the thumbnails and now don’t think it will. In my talk with her Monday I’ll mention it. She may not mind making an amendment to the original contract for the cover.

I can’t wait till I have the cover so I can show it to you. Then I’ll really feel like the book is a reality. Then I think I can really start marketing. It’s been a year since I started blogging and it was because of ‘Annie’ that I started. And it’s still about ‘Annie’. I can hardly wait till it’s a real book. It will come out in print before the e version comes out because that’s what I asked for a year ago. Now everyone’s got an e-reader or got the app on their pc. I’ll have to ask if it can be done simultaneously. I want all of you who want, to have a copy. Soon I’ll put the buying info on my blog and you can get it. Then I’ll throw confetti.

What started as marketing and promotion gradually changed as I got comments and started to *know* you, my readers. My  book is still important but the people who connect with me have become more important. You have become the real reason I keep on blogging. You are who I think of when I write now. When I push the publish button, it’s you who I think about. Yah you!

Did any of you know the reason I started blogging was because of my children’s book? Did any of you start blogging because of your book or writing? Who of you started because you just felt like you had something to share?

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