Ten year blogiversary!

Ten years ago today, I made my first blog post. It was a report on BookExpo America 2005, and it doesn't sound all that different from my most recent posts, although written in a slightly more formal voice. It's funny to think that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince hadn't been released yet when I started blogging. It seems so long ago now.

I was inspired to start blogging by the fabulous Tasha Saecker, who now blogs at Waking Brain Cells. I had already been reviewing books on a website (the original Wands and Worlds, no longer online) that I created with my son. I followed and enjoyed Tasha's blog, and was intrigued by the blog format as a way to share reviews. I emailed her to ask about it, and she encouraged me to start.

Although I've always been an irregular blogger at best, I can say that blogging has had a huge impact on my life. Because of blogging, I've gotten involved in the Cybils and Kidlitcon, two things that I care deeply about. I've learned so much about books and what makes a good book, both from following other bloggers and from evaluating them for my own reviews. Perhaps most importantly, I've made friends with good people who care passionately about children's and YA books. So thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me: you've inspired me, taught me, and been good friends.

Fifth Blogiversary!

On June 11, 2005, just over five years ago, I made my first blog post. I had already been writing reviews for Wands and Worlds, a site I founded with my son, and posting them in a homegrown database. But I had started reading kidlit blogs (there were a lot less back then!) and, inspired and encouraged by the talented Tasha Saecker, who blogs at Kids Lit, I decided to take the plunge and start blogging. My first post was a look at BEA 2005, which I had recently attended. It was a pretty good post, but the posts that followed were a little insipid, and it took some time for me to find my voice.

In honor of my fifth blogiversary, I decided to do something that I should have done, er, five years ago: I wrote up my blog and review policy. So now publishers, authors, and publicists don't need to guess what I review and what my policies are. You can see it at the "Blog & Review Policy" tab above, or at this direct link. Comments, questions, and critique are welcome.

A lot has changed in five years, but a good book is still a good book. I haven't started running out of books yet, so I hope to be blogging for a long time to come.