I forgot to celebrate the occasion, but the 1st of January marked 10 years since I started my first book blog, The Emerald City Book Review. Though the Emerald City has morphed into the Enchanted Castle, I’ve been blogging for a whole decade now.
I’ve gotten so much out of this hobby, and I am so grateful to all my readers and fellow bloggers. Some have been with me almost since the beginning, some have joined along the way, and some have sadly fallen out of touch. But I appreciate each and every interaction that I have through this medium, and I hope that you have found it valuable as well.
I’m picking out some highlights from those 10 years, for a trip down memory lane. This was more or less at random, as I did not have time to go through hundreds of posts! I hope you might find something here to interest you, and perhaps sample a few more of my musings from the past.
- 2014: I compiled a list of Ten Books You Might Not Have Heard Of.
- 2015: I made a literary pilgrimage to Emily Dickinson’s House.
- 2016: I looked back at the Reading New England Challenge.
- 2017: I asked, What are your favorite Arthurian books?
- 2018: I read Les Misérables in a chapter a day.
- 2019: I reflected on the Apocalypse: It’s not the end of the world.
- 2020: I posted a pandemic list of Fourteen books about freedom.
- 2021: I shared photos from a trip to Ticino.
- 2022: I wrestled with my health in Uncovering my eating disorder.
- 2023: I kicked off the Ozathon with Journey into the heart.
In the comments, post a link to a past highlight on your own blog, and I’ll check it out! Every chance to connect with one another is worth celebrating.
Congratulations! Lory.
Thanks Rosie!
10 years is quite a milestone!
Congratulations!
Here’s to another 10!
Congratulations! Your blog is always a joy to read!
Thank you, I’m so glad you think so.
I echo the above comments, an anniversary worth marking and celebrating! I’m chuffed to have joined in your events (including the Arthurian-themed Witch Week) and privileged that you’ve entrusted that event to Lizzie and me. Witch Week, my long-term exploration of Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles, and my steadfast loyalty to Diana Wynne Jones’s books are among the highlights I’m most proud of on my blog, pursued over nearly 14 years now.
You were there when I started, and it’s been so much fun to share our mutual interests.
Congratulations, Lory! 10 years of blogging is a big accomplishment.
It’s carried me through a lot of life changes. Glad we are all still here.
Happy blogiversary! Here’s a recent highlight from my blog (which is about to turn 16 on February 3). It’s about learning to like the place I live, which is way easier in August than in January https://necromancyneverpays.wordpress.com/2023/08/01/i-have-my-own-song-for-it/
Right, remember summer? Nice snippets of poetry that you collect there. I don’t think I’ve ever read an anthology about a state, but what better way to gain a sense of a place than what the poets say about it?
congratulations, that is a great milestone! I have Les Mis to read on my new classics list so I’ll certainly be over to your 2018 posts, thank you!
Nice, that was such a fun project for me.
Congratulations on your blogiversary!
I will be celebrating 14 years in September.
I did a big thing with stats and games when I turned 10, and actually you were one of the winners:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2020/09/29/10th-blogiversary-today-stats-answers-and-winners/
That’s right! Can’t believe it was that long ago. You had an amazing celebration.
Happy blogversary, Lory. I will complete 12 years this July. 🙂
Congratulations!
Well done! I’m 18, rather shockingly. My stand-out post is one from 2019, marking the last review in my last re-read of Iris Murdoch’s novels. A woman called Jo posted her thoughts there, and she’d read ALL of the books, one a month, for the first time! I was so honored and privileged to read along with her for those 26 months. https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2019/12/13/book-review-iris-murdoch-jacksons-dilemma/
Congratulations , Lory! It takes a whole lot of effort and dedication to keep a good blog like yours going.
Thanks Harry! I would certainly never have lasted so long without the blogging community. They are largely what keep me going.
10 years?! Congratulations on the big blogiversary 🥳 I knew you had been blogging for quite some time, but I didn’t realize we’re both hitting 10 years this year (mine is in April). I have been reflecting back on who are some of my oldest ‘blogging buddies’ and you were one of the first that came to mind.
Likewise! I wasn’t aware we started in the same year but I know we connected early on. It would be fun to see who else is celebrating a decade.
I’m a little late to the party, but: happy blogging birthday!! It’s been lovely to know you via the internet!
Same here, Jenny! I will always remember how your enthusiasm to join in the first year of Witch Week gave me encouragement to keep going.
Happy blog birthday!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Happy Blogaversary, Lory! I’m so glad that I found your blog somewhere along the way during these past 10 years. I’m a faithful reader and glad to also consider you a friend.
Likewise, Lisa!
Congratulations on 10 years of thoughtful, perceptive blogging and reviewing!
Thank you Lark! It’s been lots of fun to connect with you.
What a great review of your years. I have blogged about my “blogaversary” a couple of times (it was 13 years in October) but never in such a way. Great inspiration. Thanks. And on to the next ten years!!!
I really enjoyed doing this. I’ve gotten so much out of blogging through those years.
I’m so glad you have been blogging and share your thoughts about books and life for ten years!
Thank you Deb. I can say the same of how ever many years it’s been for you.