Happy Blog Birthday!

 

A year ago today I wrote my first post and my blog was born! I started off not having a clue as to what I was doing or letting myself in for. A year on, I’m still not very tech savvy but I’ve learnt a lot in other ways. For example, I’ve learnt that when I go to book events I need to take notes – my memory is not what it used to be. Also, it doesn’t matter how many times I read my posts through before publishing, there’s often a mistake!

 

I’ve had the chance to read some incredible books and connect with authors. I still don’t think of myself as a proper book blogger because I read quite slowly, so review a much smaller number of books than most. I’ve been to lots of literary festivals, panels and book launches. First Monday Crime has been my mainstay since April and I’d like to thank the team behind it for gathering such an array of talent and for giving me the opportunity to review books and interview authors.

 

I’d also like to thank Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books and Lucy Chamberlain at Legend Press for inviting me to take part in blog tours. It’s been great to feel a part of something bigger.

 

Without doing the blog, I’m not so sure I would have had the chance to meet so many authors and bloggers, many of whom have become firm friends. I would start naming you all but I’m worried that I might leave someone out by accident! But if we regularly have conversations on Twitter that involve cake or mud wrestling ferrets or recasting Top Gun with authors or #tastethetaser, then know that it’s you and I’m blessed by our friendship. There is one author I want to mention though and that’s Clare Mackintosh. I went to a workshop that she did a year ago and it’s because of that talk and her encouragement that I set up this blog. Thank you Clare!

And there’s someone else I need to thank… now, who was that? Oh yes, it’s…

 

YOU!!!

A massive thank you to each and every one of you who have read any of my posts over the last year! Whether you’ve found my blog through Twitter or Facebook or a blog tour, I’m grateful for your likes, follows and comments. So to show my appreciation, I’m going to give away a copy of my top read of 2016 – Epiphany Jones by Michael Grothaus. It’s a tough book to read because of the topics it covers – sex trafficking and porn addiction – but as I keep saying, it is the most extraordinary book I’ve ever read. I’m going to an event next week at Milroy’s in Soho and Michael will be there, along with Rod Reynolds, Steph Broadribb and Daniel Pembrey. (There are a few tickets left. Click here to book and see below for full details). So not only will the winner get the book, I’ll make sure that it’s personally signed by Michael too. How do you enter? Easy. There are three ways. Either comment on this post saying you would like to enter or retweet my pinned post on Twitter (which will be for this post) or share this post on Facebook from my page Joy Kluver Author. Competition ends on Monday 23rd January 7pm. Sadly, I can only accept entries from the UK. Good luck!