Where does the time go? I can’t believe I started The Book Wheel only three years ago and it’s been one heck of a ride so far. My husband and I still laugh about how I got started blogging. I was drinking some wine and was looking into pricing for my domain when I found a great deal that allowed me to pay by the month. I entered in my information and selected, what I thought, was the monthly payment option and ended up purchasing it for the year. Now, at the time, this was a lot of money for us, so I looked up at him with the color drained from my face and yelped in horror that I just bought the domain for the year. My husband’s response? He told me to get off the computer and start reading because I clearly had some blogging to do. And so, The Book Wheel was born.
Now, three years later, I’m fortunate enough to have a blog that allows me to pay for hosting without panicking about the cost and The Book Wheel finances itself. From #30Authors being turned into a published anthology to turning my blog into a job in publishing, I’m very grateful for this little corner of the Internet. I have met some amazing people and have made some friends that I know will be around for life. I’m also finally at a place where I’m happy with the blog and its direction. I no longer worry about whether I review too many political books or whether my reluctance to take too many ARC’s will ruin my relationships with publishers. I have no problem saying no to things I don’t have time for and will go the extra mile to say yes to things that matter.
But I’ve also learned a few things along the way. I’ve had my eyes opened to how the Internet can be both wonderful and cruel. I’ve learned that it’s not necessary to pigeon-hole yourself into a particular “genre” of blogging and that variety is okay. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s okay to take a step back from everything and reevaluate where you’re going and what you’re doing. I’ve learned that being a blogger doesn’t mean you have to be friends with everyone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be respectful. I know this because I’ve made my mistakes, hurt some people, and have my regrets, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be more positive moving forward. I’ve learned that change isn’t a bad thing and that sometimes it’s even better than you could have imagined. In short, I’ve learned that blogging is personal and at the end of the day, I have to be okay with what I’m doing because it’s not about what anyone else wants me to do.
And so now, three years after starting The Book Wheel, I can honestly say I’m the happiest I’ve been. There is no inner turmoil about what to post or what to read. I’m not concerned about getting the latest ARC. I have great friends that I can rely on. I have wonderful relationships with authors and publishers. And lastly, I can’t wait to get started on year 4. So thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for following. Thank you for following. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for the feedback. Thank you for the kind words. Thank you.