A year of blogging

Last year, on December 13, 2008, I started this blog. My first post was titled Not quite a virgin blogger. I'd been participating in Alison Tyler's flasher contests and decided I wanted to have a "presence." Now, one year and 238 blog posts later, I'm still at it. Not as much lately, mainly because life has been ... interesting. But I still enjoy this strange way of writing and putting my words out into the universe.

My first comments came on January 5, 2009 post, when Jeremy Edwards and EllaRegina, two writers I admire, and who I would eventually meet "in the flesh," congratulated me on sending off my first official erotica submission. I love "comments" - both leaving them and getting them. It's a way to connect to people that is often misused, but it seems to me that the folks that leave comments on erotica writer's blogs (usually other writers) don't use that space to leave imbecilic, juvenile, rudeness.

Instead, we get into sometimes fun, sometimes serious discussions - see last winter's "moveable feast" that was conceived by Donna George Storey and Kirsten Monroe (now Gina Marie). It was great fun to travel to warmer, sunnier climes during those cold, dark, snowbound days. What was even better, friendships were formed. Craig Sorensen, Shanna Germain, Helia Brookes, Neve Black, Emerald, Sommer Marsden, and Nikki Magennis were all hosts. Some I've now met in person (Craig, Helia, Emerald) and the rest I hope to someday because they are all neat people. Some folks I "met" in the comments sections of this "blog tour" as well as others. Marina St. Clare is one, and she, along with Helia would help me start the Beginner's Ball series - see the sidebar for full line-up.

There's been all sorts of fun to be had during the past year:

The Blow Hard Tour 2009 - and my stop on the tour still brings me new visitors who land there while searching for "euphemisms for cock sucking" and various other fellatio-related searches (some are really off the wall too).

I became Alison Tyler's "button slut" - and today, while wandering NYC, I'm wearing a couple of festive ones on the lapels of my coat - Naughty on my left and Nice on my right.

That first story I submitted was accepted and published in Coming Together: Al Fresco.

One of P.S. Haven's inspired pieces of art inspired a poem. And then I got one of his prints for Mother's Day from my husband!

Alison Tyler interviewed me over at her Trollop Salon.

Alison also published one of my stories, Into The Whirlpool at her H is for Harlot blog (no longer available it seems - it's for "invited" folks only (I won't get started again on that whole debacle of blogger pulling the plug on some of her blogs).

Continuing on a theme... I trolloped myself (actually my husband did the honors).

There was much fire to be had at my stop on the Spicy Summer Sundays blog tour.

I did a three-part interview with artist Randy Lagana, who I've featured on my blog for most of the year. There's links to all parts in the sidebar.

Through a link on Alison's blog about a year ago, I was introduced to Stephen Elliott and The Rumpus and last summer I became part of the infamous "Lending Library" and later had the pleasure of hosting Stephen (which led to many interesting and ongoing changes in my life).

Nine months after first starting to enter Alison's flasher contests, I got a First Place!

I've written funny posts and thinky posts (lots of those), mused on scary dreams and horribly missed friends.

I've let a lot of people know about this blog, but some I still haven't.

I've come a long way and made lots of friends (and sorry if you're not listed here - it's 11pm and I have to get up early).

This has been a life-changing year. And I need to thank every single last one of you who have read here, are reading here (not so many lately, haha) and will read here.

Thanks. I love you all.