SIX MONTHS! (On Blogs and Blogging)

This is pretty funny coming from the "I will never have a blog" queen. But here's my post on how much I've come to love blogging and bloggers and reading blogs and writing this blog. And this is from the person who would get just a little annoyed when I saw the word blog. Like, "Oh, they have a blog. Well aren't they so special? And then I read a blog that I loved, and that blog led me to another, which was really good. And then Amy told me about the blogger who got a book deal because her blog took off. "Sure, well that was her," I said. And Amy said, "You can do it, Patience! What can it hurt to try?"

So, I have a blog. What I didn't realise was how many nice people I would meet through blogging. I thought that only scary angry bomb making vulgar sex maniacs and murderous perverts blogged. It never occurred to me that nice folks who loved dogs would blog, and find each others' blogs. When I discovered Dogs With Blogs I met hundreds of supportive, kind, entertaining, eloquent, delightful folks who adore their dogs.

Then I couldn't keep track. Several of the dog bloggers recommended Bloglines and I love it. I signed up for free and got no spam or stupid ads from it. Now I click on my bloglines page, and it shows me when a blog has a new post. No stuff in my Inbox, no losing a blog that I enjoy, no clicking on a blog to find nothing new.

So, I noticed tonight that it's been six months since I've started this blog. How about that? OK, the literary agents aren't beating down my door. HA! But Google keeps records, and 6,914 people have visited 27,642 times, viewing 38,490 pages. [Bill and I probably account for 20,000 of the visits.] The most popular story is Mouse! which has been read 1,391 times, followed by My Dog Is Getting Old, and For Dog Lovers Only. I have updated my sidebar to reflect the favorite stories in order of reader preference. And added a couple new ones.

I was even generating some revenue with Google Ads, but I couldn't filter out all the puppy mill ads. I couldn't stand for a nanosecond having a big old Internet puppy brokerage or a commercial breeder advertising on my blog. So I forfeited my earnings, and I'm not noble or rich (ha ha har ho ha hee hee hee falling down pounding the floor with my fists oh ha ha ha har har), I'm just stubborn. And I just hate the whole notion of breeding dogs for profit. I just hate it. I would like to believe that if I were forfeiting $100,000 instead of $27.74, I would have done the same thing. Or figured out a way to filter out those ads!

But (thank you, thank you dear readers) one very fun thing is that I got a royalty check from the publisher, and folks are buying my little book of stories! Many of you dear readers have bought the book either directly from me or from eBay and I know about that, and rejoice with every book. But I don't know until I get the quarterly statements how many books have sold through online sellers like Amazon. Whoopee! It was good news! And before you think I've gotten all rich (another fit of uncontrollable hysterics), I get a whole whopping $6 from each book that sells via bookstore, but oh what encouragement I get when folks buy my little book!

That encouragement gives me the oomph I need as I try to write The Novel. With the help ("prodding" she calls it) of a dear friend, the end of The Novel is actually maybe almost potentially visible. Most of the time I feel like a Foolish Old Woman. Who said I could write a novel? But this story, this little fictional dog's story, wants to be told. It will not leave me alone. The characters are becoming as real as the ache in my shoulders as I hunch over the keyboard. They are with me when I drive and always tag along on our walks. They hover around as I write this blog, and they dance behind my eyelids when I try to fall asleep. They are taking over and are starting to write the story themselves. If only they would pitch in when I'm picking up poop...

This is my thank you note to all of you. It is very personal, and I feel more than a little vulnerable telling you how much I appreciate your support and your kindness.

It has been a fun six months. I am so enjoying the new people I've met, and of course the delightful dogs I've gotten to know. I love writing for you.

Oh, and as a thank you, I will randomly draw a name from the comments on this post (if you are loathe to comment, email me instead) and the winner will get a free, signed copy of Mama Pajama Tells A Story, or if you already have it, you can substitute two custom made collars! The drawing will be a week from today. Monday March 24. Good luck!

Thank you-
Patience

hug your hounds