My 200th Post!

Today is my 200^th post!

I remember when I started blogging 2 years ago, how I had no followers, no one who was interested in a thing I had to say, nobody I’d connected with.  I was just a newbie writer with an untidy manuscript, big dreams, and very little knowledge.

Today, I’ve achieved my dream of being traditionally published and  have managed to learn way more than I thought possible, I have 1000 folks a week who are interested enough to drop by (though I’ve no idea why), I have a combined 572 followers but have connected with thousands of others, mostly writers and authors. 

I definitely feel like I’ve accomplished something.  And if nothing else, I’ve made some meaningful friendships, some which go beyond this blog.

Still, after the Re-introduce Myself Blogfest, I had quite a few people say they wished I’d shared more personal information.  Well, I’m not adverse to that, so here are a few tidbits you might not know:

• I just had my first live radio interview last Saturday on LA Talk Radio.  You can listen to it using the tab at the top of my blog or by clicking here.  I had a good time and no one could ever accuse me of not having anything to say!

• I love to watch TV (Revenge, Scandal, Suits.)  My guilty pleasure is Spartacus.  I hate all sitcoms except Modern Family.

• I play classical piano.

• I’ve spent the last 25 years raising sled dogs (Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.)

• I first met my husband 31 years ago when he was 15 and I was 17.  When we got together a year later, it was a huge scandal. 

• We have a 28-year-old daughter who was adopted privately (you can read more about that here,) and an 18-year-old son, now in college. 

• I taught my son to read before he turned 3 years old.

• I’ve lived all over the US:  Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, Waikiki, the Bay Area, and Seattle’s Eastside.

• I’m an interior designer, but I don’t decorate.  I work on the technical side, using CADD to produce working drawings and construction documents.  I’m also an architect.

• I used to sing competitively.

• I’m the classic Catholic combination of half Irish and half Italian, so don’t piss me off!

• I have OCD with “pathologic grooming behaviors” and an obsession with even numbers.

• I love fast high-performance sports cars, BMWs mostly

• I seem to get along with men much better than with women.

• I love to ski but am too afraid after busting my ankle up years ago.

• The Mistaken just listed at #79 on Amazon’s Top Rated in Romantic Suspense based on customer reviews!   Check it out!  

After 5+ years, I’m finally starting to get back on my feet financially, but, with a kid in college, I still don’t have the disposable income to give away Amazon gift cards.  I can, however, give away free copies of my ebook as a way of celebrating my 200^th post. 

So, if you’re interested, let me know in the comments below before midnight 2/25, and I’ll enter your name into a raffle. Using Random.org, I’ll pick 5 interested winners and post their names next week.

And thanks for your support over the last 2+ years and 200 posts!

Two more quick notes:

I’m always looking for bloggers to review The Mistaken. If you’re a blogger or book reviewer, there are still a few slots open at the end of March for my Partners In Crime Book Tour.  This is a popular book tour company, so if you’re looking for a little exposure for your blog, feel free to sign up using the link above or by emailing Gina@PartnersInCrimeTours.net.  She’ll send you a free copy of my book and ask you to choose a date to post a review. 

Lastly, it’s time for another W4WS (Writers for Writers) campaign.  This month’s featured authors are Gwen Gardner and Melissa Bradley.  Drop by their blogs today or tomorrow, grab a tweet or two, and post them to your Twitter account with the #W4WS hashtag, and help make readers aware of their books by sharing their links.