Happy 200th!

Under normal circumstances this would have been my 200th blog post.  Technically it's my 201st post because I felt the need to post more than one per day this weekend but I won't count the post about negative things if you won't and we will both pretend this is my original 200th post celebration!

Knowing this day was coming up, I asked others in the writing community how they think I should celebrate this momentous occasion and my friend, Sheri Lawson, came up with what I thought was a brilliant suggestion.  She thought I should shine a spotlight on the highlights of the past six months.

I wrote my first blog on Dec 6th, 2011.  It was a tribute to the wonderful time I had participating in the PiBoIdMo challenge headed up by the lovely Tara Lasar.  It was the outpouring of well wishes and kind comments which helped me to decide to faithfully post daily.  My goal was to provide a source of inspiration to other writers as my way of saying thanks for the support and love I've felt from the very first day here.

So, here are the top 10 posts from the past six months, along with when they posted and how many people read them.  

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/01/tortoise-and-hare.html...Jan 4, 2012...5080 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/05/rays-of-sunshine.html...May 10, 2012...3912 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/01/doctor-doctor-where-are-you.html...Jan 21, 2012...3850 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2011/12/mountains-and-valleys.html...Dec 26, 2011...3128 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-it-train-or-train-wreck.html...Feb 23, 2012...1786 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/01/see-hear-speak-no-evil.html...Jan 6, 2012...1262 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/03/artful-dodger.html...Mar 20 2012...1093 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/01/bring-on-rain.html...Jan 5, 2012...882 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2012/01/abcs-of-good-writer.html...Jan 24, 2012...826 views

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-yeara-new-easy-contest.html...Dec 29, 2011...575 views

That's over 22,000 page views on just these 10 posts which quite honestly surprises me.  Despite hackers and stalkers, I continue to welcome new readers and have decided to go ahead and continue with my new schedule of postings. Why should YOU be penalized because of a couple insensitive people who tried to cast shadows on my writer spirit...AND FAILED!

So here's to the next 200 blog posts and I'm working on another contest to work toward my 300th follower.  I'm crossing my fingers that these next six months will be as much fun as the past six as I continue to attempt to entertain, inspire, and dazzle you...my faithful followers...

And what's next?  Number...

Time To Celebrate

Some writers want to celebrate once their story is accepted by a publisher.  Some writers want to celebrate when their query letters are received favorably by an agent.  And some writers want to celebrate at the very notion of having a story idea.  For myself,  I like to celebrate when I have completed the final revision of my latest draft.  Why wait?

I've studied hard, written every day, and gathered the tools of my trade around me.  I've recreated, revised, and revamped until my vision is the best I can make it.  Now is the time to celebrate.  I can only hold on to my "baby" for so long, and then I must set it free to venture out into the world without me.  I believe it can stand strong and wish it well on it's journey to a new home.  And so I celebrate.

And if I am blessed with a chance to see my story in print then it will be that much sweeter.  I will even do the Mexican Hat Dance in celebration...although this isn't exactly what I had in mind...