What does one call the annual celebration which marks the date of a blog’s launch? A blaunch? A blirthday? A woo-fricking-hoo-versary? I do not know the terminology, but in Tartitude’s case, I know that date occurred this last weekend on May 30, 2009.
Twelve months, peeps. One hundred fifty-two posts. A wealth of shared wisdom, community, and hopefully a few laughs. And I owe it all to you folks, the people who have given me the most precious of all resources: your time.
If I owned the universe, I’d:
- pay you back with Daniel Craig-delivered backrubs (or another celebrity, if you haven’t forgiven DC yet for the Unfortunate Moustache).
- pay to meet you for a week in Hawaii, where we’d wax surfboards and philosophic, ogle the pool boys, and fight a losing battle with sand butt.
- fix BP’s mess.
Alas, since I’m not God — only the next best thing, which is to say a hopeful Canadian romance writer and Tart — you’ll have to settle for smaller delights. They are simple, but heartfelt, and as eclectic as the range of blog posts you’ve suffered through. I shall call them the I ♥ the Tart™ Prizes. Ain’t that swell?
To qualify as a winner, between today and midnight MST, June 10, 2010, you will:
- Think about a book or blog that especially touched you in the last year. (ETA: Not me!)
- Make a genuine effort to contact the author with a brief note of thanks. (Feel free to do it on FB, Twitter, their blogs, whatever…)
- Record the author’s name and book/blog title here, so we can all add to our groaning To Be Read piles. (Or in Glinda and company’s case, your groaning, er…electrons.)
- I will enter your name in the RNG to a maximum of three entries per person. I will not follow up to see if you’ve done your part, because Tartitude’s readership are honorable people.
- (Optional) If you don’t yet follow this blog through Networked Blogs, Feedburner or WordPress (link below), sign up for one of those services.
The three winners (Canadian or Continental US locations only, please) will be able to choose one of the following:
Come, Thou Tortoise – by Jessica Grant (an quirky, awesome book by a Canadian I want to promote)
Tender Graces – by Kathryn Magendie (an incredible example of southern women’s fiction I want to promote)
Seven Steps on the Writer’s Path – Nancy Pickard & Lynn Lott
Becoming a Writer – by Dorothea Brande
And in case you’re not into books, A 26-oz. Orange-cinnamon candle 
Is that clear as mud? Exciting? Bizarre? Doesn’t matter, the buzzer’s ticking as we speak. Go forth and spread hope to all those awesome writers you adore, guys.
Oh! One last thing, in case I haven’t been explicit enough: To each and every one of you who’ve walked this citrusy hall of wonder, thank you!!! You’ve made it a year of juice and zest. 🙂
Happy blaunch blirthday! I didn’t realize it had only been a year. You are such a natural — it feels like you’ve been doing this forever, and I’m glad I’ve gotten to partake of your optimism and wisdom. 🙂
Oh, and I love love love the I Heart the Tart. LOL That just makes me smile like crazy.
Happy Blirthday! 😀 I’m so glad to have ‘met’ you!
Happy anniversary!
I’m not sure which author I should try to contact. I’m nervous about seeming like I’m being weasely when I do. My favorite book in my genre (MG) that I’ve read in the past year was Laura Amy Schlitz’s A Drowned Maiden’s Hair, but I haven’t read her two more recent books yet. I guess I better put them on my TBR pile too…
Donna, as you know I’m trying to power through my WIP, but if I get organized, next year I’m going to have t-shirts with that motto. 😉 Thanks for being a part of this journey. You’re one of the most optimistic people I know.
Elysabeth, thanks for being here!
Kellion, oh noes. Is this going to be too hard? I hope not. Honestly, think of how you’ll feel some day to have a reader contact you and say something as simple as, “Wanted you to know I enjoyed your book X. Thanks for what you do.” You can keep it light, or go specific, whatever works for you. And thanks for the recs!
So awesome! You’ve come a long way in one short you, Mz. Writer Unboxed! Happy, happy, happy, happy anniversary! 🙂
xoxo — Hilary
::confetti explosion::
Happy birthday! 🙂 You are awesome and I’m glad I’m getting to know you within a short period of time, Jan. I’ll have to think about which writer I want to shower with praises (since it can’t be you).
Happy Anniversary.
My #1 entry for the I ♥ Tart prize is
Patti Digh….37days (blog).
She continually inspires and touches me and others. I look forward to reading her posts every day. Really, every day.
H-bomb, thank you! It does feel like rather a full year. Not as busy as yours, but forward progress. I didn’t comment on your rat prize because all I can think of is goofy. You know me. 🙂
Laura, that’s so sweet. Thank you! You’ve been very kind to me in the brief time we’ve known one another.
Heloise, yay! You’re my first official entry. Thank you for the name too. I’ll be sure to check her out.
Oh, you are terrible! I’m going to name one of my rats Tart! 😉
Promise? 😉
OK, I did contact my author, so this is an official entry. I feel like a creepy stalker.
Laura Amy Schlitz, A Drowned Maiden’s Hair
LMAO. Ha. It’s just too funny that you’d want to participate enough to do that to yourself, or that my well-intended contest would make you feel so dirty. Nevertheless, chica, you are entered as my second contestant and have an excellent chance of taking home a prize. Hee.
Do me a favor? If she responds at all favorably, will you let us know?
I’ll have to think on this author thing, but I DO have an answer for you…
It’s a Tartiversary! So Happy Tartiversary to you and your blog! May you remain deleriously happy together!
Woot, it’s been a year — I agree, Happy Tartiversary sounds wonderful! 🙂
Aw, Heart the Tart! What a great idea for a contest, and I’m sure the authors will love hearing from readers. There’ll be a lot of smiles no matter who “wins”. Happy Tartiversary!
You’ve done so much in a year of blogging. You have a great blog voice, and a strong following.
I thanked Jan O’Hara for her article: The Hand that Stocks the Cradle.
Now am I entered?
s :o)
oh! and happy tartiversary!!
Hart, grummelmaedchen, Jael, Medeia: Tartiversary it is, then. Until I change my mind. 😉 And thank you all for the good wishes and compliments. I’m glad you think this is a good idea.
Suzanne, you are a wily monkey who discovered a loophole. LMAO. Should have known it would be a fellow Canadian. Yes, you are entered, but the wiggle room is henceforth plugged. 😛
LMAO!! “My groaning electrons!” Love it! Will look into finding the right entry after my own book giveaway blog contest is over!
BTW, I forgot to mention that I had already recently subscribed to get my Tartitude by email and just LOVE IT! I find I read it more leisurely without the comments beckoning me to read them and join the conversation. It is wonderful!
I like posts in my in-box too. Makes it easy to share and, as you say, decide when I have the time to comment. The only thing is, sometimes I’ve missed a good conversation by the time it hits my inbasket.
PS: Glad you’re enjoying it1
Wow!
A Whole year? That’s awesome! Congrats, and Happy Tartiversary 😉 It is hard to believe you’ve only been doing this for a year.
Thanks, Donna. Blogging time is filled with duality for me. I feel like I’ve never known another reality, and yet I’d swear to you it hasn’t been as long as a year.
Though I don’t feel I should enter the contest having won a prize from the Laura Kinsale interview blog, I must make a comment. I *have already* contacted “Linda Gerber” author of (genre, YA): Death by Bikini, Death by Latte and Death by Denim.
I do homework with a sixth-grade grandaughter, who is an avid reader. We zipped through two of these books. The third is on vacation with me.
I asked to*friend* Linda on facebook six weeks ago. She accepted and we have ‘pm’ed a few times, something I feel is the indication of a truly decent person – to take the time, while in the midst of a hectic schedule to correspond with a fellow RWA member. I am delighted to say that grandaughter & I are getting an advanced read copy (ARC) of Linda’s newest YA, “Trance”, due out in October, to read this summer.
Linda’s voice is captivating, her style of writing sheer genius – -inspiring and interesting to read as well as being educational for one who writes. She certainly
deserves recognition. I’m glad to have the opportunity to tell others.
Jan, sticking with this blog for a year took a lot of effort.(not said lightly) It’s a big responsibility to be entertaining and informative on a tri-weekly basis.
Congratulations!!
Aw, Carol. Thank you!!! You have made my morning. : )
Jan, happy, happy anniversary!
Thank you, Linda. Appreciate you dropping by. 🙂
Carol, sorry, I had a hectic morning and am just getting to this now. Are you sure you don’t want to be entered? You’d definitely qualify, and just because you’ve been lucky before doesn’t mean you should be penalized.
Anyway, thanks so much for this recommendation. I’m deeply grateful to the writers who pulled my kids through those vulnerable years where they might have abandonned reading. That Linda Gerber is a kind person ton top of it makes it even nicer. I bet your granddaughter will never forget the thrill of reading that ARC. Fantastic. Thank you for your comment!
Happy Birthday Tartitude! Love your posts and look forward to another year of tarty takes on life!
Thanks, Dara-Lee. Soon enough it’ll be your turn. 🙂
This week’s NEW me wants to enter my name in the contest. Have already submitted the author contact, etc. info in a post above.
Good, Carol. So far it looks like you’re guaranteed a prize too. 😀
This is easy — Carolyn Crane, whose book Mind Games I’ve read, blogged about, commented on via Twitter, and even mentioned in a Facebook thread on Eloisa James’s fan page. I truly believe two things: first, that it’s a wonderful book and when you think it’s her debut novel it’s that much more impressive, and second, she is the nicest person in Romlandia. I like her a lot, both as a person and as a talented writer.
Happy Blogiversary!
Thank you! For your generosity, the name, and the well wishes. And now I actually get to use the RNG, because you are only my 4th entry. 😀
Happy Tartiversary!
Hands down, the most genuine and helpful blogger, friend to all, and who selfless and is beyond measure fullofgenerous; Angie over at Gumbo Writer http://angie-ledbetter.blogspot.com/
What a lovely, generous thing to do! Happy Tartiversary! Hope you get cakes and bubbly to celebrate.
My favourite latest books (I have many favourites over the years) are the three Stieg Larsson novels, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc. I am devastated that there won’t be any more, because he passed away in 2004, three years before the first one was published. So, I can’t really contact him, except to put a “thank you” out in the Universe. But I did email Lisa Scottoline a while ago. Does that count? She’s very gracious. I enjoy her murder mysteries, but I especially appreciated her memoir, My Next Husband Will be A Dog.
Yay, Kimmi and Deborah, glad you could make it!
Kimmi, I’ll check out the link. Thank you. I haven’t heard of her at all until now.
Deborah, yes, that counts. (Why am I not surprised you’d have an easy time doing this?) I have the first Stieg Larsson in my TBR pile as we speak. I have enjoyed Lisa Scottoline’s work myself, but haven’t read the memoir. Thanks for the reference.
Hi, I am Anna Stusser. I like Your Blog and I like this contest, not just because it is interesting, but because I have a message that I would like you to hear. You are a doctor, right? Thank you. Many doctors have helped my sister. They have helped her with Cognitive and Physical Therapy.
My sister is disabled and the reason why I choose to enter Mia Mingus’s name into the contest. She is an activist, particularly for Disability Justice and other minority groups.
What I find most inspiring about her is that she recognizes the connection in activism. In the human race’s journey towards complete social justice, we cannot leave any group of people behind.
She inspired me to create my own blog. She inspires me to keep moving forward and to shine with hope. She values to true gold that is found in my sister’s heart, when many prejudiced people are blind to it, due to their ableism. She knows that no opressed minority group is free, until their marginalization ceases.
Thank you.
You can find Mis Mingus’s blog here:
http://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/
What a lovely tribute, Anna. I’m sure your sister would be thrilled. And yes, I am a former family doctor who probably didn’t know how to give people like your sister half the help she might use.
Thanks for entering the contest. We’ll see who the RNG picks. 🙂