Friday, August 16, 2013

Blogiversary Giveaway!

My Blogiversary is coming! 

I started this little blog about a year ago (August 20, 2012) to share my love of children's books. It has been so much fun!! I have learned a great deal about myself as a reader and educator. I have met some great professionals who share my passion for literacy both in person and through blogging and Twitter.  I honestly feel like I have finally found "my people". 

When I started this blog, I sincerely thought I would write for myself and that would be enough for me. Now I have over 200 followers on my blog, and over 500 each on Twitter and on my Facebook Page. My page has about 13,000 views.  It still thrills me to no end when someone comments on a post or reads a book because I have reviewed it here. 

Here is a list of ten highlights from this year (in no particular order) that would NEVER have happened if I had not started this blog.

1. Meeting my friend Susan Dee who in a kindred spirit and shares my passion for books. Susan has been a great mentor as I navigate through this new digital world. Through her I met other Mainers like the amazing Cathy Potter and Marylou Shuster that I consider valuable members of my PLN.

2. Meeting author Lynda Mullaly Hunt, author of One for the Murphys in person.  Yes, I sat next to her and talked to her at dinner and she is amazing! 

3. Better yet, one of my students who absolutely loved her book, got to meet Lynda in person. That was way cool. 

4. Posting on Nerdy Book Club 3 TIMES! I think a 4th is coming soon.  Click here to view my posts. 

5. Winning a signed copy of Hattie Ever After and emailing back and forth with Kirby Larsen......yes, pinch me. 

6. Having my students post book reviews on my blog.  Kirby Larsen commented on a post of Hattie Big Sky and Lynda Mullaly Hunt commented on a review of One for the Murphys.  The looks on the students' faces was absolutely priceless. 

7. Meeting authors Kate Messner and Megan Frasier Blakemore. I am an idiot when I meet authors I admire.  It is really embarrassing.

8. Reading Arc's.  Because of my blog I have been able to gain access to some books before they are released.  This is how I read Navigating Early, The Real Boy, This Journal Belongs to Ratchet, The Center or Everything and A Tangle of Knots just to name a few.

9. Serving on the nErDcamp Northern New England planning committee. It is going to be awesome! Visit our website here.

10. Discovering all the wonderful blogs that inspire me on a daily basis.  I never fail to learn something new when I visit: Teach Mentor Texts, Two Writing TeachersNerdy Book Club, Kidlit Frenzy and many more. 

Thank you so much for visiting whether you are a regular visitor or stopping by for the first time. I am truly honored and humbled by every visit. 


To celebrate my blogiversary I would like to pay it forward by giving away a $25 Amazon digital gift certificate.


Please enter by using the rafflecopter below.  
This is my first try using Rafflecopter so I hope it works.  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for the kind words about our blog, Gigi.

    I'm glad we found each other through NBC. What a great year it's been for you in the blog world. Here's to many more!

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  2. I was wondering if this giveaway is limited to only one entrant per household or not?

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  3. Hi Gigi!

    Thank you SO much! I'm humbled by your words and even more by the friendship you've extended to me. I have loved watching your blog take off this year and gain a well deserved following. Your perspectives on books, literacy, and teaching have been a welcome addition to the blogging world. YOU are a valued member of my PLN! I'm honored to call you friend!

    Happy Blogiversary! Here's to many more years of sharing, learning, and laughing together!

    Hugs!

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  4. Hey Gigi,

    Thanks for the mention! It's been great to meet you too. We are going to have a lot of fun planning @nErDcampNNE !!!

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  5. Oh my God. Could the three of you be ANY more amazing?

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    1. Hey! I left this above comment about you, Mary Lou and Susan after seeing just the comments to this post on my temperamental phone. Now I've read the post ~ Wow! Thanks so much Gigi for your very sweet comments. Just so happens that my trip to Maine to meet all of you (and your AWESOME kids) was a high point of MY year. I am so happy to call you a friend now. :-) Loved meeting your student at the fair, too--what a great kid. Adorable. Looking forward to seeing you again in January! YEAH!!

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  6. Congratulations Gigi-what a wonderful year you've had. Sounds like a lot of fun!

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  7. You are a famous person that I have not met in the kidlitosphere. Happy to stop by on your anniversary and enter. Linda Baie is a mutual virtual friend. How fun that you have met some awesome authors. I look forward to making more connections.

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    1. Hi Margaret. Thanks so much for visiting. I had the pleasure of checking out your blog tonight. What wonderful work you are doing. I hope to "see" you again.

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