Wednesday 29 December 2010

The Year in Review - 2010

I count the start of my blog from 6th January - so I have an anniversary coming very soon - here is the tale of my 2010. In my first year blogging:

  • I read and reviewed over 100 books on my blog
  • I attended publisher events with Headline, Simon & Schuster, Atom and Gollancz
  • I made some new friends I hope will be for life (AFK: Liz and Mark, Adam, Adrian, Alex, Michaela, Cara, Jason; online: Mieneke, Sarah, Ole, Mihai, Harry - and, honestly, so many others)
  • I started work for Tor - doing their Re-read of the Malazan books alongside Bill, and putting up occasional other blog posts.
  • I contributed blog posts to Voyager and Angry Robot.
  • I was a full team member of Fantasy Literature, writing the World Wide Wednesday posts, contributing reviews, doing the Living With the Author interviews and the long-running 'You Should Read...' posts.
  • I read the Arthur C Clarke shortlist, and was invited to the award ceremony - which included meeting and talking to the winner, China Mieville.
  • I attended some author signings, and now have a shelf of beloved signed copies of novels.
  • I started receiving review copies from publishers.
  • I did slush reading for Dark Fiction magazine.
  • I was taken on as an editor for Morrigan Books.
  • I beta read and edited Adam Christopher's novel Empire State.
  • I assisted with proof reading on Suzanne McLeod's The Bitter Seed of Magic.
  • I started a personal re-read of The Dark Tower novels by Stephen King.
  • I reviewed for Vector and Hub magazine.
  • I attended a preview screening of Ultramarines: The Movie in London.
  • I went to Eastercon, Alt:Fiction and Fantasycon.
On the downside I also got caught up in various Internet squabbles, lost some people I should now be counting as a friend and spilled my personal life all over Twitter and my blog. Not items to be proud of.

So... onto 2011 and a clean slate!

My aims for this year are:

  • Do not get embroiled in online spats. Just do not. You get stressed. People say rotten things. It just doesn't work.
  • Rebuild friendships with people who were there for you ALL THE TIME and who you've let drift away for no good reason.
  • Keep the private life private. 
  • Read at least 100 books.
  • Catch up with Black Library releases! I enjoy them so much and somehow they always slide to the bottom of the pile.
  • Continue reading my book fails: Abercrombie, Deas, Brett, Weeks - there is a reason everyone else is talking them up!
  • Read more David Gemmell and more Charles de Lint.
  • Attend SFX Weekender, Eastercon, Alt:Fiction and Fantasycon.
 I'm also available for guest blog posts, editing jobs, proof reading and slush reading. Just get in touch!

What are your resolutions for 2011? How do you think your 2010 went?

7 comments:

  1. You've had one hell of a year, and by the sounds of it there's no stopping you. I have to say I'm more than a little jealous you went to the Ultramarines premiere too :P

    I'm working on a list of resolutions (top of the list, as always, 'get in shape', hehe). There's a good few blog-resolutions, just nee to prioritise them.

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  2. 2010 was pretty crappy all told. We lost a number of family and friends this year, and not a lot went right. The blog is one of the things that went right. I'm thankful for that. Now if I could just get publishers to take us seriously and send me review copies of books, then I'd feel totally legit.

    2011 I am getting an ARC for Percepliquis, which is cool as it will be my first methinks. As well, I will have an interview up with Robyn Young (historical fiction mistress)VIA Harper Collins Canada in the next few months and an ARC for the Canadian release of the first book in her new series.

    Resolutions for 2011. Try not to get involved in family squabbles when I don't need to. Get the blog a little more noticed and do my level best to get WAY more involved in the industry. Take a creative writing class.

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  3. I find it really odd to think that we only met this year. It feels like we've been friends for yonks :-) Good luck with all the resolutions. I'll be making my own list soon - one of which probably ought to be to stop neglecting my blog.

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  4. Your year has been AMAZING - you should feel incredibly proud of all the things you've accomplished Amanda, and know that you can only improve and thrive in the future. You can do it! :D

    Reading more Charles de Lint is *always* a worthy resolution to keep. *grins*

    *hugs for you!*

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  5. Sounds like you had a really interesting 2010, and you have some great goals for 2011. Best of luck! (Also, you started your blog on my bday! Good choice of days ;) heh)

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  6. wow you had a wonderful year!! and it will only get better for you! congrats, happy almost blogaversary and happy new year!

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  7. I'm glad I can call you my friend too Amanda!

    And you had a fabulous blogging year :D Hopefully 2011 will be even better for you. Those are some great and ambitious goals for the coming year!!

    I'm still working on my reading resolutions for 2011. But the one I'm certain of is that I want to read more than I did this year!

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