Thursday, January 1, 2015

2014 Wrap-Up and Goals for 2015

I participated in two challenges this past year.  One was the A to Z April Challenge, which I completed!  I intend to participate again this year.  The other was the Prequel and Sequel Challenge which I completed, although I slacked off on keeping track after September.  I had made it to the top level by then, so it didn't seem as big of a deal.  I  participated in giveaway hops, approximately one a month or more.  I made it to over 2100 followers this year.  I sponsored my September is for Sequels Challenge for the 3rd year, and even though I didn't do as well myself, I had more participants than the year before, and hope I can keep it up and do better myself this year.  I attended BEA for the 2nd time this year, and met a lot more great authors!  I even got my name in the "Thank You" part of The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz, and won a contest to have my last name used in Diamonds in the Rough (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2) by Michelle Madow, who I remembered to get a picture with at BEA last summer.  I won a ton of giveaways this year it seems, and have really added to my TBR shelves.  I also continued my 2nd year as a school librarian, and am so thankful to have this job, as I know it is what I want to do for the rest of my career, as long as I can actually.  Overall 2014 was a mostly good year, but as usual I'm hoping 2015 will be even better!

Goals from last year that I met include my reading goal of 125 on Goodreads.  I started titling my posts like I wanted, and I made sure to comment a lot more on other blogs.  I also am pretty sure I met my goal of at least 2 reviews a week.  I'll have to keep better track of those types of things this year, which I will do with the calendar I'm now using.  I did not get my blog re-designed last year.  But, I have taken steps to get it done this year already.  I had to give up on getting my sister to ever take the time to do it, and instead I've asked an artist friend of mine to help, of course I will be paying him.  He is going to design a new banner and button for me.  That will probably be all that I change for now.  My personal goals from last year didn't really get met, other than I did go ahead and have the surgery I needed, so that will help me to get back on track this year with those health goals I had. 

To see my goals for this year, you can check out my Top 10 Post from this week.  I will also be participating in the TBR Reading Pile Challenge again this year, to make up for the ARCs from BEA last summer that I didn't get read.  And the Winter COYER Challenge, something I'm not starting off with so great at the moment as I decide on my first read for 2015.  I also want to make a list of my fellow bloggers that comment on my blog the  most often and make sure I am keeping up with them just as regularly!

That's my post, my 2014 kind of went out with a bang when my car got hit while sitting in my friend's driveway last night.  My current car seems to be a magnet for people to hit it.

Happy New Year to all my followers!  Let's hope 2015 is a great one!