Sunday, February 8, 2009

Happy 2nd Birthday, Shrinking Violets!



Dear Friends, 

Happy Birthday to us, as in the collective us-- the community we have built with all of you here. We are TWO this week!   I keep looking at the calendar and thinking-- really?  Two years??

Robin and I feel so fortunate to have watched the conversation that started between us:
Me (circa 2006-2007) :  God, I hate book promotion.  I'd rather be burnt at the stake. Naked. On CNN. No, wait, on Live with Jon Stewart.
Robin :  I'd rather crawl over hot coals in my best silk blouse.  Why can't we just write? How can they expect us to do this?  
And from those early conversations, we have grown into this marvelous and gifted network of creative folk.  Wow.  Still amazes me.  And, it continues to be a lesson that visits me regularly, which is-- pay attention to the things that start small.

Because this is a birthday, there needs to be presents!  And, in keeping with one of the main tenets of our SVP philosophy, which is to Turn The Spotlight Around, I think we need to be the giver of gifts.  In the spirit of our birthday celebration, how about buying a book at an independent bookstore and donating it to a child, teen, a shelter, a school or public library?  And, if you can't decide which book to buy, Robin has posted some of our readers' books in the sidebar, as part of our new, ongoing, promotion of our tribe's work.  

And, since we are talking gifts, happy congratulations out to Cheryl, author of the soon to be released YA fantasy book entitled Dragon Speaker: The Last Dragon.  Cheryl was one of our Milestone Monday contributors and her name was selected in our random drawing today. Cheryl, please email me off-line by clicking here and let me know your mailing address for your prize.  I think you will love the CD you've won!

Robin is out of pocket this week, so I will be taking her turn posting this coming Thursday.  I am very excited to be interviewing author Meghan Wier, author of the new book entitled Confessions of an Introvert: The Shy Girl's Guide to Career, Networking, and Getting the Most Out of Life.  And, of course, there will be a contest to win a copy of her new book.  So, do come on back.  

Do treat yourself to a cupcake or two this week, friends.  Thanks for enriching our lives!

*[[['-)    *{[|:-]
Mary & Robin
The Shrinking Violets

16 comments:

Jen Robinson said...

Happy blog birthday, Mary and Robin! You've enriched my life, too.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

happy bday - you guys have added so much! Hope i can do the same! :)
Robin - your interview will be up on monday - Ill send you a link :)

tanita✿davis said...

Happy Blogversary!
You guys have given me a lot of courage to do things I have to do (like blogging under my own name, finally working on that website, etc. etc.) and I really do appreciate you. Cupcakes for all!

jama said...

Happy Blog Birthday, Robin and Mary!!

Thanks so much for all you do to help us SV bloom!

feywriter said...

Happy Blog Anniversary!

I have an Award for you!

Anonymous said...

Happy blog birthday! Yay for Shrinking Violets, and yay for Robin and Mary -- you two rock! Thanks for all you do here at SV. :)

Mim said...

Happy Blog Birthday! Your articles have really helped me see things that I can do to promote my writing.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!

How amazing is that?!

Cheers,

Kimberly

Yat-Yee said...

Thank YOU for enriching our lives! Happy Birthday!

(OT: please accept a much belated thanks for the books you sent over Christmas. I did a review of 39 Clues at http://yatyeechong.blogspot.com/2009/01/things-that-make-me-go-whee-review-of.html and issued a public apology and thanks here at http://yatyeechong.blogspot.com/2009/02/thank-you-shrinking-violets.html

Anonymous said...

Happy blog birthday! I've been reading SVP since the beginning and have enjoyed the whole ride! Glad you're still at it!

Jennifer Hubbard
aka liquidambar (Google)
& writerjenn (LiveJournal)

Elizabeth Loupas said...

Happy birthday to Mary and Robin and the whole Shrinking Violets community. Let's all have some CAKE!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! I love your blog, you guys--thanks for starting it and bringing us all along! :)

Mary Hershey said...

Thanks, everyone! :-) For my birthday gift, I've decided to buy a copy of the The Graveyard Book, this year's Newbery winner, for a young reader I know. It looks amazing!

Mary Hershey

Vivian Mahoney said...

Happy Blogiversary! May there be many more...

Boni Ashburn said...

Happy Blog Birthday! And imagine my joy to see my book cover on your sidebar!! I'm completely honored. Thank you so much Robin and Mary for all you do to help us- I hope your Shrinking Violets is around for many, many more- we need you. We really do.
Thank you!!

THALIA CHALTAS said...

Bloom, you Violets, Bloom! Two years of such helpful, loving, accessible and yes, useful support, what a great gift you've given the community!

big bits o' love to both of yez,
Thalia