I think that I am just feeling a wee bit sorry for myself. Even though I promised myself to never care about numbers. I truly never started out caring, honestly I didn’t. I started out writing this blog just for myself. But as wonderful people began stopping by, it got kind of fun meeting everyone, and kind of addicting to see who actually was reading my silly ramblings. I remember when I got twenty readers in one day and my first comment! I was beside myself with joy! So now, I am not sure what I am complaining about. I mean, I am edging towards almost thirty thousand views and a little over twelve hundred followers! And I am not bragging! I can’t believe it! But I think I got spoiled. And maybe I am pouting just a bit. Because this week I only have had 50 visits and I understand that I haven’t posted from this blog for a while because I have been working on my other blog that not everyone has found yet… and I know… Even the best authors are as important as their last best seller.
You know the ones, that their fans spent hours waiting in lines to get autographed, that are now sitting on shelves collecting dust 0r on coffee tables with condensation rings left on them from glasses filled with soda or some sweet old drinks. It just seems to me that if that poor soul is not cracking out one book after another they are just yesterday’s news… and I have to admit that it feels like I am getting a taste of that world before I have even bit into it!
Blogging kind of reminds me of Rainy Day Weather Friends. As long as we are actively cranking out daily posts, we get frequent visits. And a handful of loyal friends remain ever so faithful in your amazingness!!!! (you guys know who you are!!!! And I love you for it) Some even bother to go through other doors of past posts of long ago. I mean I have posted almost 300 posts and some have had as many as 80 LIKES some have never been read at all. It is all a mystery to me what makes someone read something. Is it the title, the tag, the category? It is hard to know. I am just as guilty. I have boundaries and time limits. And favorites. I have blogs that I will delete automatically because they post ten a day and I haven’t bothered to go back and un-follow. And I have blogs that I read every single word they write and can’t wait for their next post!
I have an author friend that I met here that wrote a wonderful book and published it check it out! http://www.amazon.com/D.G.-Kaye/e/B00HE028FO
It is a story about a triumphant young woman who survives the challenges of being raised by a mother with mental illness. She is the kid with the story no one would believe. But who turns out to be the woman with the strength no one can’t admire! I am proud to call her my friend!
Anyway, she is the one who suggested that I attempt to write part of my book in the form of a journal written by Keri, the teenager in my book that I’ve shared on this blog (if you search for chapters here starting with chapter one and so on….)
https://dianereedwiter.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/update-like-a-postcard-or-something-like-that/
I have to confess THAT is where I have been! I haven’t invited all of my readers of this blog there because I wanted to really see how that blog would go over. And I have to admit that at first, I saw that I could have played it off… if I didn’t feel like a total creeper! For during the time I am writing that blog… I am Keri again… remembering the pain… mixed in memories and also as a writer, in the fiction of it all as I try to figure out how to weave the story to convey the message that I ultimately want to share. (You guys are welcome to go and check it out. I’d love to hear what you think…) http://kerisjournal.wordpress.com/
Anyway, I guess as I have been hanging out over there… I have lost my momentum here… and felt WELL, okaaay, I seeee how it is… LOL…
But I understand it is like everything… Give and take. Just like a good friend who hasn’t written you for a while. I can’t expect to get a bunch of Valentines without sending them!
But I do love you guys! And didn’t want want to just be a Rainy Day Weather Friend!
Happy Valentines Day!!!!
The One Thing I know For Sure 
“It is all a mystery to me what makes someone read something. Is it the title, the tag, the category? It is hard to know. I am just as guilty. I have boundaries and time limits. And favorites.”
I have been reading blogs for a number of years now. When My life gets cray I will often take a break from reading them. There are a handful of blogs that I will follow daily for months/years; usually around 10 or so. It seems like my favorite ones are either Christian devotional blogs or poetry blogs (especially Christian poetry). Sometimes I will read the comments, and notice one that really impresses me, and that makes me want to check there blog out, so I will read a a few posts there, and if I like them I will follow them, and if I really really like them (this blog of yours is one of them) I will want to go digging around and read as many posts as I can.
Would you like to know what I like about you? I don’t read as many books as I used to read. I take spells where I read books, but blogs seem to be more appealing for day to day reading. My favorite author is L.M. Montgomery. You are not quite as flowery, but you have something that appeals to me on that same level. You both have profound wisdom that comes from your knowledge of the Lord. You also have this really nice quality that is modest and makes me feel like you appreciate simple things and simple people, and you are able to reach inside yourself and bring out things you have collected…insights and feelings and share them through analogies, poems, and stories, and I really like your poems. I always have to read them more than once. The way you combine photos with your poems is also effective. To me your blog is like a top notch buffet! 🙂
Theresa
WOW WOW WOW WOW!
You couldn’t have gone to the store and paid thousands of dollars for a gift that could have meant more! YOU gave me something priceless. Thank YOU♡
It might be hard to go back and tell the ones that I read why I keep coming back. But I do know that you are one of a handful of people that ALSO keeps me coming back. It is just this magical connection thing.
Thank you again Theresa
From the bottom of my heart
♡
Hello. That is so amazing, to be writing another blog from the point of view of a younger person. Wow!
You are inspirational.
I always read your blog posts. Happy Valentine’s Day/ Week 🙂
Elizabeth
I know you are such a faithful reader and I am so blessed to have you! Thank YOU♡
It has been interesting to attempt to write the part of my book that I actually did get from my own journals and memories in the form of a blog and share it here.
Happy post Valentine’s Day to you too♡♡
Hey some of your good friends on another forum are worried about you!! You can’t disappear without explanation!
LOL. Betsy. You are so sweet. I love you for caring and taking the time to find me. Please tell everyone that I am fine and I will check in from time to time.
It seemed as if everyone there was kind of connecting at the place that they were and I’d kind of moved on.
I stepped back for a minute and realized that only you and Casey and a few of us really shared actual names… real or not… even though I sooo connected with so many on that “forum” 😉
It seemed as if we were talking in circles after a while and weren’t going anywhere… I just needed a break for a while. I realized that I was so consumed with thinking about the past that I wanted to try an experiment with myself and see if I unsubscribed for a while if I would think about things like I did… and you know what? The “subject” bypassed my mind on Valentine’s Day until late the day after! Of course I worked the whole weekend but it was a milestone for me. I think birds of a feather flock together and I think I was hanging out with people that were fine being stuck… (not all… but many) and have hit a place where I finallyjust want to move on from where I was. I wrote “that letter” as a kind of place of closure for “me.”
In my heart… I want to help… and in writing my book, my goal is to give a message to young girls to be aware of dating abuse and RUN like the wind before getting trapped and later for women feeling stuck to not get sucked into the trap that I did.
But seriously as I read the comments from Dazed and Groovy… I couldn’t help wonder how I thought I was going to help. YOU are the only one that ever “really” heard what I had to say! But I am sure I will be back from time to time… to say Hi. I just hate feeling judgmental and I was beginning to really feel it and hating that in me.
Your absence here has been noted for some time…, and now you return without even a note or excuse from your mother… !!! Shame on you.l Just know that you’ve been missed. 🙂 Hugs!
Paul
Ahhh Paul…. That means a lot… thank you!
xoxo
🙂
Oh my gosh; I am starting to really get into your other blog too. Who knew it was you?? You know I thought about starting another blog anonymously too because I have so many family members and close friends following my blog. It would be fun to just write without worrying about who is reading…I mean really fun!
LOL.
Well, At first I got the courage from my friend to totally start out anonymously. And I think I could have actually pulled it off and it could have worked.
But then I kind of felt like a creeper because I recruited some of my friends that had been following me on this blog just to generate some readers..
.so I felt the need to explain on my ABOUT page that Keri was actually a character from my book based in the seventies… though a real character from my own memories and my own journal, all true. Though not acutally written today
but slowly I am not sure how but other people started reading as well… perhaps from the tags I used but it has been kind of fun seeing who is reading that are people that I dont know.
You SHOULD start another blog! It might be fun to create a totally different personality! LOL… I never even thoght of that, until I created Keri! 😉 You are right. It has been fun! And I have to admit… I loved hearing the sentence… “Oh my gosh I am really starting to get into your other blog….” Thank you!
😉
I think every blogger (almost?) has readers who will always be there to read…. and those who ‘follow’ but don’t… I don’t really ever have big numbers even though I show over 400 following… Like you I find it hard when a blogger posts several times a day… I really can’t read that many so many times don’t read any … unless it looks like one is more meaningful than the others. I do try to keep up with certain ones of course and read all of theirs’….. It’s a situation I never imagined when I started…as I thought maybe 2 or 3 people ….
I can’t imagine trying to keep two going… I think your story will be a very interesting one though….. Diane
Hi Diane!
Thank you for your comment! (My name too… so you must be a very special person! lol)
I know I know… that numbers thing… we say we don’t care… but we do notice cuz we know the numbers even if we really don’t care… it’s just human nature. It’s a funny thing.
I think you may have given me a blog idea for today! LOL!
Thanks!
xoxo
Good for me… I’m glad to help… Diane
By the way Diane, I just clicked over to your other blog!!! I remember getting a “like” or even a comment from that blog and wondered who in the heck is this girl who is naked and just covering herself with a blanket on her bed!!! Did not realize it was you writing that 🙂
(((((Ann))))))
Hi!
I didn’t mean to just scoot by your comment!!!!
I was just working on my other blog and it dawned on me that I never came back and found this message to reply! I hope you figured it out what I was doing when you read my ABOUT! By the way I never noticed that she was naked. LOL. I am assuming she has pjs on!
But the whole reason that I ever started this blog was for it to be a keeper of my book (if you look up the chapters I have here….) Anyway a friend and PUBLISHED author suggested that I take a totally different approach on a totally different blog and write in the form of the young girl I was trying to tell the story of and that is how that other blog came to be. But I realized as I LIKED things and read things it was under that name… so it kind of feels strange so I have to remember to sign out when I am not responding to comments there! I do feel that I will eventually have a redeeming message for young girls about the dangers of abuse. God willing!
But just wanted to thank you and explain cuz I feel you are a special friend and didn’t want you to feel ignored!
Blessings!
xoxo
Di
Oh heavens Diane, I don’t feel ignored. Besides, there are many times I don’t respond or say anything in the first place and just hit the “Like” button. Some times it is because I don’t have a comment to make. God forgive me if I should and don’t because I really care about all the bloggers I follow, even if I can’t always read everything posted.
I can so relate to your post here Diane. It seems that no matter how much we would like to fully immerse ourselves in our dreams, our writings, and more time with our friends…life frequently takes us where we had not planned to go. As long as we eventually come back to our intentions life is good 🙂
Love and hugs from me to you 🙂
And ((((HUGS)))) right back!
Okay, first off, if I could give you a cyber hug I would (((hugggsss))). Sweet Diane, it doesn’t matter how many or few blogs you create, those of us who admire your words will always come back. Do remember we cannot please the whole world. Our blogs are amidst a sea of other blogs, just as the books that we write are. Loyal followers come back and we all realize that life is very busy, especially for writers trying to create and do real life duties at the same time. I know this because I have a penchant for always wanting to do ten things at once; get my work done and please the world and fail to recognize that I am one woman. not superwoman. So I do the best I can do and hope that I keep my readers satisfied and curious to read more. As for your Keri blog….THANK YOU for the kudos but as Glinda the good witch in the Wizard of Oz said to the Dorothy, ” You’ve always had the power.”
I am glad that you have finally announced to your readers about your Keri blog because as much as we can be good writers if you didn’t announce it was your other blog, you were basically starting from scratch with new readers, It has its perks but a new long haul to build a following. It is our job as writers to keep our readers informed where we are and of our new writings so we can allow them to join us and keep the momentum going on our journey. I am glad you have finally announced it, now sit back and watch yourself flourish.
You and I had a connection not long after we found one another’s blog. I look forward to your posts and enjoy following your journey. Most bloggers will always have their favorite blogs which they read every word and some will skim the surface or may not read for some time and then come back. That is the beauty of blogging. It is a very diverse world and appeals differently to every reader. So don’t fret over numbers my friend. Your numbers well exceed mine, I don’t gauge my writing by these numbers. If someone enjoys me they will come, If not, there is a place for everyone. I would still write if only one person enjoyed reading my words.
Thank you sooooooooo much for mentioning my book Conflicted Hearts, I am touched. I suppose the title is timely for this day and I am so glad that you understood my journey and took so much from it. You are too kind and sweet and I love you for all that you are and have been through! xo
First off Deb
aren’t you on a cruise? ? Lol. I was not expecting to hear from you till at least another week! BUT selfishly loved every word but want you to relax out there!! 😉
As for the number things. I truly don’t care especially if the exchange is the friends such as you that I have made along the way. I would NOT trade you guys any day for numbers, no matter how high.
I agree. As I said. I too have my boundaries and have recently really had to limit my blog reading by picking and choosing where I spend my time. So I totally understand 😉
I just thought it was an interesting observation about give and take. ♡
Yes it was interesting and thus I had to comment :). Lol I have been back for a week now, hence my posts, ‘Back from Vacay’ and ‘Word While at Sea’. It has taken me all week to get my writing life back into order. I’m workimg a flurry with my new editor handing me tough love. I am currently writing 3 books, and aiming for the next one to be out by May! xo P.S. So honoured to be your friend. xo
Di — I am not sure why I never connected Keri’s journal with you? LOL — colour me post-menopausal! I love Keri’s journal — and because I follow this blog I know when you have, or haven’t posted. 🙂
I don’t have a lot of followers on my blog — get lots of reads a day, and like you, it isn’t about the numbers for me — so I love having my favourites that I can visit with often — and miss you when you’re not here — but now I get it! You’re over at keri’s Journal!
Hugs to you my friend — you are one of the great finds of the blogosphere!
Louise,
You of course are in that handful of amazingness that I have encountered of friends that I mentioned that I have found here as well! That is too funny! I know… I started out on that side of things trying to be up front in my ABOUT so when I was commenting, I always assume my “friends” know that it is me… Too funny… Well, guess you know the immature side of me now… lol. But it does kind of blow me away that you really didn’t know it was me. LOL…
xoxo
Aww sweetness. I love your blog. I don’t subscribe to many, but I do yours. I read every blog I subscribe to. You my friend are a flower I look forward to smelling when I see a post from you.
Also know, reader doesn’t always get stuff up right away and many of our subscribers don’t go in and manage their blogs to get emails when the author writes.
It’s not easy being a blogger on WordPress or any other medium. We just keep plugging away.
XO
Sheri
Sheri,
And I have watched YOU evolve in particular since I started FOLLOWING you so I am honored that I am one of the ones that you have chosen to follow!
I feel kind of silly posting this one. But it is funny… how as in everything in life you have to work it! I just started thinking yesterday as I wandered into my pitiful little blog filled with dust and cobwebs that I’d totally abandonded it. Where’d I’d been posting more often… I’d been getting WordPress reminders to post again and though I’d been posting on the other blog… I kind of expected to still have people drop by here for a visit.
When I find an author (new to me) that I love… I tend to go find all of her old books and read them…. that is not the case here. We are only as good as our newest posts! I think I have just got to accept that!!! LOL.
But Sheri I promise that I am was not digging for compliments! But YOURS was totally worth the time I took to write this.
And you know…. I totally know… I have made some wonderful friendships here…. but then you know that you of course were counted among that “handful” of amazing people I was talking about! 😉
xoxo
Di
❤️ thank you Diane, that means so much to me…