Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

14 Years of Awesome


Today this humble blog turns 14.  That's right kids, the Bat Cave has been in existence since 2003 and this wee little corner of cyberspace has seen a lot in the past 14 years.  I started it when I was still a relatively fresh-faced librarian, still working for the employer crazy enough to hire me out of library school.  It saw me through a cross country move, more job changes and promotions, the RWA Librarian of the Year Award in 2011 (no, I'm not done milking that and never will be - you were warned), multiple reviewing gigs, Romancelandia kerfuffles, various Little Miss Crabby Pants rants, countless Book Squees!, some excellent blog posts and some...well, not so excellent blog posts. 

All of that is par for the course.  This blog has had more ups than downs and brought a lot of really great experiences and people into my life - which is what keeps me going.  Because blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.  And when you're a lone blogger in a quirky little space like I have?  The trick is to find a way to keep it interesting for you otherwise you're screwed.  Hopefully other people find it interesting too and keep coming back.

So happy anniversary to the Bat Cave and thanks to all of you who have been stopping by here over the past 14 years.  Either as long time readers, or brand new baby ones.  In honor of this auspicious (::cough cough::) occasion I ask that if you enjoy blogs like this one, to support your quirky lone individual bloggers the best way you can - by reading, sharing and commenting.  After all this time I still get a charge when someone leaves a comment or shares a post.  And barring that?  Heck, pick up a category romance.  They're good for the soul.

13 comments:

Kate said...

Congrats, Wendy! 14 years is no mean feat; that's like going back to the cuneiform days of blogging :D

Barb in Maryland said...

Wendy
Happy Birthday to your blog and congratulations to you! I've been a regular reader for 8+ years--I like your style. And I just love(!!!) Little Miss Crabby Pants.
Thank you for writing and for being you.

Bona Caballero said...

Just awesome. Congrats! Happy blogversary. Hope to keep on reading you for many years.

Rowena said...

Happy Blog Birthday! What an accomplishment. That's freaking fantastic, Wendy! Keep up the good work. :)

Carole Rae said...

HOLY CANNOLI BATMAN! Congrats!

Lori said...

Wow, 14 years. That's like 100 in internet years. Congratulations!

azteclady said...

Here's raising my (water bottle) in celebration, and wishing you many, many more years of blogging, and reading, and blogging about reading (and anything else that makes you happy).

Jazzlet said...

Conratulations and thank you! Yours is one of the few blogs I check regularly because I like the way you write and what you write about - including the Miss Crabby Pants entries!

S. said...

Well, Wendy, congratulations on the blog and on still being there, even the will to write/blog isn't strong. But rest assured that readers have as much need to see you blogging as you feel happy to receive a comment. Keep reading!!!! :D

Unknown said...

I have been reading you for over 13 years, so nearly from the beginning, first from Germany and then the UK. I always know I will get the straight and honest scoop from you - and well-written to boot! I love that you have strong opinions and aren't afraid to put them out there. I have been writing my own blog for over five years now (about knitting, not books) and was inspired in many ways by your example. Congratulations on your anniversary. -Kelly

willaful said...

Way to go and keep it up!

Wendy said...

Thank you everybody! I can't believe it's been 14 years. The blogging mojo has definitely ebbed and flowed over the years - there are some days that stringing together words is hard - but I would say I've gotten more out of blogging than I've probably put into it. It scratches an itch and has connected me to so many people who love romance as much as I do. It enabled me to find my tribe - which makes it a hard drug to quit.

Nikki said...

Happy Anniversary! Fourteen years is forever on the internet. Congratulations!