In The Pipeline
I have been thinking about the direction want to go with the blog and even, IF I want to keep the blog. I like the idea of tracking my reading and commenting on it. I also enjoy the reading challenges, readathons, readalongs, reading weeks and just the book blog community in general – I read quite a few! I feel that I want to continue with this blog, but in a completely different way than I was originally planning. Somehow, when I began the blog, it started as a New Year’s resolution – a way to track my reading, talking about it and promote discussion – but I soon began thinking that I must read certain books in order to be a popular blog (if you are investing your time into an activity, you might as well be the best at it!) and I lost my resolution very quickly. So I want to go back to basics. I already withdrew from quite a few reading challenges and I gave myself a lot longer to feel up to reading Edith Wharton – it’s her 150th birthday this month, but celebrations will be going on till the end of the year.
I didn’t write a wrap up post for Charles Dickens month – like I promised – because, sincerely, I was a little sick of reading his books and reading about him. From my reviews, readers know that I am not a fan and I’m still surprised with myself for being so blatantly contrary when it comes to Dickens.
I have decided to let my love for sci-fi and commitment to serious fantasy readership make itself a lot clearer in my choice of books and my reviews. I will endeavour to read books that interest me and not what everyone else is reading. I feel very easily influenced when it comes to popular books – but I make no apologies for reading The Hunger Games trilogy before March (movie coming out then!)
I will be more committed to Short Story Wednesdays – I feel sad that Risa is abandoning the blogosphere, but I’ve had many hours of pleasure by reading her blog – as I have a few short stories lined up for review, all science fiction! I have several short stories by Alfred Bester that I am looking forward to get through and also, I’ll be utilising my Goodreads’ librarian status to add synopsis to these stories on the website. I also have a short story by Peter S. Beagle, who wrote the fantasy classic The Last Unicorn – which boasts of having not only lady fans, but men fans too! Oh and it helps when Patrick Rothfuss mentions your book as an influence…
And, of course – Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you have a great day 
It is interesting to me that you feel that way so quickly after entering the blogosphere. Like you, I started my blog to keep a reading journal. At the time, I wasn’t really aware that there was something like a community of book bloggers out there (and 2 years ago, it was already huge, apparently
). It is hard not to get caught up in the competitiveness of blogging sometimes, especially when you see the huge follower numbers of some blogs, or the many review copies some receive. I feel that way from time to time. But then, I usually like the blogs most that I feel a personal connection to, and those are usually the more diary like blogs. I am convinced that anyone can find their own corner of the blogging world where they feel most comfortable. It is good to take a step back and reflect on your roots and your aims every once in a while, and I hope this means you will stick around for some time to come 
I hope so. I enjoy writing about books and I enjoy reading books and reading book blogs. I do have to remind myself to bring it back to basics. And thank you!