What do you think?  I’m so excited to finally go live.  Wednesday is my one year anniversary for blogging, but I couldn’t wait until then to have my big reveal.  I’ve learned a lot in the last year, and the biggest shocker was that my site, which I paid someone to design, was lacking some key components of a blog.  I can’t totally blame my designer though, as I definitely went into this blindly.

In the past year I’ve become part of a very big, talented and generous community.  Through reading and following several incredible bloggers, I discovered some sites are cool based on their look alone.  Mine was not.  I was also missing many must haves:  a prominent profile picture, a right side menu, easy-to-access social media links, popular posts…I could go on and on.  I learned from reading other blogs and from the generous resources that many of their blogs offer.  I decided to play around and see what I could do on my own.  Well, this is the result.  I’m proud to say that about 90% of the new look is all MY doing!  Who would have ever imagined?  If while exploring you find something wrong, I’m to blame.

In the end, there were some things I couldn’t do.  I want to express my gratitude to my wonderful husband, who got into the code to make things just right.  I’m also grateful to Merrick & Marcy Theobald, for their marketing and PR insight and advice regarding editorial content and design.  Also, the following bloggers were very kind and generous in the answering of my novice questions about widgets and plugins!  Nina Badzin, Samantha Janning (Chick Lit Plus) and Allison Carter (Go Dansker Mom).  And last, but certainly not least, I must (because she insisted) give photo credit to my daughter Audrey, who took my new profile picture.

So if you haven’t already – please, please, please like me on Facebook – this is huge.  I apologize for the begging, but it’s a necessary evil for a relatively new blogger who is looking for freelance work.  Like away my friends.  In the future, if you like a post – don’t be shy about liking it on Facebook so that your friends and their friends can see it!  It’s all about exposure.  I’m looking to expand my audience.  And if you really like a post, don’t be shy about sharing it on Facebook, which is even better.  Tweeting it and sharing on Google + also works!  I’m not altogether comfortable with self-promotion, so I need your support.  Humbly, I thank you very much.  Also, I love and appreciate comments – and I always respond.

Explore the blog and please provide feedback about what you think.  On my real anniversary, February 5^th, I’m going to randomly pick a winner from the comments.  The prize pack includes and an Amazon gift card, candy, a latchkey necklace, and books (of course)!  While going through my stack of books for my Favorite Books of 2013, I found that I had multiple copies of a number of books.  This happens often, I’m afraid.  Sometimes I receive one as gift and I already own it, or I had review copy, but bought one for a signing, or I just accidently bought two copies.  Yes, I have an Imelda Marcos sized problem when it comes to books – lucky for you!

What do you think?  Is the site easier to navigate?  Is the About Me page too much/too long?  Do you like the colors?  Did you like me on Facebook?  Are you following me on Twitter?  Google +?  Bloglovin?  Am I missing anything you’d like to see on the blog?