
YUP – I made it! One year of blogging almost every single freaking day! You know it’s funny because I’m a writer, but I have never been one to “journal” things. I never kept a diary, I’ve never been one to write things because I felt I needed to. I’ve started a few blogs for my other business (which is writing non-fiction science books) but I’ve never been able to keep up with it.
And my author blog, pffffttt. Don’t even ask how often I go over there to write about shit. Like twice a month if I’m lucky. But it’s my one year publishing anniversary too, so I am blogging all week overt there about writing. It’s mostly for writers, some tips and tricks I learned about self-publishing, so you can skip it and you won’t miss anything, believe me. It’s more of a rant, probably.
BUT HERE… I was 100% committed to blogging. I’m not even sure why. I think because it’s fun. And I don’t have to say much, just post other people’s stuff, read some books, write reviews, and do giveaways.
I LOVE giveaways!
And I love promo graphics! God, I seriously love promo graphics.
So I’m gonna keep this blog! I recently changed the design and I like it, but I might change it again, who knows. I’m loving WordPress, even though I loved Blogger too. And I have tips for new bloggers and that’s what I’m gonna write about this week. Today I’m gonna blog about how/why New Adult Addiction took off and how it might’ve happened.
First of all – NAA got big over the last twelve months. I’m gonna share my stats tomorrow, but today I’m gonna tell you how I got so big so fast. Because this blog just sorta took off and I think it mostly had to do with two things:
The first was the name. New adult as a genre was just taking off, I had been reading and writing new adult, so this was definitely something I was interested in, and this name just came to me and I impulsively bought the domain even though I started out on Blogger. If you start out on Blogger, I would urge you to buy your domain name immediately, even if you don’t want to hook up your custom url to your blog. Because one day you might outgrow Blogger and want to move, and in that case, you want to make it easy for people to search for you and find your new blog.
So the name was an immediate hit – that might’ve been luck, or maybe I’m just super intuitive? Who knows.
The second was design. This was not what NAA looked like a couple months ago – I had a very paranormal romance theme going and it was still pretty hot last fall when my name just happened to come up on Parajunkie’s waiting list for blog design. I had put in my name months before this blog came into being (for my author blog) and it was again, maybe just luck that I got a very cool professional design from day one.
So one I had the cool name and the cool design to go with it, all I needed was to participate in book blogger activities. I’m gonna talk about memes on Friday, but today I’m gonna talk about:
Hops
Giveaways
Feature and Follow
Hops and Giveaways sorta go together. I participated in like every hop I Am A Reader did for almost six months. It’s a great way to get eyeballs on your blog and gain followers. Fair warning – if you have a spicy blog, like NAA is now, she won’t let you participate. It’s family friendly only. The old design was much less sexy, so it was fine. But I’m probably not allowed to hop with her any more with the new design. I like hopping and I like asking questions in the “Leave a blog comment” entry. I LOVE reading the comments in the blog hops. It’s a cool way to pick the brains of other bloggers and readers, and if I’m being perfectly honest, I use some of that data when I’m writing. For instance, I like to ask things like – what do you like in a hero? And I get so many different answers, but there are always a few that stick out – like loyalty. Almost everyone wants that in a good romance hero.
So that’s like data mining for a writer. 
Hops are also cool because you link up with other book bloggers and everyone holds a giveaway on their blog. Usually it’s book related, but sometimes they are just straight gift cards. And then you hop down the Linky and everyone visits each others blogs and enters their contests and tries to win the prizes on the other blogs. It’s fun, it’s cool and it very social.
I’m gonna talk more about giveaways on Thursday when I discuss high traffic posts, so check back then to hear more of my giveaway wisdom.
The other thing I did was Feature and Follow Friday, which is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkie’s View and Alison Can Read. It’s a hop too, but it’s not a giveaway. It’s a get to know you hop. And it was SUPER FUN and COOL! I miss it, but I have literally no time to participate in it anymore.
Often there are hundreds of blogs on these meme hops. The really popular ones like F&F, or Stacking the Shelves, or Top ten Tuesday have a lot of very dedicated followers and they like to see new blogs come on board because that means they get a new followers just like you do. The secret to getting the most out of the meme hops is to participate. Don’t sign up your blog and then not hop over to see other people, because generally you have to comment and follow in order to get comments and followers. If you just sign up and not participate, you ‘ll get a few people, but it won’t be significant and if you don’t at least hop back to those who commented and followed you, you’ll actually hurt your own book blogger reputation.
Most of this is probably basic shit for you guys – I know a lot of you have been blogging a hell of a lot longer than me, but if you’re new and you’re trying to make a name for yourself to get on the good tours, this is how you start.
I’ll talk more about tours on Friday, so stop by then. Tomorrow’s post will be the stats for NAA and what I enjoy the most about being a book blogger.
AND – I have a massive SIGNED PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY FOR YOU! I gathered together some of my best author buddies and got them to donate signed books for the giveaway. There are 18 books in all from these fabulous writers:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nicole Rogers
I would love Lizzy Ford or AJ Bennett.
Kyla P
I’ve really been wanting the Significance series in paperback
Kim P
I would love My Unexpected Forever! Thanks for the giveaway!
vishous
rook and ronin series :)))) amazing giveaway!
Alexandra Cruz
Any paperback would be awesome, but some Rook and Ronin, or Shattered Hearts would put me over the moon.
Thank you so much for the chance
Lea
Any of Cassia Leo books or Maverick by Anna Cruise
Kimberly Mayberry
Most definitely the Rook and Ronin series!
joe hawkshaw
Torch looks like a great book.
erinf1
lol… any of those pictured!!!! Thanks for sharing
Marcy Meyer
I would love Relentless by Cassia Leo!
Theresa Fischer
Maverick Anna Cruise.
Carolyn J
any of cassia leo books
Heather
All the books have beautiful covers. But having to choose just one I’d choose My Unexpected Forever.
Danielle Hoover
Wow! This is a tough choice! There are so many books I would love to have!
Kristin Mckittrick
Any would be nice.
Mary Lowery
Shattered Hearts by Cassia Leo would be great. ….any one would be !
ashley
rook and ronin series!
Rachelle
Unexpected Forever, Torch, any of the Cassia Leo books and Panic. I’d be happy with any book they’re all so pretty
Thanks for the awesome giveaway 
Angie F.
Honestly, I don’t think I have been wanting any paperbacks lately. Although your Tragic would definitely look lovely on my bookshelves.
Happy blogoversary!
Angie F. recently posted…Review: The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
danielle estes
I really want a beautiful mess by tk leigh in paperback
Dora Balfour-Lyda
Shattered Heart
Donna Reynolds
Oh my how do I pick one out of so many amazing authors I would be happy with any but really happy if it was Shattered Hearts Series by Cassia Leo,TORCH by Cambria Hebert, or Rook and Ronin Series by JA Huss Thank you to all the amazing authors for their generosity and Thank you for the awesome giveaway.
Karina G.
I’ll be happy with any signed book, but would love to win the Shattered Hearts series by Casia Leo! Thank you for such an amazing giveaway!
Kelly Kline
My Unexpected Forever! Thank you for the awesome giveaway!!
Tammy Romine
My Unexpected Forever
Jenny Dauksa Schaber
It’s really a toss up at the very top of my list with Rook & Ronin series and Maverick. I would LOVE any of the paperbacks in this giveaway. I don’t have any of them in paperback. Thanks for the giveaway!
Mary Preston
BRING ME HOME
Lariza Ramos
Awesome giveaway! Rook & Ronin was be great on paperback!!
Diana Doan
Relentless by Cassia Leo!!
Laura Mendez
I like all the paperbacks…. but I would be super happy with My Unexpected Forever.
Theresa Raymer
Anyone of those paperbacks would be awesome.
Sandy Murphy
any cassia Leo books
Vivian S. Reads
My Unexpected Forever by Heidi McLaughlin.

Vivian S. Reads recently posted…[Cover Reveal] Escape In You by Rachel Schurig
Kim
I would love either one of the books from Rook and Ronin Series by JA Huss or Shattered Hearts Series by Cassia Leo. But any I would also be happy with any book from this awesome giveaway…LOL
Thank you for a wonderful giveaway!!
Blacky
Maverick by Anna Cruise 😀
Sarah Rosario
Oh I would really love the entire Beaumont series by Heidi Mclaughlin in paperback
Anna Kesy
Now or Never by A.J. Benett
Crystal Morton
Any paperback book. I love all books.
Christina Briana Rivera
I would love any!! Really love L.P Dover and Cassia leo!!
Jennifer Jones
I would love the Tragic paperback.Thanks for the great giveaway.
Angela C.
SO many to name… I’m always wanting books.
Angela C. recently posted…Buddy Reads VOTE – Nov 2013
Nicole
For You
Erika
Torch! Thanks!
Stormy
Tragic! Been waging that one for a while.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Mandy I Read Indie
Loved INHALE, EXHALE and MAVERICK…looking forward to reading MY UNEXPECTED FOREVER
Saralyn Miller
Amazing giveaway!! And lots of great advice on blogging. I’m looking forward to catching your future posts! On my way to hunt down your other blog also. 😉
lisa markson
Would love cambria book
Nikki flannery
As long as I win I’ll be happy with any
Lee Todd
Rook & Ronin series or Maverick
Isis
A signed copy of PANIC!!!
Complete my collection. . . unless of course you decide to offer the final I Am Just Junco book!! :-))
Tina Donnelly
I have really wanted Torch, Lies and Deception and any of Lizzy Ford’s books

But honestly they all look really good!
Tina Donnelly recently posted…Michelle Mankin’s Irresistible Refrain Book Blitz
Carrie Stevens
Maverick by anna cruise
Melissa Weeks
id like to read No ones Angel
Maria Behar
Hi, there! Thank you SO much for this absolutely AWESOME giveaway!! I’d love to win “For You”, by Mimi Strong! : )
Maria Behar
P.S. HAPPPYYY BLOGOVERSARYYYYY!!!!!!! : )
Amy Pollard Woolard
I would LOVE to have Panic by JA Huss!! Thank you for the giveaway!!! Happy Blogversary!!!!
Sheri
I would love one of Lizzy Ford’s paperback books.
Jesica
My unexpected forever
T Hammond
What a great site, and I love the giveaway! Keep up the great work (and congrats on one year!)
Terrie Fulk
“Maverick” by Anna Cruise
Pam
How can I choose one? I would love to have any of those books in paperback.
Jessica R
Any book by Heidi McLaughlin would be awesome!!
Andie Wardlow
My Unexpected Forever
Niki Newman
Thank you for this awesome contest.
Hugs, Niki
Laurna Hamilton
I really want the Cassia Leo ones!! Thanks for the giveaway
Kimberly Stover
The Shattered Hearts series by Cassia Leo. Thank you for the giveaway!
Bube
Happy Blogversary


My Unexpected Forever by Heidi Mclaughlin
Thanks for the giveaway
Christina A.
I would love Torch!
Tina M
Inhale Exhale,~~ Thank You!!
Maari
I would love My Unexpected Forever!! Thank you!!
Katja Novak
i would love any of them! 😀 thank you for the giveaway!
Natasha Giagancovo
Any book really they all look so good. great giveaway thank you
Ashleigh Swerdfeger
Relentless or Torch or Tragic!
Kamla L.
Definitely Panic!! Most of these are on my fiending list. Also Mine and Remy (the Real series),Wild Child, Gabriel’s Redemption, and so many many others.
Alexa W.
All of J. A. Huss’s books!!!!