HOLY MOLY. Today we celebrate our 7 year blogoversary at Happy Indulgence! As far as blogs go, we’re ancient when it comes to the internet but we’re still going strong! What an adventure it has been since I started my little space on the internet.
It’s been a pretty emotional week for me as I look back at my blogging journey over the past 7 years. I’ve been digging around the blogging archives and revisiting key milestones to see what has lead us to where we are today. So to celebrate 7 years of Happy Indulgence, here’s every year of my blogging journey!
My 7 Year Blogging Journey
YEAR 1: Hello Internet (2012)
- Started my book blog on WordPress after reading reviews on Goodreads, and I had no idea what I was doing! I pretty much just reviewed anything and everything that came my way.
- I also joined Twitter several months later, that was probably the best and worst decision of my life.
YEAR 2: First ARC (2013)
- I received my first ARC from a publisher! Moving up in the blogging world, folks.
YEAR 3: Bookstagram & Aussie YA Bloggers Group (2014)
- I joined bookstagram and thought I had mad skills with my ironing board as a background. At one stage I even used my Dyson vacuum cleaner as a prop, but that picture is gone now to save myself from further embarrassment.
- I also became a part of the Australian YA Bloggers & Readers mod group. Who knew there were so many incredible Aussie bloggers around?
- I was invited to join my first panel at Brisbane Libraries to talk about blogging.
- Went to the first Love YA day at Brisbane Writer’s Festival and met Laini Taylor and several other Aussie bloggers and authors!
YEAR 4: New Co-Bloggers & First Author Interviews (2015)
- I really struggled with motivation this year, and blogging was starting to take over my life. After advertising for co-bloggers, Aila and Jenna joined the team! I was so happy to meet them both and knew they would be perfect for Happy Indulgence.
- I also went to Sydney Writer’s Festival All Day YA and met lots of amazing blogging friends!
- I was invited to interview Cassandra Clare and Holly Black and welcomed them to the “small town of Brisbane” (which also happens to be home to over 2.3 million people).
- Celebrated our blogoversary with my first Youtube video! How awkward.
YEAR 5: New Design, ABC Radio & Toby (2016)
- With Aila and Jenna in tow, I was feeling completely refreshed and launched the new look Happy Indulgence (the theme that you see today)!
- I was also invited to moderate my first author panel featuring some amazing Aussie writers!
- I was invited by Rhianna Patrick to join OZYAY on ABC Radio, where we talk about Aussie YA releases! I still can’t believe I get to talk on the radio about books guys.
- The year ended by getting my puppy Toby in December 2016. Can you believe he’s almost 3 years old?
YEAR 6: Wedding and Honeymoon (2017)
- Continued to post on the blog, bookstagram, booktube, participate on the radio, train my puppy and various other engagements!
- Went on an extended hiatus as I got married in September 2017, then jetsetted off to Hawaii for our honeymoon!
YEAR 7: Book Club & Brisbane Writer’s Festival (2018)
- We started our own book club, The Name of the Book! It’s so much fun chatting about books each month (and also not chatting about books).
- I was invited to speak about about book blogging at Brisbane Writer’s Festival! I was also invited to join their YA Advisory panel, and became a Brisbane Writer’s Festival Ambassador for 2018.
- I hosted Jay Kristoff’s LIFEL1K3 Launch in Brisbane (yes, who only happens to be my favourite author ever)! What an honour.
- I was featured on the front page of ABC News! THIS IS REAL LIFE GUYS.
YEAR 8: Baby & Festival Appearances (Here today)
- I gave birth to baby Amelia at the start of the year and became a new mum!
- I’ll soon be speaking at the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival about book blogging to school students! I can’t believe it!
- I’ve also got more festival appearances at the Brisbane Writer’s Festival.
THANK YOU AILA & JENNA
Each year I always find someone to thank for this blogging journey, but this year I really wanted to focus on my thanks for my wonderful co-bloggers, Aila and Jenna. You guys saved me from the biggest blogging slump of my life, and you’ve each added such a unique voice to Happy Indulgence.
I truly believe Happy Indulgence would not be the same without you. I would not still be here, and able to achieve so much without both of your support and your help in keeping this blog running. We’ve been through so many milestones in our lives throughout this blogging journey. Thank you for putting up with my posting OCD, my ranting, my raving and honestly all the highs and lows of life.
And even though you’re both super busy and have moved on to the next stage of your lives since we first met, I really appreciate that you guys are both still here. Aila and Jenna, I’m grateful to call you both some of the very best friends that I could have asked for and I love you both so, so much.
Now before I start getting teary, I’ve got an exciting announcement for our celebration!
Join us on our live show this weekend!
To celebrate our blogging anniversary, we will be getting together for the first time LIVE ON YOUTUBE!
Come hear us chat about the ins and outs of blogging together, our favourite reads and we’ll also be answering your questions.
Find out what time it is in your location with this handy meeting time converter.
We will be LIVE on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/happyindulgencebooks
International Giveaway: Win one of our favourite books!
To thank all of our amazing readers for continuing to support us, here’s a giveaway to win one of our favourite books! Or more accurately, a book from one of our favourite authors as mentioned in that post. All you have to do to enter is to fill out the form below.
No fake entries – we check! Verified entries only. Giveaway ends 4 August 2019 and winner will be chosen randomly and emailed directly.
A big thank you to all of our readers, publishers, bloggers, friends and everyone else who has supported us along the way! You’re the reason why we keep on going!
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[…] The women of Happy Indulgence celebrate their 7th blogoversary with a giveaway! […]
Congratulations on this great occasion!
Congratulations on 7 years! It’s amazing 🙂
Congrats on 7 years of sharing your love of books! I’m a new follower and can’t wait to talk books with you.
Congrats on the 7 years, ladies <3 I love your blog and I'm looking forward to all your upcomming posts.
You guys have accomplished so much in 7 years!! Congratulations on this milestone!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Sunday Post: Book Pre-order Campaigns & Giveaways Galore – 7/21/19
Thank you so much Nicole! I can’t believe it’s been 7 years!
Can’t believe it’s been this long! Congrats on the 7 years, ladies !! <3
Thank you so much Denisa! It feels like it’s flown by!
WOW WEE 7 years!?!? That is AWESOME! I am so happy for you guys that you have had so much success, and have made such lovely friendships through it all. Congratulations, and hope you have many, many more to come!
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…The 100 Episode 6×09: What You Take With You
I KNOW RIGHT? I cannot believe it’s been that long! And I’m glad that we’re friends through this thing that we do in our spare time!
Congratulations on 7 years! I’m always interested in reading your reviews, particularly of Aussie books that I may not be as aware of until I find them here.
Thank you so much Summer! I love Aussie books so I’m so glad that you find them of interest here!
Congratulations on 7 years!!!
Thank you!
HAPPY 7 YEARS!! AHHHHHH. You are truly one of the best ever blogs and I look up to you so much The blogging world is better for having you in it and I’m soooo proud of all the things you’ve achieved. You are like a celebrity here with all this amazingness *flails and cheers for you forever*
CG @ Paper Fury recently posted…Impossible Music by Sean Williams (Ft. Deaf Rockgod Musicians!)
OMG thank YOU so much Cait for your neverending support! What would I do without you across these years? ILY SO MUCH
7 years woooow! I’ve been blogging since 2009 so for me is almost 10 years <3
I really love you guys and I think we book bloggers share love for books so much we are here for a ton of years. Congratulations for your enthusiasm and love for books and thats why we all are here 🙂
Thank you so much Nina, I’m so grateful for this amazing community! Wow, 10 years is an incredible time to be blogging for! Well done!
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND HAPPY 7 YEARS OF BLOGGING AHHH! What an incredible accomplishment, and I loved seeing all that you’ve accomplished in the past years thanks to blogging, this makes me so happy and warms my heart, too. <3 I adore your blog and all of your work and I can't wait to see what you'll do in the upcoming years as well. Happy blogoversary, friends! <3 <3
Thank you so much Marie! This comment just gave me all the feels <3 I'm so grateful for all of your ongoing support always!
AHHH I LOVE ALL THREE OF YOU SO MUCH! Happy Indulgence is one of the blogs I’ve been following for the longest time. I’ve been a huge fan of Jeann ever since, and having Aila and Jenna on has made this blog even more exciting to visit. Congrats on 7 years!!! ♥
Aimee @ Aimee, Always recently posted…Comeback by Lyn Ashwood and Rachel Rose: Heckin’ Adorable, with Asian Culture Thrown In!
Thank you so much Aimee, I am so glad that you’re back in the blogging community!
Yay! Happy 7 years girls! I’ve been here for the last 5 years and I’ve loved seeing the blog grow. 🙂
LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, and can’t wait for the live chat!! <3
Congrats to all of you! You’ve had so many amazing milestones, Jeann
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy recently posted…Future Fiction #28: Cover Reveals & Newly Discovered SFF Books
Congrats on 7 years, everyone! You deserved it you always have really interesting posts to read and you’re very passionate about reading and books and getting more people to read.
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stephen micheal recently posted…Facebook Business Page – Facebook Page For Business
Jeann, Aila, and Jenna, Congratulations to you for all your milestones and for how your blog has grown over the past 7 years! I hope to catch you live Saturday
Kathleen Burkinshaw recently posted…Author Video Summary of The Last Cherry Blossom
Congrats on 7 years