A little while ago, this blog passed a milestone of sorts - two and a half million pageviews. I've been a bit distracted lately, not least because of the sadness of learning of the loss of two old friends in Caroline Todd and Robert Richardson, but I guess that this figure is a cause for a modest celebration. One thing is for sure. The blog began back in 2007 and I still enjoy putting the posts together. I haven't become bored with it at all. And I like to think my readers haven't, either!
It's interesting to look back (the photo above was taken in Aberdyfi a few weeks before the first blog post). In 2007, I'd had a couple of award nominations and I'd published eleven novels over a period of sixteen years. I was working on Waterloo Sunset, the eighth Harry Devlin novel, and mulling over the concept of another Lake District Mystery, The Serpent Pool. I was still very much a full-time partner in my law firm and still stuck on the commuting treadmill. A great deal has changed in the interim. There's no doubt my writing career has moved in a very positive direction, and I've been fortunate in a number of other ways. I'm still a working solicitor, I should add, but on a very part-time basis. My main focus now is on writing, and you could say that's a dream come true.
The blog may not be responsible for these happy developments, but I think it's helped me in a variety of ways. Above all, it's brought me into contact with some wonderful people, both in the UK and much further afield. I greatly value your comments and also the emails and other messages that you send in.
So, my aim is to keep going with the blog for an indefinite period of time. And I hope very much that you'll continue to take an interest in it. Whilst I'm perfectly capable of talking to myself, it's much better to have a bit of company!
5 comments:
Congratulations on two wonderful milestones, Martin! The page views figure shows the interest your writing generates, while your 14 years of blogging shows(among other things) your tenacity. I can't claim to have been among your first readers but I do remember coming across the blog through casually following links from one to another to a third...and so on: having enjoyed what I read on yours I went back to the beginning and read every one of the 2.5 years' entries! Then I started on your books...and have continued to read everything ever since. Best wishes for the next 14 years
Many congratulations on reaching this blogging milestone, Martin. I've been reading the BLCC series since 2015 and have thoroughly enjoyed (virtually) all of the publications, including your excellent intros! My reading of the BLCC releases has led me to explore a wider range of classic crime and mystery stories and I'm well and truly hooked now. I've been following your blog since late 2020.
Fascinated to learn of your legal background. As a practising solicitor myself, I have absolutely no idea how you manage to balance your work as a lawyer (even on a part time basis) and your prolific writing career!
Keep up the great work.
Thanks, Fiona. Your support is something I greatly appreciate, believe me.
Thanks very much, Michael. I'm delighted that a fellow lawyer finds the blog of interest!
Congratulations, Martin.
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