Fluttering Butterflies turns *7*

Seven years ago today, I had this crazy idea of starting my own blog.  Seven years ago. In some ways it feels incredibly long ago and in other ways I felt as though I've blinked and have sped through so much.  I want to take this opportunity now to say a big THANK YOU  for taking this journey with me.

Fluttering Butterflies is a very different blog now than it was seven years ago today and I couldn't be happier with what it has become. Through this blog, I have met some amazing people - authors, publicists, other book bloggers, and I have loved sharing myself and my opinions on books and life with you.  Thank you for your support and encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to read my words and for commenting, emailing, or chatting with me on Twitter. I assure you that this blog would not have lasted as long as it did without the amazing people who read my blog.  Without you - so thank you.

I think my favourite part of being involved with the blogging community has been the people that I have met.  Over the last few years I've met some of my favourite authors: Sarra Manning, Keris Stainton, Luisa Plaja, Susie Day, Meg Rosoff, David Almond, John Green and so many more.  I've met some amazing bloggers who have become my friends.  I'm not even going to begin listing the bloggers I've met. You know who you are!

It's been difficult thinking of the blogging highlights from the last seven years and I'm sure that I will forget something major that has happened. But briefly, here are some of my favourite posts.

One of my highlights of my blogging career was my (now ended) feature highlighting Awesome Women.  I still really love this idea and actually, reading through some of these old posts has made me a little excited about the topic again ... Some of my favourite posts for this theme are below.

Favourite authors from my childhood

Buffy, Faith and Willow 

Hermione, Ginny and Luna

My favourite feature on the blog, that is thankfully still ongoing, is that of Celebrating British Authors in which I've highlighted or written about books with British authors. I've done two events on British authors and I hope in 2013 that I continue to do so.

My favourite posts of the series?

Peter Pan

Reading Roald Dahl


Other features that I've written over the years include 'Books That Make Me Want to Travel...' 'Musical Memories' 'WWYD?' and 'Not-Quite Blockbuster Books' I've enjoyed them all, and I hope to continue these features in the upcoming years!

I've also had quite a lot of fun writing discussion-type posts about books! These usually happen on a Friday but could appear at any time during the week...

I've got all my (literary) sisters with me

Birthdays in books

My favourite talking animals in books

Books I can't stop thinking about


And here at Fluttering Butterflies, I haven't been shy about talking about things more personal to me.  Here are a few blog posts that I feel quite proud of:

My battle with mental illness

My life in board games

Sarah McLachlan (Musical Memories)

What I was like as a teenager

My wishlist of American sweets

To celebrate getting to 7 years of blogging, I'm offering two giveaways. The first will be UK only for a large jiffy bag of some of my favourite books. The other is for a book from The Book Depository up to the value of £10. This is an international giveaway, as long as TBD shops to your country. You can enter

I will choose winners in one week's time and will notify the two winners by email. One entry per household please. You don't need to be a follower of this blog, but I would of course appreciate it!

Here's to many more blogiversaries happening here at Fluttering Butterflies. I really couldn't do this all without you, so again, many thanks! And good luck.


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