For everyone in the US, Thanksgiving is this week, which is a time when we reflect on things we’re grateful for each year.

For anyone not in the US … siiiigh … you don’t know how lucky you are. Anyway. I digress.

2020 has been … a heck of a year? That’s an understatement. Gratefulness may seem like it’s in short supply, which is why I’m pretty sure we need these posts more now than ever. Because even though 2020 absolutely sucked eggs and needs to be flushed out the air lock, there were still some things about it that were fantastic, and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a Thanksgiving freebie, so of course it makes sense to make a post about what I’m thankful for!

Look, I know 2020’s mostly a dumpster fire, and we’re all just looking toward the new year and praying that things don’t get worse (because trust me, no one wants to see what worse looks like, thanks). But with all that aside, 2020 has also had some pretty amazing wins. So … I guess it balances out? Sort of? I mean, no one’s slid off into the sea yet, and Yellowstone still seems to be unerupted, so huzzah!

On to the thankfulness!

My followers. All 500+ of you.

I’m going to start off with a bang here. I’m thankful for YOU. All of you. Because when I started this blog three years ago, I was sure I’d never get 50 followers. Who the heck wanted to listen to me ramble about books?! Pffft, weirdos, obviously. (But adorable weirdos, the lot of you.)

I never imagined I’d still be doing this, but you all make it so worth it! I’ve met the most wonderful people in the past few years, and I’m so thankful for every moment of it!

The blogging community

Honestly, guys, this is the BEST community. I’ve learned so much and met so many wonderful people, who I truly consider friends. Because friends don’t have to meet face-to-face to be friends. Actually, honestly, I preferred it pre-COVID, and I think I prefer it now during COVID. Talk about a win-win.

I’m not sure I could’ve gotten through this year, as it were, without all the fabulous support I’ve gotten from the blogging community! I know I’ve called out bloggers previously in other posts, but I’m not going to do that here, because you’re all fabulous, and you should know that!

Amazing blog tour companies

I started participating in blog tours for the first time this year, and I was super nervous about it at first, but it has been ah-mazing! I’ve been so fortunate to be able to participate with some fabulous blog tour companies this year. I’ve actually found some of my favorite reads of the year through these companies, which is even more exciting! I know that I’m going to need to cut back participating in 2021, but for now, I’ve just loved all the reading I’ve been doing!

Etsy’s bookish goodness

I know I’m super late to the party, okay?! But I have seriously never used Etsy before this year. I’d heard of it and knew it was a good place for handmade things, but in my mind, that never quite equated to, hey, you can buy bookish things here. Like a booksleeve big enough for all the ridiculous things I carry with me! Or a set of super cute dragon magnetic bookmarks (shout-out to SkyKelrose for these adorable bookmarks!)

My new bookshelves!

They’ve only been TWO YEARS in the making. So yeah, I feel like I’ve earned these, darn it. My grandfather, who has dementia, made them for me because my husband was refusing to. Which then made my husband twitchy and forced him to fix them, because … you know … dementia. So lots of love went into their making, and I’m so thrilled to finally have them all finished and fancy! Well, mostly finished. I mean … since this picture, I’ve sort of gone the “I’m too lazy to put these new books away, so why don’t I stack them here, just for a minute, I swear” route.

My library family

Again, for anyone who wasn’t aware … I started working at a library September of 2019! So it’s officially been over a year now! And what a year it’s been as far as the library is concerned. It’s bonkers. I’ve worked in a lot of places over the years, but nowhere has felt quite like the library. It’s like a little family, and I absolutely love it. My coworkers are all amazing, and I’m super lucky for that.

This year has also been super rough for the library, as our assistant director, who was a good friend, passed suddenly in July, which was … a blow. It’s still hard and probably will be for the foreseeable future. But I want to focus on the fact that I got some good years with her, and even now, when we talk about her, it’s always her antics and how wonderful she was, which is a beautiful thing. I’m so thankful to know these people, even if I didn’t get as much time with her as I’d hoped.

Library patrons

Listen … I don’t love all my patrons, okay? There are some people that I wouldn’t mind, like, pushing into the closest stabby murder book and letting the characters have at them. But 99.99% of our patrons? Absolutely fantastic. How? I don’t know. I suspect black magic, because surely there can’t be that many awesome people in this area.

There are just those patrons who can make my day just by showing up. I doubt they know it, but I hope they do, because 10-hour days at the library can be loooong, and any bit of cheer is appreciated. You know, like the patron who always used to bring us peppermints in to “make us sweeter, because you’re looking a little sour.” Except now he drops a whole bag in the drop box when he comes in, and it quarantines like everything else, but man, the thought is there, and it just makes everyone smile over such a little thing!

My publisher

In case you’ve missed it, I’ve got a book coming out next year with Mad Raptor Productions! I’m super thankful to be working with them, as it’s an absolutely fabulous group of people. I’m really looking forward to being able to share this story with you next year.

My editor recently shared this meme, and I feel attacked I tell you! ATTACKED! But also … go on without me. Just leave me here to rot. *collapses dramatically*

Writing partners

Writing partners are the best, and mine especially put up with a lot. I apologize. But you know I’m going to do it again, because that’s my brand, yo. xD

I started writing with Nicole @ BookWyrmKnits, and she’s done a good job of poking me during the week and guilting me into writing like I should be. See? What a good influence she is! totally offsets all the other bad influences I have in my life. You know who you are.

I’ve also got other writing partners who I’ve been writing with for years now, and they’re used to my nonsense, but I’m still thankful for them. Mostly because I’m amazed that they’ve dealt with me for years and haven’t kicked me to the curb yet? Masochists, the lot of them, clearly.

Fabulous new-to-me authors

I have discovered some of the most amazing authors this year! I’ve read over 160 books this year as of writing this, and oh my gosh! Part of this is just being part of the blogger community and having people totally guilt me into reading things. I’m so thankful for that, though! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have read all these fabulous new books. Some of my favorite new authors (click their names to check out their books on Goodreads!):

• T. J. Klune
• Marcus Emerson
• Aiden Thomas
• Jenn Lyons
• Jordan Ifueko
• Abi Elphinstone
• Frances Hardinge

What things are you thankful for in 2020, despite everything?

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