So – A year ago, I finally decided I should make sure that my name is available as a domain, and I should squat on it, and if I’m going to squat on a domain, I might as well do something with it. Besides, I keep hearing that it’s a good idea to get a web presence built up before you get published, to hopefully have readers waiting for your work when it comes out. That, and to log some old posts so that you have material for people to browse when they come to your site.

And so my little blog was born. I’ve had fun posting, and my Aspergers brain likes the stats page that shows me how many hits on what posts. It’s like a turn based strategy game. It makes my autism happy, as my husband would say.

They’re right when they say it takes time to develop a following. My first month the number of hits on the site was piddly. But after about six months, it climbed to the two to three hundred hits per month range, and more recently, cracking six hundred. I even have subscribers now, and they are much loved.

Anyway, to commemorate the anniversary of my first post, I figured I would highlight some of my most popular posts.

Steampunk vs Dieselpunk: A post on the differences between the two, by far getting the most clicks for a specific post. The only thing that has got more hits is my homepage.

Occupy Winnipeg: My first brush with activism: My report on the opening of occupy Winnipeg last spring. Local events did manage to draw more attention – I’m guessing because there are fewer other sources covering them.

Report on Keycon 29: Self explanatory, also benefited from being one of few local sources covering the event.

6 Essential Dieselpunk Movies: After the Steampunk vs Dieselpunk post seemed such a hit, I figured I’d do more of that, seeing as I’m writing Dieselpunk and all, with similar success.

I really don’t understand how some people can be so stupid: A lament on the abuse heaped on a poor unsuspecting author by a readership with a terrifying sense of entitlement.

And, last, but not least, a highlight of search terms that brought people to my site. Not the most common ones – those are boring; just various spellings and misspellings of my name and combinations of Dieselpunk and the trappings thereof. No, I’ll just give you the most entertaining ones, and the ones that made me go wtf:

стиль dieselpunk: NFC.

people walking on the street & shouting/people walking: These two, I’m guessing were taking people to my Occupy Winnipeg post, but I thought it was random.

final fantasy advent children who is the girl in the pink dress?: *Spoiler alert* She’s a character from the original video gam, who had a rather mysterious past. The spelling of her name varies between Aeris and Aerith, and *Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert**Spoiler alert* she dies at the end of disc 1 when Sephiroth runs her through with his sword.

andrew garard: I have no idea who this is, and I don’t recall having ever posted anything with the name in it.

i’m not good at dealine: Sucks to be you, huh?

bradley p. beaulieu the straits of galahesh torrent: Book wasn’t even out and someone was trying to pirate it….

it bothers me too much when someone unfollows me on twitter: Seriously?

white wolf enjoy sex merit: Not sure which book you’d find this one in.

часы diesel punk: NFC.

why wont friends and family buy my published work: Because they’re afraid they won’t like it and you’ll force them to either hurt your feelings or lie to you. Stop pressuring them.

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So there’s the rundown of the first year of my blog. I’m pretty happy with it overall. Warm welcomes to all my current followers and all new ones that show up. I’m sure year two will be even more interesting, as I begin submitting my novel.