Lemon, Out

JOSHILYN JACKSON

My turn to blog happened just a few days before TLC decided to unbecome, and I quickly realized we would close before my next turn. I pushed and snotted to get a day, and so now, here I am with my pushed over, snotted on day, and I am feeling rawwwwther uncertain about what to use it for.

A 700 word Goodbye would take the fast lane to maudlin, because I am unremittingly SAD about the close.

SO! NO GOODBYES. I am just going to mouth something French at you near the end, something I think means TIL WE MEET AGAIN but probably, since my French has to be filtered through a LOT of years in Georgia, might actually mean something obscene (I hope!) but more likely is simply nonsense; I imagine I am waving a scented hanky at you and, with a tear in my eye, whispering Frenchly, “Yellow spank Band-Aid pants.”

I also VERY MUCH wanted to post an essay I am working on called Fatter Than Thou, which is sort of a follow up to An Open Letter to the Fat Girl I Saw at Hot Yoga in New York City.

That follow-up BELONGS on TLC, not just because I posted the inciting essay here, but also because it is SO freakin’ personal it requires the presence of a posse to make it seem okay to speak aloud...But it is not ready. Won’t be ready for weeks, as it is complicated and too over-share-y at present and I am still writing my way to what I think.

So finally I decided that the heart and gonads (You can choose which YOU are! *beam* As for me and my house, we pick to be an ovary in this metaphor) of TLC are The Back Bloggers. What made TLC so super-nifty is that each post was a jump off for a discussion.

SO I wanted to ask you one last question, about blogs, actually, before this one makes like a bubble skirt and poofs.

Are blogs really over? Is it done?

I am not asking in a disinterested observer way. I have one of my own called Faster Than Kudzu that I have used as a mental playground-slash-institution for about ---Lord, 1,000 years now---- and yeah, TLC closing has made me take a HARD look at it...my numbers are down.

I thought it was because I POST less these days. Twice a week now instead of four times, and yet here we are shutting this one down because its numbers are down, even though it has fresh content every day.

And then there is Book Tour. Every time I have gone on tour I have met SO MANY PEEPS from the blog in the for reals. I am heading out again in January and February to talk about the new book, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty Best part of tour, really, is when Best Belobveds show up. I wonder if that will happen this time? It will be a kind of litmus test, but with cocktails.

And for people who wanted to be big gorgeous supportive muffins but who lived in a state I wasn’t visiting, I made a deal with an Indie bookstore I love to take orders and ship signed personalized copies...The orders coming in via the The Virtual Book Signing seem low this time. To be fair--- I posted it the week of Christmas.

So we will see what happens in January as I remind peeps on Kudzu. And, um, here. *cough*

Maybe I will learn blogs are super dead and I have to learn to TALK FASTER and be exiled to Twitter forever because people only have time for 120 characters. Is that true? I HOPE not. Not just as a blogger, but as a blog-reader. But even the ones I read...

 

There are three blogs I have checked religiously for YEARS now, every day, and only one of them --HI MIR!-- still posts regularly.

The other two (yes, I turn my gimlet eye upon YOU Kira Kira and Julie) Seem to be posting with less frequency.
I have a lot of blogs I sort of read in rotation, because they have never been hugely regular posters *cough* for example Lydia *cough cough* but it’s hard to get a good barometer reading off irregular posters ANYWAY I think.

 

But me? I cannot be ALONE in this: I am STILL link hopping and good-blog-hunting. I only JUST this very year discovered the myriad delights of The Bloggess and Finslippy.

Which, okay, finding those blogs was sort of like Columbus discovering America, in that there was already an entire NATION of people hanging out there, and then I came along and was like, OH! LOOK WHAT I FOUND! I AM EXTREMELY CLEVER!

To my credit, I didn’t give either of them smallpox. Or Demon Rum. Or syphilis.

To my knowledge, ANYWAY.

So. Blogs? Dead? Dying? Taking a hiatus? Still viable? READY FOR A COMEBACK????

And now in French, I say to you, moistly: Yellow spank Band-Aid pants! Citron, Dehors!

 

Comments

[Doc In CA]

I think the alleged death of blogs is highly overstated. I just did what I'm pretty sure was my 2,253rd blog (not totally sure because I'm adding old blog posts and fiction posts to the 1,925 official posts on Live Journal and Wordpress) post since I started blogging in 2004. Many of my friends still blog, though not with the frequency of past years.

I think Facebook and Twitter and the never exactly overwhelming attention span of the average human being are mostly to blame for the decrease in blogging. Short and fast and reposted from somewhere else seems to be the rule of the day

BUT...there are also lots of podcasts out there (especially among my tribe, the Geek Nation) as well as videos. Maybe that's the new way to go for those of us who are a bit more wordy.

And in reply to that heartfelt Bizarro French, I can only reply: My hat is alarmed. Do you know the way to the room of fish?

[Joshilyn Jackson]

Hmmm Podcasts. Interesting.

This is something to think on.

[Kathy Reschini Sweeney]

Here is a suggestion for bloggers - remind us when you post. Either via a blast e-mail or on Facebook - and please provide the link.

Many people (like me) just don't have time to surf around and see what's new. Unless I get a reminder, this is the only blog I check every day.

Also - as a reader and sometime bookseller - I can tell you that blogs sell books. If you are looking to reach 10,000 people, forget it. But if you want to nurture a group of loyal readers who will buy, recommend and donate your books to libraries, I still think blogging is worthwhile. I cannot tell you how many e-mails I've received since we announced TLC was quitting to find out where I'll be writing - and I'm not even an author!

I understand why TLC ended- publishing books is a business, and in a straight up cost-benefit analysis, the authors decided their time was better spent on other things. But that doesn't mean blogs are dead, or even useless.

If I were an author, I'd be joining or starting a new blog, or accepting offers from news or entertainment sites that have new content every day.

But that's just me, and I'm not a published author, just a writer and reader of good books.

[Ramona]

Okay, I'm going to subscribe to everybody's blog today.

Faster Than Kudzu: done. The Dociverse: you're up.

[Karen in Ohio]

Ever since I found Google Reader I've been able to see my favorite blogs every time a new entry is posted. It's pretty easy--just "subscribe" to the blog by pasting the home page URL into the "subscribe" box on the Google Reader page. Then every time you open GR it also opens the new blog posts since the last time you opened GR.

I've subscribed and unsubscribed to a million blogs, including Pioneer Woman, Rocky Mountain Woman, CakeWrecks, MudFlats (a political blog from Alaska), and a bunch more. The ones I'm still subscribed to are TLC, Working Stiffs, Femmes Fatales, Jungle Red Writers, Ramona's blog, Murderati, PostSecret (which only posts on Sundays), JR Rhoades' political blog, and a couple more, including my daughter's cooking blog, name inspired by TLC: The Tart's Kitchen.

Most of them don't post new material every day; Stiffs and Murderati stopped posting on weekends, for instance. Murderati, by the way, is boring because it's almost exclusively author-to-author chat. Readers are not necessarily important to them, judging by some of the authors' response to the comment section. Shrug. I'm only still subscribed because of one or two of the authors I still enjoy.

TLC was always fresh and interesting, and always entertaining. That readers were encouraged to comment, and then to engage in a lively conversation in the comments section, well, that is the big "secret", isn't it? Those who read the blog and missed the comments are the ones who missed out. Another part of the success of the blog? Nearly every author asked for comments at the end of each blog entry. It was irresistible.

Joss, I'm so glad I "met" you here. You're hilarious, and I love your writing, so much. Subscribed to your blog, check.

[Pam]

I guess I was late to the party & now the party wants to shut down. I did not renew magazine subscriptions because I discovered blogs ,which had what I really read mags for, stories & articles, not recipes & makeup. When i found FTK, i had so much fun for a few WEEKS, reading every single archive. Then i started checking out FTK's links & reading their archives. It is very satisfying to know there is a new post every day, here at Lipstick, so I won't even comment further , since it would be quite snarky. Also, why don't really great bloggers steal the idea from the Dave Barry & the Marley guy - take the best ones & get your favorite editor's touch & put them in a book. I would buy it.

[Karen in Ohio]

Two more things: Margaret and I are discussing a TLC meeting/reunion centered on Malice Domestic, which takes place in Bethesda, MD (outside of Washington, DC) on April 27-29. Anyone else game? Maybe we could get there early, or stay late, so as not to interfere with the official activities.

There is also the Tucson Festival of Books, but fewer mystery authors seem to attend that one.

Also, as far as I know, only one of the blogs was co-written by several readers, the group of us who formed a diet/exercise support network two years ago, after Sarah posted a New Year's resolution blog. During the discussion several of us wished we had some help losing weight, and we banded together. At first, there were seven of us; since then we added a few more. Here's the article we co-wrote after one year of holding each other up daily:

http://thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com/the_lipstick_chronicles/2010/03/help-me-out-here.html

We will continue, even though the blog won't. Now that's pretty cool, don't you think?

[Nancym]

Joss, you are a lady and a scholar and a hoot. Je t'aime. (am I spelling that right?)

In today's poll I think we must discount the opinions of those who blog and listen attentively to those who read blogs.

[Sheila Connolly]

A speaker from a major publisher spoke at Crime Bake in November about social media, and he said blogs are dead, and so's Twitter. Facebook is the only place to be. He's coming to speak at my SinC chapter next month--let's see how much things have changed since November!

Long ago I settled on a group of about ten blogs (three of them ones I post with, with up to 25 other people) that I read consistently, and TLC has been one of them. I've bookmarked a lot of others at various times, and I'm sure they're wonderful and entertaining and filled with insights, but there's just not enough time to follow more than a few.

You all paved the way and set a great example. I'll miss you. (And the Malice idea sounds great.)

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Joss, Mercy. And merci. Are you coming to Boston? Please please?

Karen--Malice, yes! Whoo hoo.

more to come..rushing off to work..xoxoo

[Ramona]

Hank, aren't you going to be at Pennwriters in May? Some of this crowd (including me) will be there.

[Margaret Maron]

I always check by Kaye Barley's blog at least once a week because I love her voice and she has lots of guests. The others? Not so much.

Karen, right now, Amtrak willing, our plan is to get to Bethesda on Thursday evening and leave on Sunday. Before I start filling out my dance card, can we settle on a time? Breakfast, lunch, or supper on Friday? Take over a patio table ouside the bar? What do you think, Hank?

[Joshilyn Jackson]

KRS -- I tweet/facebook it. I think I am against blasting because I hate to be blasted.

Ramona and Karen OH THANK YOU! See ya on Kudzu.

PAM I HEAR YOU -- I cannot read women's magazones---they are nothing but skin care and fornitcation.

Hank No one is going to pay for Boston. DAMMIT.

[Mo]

Oh can you pleas have a Tarts panel at Malice? Pretty Please??? I have my ticket and I'm ready to go.

[Karen in Ohio]

And just what is wrong with fornication, hmm?

LOL

[Harley]

Joss, I am getting trés weepy now, and my dogs are getting nervous because I keep looking at that Hello, Kitty hat. I will read you anywhere, anytime.

I'm having severe anxiety this morning. I had no internet for 3 days and now it's back and I'm catching up on the blogs, and it feels like pets I forgot to feed. Honestly, I don't know how it will feel not to have the blog.

Je t'aime aussie, Joshilyn, mais . . . no, je ne regrette rien. (that last part has to be sung, while smoking a cigarette.)

[Mir]

Blogs are not allowed to be dead. Because I said so.

Also: Because I think conversation is down, but not reading, so much. I do more metrics than you, I suspect, Joss, and I'm seeing fewer comments but readership overall remains fairly steady. I think we have simply become a wee bit more voyeuristic unless only expected to click a "like" or "retweet" button.

I am sad TLC is saying goodbye. :(

[Joshilyn Jackson]

Fornication and skin care have two things in common

1) They are the subjects of endless magazine articles

2) They are things I prefer to learn about via actual practical real world experiments v/s articles

[NancyM]

Skin care and fornication? I'm in! Oh, wait. Uhm. Nevermind.

[Elaine Viets]

Definitely subscribe to Doc's blog, folks. I'm a lurker and he's hilarious.
Podcasts -- yes, I've dome some, including reading a short story for the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. It's available online.
I have science on my side when it comes to blogs. An ad agency surveyed my readers and reported that a number of them found me by reading my blogs. You want positive proof? They show up in person at signings and buy my books.
That means you, Alan P, and Karen in Ohio, and Storyteller Mary, Peach, Peach Blossom and more.
So I will continue blogging -- and I have other plans to keep in touch. I'll tell you about them tomorrow.
One of the great joys of TLC was getting know our newer bloggers, including Joss, Brunonia, Cornelia, Barbara, and Amy, and working again with Margaret and Nancy P.
Talk with you all more tomorrow. (That's Missouri speak. It means 'all of you.'

[NancyM]

Can somebody explain to me the cat photo thing? I am not a cat lover, and I am baffled by the relentless barrage of cat photos on Facebook. Am I missing a gene? Or there's a hole in my sense of humor? If Mark Zuckerberg wants to retire a gazillionaire, he just needs to charge for cat photos for a week, and he's in clover. Or catnip. Whatever. It's just.....puzzling to me.

[Karen in Ohio]

Ditto on the mystification on the popularity of cat photos, Nancy. Maybe we're missing a gene, or something.

[Roxanne]

Oh, Lordy. . .I want to write, but my son who is recovering from a Stomach Thing has requested to cuddle yes? So. I will come back later as I've not even finished reading but SO DO NOT SHUT DOWN FTK. Srsly. The blog (yours and the genre) is not dead. . .it has matured and aged like a fine w(h)ine. . .and I NEED to go look at the crack addled squirrels you let out of your brain from time to time.

[xena]

Kudzu? What the hey ho is Kudzo and why is it so fast?
Harley now I'll always sing Edith Paif and think of TLC!
No regrets!

[Ramona]

I thought fornication was good for your skin. You know, that post-fornicating glow.

Gee, I will miss TLC! Where else could I post something like that?!?

[Storyteller Mary]

Blogs are NOT dead, but there are no others that can compare to TLC. Karen, I'll try that Google thing. Right now I just spin through my bookmarked blogs daily to see what's new (I've bookmarked Kudzu -- great name, the only plant more invasive than the honeysuckle by my house). . .
Karen, thanks also for the reminder of the HMOH blog. I've copy/pasted it, and the comments, into a Pages document. I'm glad HMOH is continuing -- we never, ever give up.
My Christmas cactus is blooming again (for a bit, I thought it was a Thanksgiving cactus), perhaps our community can bloom again as well . . .

[Alan P.]

I think Facebook has lead to a decline in blogs. That whole 140 character limit wins out.

I forwarded a link to today's post to my social media guru. Her company does not think blogs are dead. They get good money to run your blog for you. Hopefully she will add her perspective. I have a web site client who wants to add a blog to their site.

I addition to TLC I read TechRepublic, Doc's blogs (but not every day, sorry Doc), a few TLC backblogger blogs, and one or two other tech blogs.

The proliferation of blogs did not help anything either. About the 50th time reading about someone's political rants filled with enventeve spellling, BOLD CAPS AND EXPLINATION MARKS!!!!! and emoticons out the wazzuu :) You can lose interest.

[Joshilyn Jackson]

I do not care about uncaptioned look-at-my-cat style cat photos. But LOLCATS ARE AWESOME and THAT IS ALL. See how badly they speak English? See how they TRY? See the sincerity of them! OH OH THE EARNESTY OF LOLCATS! it undoes me.

YOU MUST WATCH THIS VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkOQw96cfyE

Kudzu is a destructive vine that EATS whoel cars if you leave thme parked by a heap of it for too long. It grows SUPER fast. I named my blog faster than kudzu...because I am. *enragingly smug simper*

[SD Tulip]

I love google reader for keeping up with blogs. Facebook is dead to me so I don't keep up with info that way.

[Aimee]

Blogs are not dead. They CAN NOT be dead, because I could not survive my deadly-dull day job without FTK and Mir and Kira (when she posts) and Cake Wrecks and... and... and I would say the Lipstick Chronicles but since you all are cruelly going away I can't include you any more. Pooey.

I am a best beloved and would love to come meet you at a book signing. So you must convince your publishers that you have MANY fans out here on the other coast and that we would show up to meet you and get you to sign our books. In the meantime, I will order my book through the VBS (and yes, I only didn't do it BEFORE because of Christmas shopping and spending) and pout.

[Diana in STL]

I don't know if blogs are dead or if we are just overwhelmed these days. I know I will really miss the TLC blog because of the interaction with the backbloggers, new book notices, and the exposure to guest bloggers new to me. However,I also understand what a time consuming process it is if you are on a deadline e.g. yet want to respond to backbloggers. To echo Kathy I will say I have purchased lots of books - "real" and ebooks - I probably would not have considered had it not been for TLC. In most cases I also purchased the next book and/or previous books in the series. In one case I purchased at least 6 of a series I found on TLC after I read the first one.

Re: contact after the blog ends If you sent me a friend request and/or a request to be added to "The Lipstick Chronicles alums" group and I have not responded please be patient. Unless you tell me otherwise when send a friend request I will also add you to the TLC group. I will do an update before the blog ends on the 1st. FYI I do not play any of the Facebook games.

Diana Wunning aka Diana in STL

[Cyranetta]

It's somewhat ironic that a highly-modern medium like the Internet is making me feel like Lady Bracknell in my preference for blogs over Facebook (and Twitter always seemed like so much tedious abbreviation that I never picked up on it).

I'm also an avid Google Reader user (although I will bookmark blogs that are not subscribable for regular checks) and will happily subscribe to anyone whose "voice" I find amusing/engaging/moving, whether it be a literary or a political subject.

Although I DO understand the needs of TLC's writers to better manage their time for their main projects (and families/friends), the end of the blog makes me do an instant swing from Lady Bracknell to a frustrated toddler, whining "It's not fair!!!" It was such a lovely bouquet of different voices, and the commenters just added to the wonderful profusion of expression, and all in one place!

[Tenessa]

I HEART FTK and check it religiously even when there is no post for days and days. Mir and Joss are my two faves, but I quite enjoy The Bloggess, as well. I enjoy blogs and blogging and will continue to do so whether it's THE thing to do or not. No matter to me.

ps. I'm coming to fangirl all over your book signing in Raleigh in February, Joss, and I found out about that opportunity from your blog. I have not decided to order from the virtual signing because TWO signings seems gratuitous, indeed, but I may do it ANYWAY.

[Carol Robinson]

I followed Margaret here and until that time she was the only tart I had read. Now I've read all of the tarts and am happily working on everyone's back list. I was just ready to quit facebook for good when Lipstick announced the party is over and see ya on facebook. The content from my lipstick friends is so much better than my gaming friends I will now have to stick around. Not once has someone I met here posted that I must repost, and we know 95% won't be brave enough, my opposition to drooling, god hating, child molesting, communists. The things that people try to coerce us into posting are such obvious mindless drivel; I HATE that! So a big thank you for those who have "friended" me. Your sometimes funny (Kathy, where do you find this stuff?!} sometimes informative posts have saved that medium for me. But I'm hugely disappointed that there is even a thought that book readers can be reached through little tweets or small blurbs on facebook. Hah!! Fools!! I'll be bookmarking every blog recommended here though since this is the standard all will be measured by I don't expect to be satisfied. And, because I love you all so, I'll keep buying on the first week of release and hoping you keep writing forever.

[Alan P.]

My social media person is on her way to the Bahamas. She did say she found it hard to believe that blogs are dead. She does have a vested interest in blogs, seeing how she pays her bills with them. Here is her company's: http://www.abstraktmg.com/blog/

[Elaine Viets]

Many chances for back blogger meetings:
Malice Domestic! Yes! I will be there, Lord willing.
Also the Space Coast Writers Guild Jan. 27-28.
And Sleuthfest 2012 in Orlando, with Charlaine Harris as Guest of Honor (and the kiddies are in school, so it will be relatively child-free).
And the Tennessee Williams Festival in March 23-25.
On to the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, after Malice, and then a book tour.
Oh, and sometime in there, I have to write the next Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper mystery.

[marie]

Ah, yes..the blog.
I've had a few. I did them my way. And yes, my friends..there's the rub.
I began a blog in the nineties and regaled my fans with my knitting prowess.
I then would drive them wild with my family antics.
Oh, the quips, the hilarity.
Then, mercifully the gods in cyberspace took heart and ate my blogs..all of them. Even the one where Hubby and I were cooking in the kitchen together. The turkey,(not hubby, but the bird) was a rousing success.
Flash forward to the new millenium and yes I was still on the knitting boards sometimes being castrated and people flaming me saying that I needed a lobotomy..imagine that.
However, then a new life emerged and a new blog.
I mulled over the tone of the blog. Would I be scintillating gushing over baby antics? Would I be hilarious or docile or sincere? I do not know yet, It's still in cyberspace.
However my one little compulsion that I have is other people's blogs. I even feign going to the 3 A.M. bathroom jaunts to peek at this blog. I sometimes am asked by DH "What are you doing..are you on the computer again?"
So I say Joshilyn I love your blog.
J'taime mon petit chou.

[Jill W.]

Nooooo! Blogs are not dead. I am addicted to FTK, Woulda Coulda, Bloggess, Kiwords, TLC (at least for a couple of days more), Jason Good 365, Dooce, and a few more that post less frequently. I check them everyday. They are my little escapes and I hope they never go away. They are also one of my favorite places to get book recommendations. I often have goodreads open in a separate tab so I can copy and paste any book recommendations onto my "to read" shelf.

I am another one bringing down your virtual booksigning numbers- sorry. I always order your books in advance from the Alabama Booksmith, but you are coming to New Orleans, which is just down the road a ways from me, so I would rather attend the actual signing.

[Roxanne]

Okay. Done cuddling with The Boy. I am also sad that TLC is closing up shop, because what you write here is a TEENSY bit different than at FTK--either way, the blog, (again, yours, mine, the genre) is NOT dead. It is just biding it's time while all the other types of electronic media leave their glittery trails through the world. Blogs that are worth READING are written by WRITERS--whether we are published authors or just middle school English teachers.

And LOLcats. . .my children STILL BEG me to take them in search. . .my son lifted his pukey head to read the ones on this post.

[dgm]

WHAT? I come here for the first time on the last day of this blog? How could you!?!

I don't think blogs are dead, but I'm worried they are fixing to be "mostly dead." It's a shame because I think it's a great format for sharing either a quick witty paragraph or a longer tale of adventure, woe, and/or chicanery. I stopped blogging suddenly when I couldn't stand the pressure of both updating my meatspace friends on FB and writing blog posts. (My blog is still out there but it's password protected now--thanks, Creeper Dude.) I found that when I stopped writing, I stopped reading blogs as much as I used to, and then one day I realized something was missing in my life. I have slowly reintroduced blogs into my viewing diet. Mir is awesome, as is Finslippy. And now you, who I've found through Finslippy, I will read you over at Kudzu.

[Jill W.]

Everyone is recommending Doc's blog. I'd love to check it out, but I don't know where to find it. Anyone got a link for me?

[Reine]

Joshilyn . . . I don't know what to say. I think you are brilliant and amazing. And I feel unspeakable loss.

As a result of reading another author's blog, I discovered all of you here at TLC. I have read your wonderful books and your other blogs, too. I have talked them up with my friends.

I have given your books as gifts. I have donated them to libraries. I have put in uncountable requests for your books in my state and county libraries and the National Library Service Talking Books.

I've spent my days with all of you. And there is absolutely no way to tell you how this really feels.

Brunonia, if you are there . . . DOWN BUCKET!!!

[Kaye Barley]

Blogs are dead. That's what I hear.

I don't think they are, but I do think they change and evolve over a period of time.

My blog started off to be a place for my writer friends to hang out - writer friends who were already well known along with writer friends just breaking into the business. I wanted to add in the people who I think are the key element - the readers who are going to help the writers either stay at the top, or to get there. Helping with their money, their loyalty and by word of mouth because they love books and love writers and have some favorites, of course.

When Meanderings and Muses first got going the writers talked about their work, now though they seem to feel comfortable enough at M&M to talk about things that are a bit more personal. And I'm finding myself writing more and putting myself "out there" more than I thought I would.

Do blogs still sell books? From what I hear from the guests who blog at M&M and track their numbers, they tell me that yes, they do. Most will notice a sharp increase after they've done a guest blog. Enough of those increases can add up, I would imagine. And guest at enough places and you're going to attract a few new loyal readers who are going to like your voice.

Not many blogs I read have this many daily participants and I think that has been one of the loveliest things about this whole TLC community, and one I will miss terribly! Even though I haven't always been one to leave a comment - I've been here. And that seems to be a trend at a lot of blogs - readers who are there every day but rarely leave a comment. I'm not sure why, but I've given up trying to figure it out. I get more personal mail from readers than comments left at the blog.

And since someone was sweet enough to ask for our blog site addresses (Thank You Very Much!), here's mine - I hope to see you there -

Meanderings and Muses
http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/

Kaye

[Kaye Barley]

Almost forgot!

Malice!

Yes!

I'll be there!

Arriving on AmTrak Thursday, Leaving Monday. See you there!

[Joshilyn Jackson]

MARIE JUST CALLED ME HER LITTLE CABBAGE! (I am learning survival french via audio book. My accent is DEPLORABLE. I sound like I am yacking up a hairball when I try to say THANKS.)

Reine, you are MY little cabbage. I am sad, too.

ROXANNE you are correct. I FEEL different when I write over here and I think the blogs are different.

ALSO I have this weird ALMOST NO COMMENT policy on FTK because if I answer ONE comment I feel I should answer ALL so I never answer any, and I think that has to stop. This place has MAYBE taught me it MIGHT be okay to intrude into comments. Not sure.

[Diana in STL]

FYI Just checked 34% of the books on my Nook (thanks again Marie for the Nook/Kindle article) are a direct result of finds on TLC. I also have several audio books I found thru TLC. I think the first TLC audio series I bought was Maisie Dobbs (J. Winspear). I can't wait for the 2012 release. Not to mention The Scent of Rain and Lightning... I could go on but I won't.

[Karen W]

Do your numbers go down because I read your blog through my google reader and never need to make clicky onto your actual site? I have always wondered if you can tell that I read your blog through my google reader or not. Maybe that is why some people do partial feeds in the reader to increase their site traffic? Most people say it is to protect their writing so it is harder to steal... but does site traffic play into that as well?

I do not understand the innerworkings of the interwebs :(

I love my reader because it makes things easier for me and only takes one click, not multiple. Granted I do miss out on the sidebar links to new great blogs, but I get what I am looking for. Maybe we are all trying to streamline things and are no longer clicking around to multiple sites?

[Deb]

I have to admit that I was shocked to read that blogs are "dead". i read only one magazine these days. I used to read many; I read several blogs regularly. My all-time favorite is TLC. I honestly thought that I was one of many, many people reading TLC regularly. I have discovered or rediscovered favorite authors through blogs, especially TLC. I have more faith in recommendations from bloggers and blog readers than in magazine or newspaper book reviewers.

I don't have a lot of time to write more right now but I will be back later today! I will miss you all so much. I am adding new blogs to my list, and Joss, Elaine and others are on my list. I want to add ALL of the TLC bloggers and backbloggers who are or will be blogging. I need to get over this feeling of having had a death in the family. Still feeling too sad to be very articulate.

Thanks for the virtual tissues,Margaret!

[Reine]

Doc is a blogging genius madman: http://doccross.blogspot.com/

He was the only one up who responded to my Christmas Eve tweet of desperation.

Doc on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/DocCross
Reine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/OldQuad

[Doc In CA]

Jill w (and anybody else) here are the links to my various web presences...

For nothing but short (so far) fiction, my blog is Oop's, Wrong Planet!: http://doccross.blogspot.com

For life updates, rants, some fictional stuff and madness, there's The Dociverse blog: http://dociverse.wordpress.com

The Dociverse Website has archives of stuff: http://www.thedociverse.com/#axzz1hwq3XSG2

On Facebook and Twitter I'm Doc Cross.

Be warned that I don't post on the blogs every day. I did it for over a year on the Dociverse Blog and now I'm getting my second wind.

[Karen in Ohio]

Like Diana, I've bought a metric buttload of books because of this blog. In fact, one entire bookcase is nothing but Tarts' books.

Why couldn't your publishers support this? It's ridiculous to think that not having the blog is going to be better than having it. Except for that time issue, of course.

[Roxanne]

I think some of my most ab-working laughs over the past six years have been from reading blogs. . .

[Holly Gault]

"*enragingly smug simper*"

Oh, honey, your meant 'engagingly,' didn't you?

[marie]

The Morning After

In a small English village a mother uncannily similar to Greer Garson is staring out her cottage window.
She has taken refuge here with her small daughter to somehow compose herself after the loss of her favorite blog, TLC.
Her daughter enters the room and sees her Mum staring out the window onto the rolling hills.
"Mummy, are you alright?"
"Of course, my darling" she exclaims in her throaty voice.
"Why do you ask, my darling?"
"Because, Mummy you have not touched your iPad today to check on your favorite blogs."
"Oh, I did not think that you noticed." She wipes away a tear and turns to face her little girl.
"I guess it is time to tell you my darling that TLC is gone."
"Oh, no! Mummy! You don't mean it.!"
"Yes, darling. Mummy will no longer see her favorites in America or throughout the world blogging and commenting."
"It had to come to an end, didn't it Mummy!" A wise soul indeed was this child.
"Oh, Mummy let's go outside and walk among the wildflowers and talk about the good times ahead."
"Yes, yes. Let us do that."
And with that they stroll out the door. They both looked wistfully at their iPad but know that sometime in the future they would reconnect.

[lil Gluckstern]

I am not happy. I enjoy you guys too much to be happy. Right now I'm very happy for facebook. What is FTK?

[paulabuck]

Joshilyn, you have a BLOG?! I'll be right there!!

I am also bookmarking tarts and backbloggers alike...so you've been warned.

As I don't tweet or FB (is "facebook" a verb...? Probably not...), I sincerely hope blogs are not dead. As I am home with my toddlers all day, blogs are often the only bits of adult conversation I get! (Oooh, the grown-ups are talking!!)

[Joshilyn Jackson]

FTK is my personal blog -- Faster Than Kudzu.

FACEBOOK IS A VERB! IT IS IT IS!

SO is Google.

[Deb]

(Short break for TLC)
Joss, I signed up for your blog; however, I am never, EVER going to remember that password that it assigned to me! Oh, MY, and YIKES! (But I like you enough that I want to continue reading what you have to say. I will find a way to remember the password, short of having it tattooed on my wrist.)

[gaylin in Vancouver]

Joss, mon ami, FTK is now bookmarked.

I think blogs have evolved and maybe not in a good way. TLC is the only blog I have found where the comments are a conversation (as Karen said) and that ongoing conversation of friends has enriched my daily life. I find the comment section in most blogs are there to stroke the blog writers ego and while I do read few other blogs, I don't bother reading the comments anymore.

I don't tweet at all, isn't that a cell phone thing? I don't have a cell. I like FB, it has connected me with people I thought I would never find again and now it will keep me connected with TLC folk.

I have tried podcasts and have a tendency to wander away from them and stop listening . . . I do read quite a few Disney blogs, a quiet addiction.

[SillyMe]

I'm a reader. I read blogs. I buy books. I buy books either on my kindle, or more often in the flesh (or paper -whatever) often I will buy a book on kindle and if I super heart it, then I will buy it in real life. (I have all of yours on my shelf -squee!)I don't buy books on tape because people read too slow or too fast or they just plain ruin the magical experience of having black and white squiggles on paper turn into what is, for me an entire real world. If I come across a podcast I always look for the transcript because listening to other people is icky, but reading it is ok. Blogs are a joy. they are a special super secret peek into someone elses life. They are fun. They are like the most perfect friend that you never have to put any effort into. -as a reader, anyway. People can say all they want that blogs are dead, but like cats, they keep springing up all over the internet and as long as they're there I'll read them. Real (paper) books are also said to be dead, but that's not stopping me either. If you're asking for my vote, I say keep blogging and keep making books. I know I'm not your only loyal reader.

[Joshilyn Jackson]

Dear SillyMe,

I think we should make out. Just a little.

J

[SillyMe]

heehee! OK, but only if you'll blog about it after.

[Pat Morrison]

Ditto on SillyMe comments...I am a dedicated book reader and buyer, there is never a book sale that I leave empty handed. Oh say it isn't so, TLC shutting down and out! But it must be true I read it here....another of those changey things that take on in this life...I don't keep up everyday and I attribute that to so many things going on that daily blogging can't happen. But I do love my blogland tours and pals..I will miss TLC even though I did not check in daily, when I came by I read back..So leave the links and we will follow...sniveling along. Why just today I was catchig up on my blog postings about the books I have read the last few months..somehow I used to do that immediately but they got ahead or behind me. I blame my husband for distracting me when I am at the 'puter and interfering. 44 years of marriage and he accepts any and all blames. I have avoided Twitter and lately don't Facebook daily either...but blogs dying off-NAH!

[Elizabeth]

Blogs are dead? Really? I only discovered blogs for elementary school teachers six months ago. And I only started searching for mystery blogs less than three months ago. THE IRONY!!!

Re: Facebook. Feh! Re: Twitter. So five minutes ago! But a well written blog is like coffee with a good friend. And you don't even have to get dressed up to show up!

To wit, I strongly disagree. I don't think blogs are dead. Because readers cannot live on 140 characters or less.

[Lora in Florida]

Blogging can't be dead. It's just too impossible. As long as people read, there will be blogs. They used to be called "columns" in the newspaper and I was huge fans of people I now read in blogs. Only now I get to interact with them.

I'm thrilled for the tips about Google Reader. Thank you.

And SillyMe? I agree with you 175%. I just want to take your post, and re-post here under my name. And I am super jealous that you get to make out with Joss.

And Tarts? I am such a huge fan of ALL of you, and your writings, no matter where you write. Like gum stuck to your shoe, it is going to be very hard to get rid of me. A super-stalker; a book groupie. Although I prefer to think of myself more like Ruth...Wherever you go, I go. (Don't know how to say that in French. )

[Lora in Florida]

And I am still trying "yellow spank band aid pants" in various degrees of bad French accents to figure out what it means.

[Lynn in Texas]

I personally DON'T believe blogs are on the decline. And...just last month I read online and saw on some TV show that Facebook was becoming less popular, going the way of MySpace. So, what do I know?

I've now joined the FB crowd to stay in touch, but it's just not the same "community" feeling of blogs, where you can enjoy the commenters besides the authors.

Joss, I'm also a fan of FTK, and yes, we actually have kudzu in some parts of the wilds of East Texas, where I live!

Thanks to Harley, I'm now going around singing Edith Piaf songs, lol.

Don't know what I'll be doing next year, so can't commit to a reunion, as I've been laid off from my nonprofit job and currently looking for employment. Otherwise, I'm in!

Will miss y'all terribly.

[Deb]

Still so sad and disappointed at the demise of TLC. I have even had trouble concentrating on whatever is here and now in front of me, because I just cannot accept/adjust to the idea of life without TLC. I must sound like a broken record by this point but I feel like I am grieving the loss of a loved one. Heck, I AM grieving the loss of not just ONE but MANY people whom I have come to think of as members of my extended family. When I first found TLC it was such a delight to be able to get together,daily,with people who understand how important books are to me. I had gotten so frustrated with people who shrugged off reading as an activity for people who are lazy or unmotivated. "Reading? I don't have time for that sort of thing!" is something I heard from too many people. I felt so comfortable here, not having to explain why I want to read as much material as I can get my hands on, not having to defend my love of mysteries, and meeting, or hearing about authors who were new to me.

Being without TLC will cause a major change in my daily routine. I will do my best to find and keep up with as many of you as possible. I know that I will feel lost, aimless, uncentered for a very long time. (Probably grumpy, too. How will I explain all this to the non readers around me?"TheTarts are gone, and I don't know where to find them!?")

Okay, it is getting harder for me to organize my thoughts. I should wind down. For Now.

I want to look into going to Malice. I'll be researching AMTRAK vs flying. I love AMTRAK. So, perhaps combining train travel with meeting TLC bloggers and readers will make for an exciting mini vacation?! Must do the research, must find some money, must stop rambling...

Oh (I'll bet you thought I was winding down) is the group of people who want to support each other in establishing good eating and exercise habits open to new members?

[Mit]

Chiming in to say why I like blogs better than FB or Twitter.

A LOT MORE WORDS.

And also? I can put you into a reader - and read in the evening and/or weekend and be current on the content. But those other two? You must catch the conversation as it's happening. I do not have a job that allows me to eavesdrop during the day.

Also? Too few words. What story can you tell me in 140 characters? Tweets = too few words. FB = THE WHOLE DARN world listening in.

Here? No one (outside of the Backbloggers) knows what I say. I'm me and you baby.

And (wow! see ... 140 would never work here), I agree - the back-and-forth commentary make it all worth while. I am a loyal TFK/Kira/Mir/Blogess (and 400+ more) blog reader.

LONG LIVE THE BLOG! :)

[jodiL]

Wow! A great storm of dispair has been unleashed by the end of this fun, informative blog. I, too, have found so many of the Tarts and visiting authors from this site. This, frankly, is the only blog I read and I've been around since 2007. I have a whole cadre of friends because of the blog and I never thought I'd be one of those people who had cyber friends. I surely understand the time requirements of each of your charming bloggers. I'm sure I couldn't do it. But then again, I read, I don't write. But gee whilikers, I'm gonna miss ya.

[[email protected]]

I hope the blog lives, but I'm not sure they'll be another like TLC for the friendships and glimpses into each other's lives. That said, I'm a fan of FTK and have been since my first book came out and my editor said, "you want to visit a good blog, go to Joshilyn's." I'm a bit of a lurker, but I'll be checking in.

And a message to Reine: "Up for Air!" I'll see you in Marblehead one day. Or Salem. Your choice.

Miss you all already.

[Deb]

So I switched over to another blog for a few minutes, returned here,and I see that some rather unique Tart portraits have suddenly appeared on the rightside of the screen. Wish I could see them in color,but I am reading this tonight on my Kindle.

I am trying SOOO hard not to feel as though I'm at a wake tonight. But I love all of you -ALL of you - and I'm going to miss seeing all of you on a daily basis. Oh,and I hate change if change takes beloved people away from me.

I expect to be posting here right up until the last day but just in case I am totally and completely inarticulate by January1,I want to say right now that ALL of the Tarts have enriched my life more than any of you can begin to guess. Kathy,you may not have published any novels but you ARE a writer! I envy your students; I am sure that their brain cells get a healthy workout from you! My own brain cells get a healthy workout from you and all the OTHER writers who have posted here regularly.
Am getting a little too teary to continue. Just wanted to make sure that ALL of you ladies know how much I appreciate you.

All of you backbloggers: I miss all of you already and I love you all, too!

I need to go now and put a more cheerful CD on in the background...

[Danielle, Quebec]

Is Citron Dehors! a french french expression? Because as a french canadian I never heard that.
For me blogging is not dead. I'm like SillyMe, a reader of blogs and books.I'm not on FB and won't be.
I took note of every blogs mentioned here and will go and take a look.
I'll be happy to read Lil's comments on Louise Penny's blog and to learn of new releases of authors at Meanderings and Muses and to discover new authors at Thoughts in Progress.And thanks to Hank,already checked Jungle Red.
But anyway, I'll miss TLC.

[Danielle, Quebec]

Mary, I like " The Morning After"

[Tom]

"Citron Dehors!" only makes sense on the docks of Marseille, Danielle, among rotting rope-ends and torn fishnets (either kind).

Myself, I'm waiting to see Harley's Aussie, aussi.

[marie]

Thanks, Danielle.
I am going to miss your posts.

[Laraine]

Joss, you're cool. I'm not into cats, but I've gained an appreciation over the past year or so of the goofy cat humor ('Bai, dog') shared by various friends.

Blogs are not dead, in my opinion. Like any phenomenon related to electronics, though, I think blogging is going through a wave of reconsideration and reorientation, as people try to figure out why they're in it, and what they want out of it. Look at e-mail--huge at first, somewhat abandoned for a while, but still the meat-and-potatoes of communication for businesses, in-house stuff, and for those who don't want to or aren't able to transition to blogs and FB for their daily hit of interaction.

I can't tell you how many friends have said they're leaving FB behind, and how often I'm tempted to leave FB behind . . . it is a hell of a lot of work to keep up with that insane machine. Oops, I said 'hell' . . . oh, well, I said it on TLC, where IOCHFTS is not considered rude, either.

I second Karen in Ohio's mention of Google Reader--it keeps me up to date instantly on who has posted on their blogs, and saves the list for me until I'm ready to read. I'll probably stick with Google Reader and the blogs it brings me, longer than I will with FB.

I'd love to attend Malice. But, unless there are some financial miracles, I won't be doing so this year. But, go for me and have fun, Karen, et al.

I'd say something in lovely French if I could, but it would come out all funny and I haven't any at hand.

Bye. Hard to say that as the days dwindle.

[Becky Hutchison]

Thanks for the memories, Joss. Your blogs have always been so funny. I'll miss them. A bientot, j'espere (see you later, I hope).

xoxo

[Laraine]

Holly, it's great to see the Tart portraits again.

Me, Margie had best have a few words before the doors close here.

[Reine]

Hah, Brunonia! Whip! In the old days, we'd meet at The Rook, no question. We'll find a good spot. Maybe one with a clam roll?

[Reine]

Goodnight, Joshilyn. It's been a good good-bye, despite its good-bye-ness.

xo to you, Sneakers and cream with sailboats.

[Al_S]

I'm glad you pushed and snotted your way to one more blog post. It was worth it. I don't think blogs are dead but then I still use a pocket watch and rotary dial phones. I hope some kind soul keeps track of all the links and reposts them for all of us.

In closing,
Eau la quille ne colle
Oise à mer est haulte des soles

[Brigitte]

Twitter just seems like an intrusive PITA to me, I'm not sure why people are even interested in it. Facebook is too time-consuming for me to deal with. So *I'LL* be continuing to look for blog posts from my favorites! To me, they give more time and depth for musings, both serious and funny, than the other options, and feel more personal.

Then again, I'm one of those Luddites who'll never give up actual, real live BOOKS!

[Joshilyn Jackson]

Google ytranslator says

Eau la quille ne colle
Oise à mer est haulte des soles

Means:
Water the keel do glue
Oise at sea is haulte of soles.

Which...yeah. Back atcha, Al.

[Donna]

Ummm - love your writing.
Buy all your books.
Have taken on your mental illness indicators as my own.
BUT CANNOT STAND THE LOLCATS.
They drive me away.
Sorry, but you asked?

[edj]

Blogs seem to be dying, yes. But I have refused to twitter, and FB is a cold, cold substitute. I have a blog. Readership is down, but then, it was never all that high. I also post less. I care but at the same time, I don't care. Also, I will continue to read you at FTK (seems vaguely dirty, non? And I'm sure kudzu has been sworn at plenty, although being a northerner, I don't really know) AND read and gift all your books. The world sucks. I'm nowhere near old enough to be a cranky old woman, but sometimes it's tempting.