My first blog post… September 2008
Recently, I noticed a few of my blogger friends writing about their blogaversaries, so I thought I’d look back to see when it all started for me. It turns out it was as far back as 22nd September 2008, when I hit publish on my first blog post. It was nothing fancy, just a bit of background about myself and my life in Portugal. Although my first blog was www.suzyturner.blogspot.com, I called myself Iberian Bird for a while, until I just reverted to Suzy Turner. And then, on the 4th June 2015, I moved over to www.suzyturner.com—a blog I still maintain today to promote my own books, book cover design work, and all other bookish and photographic topics. It’s my creative outlet, whereas the Grey Brunette is my style and lifestyle outlet.
I’ve had a multitude of other blogs along the way too—mostly related to books and writing. Fiction Dreams, for instance, was my book blog promoting everybody else’s books, as well as my own. It went well, I used to get sent books from publishers and other authors all the time. But in the end, I realised it was taking up too much of my own creative time so I shut it down. I held the domain name of Fiction Dreams for a few years, in hindsight perhaps I should have tried to sell it because I see now it’s up for sale for over 8000 dollars!! lol. All of the Fiction Dreams content is still available on Suzy’s Fiction Dreams though. I ran a few different book trailer blogs for a while too, but they ended up taking way too much of my time.
Some people might think I’ve had too many fingers in too many pies (is that the right expression?? My hormonal brain isn’t working so well right now lol!), but I love everything that I’ve been doing over the past thirteen years, and I love how I’ve evolved too. It all started with writing some basic blog posts, to writing and publishing my own novels (to which there are 13 so far, I think!), learning the basics of graphic design in order to produce my own book covers, to moving into style and fashion posts in my forties. This love of taking style photos led to a love of photography, which, more recently, has led me back to book cover design. The funny thing is, I never considered myself to be a visually creative person. My friends used to tell me otherwise, but I never felt it. Until now.
Isn’t it funny how we feel about such things? It’s really rather obvious to me now that I AM a visually creative person. I mean, look at some of my style photos…there is certainly creativity involved in getting dressed to look good, right? And even more so, in creating pretty pictures for the blog. I know I’m probably writing myself around in circles here, but do you know what I mean?? I am creative in so many ways and when that realisation hit me, it hit me right in the stomach—in a good way! It excites me. It revs me on. It makes me want to laugh out loud and create, create, create!!
Some of my earlier style photos
Some of my more creative style photos
Some of the book covers I’ve created using my own photos
LOL this is probably one of the weirdest blog posts I’ve written! And it all started after reading Shelbee’s Six Year Blogaversary and Emma’s Ten Year Blogaversary posts and then checking out my first blog post from all those years ago! What excites you in a creative way? I’d love to know! So please share in the comments below. For now though, let’s get on with the 27th Neverending Style Link-Up…
My favourite last week caught my eye for obvious reason! I mean, just check out this FABULOUS pair of blue shoes!! I need them in my life. They’re simply beautiful! Celyn, of Life’s a Shoe, is styling an outfit completely head to toe in blue and she looks marvellous! Go check out her post if you haven’t already. Then please add up all your fab posts! See you soon xx
FOLLOW SUZY TURNER...
