Top Ten Bookish Memories

Time for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and this week it's our Top Ten Bookish Memories.

Lots of firsts on this list! In no particular order, my ten twelve best bookish memories are:

1) Starting the blog - Deciding to start this blog was such a good decision! At first I wasn't sure what to blog about; I just knew that I wanted to blog. I'd just joined Blockbusters and had been given a 14-days-of-free-films voucher, so I thought - why not reviews? Naturally, this became nearly all book reviews, with some films and games as well, and the blog has now become such a great reflection of me and my loves! And when the blog's still in its very early days, that first little face popping up on Google Friend Connect... so exciting. :-)

It will be my first blogiversary in April, and I'm sure that milestone will be another best bookish memory!

2) First review copy - This was from an indie author, a lovely woman called Greselda Heppel, and thankfully I really enjoyed her book (Ante's Inferno). Being asked to read and review someone's book, because they put value on my opinion - that's an amazing feeling!

3) First book convention - Such an amazing experience! Went from extremely nervous and not knowing anyone, to chatting quite naturally with people and going to get food with them by the end of the day. Everyone is so friendly at book conventions, and everyone will happily talk about book for hours - rooms full of my kind of people! Plus, meeting authors and hearing them read from their books is a pretty squee-inducing experience. I'll be going to conventions every year from now on!

4) Mr. Bankvole - When I was very young my dad used to make up and tell me stories about Mr. Bankvole and other wildlife living by a river. He'd do all the voices. I can still remember these so well!

5) Reading the final Harry Potter book - What a moment! Ending that series that I grew up with. Amazing, but also very sad.

6) Reading Howl's Moving Castle (and every re-read) - This is my special book, the one that will always give me a happy feeling.

7) First short story acceptance - Okay, this one's more writing than reading related, but this was such an incredible feeling!

8) First Read-a-thon - This was the 'Magnificently Magic Read-a-thon' hosted by Faye at A Daydreamer's Thoughts. I had so much fun doing this, and now I look out for as many read-a-thons as I can - I love them!

9) Being credited as an editor of a novel for the first time - This was a long time ago, but I still remember the excitement. Crashin' the Real by Deb Hoag. My name in the front of the book, and in her acknowledgements! Squeal!

10) Being accepted to write articles and book reviews for Fantasy Faction - One of the biggest genre sites online! I love this site and the people there, and being part of the staff writing team is wonderful!

Okay, I'm a big cheating cheater, because I'm going for two more...

11) Winning the first Book Drum competition - I won the competition for my profile of Homer's Odyssey, a fantastic story that I've loved for a long time.

12) Writing for the Fantasyland Herald - Because this is just so much fun, and sure to spark plenty more great memories!


What about you? What are your best bookish memories? Anything you're looking forward to or hope to achieve?