"Words.Words.I play with words, hoping that some combination, even a chance combination will say what I want" -Doris Lessing
This post comes at a special time. Come September and A Hundred Quills completes a year! When I started this blog, I had just one thing on my mind- I wasn’t thinking business. I wanted to write and connect with people who write- the like-minded gang and Voila! Didn’t I do that!
The beginning was rather snail paced. I was mostly sharing my posts with friends on facebook, who weren’t all necessary readers. And then Blogchatter’s AtoZ Challenge happened. It was a daunting task and I was a newbie. Mostly a quiet observer and slow in social media interactions, initially I found it a bit hard to connect with people. But soon, so many reached out to me. The best bit was that I was reading people from all over the globe, getting introduced to some real blogging awesomeness. And I made friends, I met writers, bloggers, poets, writing clubs and reading groups. This was all that I had imagined when I had started the blog. The network grew bigger and better. With my professional work taking a lot of my time, of course, my interactions with the blogging community have been few and far between but I’m trying to catch up and have their back whenever I can!
So, when Sonia Chatterjee, my extremely talented friend who blogs at soniasmusings mentioned #MyFriendAlexa I knew I had to take the plunge. What better way to celebrate the Blog Anniversary!
I will be writing in September again. Eight blog posts in all- two every week, but reading many, many more. I am already so excited. When I did the #AtoZChallenge I didn’t have a real theme. My posts were different genres and they weren’t really threaded together. This time my Theme is special.
Most of my friends are aware that I belong to the lovely hill town of Shimla. So, I plan to take you on a short historical trip of the town. My blogs will be based on research from Sir Edward John Buck’s popular book Shimla: Past and Present that I have specially been reading for this series. Also, research based on various internet sources. I do not intend to give too many facts- they are readily available. I just wish to bring some interesting stories to the readers. My main focus is to regale children with stories about Shimla in a simple format.
Let me add here that this idea had long been thought of and I found My Friend Alexa the best platform where I could execute it.
While I look forward to some Alexa ranking as well (I presently have no data) and to making more friends in my blogging journey, I also look forward to knowing my town a little better and sharing some of the interesting tales related to it with you all!
Check out #sonigirlwrites and #sonigirlreads @soniadogra16 on twitter, this September for more updates!
Thank you for being on this page and I hope to see you all month round!
Dear Sonia, congratulations on your blog anniversary. Hurrah !
Finally getting around to reading your #myfriendAlexa posts. Loved this introduction and am even more impatient to enjoy all eight posts. Bear with me for a little longer and I hope to have perused them fully by the end of October.
In Ourika near Marrakech for a yoga retreat with my favourite Shiatsu therapist who put me back on the right track at a time when my life was spiraling out of control back in 2013.
So restful. Writing, taking photos, meeting new people, learning about culture and traditions of the Berbères. Limited internet access ….
Take care, speak with you soon.
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Thank you so much dear Susan. I’m so glad you are doing such wonderful things. I’ve been busy with so many festivals in our part of the world. I’ve missed on reading and writing. Hope to return soon!!
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Looking forward to reading your series.. interesting theme. #MyFriendAlexa #DigiMotherReads
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Thank you!!💐💐
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I have never been to Shimla, will gonna read all the series of your blog 🙂
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Thank you!!💐💐
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Looking forward to reading stories from Shimla 🙂
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Congratulations on your blogging anniversary! I look forward to learning about your corner of the world in your upcoming series of posts.
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Thanks Liz. See you around!
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🙂
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Eagerly waiting for the series to come out n reconnect with our old town😊
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Thanks Nidhi. Hope I can make it interesting!
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Wow!! All the best… I have visited Shimla so I will be able to connect with your posts… Looking forward for them 🙂
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Hi Ira. Please do drop a link everytime you post. I haven’t been able to follow you somehow. And in case you are on Twitter or fb I can follow you there for your posts.
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Hi, sure the link to my blog is http://livelife2dfullest.blogspot.com/?m=0 I usually post my new posts on Indiblogger… But sure I ll post a link whenever I post…:)
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Sounds like an interesting series already, I have been to Shimla two times, and stayed on both sides of mall road. Two different worlds.
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Thanks.I hope I can pull it off. Do keep sending your inputs 1st onwards. Will wait to hear from you.
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I need to send inputs? I was hoping you would tell me stories 🙂
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Haha…Smart..
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