Congratulations To My Marrakech

Many people ask me why do I blog? What do I get out of it?
When I try to explain that in many ways blogging saved me, the essence of me from vanishing, eyes roll and glaze over.
I enjoy writing, and with letter writing reduced to disposable e-mail, blogging seemed like a good place to bang the keys and tell a story about the many things and people I love.
But the non blogger always asks why I spend so much time doing "it" when I don't get paid, like they always want to know what's in it for me?
Friendships for one. As we grow into adulthood, and possibly become mobile moving away from roots and old friends, it gets harder to make new friends. Petunia Face (a brilliant writer and blogger) wrote about this HERE. She talked about seeing a cool looking woman at Starbucks, someone that she was certain she could be friends with. But what do you do (she asked), send over a folded note with check the box YES if you'd like to be my friend or NO if you wouldn't. In this huge world of the inter net, the community of bloginistas is kind of cozy and all connecting. One good blog leads you to another. And blog girls and guys really do take time to read their e-mail and comments, and they do get back to you. Some of them really become friends. I'm actually going to have lunch with a blog friend tomorrow, and I can't wait!
Experts say that we will live longer and happier lives if we surround ourselves with friends and family, and do something that interests us, some work that keeps us going. Blogging is a great life line.
Anyhoo, I have found my way to My Marrakech, a really beautiful blog, well written, interesting, all the things you hope your own blog is.


And guess what? Maryam from My Marrakech got a book deal because of her wonderful work and writing on her blog! Congratulations to her!!! You can read about it HERE, and check out her lovely blog.
We all would like to make a little money and gain a little fame from the labor of love and fruits of that labor that is our blog, and I think if you do something you really love, success comes to you.
Maryam says: "As for the blogging girl's book-to-be -- part memoir and part Moroccan design treatise -- she would do her very best to make sure it was accessible (i.e. no hoity-toity-ness) and packed with plenty of inspiration. The book would not be a reprint of what was in this blog. Oh, no, no, no. It would go in a different (and super fun) direction and be filled with many special, beauty-saturated surprises....
The book would be all shiny and ready in 2009. Between now and then, the blogging girl would be rolling up her sleeves and getting to work. But you would still see her on this blog as always:)
Today's pinch-me-but-it's-true tale will end with flowers - roses picked from the garden and offered with thanks from me to you. Thank you for your friendship and support on this little blog -- you are my inspiration for this book-to-be. Many thanks also are due to Artisan's lovely Ingrid Abramovitch and Ann Bramson for showing me that the universe is an enchanted place where magical things can happen - and do - each and every day".

Again heartfelt congratulations to Maryam - I will be looking forward to seeing your book out in 2009!