Who thought this day would come?
When I started this blog a year ago, it was mainly to give myself something to do while submitting my first novel to literary agents. There’s been some progress on that front, and while I still haven’t got an agent or publishing deal, I believe my book is better now than it was a year ago. In fact, I have a few more edits to make after receiving encouraging feedback from my reader in the Romantic Novelists’ Association (thank you, whoever you are) and then it’ll be back to submissions.
I told myself that I’d host a giveaway when I’d been blogging a year (this seemed unlikely last April) or had 500 followers (which seemed unthinkable). However, the stars have aligned and I’ve hit both milestones at the same time!
Thank you so much to all of you lovely people for following my ramblings and baking adventures. I put a lot of thought into what the greatest number of you might like to win for yourself or to pass on to someone else, and this is what I came up with… *insert drumroll*
I’m giving away one paperback copy of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow and one paperback copy of The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth, both by Katherine Woodfine. If you haven’t seen my ramblings about these books before, these are fun mysteries, in the vein of Nancy Drew or Miss Marple, set in Edwardian London.
Obviously the above photo shows my copies and the giveaway is for new even shinier copies which will be shipped directly to the winner from The Book Depository. By using direct shipping I can open the giveaway internationally: you can all enter, so get going!
Click here to enter the draw via Rafflecopter
The giveaway will run until next Monday, 2nd May at midnight (GMT, London local time) and I’ll announce the winner here next week π
If the beauty of these books isn’t enough to convince you, they’re also fantastically fun reads. Here are my reviews of book 1 and book 2.
Thank you all again for following my blog and good luck!
Congratulations! A great milestone! π
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Thank you! I still can’t quite believe it π
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Congratulations!! That’s amazing! π
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Thank you! π I’m delighted I’ve made it this far!
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Happy Blogiversary!!
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Thank you! π
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Huge congratulations Claire. I’t been my pleasure to get to ‘know’ you over the last year. I’m only two months older than you! x
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Thank you! And likewise π I can’t believe your blog is only two months older than mine! I would have guessed years, it’s so well-established.
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Thanks Claire. I still feel like a newbie!
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Wow, already a year of blogging AND 500 followers, way to go! Congratulations!
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Thank you very much! I can’t believe it’s a year already and I certainly never expected to ever get to 500 followers π And, what’s more, they’re all really lovely! π
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Happy blogiversary! !
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Thank you! π
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congratulations ..couldn’t happen to a nicer girlie x
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Thank you so much π xx
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Congratulations, Claire π
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Thank you Cathy π I’m still amazed I’ve kept it up, but everyone’s been so nice and supportive it’s been easier than I thought!
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Thatβs exactly how I feel too.
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That’s amazing, Claire! Massive congratulations! xx
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Thank you very much! π xx
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Wow a year and 500 followers! I thought you had been about longer – well done you! What a nice giveaway too… βΊβΊβΊ
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Thank you!
I tried hard to think of something almost everyone would like to read, or would know someone they could pass them on to. They’re such good stories and suitable for all ages. It doesn’t hurt that they’re also incredibly good looking books!
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They are very pretty it has to be said.
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Yaaay. congratulations!! π I thought you were in this a lot longer as well because all your posts look so professional! And I was already drooling over these books when you first posted something about them, so I’m definitely signing up! π
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Thank you so much. It was all a bit wobbly at the start, but I’ve been lucky to find so many lovely bloggers to follow who know what they’re doing and who’ve helped! π
Good luck – they are such beautiful books. I hope she keeps writing them for ages so I can have a shelf full of them!
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Congratulations! Two awesome milestones in one. π
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Thank you! I can’t believe I’ve reached either of them – haha! π
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Congrats and happy blogiversary!!!! π
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Thank you! It’s been such a good year “meeting” loads of lovely bloggers and discovering their brilliant blogs.
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Congratulations Claire and the Happiest of Blogaversarys to you!ππ»ππ
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Thank you very much!
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Congratulations!!!! Both are amazing milestones to hit π
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Thank you! I’m so pleased and still slightly surprised π
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Bet it was a great feeling to hit 500!
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I’m still worried announcing it might make a few people realise they’ve been meaning to unfollow me for a while! haha! If I’m down to 450 tomorrow it’ll be my own fault π
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Congrats. I’d always assumed you’d been around for far longer. You have such a great blog. I’m on a book break for the moment so will pass on the fab offer. What a great thing you’re offering though.
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Thank you very much π
Thank you again – I tried to think of something I thought most readers could enjoy or could pass on to someone else. Suitable for all ages too! π
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You are lovely and considerate. Internet hug. I’d link you my first anniversary post but mine was very different to yours.
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Congrats on your 1st blogiversary! And 500 followers is awesome! π
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Thank you very much! I’ve really enjoyed my first year discovering so many lovely blogs and bloggers π
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Congrats and happy anniversary π β€
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Thank you! π
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OH DOUBLE CONGRATS!!!! You really deserve it!!! Happy blogiversary!! And huge congratulations on the 500 followers! You must be so excited! π
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Thank you very much! π It’s very exciting and slightly surreal… I’m still not sure there’s been some sort of mistake somewhere!
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You’re very welcome!! π aww there definitely hasn’t- your blog’s brilliant!!! I love it!!
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Absolutely wow! Congrats so much, you deserve it all and here’s to the next 500!!! :):):)
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Thank you very much! It’s been a great year discovering lots of great blogs and “meeting” the lovely bloggers behind them π
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Happy blogiversary! Congrats! π
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Thank you! π
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So many great news, Claire! Congrats on the blogiversary, the followers and progressing with your book! π You go girl!
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Thank you! I honestly don’t think I’d have found the energy to keep going if it hadn’t been for the support of lots of lovely bloggers π
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I totally get it. The community is so important in making me feel like what I do is worthwhile as well!
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Happy blogiversary! & 500 followers. Amazing! No surprises really considering how super your blog is x
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Ah, that’s lovely – thank you very much! I still can’t quite believe it π xx
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Happy blogoversary!! Congrats!
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Thank you!! π
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Congratulations! I love your blog!
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Thank you! π
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Congratulations! What a fantastic milestone!
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Thank you! π
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Congrats! Happy Blogiversary π It’s amazing that you hit two milestones at once!
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Thank you! I know! I still can’t quite believe it π
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You’re welcome! Congrats π
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Happy Blogiversary and Huge Congratulations! 500 followers in a year is such a momentous achievement! Of course each is so very well deserved!
What a coincidence that we both start hosting giveaways the same day! I love the prizes you’re offering. I mentioned it before, but those are such beautiful covers π
Congrats again and may this next year bring much happiness to you β€
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Thank you very much!
I know! When I saw your post I thought, “Faith’s going to think I’m copying her good idea!” π
They are such beautiful books. I’m hoping she gets to write one a year at least until I can fill a shelf with them!
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I never thought anything like it! Honestly, I thought it was kind of amazing that we did it on the same day. Our paths got crossed somehow across the internet. What is it they say? Oh, right! Great minds think alike ;D
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Congratulations Claire! Boy a year goes by quick doesn’t it?!! Here’s wishing you continued luck on your book and your blog!! π
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Thank you!
Exactly! I couldn’t believe it as the day drew closer. It’ll soon be time to be saying, “Not long til Christmas!” π
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Happy Blogiversary, Claire and Congratulations on hitting two big milestones at once!! You totally deserve it for being one of the kindest bloggers I’ve met in the book blogging community! π
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Thank you very much!
I honestly couldn’t have kept going without the support or lovely bloggers such as yourself. It’s their nice comments that make you want to keep going! π
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Congratulations!! Wow – 500!! That is really awesome!! Good job and good writing – I love reading your reviews. They are always clear and well written. Thank you π
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Thank you very much. That’s very kind π
I’m still slightly amazed that anyone reads them! π
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Huge congratulations, Claire – a brilliant achievement! I love your mix of reviews and recipes π
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Thank you π
I always say you can’t go wrong with a good book, some cake and a nice cup of tea!
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Sorry I’m late to see this, I wasn’t around much at all yesterday. I wish you a slightly belated but very happy first blogiversary! Your blog is one of my must-reads, it’s brilliant. Here’s to many more fab years of blogging ahead!
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Thank you and no problem! π
Thank you very much. I wouldn’t have kept going this long without the encouragement of all you lovely fellow bloggers. I’ve found such wonderful blogs and nice people behind them this year. It’s been brilliant!
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Congrats and Happy Blogversary! (belated) π
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Thank you very much! π
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Congrats on the followers and on the anniversary π Exciting stuff… and I’m also glad I found your blog- coming across fresh bookbloggers is always a positive π
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Thank you very much π
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Congratulations on your blogiversary and 500 followers! May you have many more of both. π
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Thank you very much. I hope so! π
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Congratulations and happy blogiversary! π
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Thank you very much! π
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Happy blogiversary,Claire, and congrats on hitting the 500-follower milestone! Always enjoy your posts.
Thanks also for the raffle! These books look awesome – I love mysteries, especially ones that incorporate humor – P.G. Wodehouse is one of my faves!
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Thank you!
I tried really hard to think of some book I thought most people would want or at least would want to win to give to someone else. These are such great, fun stories and suitable for all ages!
I LOVE P.G. Wodehouse but I think I’ve only read his Jeeves and Wooster stories. I should branch out π
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Well these sound great!
Claire, I cringed to myself after I wrote my comment – thinking, “Duh, P.G. Wodehouse isn’t really mystery!” It’s more comical pure chaos with everything going right in the end. π Guess I was associating it in my head with goofy mysteries like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum stories – another fave!
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Ooo, well in that case I think you’d like The Clockwork Sparrow mysteries. They have characters who actually say things like, “Gosh!” and “Golly!” π
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Yes!!!!! People do not say “gosh” and “golly” enough in this day and age. π
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Congratulations! π
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Thank you π
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Congratulations on hitting 500 followers! And happy blogiversary! Your posts are always enjoyable and yummy π Here’s to another great blogging year!
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Thank you very much! I hope I can keep it up because I really enjoy blogging π
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