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Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind is one year old.

In early 2005, I started blogging about children's and YA books at Into the Wardrobe. At first I was blogging mostly about fantasy books from the U.S. and the U.K. Into the Wardrobe then grew into a more general children's and YA book blog. It is also a personal blog where I post about my family and work and friends.

I started wondering if there were blogs with a special focus on Asian children's and YA books, and I started featuring Asian authors and books with Asian content at Into the Wardrobe. I found blog posts on Asian children's and YA books, but not sites wholly devoted to them. And I felt that what I was doing at Into the Wardrobe was not enough.

So I decided to start a second blog. I absolutely love children's and YA books set in Asia, children's and YA books with Asian characters, children's and YA books with characters of Asian descent, Asian children's and YA book authors and illustrators, and children's and YA book authors and illustrators of Asian descent. Unfortunately, Asian children's and YA books do not get enough attention in traditional or new media. But they definitely DESERVE a lot of attention. I started Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind to celebrate what I loved and to hopefully help make them more visible in the mainstream.

On November 26, 2009, I started cross-posting related Into the Wardrobe blog posts to Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind. On November 29 and 30, I posted new interviews with Filipino writers: Perpilili Vivienne Tiongson and Candy Gourlay. Wow, I can't believe that was a year ago!

What has happened over the past year? I've learned a lot about Asian children's and YA books. I have read great books. I have gotten to know beautiful and wonderful people. And I love Asian children's and YA books even more now. The more I discover about them, the more I love them. (In fact, I dream of visiting each Asian country - starting with India, Iran, China, Malaysia, and South Korea - just to study its children's and YA books.)

I still feel like what I am doing is not enough. So Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind will have many more anniversaries. I hope that all of you, plus new visitors, will be there to celebrate them with me. :o) Thank you so much for your support. Thank you so much for reading Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind!

Comments

  1. It seems like you started this just yesterday!

    Happy blog birthday!

    Jules
    7-Imp

    ReplyDelete
  2. You've done readers and writers in our neck of the woods a service for this past year Tarie. Happy blogversary ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy blogiversary Asia in the Heart! Your blog is oneof the resons why I'm still in love with Children's Lit :) Love it! Keep on posting,and I'll keep on reading :) Cheers for more years of blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, Jerson! When will I get to read your children's stories? ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy anniversary! Keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete

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