![\"A-to-Z](\"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/A-to-Z-Reflection-2016.jpg\")
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I am proud and happy to say that I survived the #AtoZChallenge<\/b><\/span> for 2016. Not everyone made it to the end – I think the last time I checked, about 2,000 blogs had signed up for the challenge, and on the current list<\/a> are 1,344 blogs. (And if anyone would like to gift me with the #AtoZChallenge Survivor Mug<\/a> for 2016<\/span><\/span>, I would be forever grateful. This was my hardest year yet, and it’s a cool design by Jeremy over at Being Retro<\/a>, who provides all the artwork for the challenges. For Free.)<\/p>\n This is my third year participating in the challenge, and my first year with a theme: #dSavannahDefects<\/b><\/span>, aka “What’s it’s like dealing with #InvisibleIllnesses”. Or, in short, {some of} what’s wrong with me.<\/p>\n I was quite nervous about writing on this topic, and asked a few of my loyal readers what they thought before I began. The consensus was: write about it. So I did.<\/p>\n If you missed it, or want a recap, here is what I wrote about each day (with a handy link to each post):<\/p>\n For those of you interested in stats, I wrote a grand total of 29,788<\/b><\/span> words for the challenge! for an average of 1,103 words per post. The longest post was N is for…<\/a>, with 1,829 words, and the shortest was O is for…<\/a>, with 219 words. (That number does not include my Theme Reveal <\/a>post, which clocked in at 640 words.)<\/p>\n Since my main goal in doing the challenge was to make mys Other stats regarding blogs of course are page views; I got 1,411 in April, much higher than the last two Aprils \/ challenges, so I must have been doing something right with my theme.<\/p>\n More important than the stats, tho, were the new bloggers I found and followed, and the new viewers who found and followed me. I’m eternally grateful for everyone who stopped by and commented.<\/p>\n Based on those comments, I need not have been worried about my theme – what I wrote seemed to have resonated with people.<\/p>\n I’m also excited to announce the winners<\/b><\/span> of my book giveaway contests!<\/p>\n For Defect to Discworld<\/a>, our winners are Thora Burcham Fowler<\/b><\/span> (The Wee Free Men<\/em>), Alana Mautone<\/b><\/span> (A Hat Full of Sky<\/em>), and Juli Jovanovska<\/b><\/span> (Wintersmith<\/em>). All three books are by Terry Pratchett. Thora and Juli wish to defect to England and Alana wants to find her way to Australia. Hopefully you’ll all make it there some day!<\/p>\n Sorchia DuBois<\/b><\/span> won the Defect to Newford<\/a> contest and will receive a copy of Widdershins<\/em> by Charles de Lint. She says that of anywhere in the world, she would like to go to: “Scotland–the Highlands–or Skye–or Islay. I’m a bit obsessed and have been for a longish time. Started with Robert Burns and continued through sir Walter Scott and on to Outlander.” As long as you take me with you! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Thank you everyone for playing!<\/p>\n Well, I of course plan to continue blogging, and will continue to write on topics that deal with #InvisibleIllness and health and the like. You have not seen the last of #dSavannahDefects<\/a>!<\/p>\n I also am looking forward to getting back to working on my fiction stories. (And I still<\/em> need a better name for Point Fair<\/a> – any ideas?)<\/p>\n As for the #AtoZChallenge<\/a> … I don’t know if I’ll have the strength to do it again next year. I’m just sooo sooo tired, and with all my stupid illnesses, the blog was pretty much ALL I could do all month. But we’ll see. I may forget the pain of doing it, and participate again, because it is a fun, difficult, worthwhile thing. I love the connections I made, and the challenge of writing every day. (I have mentioned I work best on a deadline, yes?)<\/p>\n And once again I’ll leave you with a darling drawing from the wonderful girl over at Dharma Comics<\/a>, which you can buy on all kinds of awesome things in her store<\/a>:<\/p>\n dSavannah note:<\/b><\/span> updated on 1\/18\/2021 to remove information that is no longer accurate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am proud and happy to say that I survived the #AtoZChallenge for 2016. Not everyone made it to the end – I think the last time I checked, about 2,000 blogs had signed up for the challenge, and on … Continue reading \n
![\"dsavannah_defects_noballs\"](\"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/dsavannah_defects_noballs.jpg\")
elf write, I’d say I was pretty successful. (And by the way, accepted wisdom says that a novel starts at around 40,000 words, so I almost wrote a novel in my month!)<\/p>\nSo, what happens next?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Dharma](\"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/im-bee-ing-framed-prints.jpg\")
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