I started this blog in September 2006. That’s six years ago. During that time I have written here almost 700 posts.

When I started to write my blog there was not that many Finnish literature blogs around. There were Sallan lukupäiväkirja, Jäljen ääni and Kirsi Piha’s Lukupiiri and that was pretty much it. At the moment in my bookmarks I have over 120(!!) active Finnish literature blogs and in that number I haven’t even count “professional” blogs written by writers, librarians or publishers. Wow! No wonder I feel it sometimes hard to follow what’s going on in Finnish literature blog community!

I started to write my blog in Finnish and English because I wanted also my Norwegian boyfriend to be able to read it. Later I moved to Norway, got married to that boyfriend and started to write also a little bit in Norwegian. After a while I realised that I didn’t want to write so much in English anymore. Here in Norway I miss Finnish so much that I wanted to read and write in Finnish, not in English. Same time I felt that it would be smart to write more in Norwegian, so that I could practise it too.

In many literature blogs there are all kinds of different reading challenges going on. In July 2009 I started my Nobel-challenge. Idea was to read at least one book from every Nobel-winner. I have really liked this challenge and I’m definitely going to continue it. I’m positive that one day when I’m 97 or so, I have finally read them all.

In January 2011 I listed 100 female writers I think everybody should read. I was kind of tired that all those “100 books to read before you die” -lists were full of male authors, so I thought that I should try if  it was possible to find 100 female writers I liked. It was easy. But not just that, in April 2011 I made another list of another 100 female writers. This time they were authors who I had NOT read myself, but was going to read one day. This challenge I will definitely continue too. Peacefully, by myself, without reporting to anyone.

In January 2011 I also started my Ibsen-challenge, but it has moved forward very slowly. I HAVE read my Ibsen, but didn’t get myself to write about it. Mostly because I have this dream that, one day I would open a Finnish Ibsen-webpage. My own special Ibsen-world. I think Ibsen deserves more that just one page in a blog. He definitely deserves a blog of his own. We’ll see if there ever will come a day when I have time to do that…

In January 2011 I also started my literate tearoom. Pictures that I took for that tearoom are probably the ones that I’m missing the most and losing them really makes me sad. I don’t know, it might be a sign that now I should go and start that kind of tearoom for real. I’m still daydreaming about that.

Then there is of course my “Introduction to Norwegian Literature”. I really enjoyed writing that introduction and I have heard that it has been really helpful for many Finnish readers. That introduction was also a reason why I ended up in radio, Yle’s “Kirjakerho”-program, to talk about Norwegian literature. That experience was really interesting and fun!

During these last 6 years I have also written about novels, short stories, poems, plays, children’s literature, young adult fiction, graphic novels and a little bit about essays and other culture forms like music or movies. I have also written about literature in general and even a little bit about my own life every now and then.

Now when I think of all this, I’m not really sure where did I find the energy and time to do all that. All I know is that I have LOVED writing this blog and I have so incredible many ideas that I never found time to realize in here. If I could, I would happily write my literature blog all day long. I would happily hire people to write about ideas I have, but don’t have time to write about. Hmm, maybe on the second thought, I should skip that tearoom-idea and start to publish my own literature magazine instead?

Last months it has been very quiet in this blog. Since I decided to close this blog down and start a new one, I haven’t felt inspired to write here anymore. I felt that I also needed a break, to be able to start something different later. It has been a very interesting break. First of all, I have felt very relieved that I can read without blogging! It has felt really nice to just read and read and read, knowing that I don’t need to find out anything smart or interesting to say about the book I’m reading. When I don’t need to analyze so much, I can just let go and enjoy the ride!  I also noticed that I read very much faster when I know that I don’t need to analyze book so much afterwards.

But of course I have also missed blogging a lot! Especially when I’m reading a good book that no one else seems to know. Those times I have felt almost desperate: I need to tell the world about this book! People deserve to know how good it is! But where can I tell that if I’m not writing my book blog anymore?

I want to thank all my readers during these 6 years! All the other bloggers, my  friends and family and all of you anonymous readers who I don’t know, but who just happen to like my blog and keep coming back week after week, thank you for doing that! And also all the authors who have been visiting here! I think during the years there has been at least 20 writers who has been here and left a note. Maybe there has even been the secret ones who have visited without telling it me, who knows? Anyway, I always enjoy when I get a message from author, so don’t be shy!

Because some of you are interested in numbers I will tell you those too. On the best days I have had over 300 single visitors a day, on slower times there has been hardly 30 loyal readers a day. Usually number has been around 100 single visitors a day.

Through blogging I have got to know surprisingly many really sweet and smart people and by this I mean other bloggers. Finnish literature blog community is really active and there are very many great blogs and writers around at the moment. I have linked some of the blogs here (on the left column), but I do read many others too. I wish I would find time to comment more often to all the blogs I keep reading. But there are just too many good ones! I feel really happy and lucky for being part of this book blog community, so thank you, all of you who are building this community to what it is: exciting and encouraging place to share your love for literature!

So this is the end of “Kertomus jatkuu” -blog. Thank you all and take care! I’m sending hugs and kisses to everyone and maybe serving just one last cup of tea to those who feel it’s hard to leave. Why wouldn’t we just sit down for a minute and maybe read something…

Oh, yes, one more thing! THERE IS A NEW BLOG! But I’m not telling you here what is it going to be like. You just have to click yourself there and find out yourself… You are all very warmly welcome!:                                                                          LES! LUE!