Well, here we are. 2012 is quickly drawing to a close. This time last year, this blog didn’t even exist. I was working feverishly to get everything set up on the back end, not to mention finalizing the Jordan’s Journey book. I opened the blog to the public on January 1st, 2012. And it’s been going strong ever since. Here’s a little overview of the past year…

After I opened the blog, the trailer was the main attraction. A few posts later, I revealed the book cover for the first time. By February, the book was officially available and out in the world. This included my submission of Jordan’s Journey to the National Genealogical Society’s award for excellence for a Genealogy & Family History book. Unfortunately, Jordan’s Journey didn’t win that award. For any of you who have seen the book, you know it’s a radical departure from a typical genealogy book. I imagine NGS didn’t know what to think of it. When I met some people from NGS in October at The Genealogy Event here in New York, I showed them the book and mentioned how I entered the contest but did not win. “Well, in terms of design, if there were such a category, you certainly would have won.” This shows that while Jordan’s Journey is viewed primarily as a genealogy/local history book, it is much more than that, just as I intended. The visual aspect of the work is what draws people in.

The most rewarding part of this year with Jordan’s Journey was when I brought it back to Georgia and appeared in the Rome News-Tribune, the Summerville News, the Walker County Messenger (front page!), and the Dalton Daily Citizen. My lectures at The Summerville Public Library and the LaFayette-Walker Public Library followed in June (including an exhibition of my photos at the Summerville Library). Sharing Jordan’s Journey with everyone back home is an experience I will always cherish.

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