I´ve started this blog in May 2012, and 36 blog posts later I can still say : It works for me !
It works for me because it drives me to write a post every couple of weeks, and that requires research into the ammonites I want to write about, photographs of the ammonites and maybe even a re-prep to make them presentable (allthough that sometime pushes back the publication date, because when you see those fossils through the lense, it´s so much easier to notice all the imperfections in the prep-work…).

It´s sometimes hard to stick to the schedule, because I do have a (non-fossil-related) , sometimes stressful day job and sometimes require a time-out from working at the keyboard, but I think it´s the right sort of methodology to keep work on the ultimate goal – the book – going.

And, the great thing is : I´m learning something new every time I research a new genus of ammonites for posting…

I´ve made some wonderful new contacts through people who have come forward and commented on posts and revived some old contacts who allowed me to photograph
some of their beautiful fossils. Thanks to all of you and I´d hopefully meet you next year to photograph some more !

But does it work for you ?

Looking at the map, it does seem so… Of course, most of the readers are in Great Britain, that´s where the fossils come from, those are the readers this english language blog is made for. You know what they say about a prophet in his own country, I guess it´s the language issue why there is only a comparatively small participation from my fellow countrymen in Germany. But what makes me particularly proud is the worldwide readership…isn´t the internet a wonderful thing sometimes  ?

But I have a request, too: Compared to the amount of visits (close to 10,000, I know this is not all that much, but then this is not a fashion blog…)
there are just a bit more than 60 comments (and some are from me as well…)

So, I´d really love to hear from you more ! What are your questions, what are your finds, don´t be shy !
And remember : If you comment, you have to leave a valid e-mail address, but nobody else other than me can read it and I do not pass on e-mail adresses !

And a few little steps can make it so much easier to follow this blog, as you get an e-mail whenever I write something new.

The folks from WordPress have a handy little explanation on how to follow a blog :

If you don´t like to post a comment here, you can reach me in the UKFOSSILS forum (www.discussfossils.com) as AndyS and
on the german Steinkern forum (www.steinkern.de/forum) as AndyS (for both forums : You still need an account there to post messages).

Wherever you are, and whatever tradition you follow during the days at the end of the year:

Have a good time with your family and the ones you love, a healthy new year, and, if you´re collecting fossils, a fossiliferous year 2013 !

All the best,

AndyS