A status report.

After 365 days, 226 posts and more than 42,000 hits, it feels like time for a status report on both this blog — and the book it was meant to support and promote.

The first post went up October 1, 2009 (19 people looked at it that first day). At the time, I was a little ways into writing a book called 50 Westerns From The 50s.

(The book grew from a stupid idea — a book on Budd Boetticher’s 7 Men From Now that would include a reprint of Burt Kennedy’s original screenplay. I quickly realized only five people would be interested in such a book — but writing about 50s Westerns, that sounded like fun.)

An accompanying blog seemed like a good idea. I didn’t put a lot of thought into how it was going to work, figuring I’d put some cool posters and photos up, along with a little trivia or a quote or whatever. But propelled by your comments and suggestions, it quickly took on a life of its own.

You saw more in it than I did.

So to all of you that’ve read, commented, emailed, encouraged, etc. — thank you. It’s been great to discover all the people, nice people, who love these old things as much as I do.

I’ve certainly benefited from your knowledge and insight. And in the end, the book’ll be all the better for it.

Speaking of the book, it’s coming along. Not as fast as I’d like, but it’s coming along. Guess that’s not much of a status report after all, huh?