Ten Months.

Thirty essays.

61,218 words, give or take a few.

I’ve learned a lot since the launch of Ekostories. I’ve come to respect good blogging as both art and a discipline; it’s a challenge to generate original content that strives to be useful, entertaining, and relevant on a consistent basis. I would like to thank you all for your readership along with your thought-provoking comments and suggestions over the past months. Ekostories has surpassed 20,000 views, which is not too shabby for an essay blog that gets updated once or twice weekly. Here are some interesting facts and stats:

1. Dinosaurs still rule the earth: A 90’s Flashback: Dinosaur’s Changing Nature is the runaway most popular Ekostory, receiving over 4,000 hits. I am a little surprised, but glad. I like the piece myself, so it’s nice that it’s getting a lot of attention, even if most of it is probably from dinosaur-loving spambots.
2. A double dose of Miyazaki: Both My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke proved to be consistently and enduringly popular. I’m not surprised by this, as most Ghibli films are quintessential Ekostories – tales inspired by folklore, myth, and the fantastic that meaningfully examine humanity’s relationship with nature. I’ll have a few upcoming treats for Ghibli fans in 2013.
3. Science rules: Sagan’s inspiring Pale Blue Dot and Larson’s bizarre There’s a Worm in My Dirt! garnered a lot of likes and views, demonstrating that stories rooted in scientific appreciation and understanding have widespread appeal! (Note: this conclusion is derived solely from anecdotal evidence and is completely unscientific.)
4. Of elephants, hummingbirds, and climate change: Two Ekostories, Flight of the Hummingbird and Climate Voices, have been featured on elephant journal, an online publication dedicated towards exploring the mindful life. You can check out the articles HERE and HERE.

They say that the more you write, the more you have to write. I’ve found truth in that statement: Inspiration for new material constantly arises during working on existing pieces. There are no shortage of ideas and stories. I have a lot more in mind for Ekostories in 2013, continuing first with the rest of the Reflections of Nepal series, followed by exploration into various narratives in film, comics, short stories, non-fiction works, television shows, and art.

One thing I would like to do more of this upcoming year is to better engage with readers. So I would like to hear from you: What are stories you enjoy that you want to be featured on Ekostories? Please email me (at iyuen12-AT-gmail-DOT-com) with some details – what it is, what medium it’s in, why you like it, why you think it is an Ekostory. If it’s something I can work with, I will try to write something that connects your selected narrative with nature, culture, and self.

Other suggestions or improvements? Let me know that as well. Thanks once again for your support, and I wish you a happy 2013!

Isaac