Happy 1st Birthday To CrimeSpace

[Daniel Hatadi]

When I started CrimeSpace on March 4th 2007, I didn't see it living past the six month mark. I certainly didn't see it hitting over 1000 members or winning any awards either. I just saw a hole in the crime fiction internet universe and wanted to fill it. I'm such a boy.

To celebrate CrimeSpace's 1st birthday, I've given the site a revamp. I imagine I'll be tweaking it a little over the first week or so, but things should be solid and hopefully more readable.

Some of you may need to play around with your member page appearance. Sorry for that, but I can't make it so that it doesn't affect anyone, it's all too tied together. The simplest way to fix these problems is to go to your member page and reapply the CrimeSpace theme.

Since I'm feeling nostalgic, I thought I'd assemble a list of memorable CrimeSpace moments:

Welcome To Crimespace: The very first post, still a good summary of what this place has become.

The Bar: Before the forum was split up into categories, this post served as a place for people to introduce themselves.

Daniel Hatadi: Posted by Ken Bruen, he doesn't mince words. I'm still yet to make it to America, and it looks like I won't be hitting a convention this year, but I will be in LA and NY in September so I'm sure I'll be organising to meet some of you fine folks at CrimeSpace.

The Must-Reads: I've been meaning to compile a list from this thread for some time, but it's easy to forget since it was so long ago. Hopefully this will make me remember.

JESUS!!!: Quite possibly the most fun post ever put on CrimeSpace, almost everyone felt the need to chip in with ideas on how to react when a severed head landed at your feet.

Are Libraries Unethical?: The only post I've ever had to close replies to, this would have to win the competition for Most Flameworthy. I'm happy to say that this is one rare exception to the general niceness of all the people on board this web-shaped ship.

What are you currently reading?: As far as I know, the longest running thread of discussion, this one's a classic that gets reinvented every month or so. Matter of fact, it's about time to start it up again.

How important in grammar?: I always assumed that the mistake in the subject heading was supposed to illustrate the point, but now I'm not so sure.

Is BSP Really Necessary?: The most difficult topic for me to find a nice balance between for CrimeSpace, this thread is where a lot of my early policies were formed. Since they came about from member discussion, I feel safe in saying that CrimeSpace has a good balance between promotion and community.

Anyone else care to share their CrimeSpace experiences? Or, failing that, will someone sing Happy Birthday as I try to blow out this candle?

[Elizabeth Zelvin]

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy BIRTH-day dear CrimeSpace
Happy birthday tooooo yooooooooooooou!

And I love the new look, Daniel--it's like coming out of a dark bar into a sunlit, um, tearoom. ;)

[Daniel Hatadi]

Ha ha! Thanks Elizabeth. I was going more for a well lit alley and a drug deal look, but as long as you're happy ...

[Patrick Balester]

I'm not a sentimental kind of guy, but I have to admit, I'm proud to be a member of Crimespace. This is a great website, full of great people. Now, if you excuse me, I have to wipe a tear from my eye. Happy Birthday!

P.S. Don't tell anyone about this post, cause I'll deny it.

[Daniel Hatadi]

Thanks Patrick. Mum (or Mom) is the word.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Just wanted to say happy birthday, love the new look, and thanks for reminding me about Jesus.

[Daniel Hatadi]

He he, thanks Sandra. Take care of yourself.

[Anne Frasier]

[Daniel Hatadi]

Smooch!

[Grant McKenzie]

Congratulations.
Now where's the bloody corpse piñata? And pin the bullet hole on the chalk outline? Pass the incriminating evidence?

[Daniel Hatadi]

And where's your hair gone?

(like I can talk)

[Grant McKenzie]

LOL. I actually miss the hair.
I shaved it off to go to Burning Man — long hair and a week in the Nevada desert didn't seem like a good combo ;-)

[Linda L. Richards]

Congratulations to you and, in a way, congratulations to us, as well. And Daniel, thanks so much for creating this community. (Someone pass him the pernod.)