Blog Award!

Michelle Gregory, a writer here in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, AZ), gave me a blog buddy award. I looked for the instructions and have decided to make up my own - I am a writer, after all ~ right?

Hmmmm, let me think.

There are so many blogs I enjoy and I confess to being remiss at posting comments. (I don't want to seem like I'm stalking them!) The temptation is to list some or all of the people I listed on the previous post. However, I think I'll list some new people.

Edward C. Patterson
http://www.operationebookdrop.com/blog/blog1.php/2010/02/06/how-to-adopt-an-aircraft-carrier

Jody Hedlund
http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2010/04/confusing-publishing-timetable.html

Anita Davison
http://thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com/2010/04/complex-plotlines.html

Long time friend, Karen Dionne, http://boilingpoint-thenovel.blogspot.com/

Martyn Daniels http://bookseller-association.blogspot.com/2010/04/traditional-trade-book-publishers-are.html

DJ Kirkby http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/2010/04/liar-liar-pants-on-fire.html

Cheryl de los Reyes Cruz http://cheryldelosreyescruz.blogspot.com/2010/03/just-remember-five-ds-of-dodgeball.html

Leah Witmond http://leahwitmond.blogspot.com/2010/04/show-dont-tell.html

June Austin http://juneaustin.blogspot.com/2010/04/historic-name-change-for-dorking.html


Well there you go. New blog people to meet. If they have 'google alerts' set, they will find they won an award. What are google alerts? Google it and you'll see.

Thanks Michelle for the award.
http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogging-buddies.html

Blog Award!

Glynis Smy in Cyrpus is always so good to me. (I hope we meet someday.) She writes a lovely blog and submitted an entry for the short story competition. I can always count on her to post a comment here and there on my blog.

Now she has given me an award, A Beautiful Blogger Award. Thank you, Glynis. I treasure our long distance friendship.

Oh gosh, 7! - seven interesting things about me. Wow, that is a hard one. I'm a very private person. Okay, here goes...
1. When I was little I wanted to be a Catholic nun - and I wasn't even Catholic.
2. I'm dyslexic. No news there. But before it had a name, I was ashamed that I couldn't read or spell. I hated how adults and other kids made fun of me - even unintentionally.
3. I'm learning Latin American Spanish only to discover there is such dialect diversity in Mexico (where most of our Spanish speaking clients come from) that I'll still only be able to talk with them piecemeal.
4. Years ago I submitted testimony on social work to a joint sub-committee of a state legislature. I guess it is in the basement archives somewhere - very dusty.
5. I like me again.
6. My kids seem to have turned out okay and they like me.
7. TBA, I'm not finished yet.

It is so hard to narrow down the bloggers I want to bestow the award on. I know some won't put it on their blog, but I'd still like to mention them.

1. Carrie Sheppard http://ukfolkie.blogspot.com/
2. Joy Collins http://www.joycollins.com/
3. Glyn Pope http://glynpope.blogspot.com/
4. Carol Anne Strange http://strangewriter.blogspot.com/
5. Nick Daws http://www.mywritingblog.com/
6. Ivana Maric http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/
7. Jen Garsee http://onegrapeshy.livejournal.com/
8. Susan Gabriel http://www.susangabriel.com/
9. Ella Press http://monkey-ella.blogspot.com/
10. Michelle Gregory http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/
and Andy in France (my writing buddy who shoots fantastic photos). http://beauxreflets.blogspot.com/2010/04/bashful.html

Love ya!

Click here: Author Blog: Glynis Smy: Oh It Just Gets Better and Better!

Blog Bling!

It may not seem like I like bling with First Draft looking so unfinished, but I like bling and girly stuff. Peggy Nolan added First Draft to the list of blogs she likes to read. I'm passing on the bling.

The rules are:
1. List 10 things that make you happy.
2. Try to do at least one thing on the list today.
3. List 10 bloggers who brighten your day.
4. Those of you to whom I give this award are to link back to my blog and perpetuate the happy with your own lists and recipients and whatnot.

Ten Things That Bring Happiness to Me
1. My three awesome sons
2. Friends and extended Family
3. Writing novels
4. Anything about the writing craft
5. California [beaches] and Arizona
6. Music that inspires me
7. Serenity moments
8. Creative moments
9. Native American people, culture, art
10. Theatre
11. Smiling (a bonus item)

Blogs I Love to Read and Pass Along Blog Bling To:
(This always puts me on the spot. I read a lot of blogs. The list is in no particular order.)

The Distant friends:
Carolyn Sheppard http://ukfolkie.blogspot.com/
Carol Anne Strange http://strangewriter.blogspot.com/
Nick Daws http://www.mywritingblog.com/
Glynis Smy http://www.glynissmy.com/
DJ Kirkby http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/
Glyn Pope http://glynpope.blogspot.com/
June Austin http://juneaustin.blogspot.com/
Ella Press http://theclockmonkey2.blogspot.com/
Ivana Marić http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/
Anita Davison http://thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com/
Andy Kemp http://beauxreflets.blogspot.com/

The Americans!
Peggy Nolan http://serendipitysmiles.com/
Jen Garsee http://onegrapeshy.livejournal.com/348003.html
Marsha Stewart http://prairie.typepad.com/my_weblog/ (American living in England)
Carolyn Howard-Johnson http://www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/
Karen Dionne http://boilingpoint-thenovel.blogspot.com/
Joy Collins http://joycollins.blogspot.com/
Susan Gabriel http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/
Edward Patterson http://writerslife4me.blogspot.com/
Blasé http://blaseimho.blogspot.com/
Humble Writers (Humble TX) http://humblefictioncafe.blogspot.com/
Katie Hines http://katiehines.blogspot.com/

When the Bling Arrived http://serendipitysmiles.com/2009/12/22/blog-bling/

Fabulous Blog Award

Blogger Peggy Nolan presented a blog award on August 25th. Since it was during the blog party, I've waited until now to acknowledge Peggy's kindness. Look on the left sidebar to see the beautiful award.

The "Your Blog is Fabulous!" Award stands for: Integrity. Commitment to Excellence. Stubbornly Optimistic!

The Rules:

List five current obsessions:

- My sons. You have exceeded every lesson and opportunity to be Renaissance men. I'm very proud of you guys and can't wait to see what you do next.

- My family and friends. You are my touch stone, my compass, my challenge.

- My writing. What can I say? This is what I do.

- Um...let me get back to you on the last two, I'm sure I have more than three obsessionssssss.


Pass the award on to five other bloggers.

Well, first of all...there are way more than five Fabulous bloggers.

Anita Davidson: http://thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com/

Carol Anne Strange: http://strangewriter.blogspot.com/

Glynis Smy: http://www.glynissmy.com/

Cheryl de los Reyes Cruz: http://cheryldelosreyescruz.blogspot.com/

DJ Kirkby: http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/

Glyn Pope: http://glynpope.blogspot.com/

Nidhi Dhawan: http://incontinentpen.blogspot.com/

Jennine Garsee: http://jeanninegarsee.blogspot.com/2009/09/paul-goldschmidt-strikes-again.html

Joy Collins: http://joycollins.blogspot.com/

Katie Hines: http://katiehines.blogspot.com/

June Austin: http://juneaustin.blogspot.com/

Ella... : http://theclockmonkey2.blogspot.com/

Carrie Sheppard: http://ukfolkie.blogspot.com/

Susan Gabriel: http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/

Marsha Stewart: http://prairie.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Irene Watson: http://irenewatson.typepad.com/irenes_weblog/

And my dear Ivana Maric: http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/

Thank you Peggy. You are a sweetheart.

Find Peggy here:
http://thestepmomstoolbox.com/another-award/?289f1200

Another Blog Award!

My new friend, Ivy, from Croatia gave me a blogger award, Kreativ Blogger. Now I must list seven of my favorite things before I pass this award on. See the beautiful new award on the left side.

1) My Boys, yes even the big one. They have changed my life in ways I could not have imagined. I'm very proud of you guys.

2) My family, the ones I gave to Kathryn in Kathryn's Beach, but they are even more awesome than I made them sound in the book. This includes my sister-in-law Jan who is wonderful.

3) My friends, old and new. The adventures of friendship have brought a richness to my life, and hopefully to them too.

4) California, my home. The beaches, memories, and desert.

5) Arizona, my second home. Big city life and Native American culture.

6) Midnight swims in the summer and lots of blankets (on my side of the bed) in winter. Things that flower, hummingbirds, and garden herbs.

7) Hopes and dreams, not yet realized. Leaves something to strive for.

There are so many creative people in my life, but not all of them have blogs.

Jen Garsee: My oldest writer friend, very successful YA writer ~ we go way back to the days we only had a rough draft of our mss. Please say I am one of your trusted betas! http://onegrapeshy.livejournal.com/

Ivy and Ella: Two young writers just starting out, you are our future, the pen bearer to convey writing to yet another generation when we are gone.

Ella in Argentina: http://theclockmonkey2.blogspot.com/
Ivy in Croatia: http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-first-award.html

Carrie, June, Joy, Anita, Susan, Irene, Carol Anne, Carolyn, and Barbara: The women who inspire and stretch me.

Carrie in England: http://ukfolkie.blogspot.com/
June in England: http://juneaustin.blogspot.com/
Joy in USA: http://joycollins.blogspot.com/
Anita in England: http://thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com/
Susan in USA: http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/
Irene in USA: http://irenewatson.typepad.com/irenes_weblog
Carol Anne in England: http://strangewriter.blogspot.com/ (ck out her crop circle post - amazing)
Carolyn in USA: http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com/
Barbara in USA: http://myvictorianbooks.blogspot.com/

Wow! All women? Sorry guys, since Michael Allen quit the Grumpy Old Bookman, no other guy has stolen my heart quite the same. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone, but I probably have. Seems everyone I know is special in so many ways.

Congratulations. Post your award.