Awards

I was actually going to take today off, but then I got a comment from the fabulous Tami Ruesch over on The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry (a blog I discovered recently and am totally addicted to). She let me know that she had written Ember's next adventure (which secretly made me so happy becuase she is a phenominal writer and I was very nervous about writing an Ember episode based on her blog stories, afriad I wouldn't do her justice being the novice that I am). Anyways, head over to Tami's blog and read the latest on Ember then stay and read the wonderful journey of the Kind One & Arial. trust me you will be hooked!!

Tami also told me I should check out Damsels in Distress by Kiley. Her blog is called My Soul Is Fairy and she just started it this past October. While I have had time to check out all her post yet, she has some great pictures with links to awesome magically inspired items.

So  to honour these wonderful ladies & their blogs, I have awards for them.

For Kiley @ Damsels in Distress The Qwest Award as  new blogger. Please head over and show her some blogger love.

And for the magnificent Tami @ The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry the Heart of a Dragon Award & Dragon Loyalty Award

because she definitely has the heart of a dragon

Because she so quickly picked up our Ember and wrote a wonderful episode for her.

Go check out these great blogs!!

An Award and Random Thoughts on Blog Following & Comments

I received this award from L Diane Wolfe yesterday. Thank you so much Diane. You are the best. If you haven't checked out her fabulous blog, click on her name to go there.

I am supposed to list 10 things (I'm only going to do 7 because I can't think of others at the moment) about myself, then pass the award on to some other bloggers!

1. When I was younger I wanted to be a journalist. In fact I was the Feature Editor of my high school paper
 
2. In college, I did a cartoon for the school paper called "Smidgette"
 
3. I once ran a haunted movie theater. Yes, with a real ghost.
 
4. I'm a big fan of comic books and used to be quite a collector.
 
5. Speaking of collections, I also collect medieval weapon replicas, swords and daggers. You never know when you might have to do battle ( I'd never slay a dragon, love them too much)
 
6. I have never been camping, but I have slept out under the stars on a horse farm.
 
7. My first job was as a Gorgio spokes model. Scary! The perfume makes me sneeze.
 
The Sugar Dolls I know and love are:
 
Crystal at Crystal Clear Proofing
Pixie at Just Random Stuff
Zia at My Life in Not So Many Words
PJ Ray at Musical Pencil and Backspace Junkie (gotta love that blog title)
 
 

Random Thoughts of the Day:

 

Well, not really random... more of a heads up. After reading post on blogging yesterday at Spunk on a Stick Tips and Tossing It Out, I decided I have been a bad follower, because I really don't have time to visit and comment on all the blogs I have signed up to follow. In fact, I discovered I was following over 120 blogs, most of which, to be honest, I wasn't really following. Don't get me wrong, it's not because they weren't great blogs and their bloggers wonderful people, I just simply don't have the time. So I printed out a list of all of them and have been going through them. If they have a email subscriber button, I have signed up to follow then that way and deleted myself as a regular follower. I don't really need to follow both ways. And for a few I simply added their links to my notebook and stopped following. For those they are fun and wonderful sites but either don't post often or are not ones I will really follow diligently, but I wnated to make sure I could occasionally check on them. I know this may upset a few bloggers, and for that I apologize. In order for me to start being a better follower and commenter, I have to get my list down to a more manageable level. Please understand it's not about your blogs but my lack of time. I completely understand if you feel you need to stop following my blog for the same reason. While I love having a lot of followers, I know there are a million blogs out there and some of us are wearing ourselves thin.

 

I also want to say, that while I am moderator spammers, if you have a new or fabulous blog you want me and my readers to check out, feel free to leave a comment with a link for us. I will check it out and and as long as your link is legit, I will approve it so you can reach more people.

 

A huge thank you to all my followers, email subscribers and commenters! You make bloggng worthwile. And even though I have taken away the little giveaway widget in my sidebar, I still occasional send books to my commenters after I read them, so if you see a title that interest you, let me know. I can't promise you'll get it, but you might.

 

Happy Blogging, Everyone!!!

2009 Quest Award Recap

The Quest Award

The Quest is an award I created to celebrate new bloggers and help spread the word about their wonderful new journey. A new blog can be daunting and every new blogger has wondered if anyone would even be interested in what they have to say. This award is to show them that, yes, we are reading!!

The rules are simple:

1. Post this on your blog with a link back to the person who gave it to you.

2. When you come across a blog that was created this year (or less than 6 months old),

pass the torch onto the newbie.

3. Post a comment on the blog to let them know they have an award.

4. If you see this award in someone's post check out the new blogs and...

5. Show these new bloggers what comment love is all about!!

In 2009, I previously awarded the Quest to:

Crystal Clear Proofing http://crystalclearproofing.blogspot.com/

Anna’s Obsession http://annalwalls.blogspot.com/

Violent Contradiction http://violentcontradiction.blogspot.com/

Two & a Half Book Lovers http://twoandahalfbooklovers.blogspot.com/

An Author’s Journey http://smcarriere.blogspot.com/

Copper Llama Studios http://copperllamastudio.blogspot.com/

Quiddity of Delusion http://quiddityofdelusion.blogspot.com/

The WM Freelance Connection http://writingmommies.blogspot.com/

Confessions of a Watery Tart http://waterytart23.blogspot.com/

Other deserving blogs started in 2009:

http://tilleyjewels.blogspot.com/

http://pixie13-justconteststuff.blogspot.com/

http://etierphotography.blogspot.com/

http://throughthetriangle.blogspot.com/

http://procrastinatewithtundiel.blogspot.com/

http://micheleemrath.net/

http://ziarias.blogspot.com/

If you know of another great blog that started in 2009 or if you started a blog in 2009, please leave a comment with a link so we can check them out.

I wish everyone a safe and festive New Year's Eve tonight!!

The Good The Bad and The Ugly Wednesday

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This week, The Good The Bad and The Ugly is going to highlight new bloggers and in addition to introducing you to these three great new 2009 blogs, I’m awarding each of these bloggers The Quest Award, which celebrates those blogs that may still be in their infancy but are growing. The three I’ve chosen today are not just growing but leaping into adolescence. And while this post usually ranks from The Good- ‘you should check it out if you get a chance’ to The Ugly- ‘you must visit this site’, all of today’s sites are equally compelling. So go check out these wonderful blogs and be sure to leave some comment love.

The Good- The Quiddity of Delusion was started in July. The title alone made me want to check it out. His blog is mostly short stories and flash fiction with some book reviews thrown in. His post are unique and as his profile hopes, “vicariously diverting’. His blog would not be classified as mainstream or his stories typical. His view is slightly askew of that and that is what makes his blog so refreshing and a little bit addicting. Make sure you stop by and read some of his work. While I can’t tell you what emotions will be invoked, I can almost guarantee an emotion will be.

The Bad- Writing Mommies was started in May and is written by four blogging moms. Here what you’ll find in addition to writing tips, links to writing contest/paying jobs/resources/opportunities, marketing and networking advice, you’ll find interviews and amusing anecdotes. In their side bar, they have some great gadgets such as an Autocrit Editing Wizard, The Writer’s Idea Bank and a Writer’s Quote of the Day. I discovered them through Linked-In and their post ‘The Best Writing Advice I Ever Received’ and was shocked and amused at the picture that greeted me with that post. Of course, I love that they have an email subscriber box. Being super busy, I love to follow my fellow bloggers but often don’t have time to visit, however, being able to get the latest post in my inbox is a guarantee that I’ll read every post.

The Ugly- Confessions of a Watery Tart, Hart Johnson or as her bloggers know her, Watery Tart, started her blog in June. Her ‘confessions’ are a wonderfully colorful hodge-podge of writing/publishing insights, random news & thoughts, and often humorous bits that flow from the enigmatic mind of hers. Ok, I’ll admit, I also love that she was one of the brave bloggers who took on part of Ember’s journey. And let me tell you, it was a somewhat hedonistic delight! The only negative is she doesn’t have an email subscribe button, please I beg you, I need this option. Ok, enough of my whining… but seriously, get one. This blog is one you must check out. It’s my guilty pleasure and when go there make sure you check out her Monday, Nov 2nd post ‘Dear Blog’.

Who Loves You Baby Award

I received this lovely award from the wonderful J. Kaye. For those of you who don't know, this award is to celebrate those who have awarded us in the past. I'm passing this one on to:

Crystal Clear Proofing

Spunk on a Stick Tips

Just Random Stuff

You Ladies Rock!!

Who Love's You Baby Award

Thank you! Thank you! For the Who Love's You Baby Award from Misty at Book Rat

Hers are some of the blogs I love:

Jenn @ Don't Publish Me
AngelQ Expressions
Zia @ My Life In Not So Many Words

The Blogoshere Award

I received this award from the lovely Crystal at Crystal Clear Proofing along with the Dragon Loyalty Award.

Crystal created this lovely award to commemorate the fellowship we have in the blogging world. Crystal, thank you so much of thinking of me when you sent out this award. I am honored.

Now for the rules:

It's purpose is simply to acknowledge what we all have in common, and spread some HAPPY! It's exciting to receive an award! You're being given a gift, you're being recognized, appreciated. You're being thought of. And it's FUN! Who doesn't like any of those things?

The rules of this award are simply to acknowledge from whom you received it, and pass it on to people you think would like to have it, for whatever reason you want, or for no special reason at all! Don't NOT pass this, or any award for that matter, on to someone just because they already have one of that award. Receiving more than one of any award is an incredible compliment and honor! Being thought of always makes a person feel good!

We're all SHARING when we blog. So please spread this around! Share it with others, the way you share with everyone every time you post on your blog! Spread some HAPPY! Unite in what we all share and have in common...the Blogosphere!


I pass this on to:

Anna at Anna's Book Blog
Page at Connecting People with Nature and Writers with Words
Tena at Crazy Book Slut (I just love that blog title)

Honest Scrap Award

This is the Honest Scrap award. It is for those bloggers who write from the heart. I received it from L. Diane Wolfe, one of my favorite bloggers. The rules are to pass it along to seven bloggers and then list 10 honest things about myself. Here are those deserving of this honor, bloggers who write from the heart and touch me because of it:

Page: Ecalyptus Way & Snideties
NotNessie: Today's Adventure
Joshua: Wildman 4 God
Crystal: Crystal Clear Proofing
Misty: Book Rat
Raonaid: Visionary Druid
Kaye: Pudgy Penguin Perusals


10 honest things about me:

I love cats, but I also love all animals and over the years have had cats, dogs, ferrets, and a skunk

I love plants but have black thumbs....I can look at a plant and it will wither, it's sad.

I have a tattoo and few people know that.

I'm terrified of heights. I have no problem climbing a tall ladder, tree, etc. but once I get to the top I freeze like a cat. Luckily I can usually be talked down, but it would be tons more fun if there were more hunky firemen around to rescue me.

Speaking of fires, many many years ago, when I ran a movie theater, it caught on fire, I actually put the fire out and orchestrated the evacuation of over 100 kids from the building and got a plaque from the fire department. What they didn't know was I didn't even think about what I was doing, I just reacted.

Spent the about 7 yrs after my divorce being a total social butterfly, and the past two years I've taken a step back to really get to know who I am.

Currently working on a satirical non-fiction book on some of my social butterfly days. The stories keep my local friends rolling with laughter, hoping the rest of world finds them as humorous.

Like Diane, I have an addiction for candy corn pumpkins.

I'm both an artist and a writer, but I have to block one out and focus on the other to accomplish anything.

My current favorite song is I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. It always makes me smile.

Superior Scribbler Award

My friend and mentor, L. Diane Wolfe at Writing, Publishing & Promoting Tips from SpunkOnAStick! awarded me with the Superior Scribbler Award! Thanks Diane, You're the best!!

Rules for Passing on the Superior Scribbler Award

The blog award rules are as follows (which according to rule #5 I am required to post here):
1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.

2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains The Award.

4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

I choose…

Rebecca 2 Higher Ground

Kristen Divalicious Blog

Nicole It's All Good!

Jackie Obsessive-Compulsively Ruining My Nail Polish

S.A. Bolich Words From Thin Air