When Procrastinating Made Me a Super Star!

Rarasaur is a charming blogger, full of enthusiasm and charisma. (www.rarasaur.wordpress.com) She nominated moi for an award about a month ago before a bunch of craziness took me out of circulation for a bit. When I mentioned the award before Christmas, it was the Blogger of the Year Award. However, Rarasaur has had a change of heart regarding BOTY, and re-issued her awards as

I promised to fulfill the requirements for the award after the end of the world as Mayan enthusiasts predicted. Oops. The Big Pffffft didn’t happen and neither did my promised 12/22/20012 response to Rarasaur’s nomination.

Today I discovered the change in her decision about which award she was bestowing. So procrastination paid off this one and only time. I like the new award better, Rarasaur. It’s prettier, shinier, more sparkly. Woo hoo! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for nominating me.

So here’s my fulfillment of the obligations.

1. I love a white Christmas, so I got my wish this year!

2. I am a birding enthusiast. I like feeding them, watching them, creating habitat for them, documenting sightings of them.

3. A favorite waterfowl watching site is Assateague and Chincoteague Islands. Every year on Thanksgiving week, the park opens remote areas that are normally inaccessible to tourists. One can roam and see migrating waterfowl and wild ponies all in the same place. It is glorious to see hundreds of snow geese bobbing in inlets with all manner of ducks, swans, gulls, terns and other wild geese.

4. My recurring nightmare is being drowned at sea. Or eaten at sea. Or both.

5. I decorated a Christmas tree this year for the first time in many years. Often we travel at Christmas, but not this year. In fact, this year Christmas is getting spread out over several days. So between getting snow, having a tree, and loving on family and friends, I am really enjoying Christmas this year!

I am nominating the following blogs of writers who help other writers as my Superstars:

M. S. Fowle  at http://msfowle.wordpress.com  cover design

E-BookBuilders at http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/ ideas galore

Karen Gadient http://karengadient.com/ cover design and more

C. J. Gorden http://cjgorden.wordpress.com/resources/  list of resources

Paige Nolley http://paigenolley.wordpress.com/ the bare naked truth of the writer’s path

The following entity is not a blog, but an honorable mention:

Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com uses cash to support creativity

SHINE ON, YOU TWINKLY PEOPLE!

Illuminating Blogger Award

 

Shedding Light to Brighten the Path for Others

A huge thank you to mskatykins of Spineless Wonders for nominating this blog for the Illuminating Blogger Award. Awards are like pats on the back: the sentiment is appreciated and cherished.

MsKatykins has given me feedback and advice to help me grow in my dream of becoming a professional writer. She is a good friend to have. She has a very generous and giving spirit.

Please visit mskatykins at http://spinelesswonders.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/the-illuminating-blog-award/.

Now to the rules of the award:

A random tidbit about me: I am reclusive as I get older. There’s nothing I’d like more than to live on a mountaintop away from civilization. But I fight that inclination because I have never met a likeable recluse. I want to be likeable.

Five bloggers I want to nominate:

http://carrierubin.com/

Carrie Rubin has a wicked sense of humor. Watch this girl–she is going places. She has a book in its final stages of proofing. No release date yet, but it will be available soon. Carrie offers lots of support to other writers. She’s a great lady. I am one of the cheerleaders on her squad.

aslongasimsinging.wordpress.com

Troy doesn’t accept awards anymore. It’s because his writing is so eye-opening and honest about what goes on in his heart and head that readers gravitate to him. Then awards follow.  He puts words together well, with feeling, integrity, and mischief. Even though he won’t accept the award, I’m nominating him anyway.

asklotta.wordpress.com

Asklotta is my favorite e-neighbor. She’s  one I can turn to for advice on life matters, and, like a best friend, she always has an opinion and a wish to help.  I sip e-coffee with her. She sheds light on solutions. And she has my back.

subtlekate.wordpress.com

Subtlekate is who I want to be when I grow up. She is genius cradled in self-doubt.  Though extremely talented, there is no arrogance about her. She writes about personal development with sensitivity, honesty, and tenderness. She confronts her own perceived shortcomings, not realizing that in doing so, others see her as brave, bold, and nurturing. She is a role model to look up to.

cjgorden.wordpress.com

C J Gorden is like a big sister, sharing what she learns along the way with others. She calls herself a struggling writer. I have consistently found her to offer support and insight for self-improvement in writing skills. She is encouraging and helpful.

——————————————————————————-

These bloggers shed light on things that matter, each in their own unique way. I hope you enjoy getting to know them. They are folks I would enjoy having around my dinner table. I think the conversation would be marvelous.

A Nice Example of Karma

Author Timothy Hallinan is a nice guy. See him at www.timothyhallinan.com. He is the kind of author who likes helping newbies reach up and grab the bottom rung of the professional ladder. It’s not beneath him to lend a helping hand.

On his website, he has a summary of his year. What I’d like to point out is not only did Tim have a good year professionally, he also had a good year as a humanitarian. I’d like to think the two are connected somehow in this great cosmos of ours. That’s karma at work.

Taken from Tim’s web site:

“It’s been quite a year so far.

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG, the fourth Poke Rafferty thriller, was nominated for two major awards, the Edgar and the Macavity.

I finished and put online the second book in my ebook series of Junior Bender Mysteries, LITTLE ELVISES.  This one was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it’s also fun to read.

It was my pleasure to contribute a story to BANGKOK NOIR, a collection of stories set in the Big Mango – written by some remarkable storytellers, and for a great cause—taking care of Bangkok’s poorest children.

And finally, moved by the ongoing tragedy in Japan, I edited an e-book collection of original short stories by twenty of our finest mystery writers.  SHAKEN: STORIES FOR JAPAN went online for the Amazon Kindle on the three-month anniversary of the disaster.  We’re all proud to have made a small contribution to putting people’s world, and their lives, where possible, back together.”

My hope is that I, too, will use my skills, influence and/ or success to help others. My thanks to Tim for being a role model.

 

Quit Beating Up on Myself

Once a month, I meet on a Wednesday afternoon with a group of local writers. Some have already been published. Some hope to be someday. The purpose of meeting is to support each other’s writing habit.

Lately, I have reviewed the progress I have made in the past 12 months toward completing my first murder mystery. I have made it to Chapter 13.

If I have learned anything, it’s that book writing is more than putting words on a page.  It’s learning from the experience of others who have already successfully sold a book. It is developing a support system to assist with hurdles like time management, writer’s block, procrastination. It is honing skills, not only in story telling, but also in public relations and finance.  It’s learning to use social media effectively. It’s finding the right professionals to edit, publish and groom your product. And more.

I was beating myself up for moving at the speed of an earthworm.

Upon reflection I realized I have:

• attended a writers conference
• executed the advice I received at the writers conference
• blogged almost daily for a year
• attended classes on writing by professional authors
• started a local writers group and conducted meetings for more than six months
• organized a Date to Write group that meets twice per month
• completed twelve chapters (first draft) on a novel
• dreamed up story lines for two more novels to work on when #1 is done

So when I look back, I pat myself on the back for productivity. I am on the beginning of a learning curve. My output will not be as fast as those with more knowledge and experience. I calculate that between blogging and book writing, I have averaged 250+ words per day for a period of twelve months.

I have earned the first level on Inkygirl Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s Writer Challenge. For more information, look here:

http://inkygirl.com/250-words-a-day-project/

 

The Versatile Blogger Award

 A real sweetheart just made my day, by nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award. A “shout out” and thank you to Turber of http://looserornot.wordpress.com/ for nominating this newbie.

 (Yipee Yipee Yipee – the sounds of celebration)

The rules for accepting this award are

as follows:

1. Thank the award-givers and link

 back to them in your post.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass this award along to 15 or 20

 bloggers you read & admire.

4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let

them know about the award.

Okay. I’ll share.

1. I am a chocoholic. My favorite is dark, bittersweet chocolate. I would bathe in it, if I could.
2. Horseback riding is my therapy. It’s cheaper than a psychiatrist and a lot more fun.
3. I prefer playing to working, unless, of course, my work IS play.
4. Bugs give me the creeps.
5. For me, Dogs Rule! Especially terriers. I love their brave hearts and devotion.
6. I like raising my own food, as much as possible. There’s joy in growing it, preserving it and eating it.
7. I have one more state to tour – Alaska – to complete a visit to every state in the union.

Since I am new to WordPress (less than a month), I do not have 15 – 20 blogs I read regularly yet. So, I will pass this award along to those bloggers who have been the first followers/ supporters of my effort. May everyone enjoy the inspiration to be found on these pages.

http://barrycreative.wordpress.com

http://damantigui.wordpress.com

http://findingsubjects.com

http://morningerection.wordpress.com

http://wordsformwindows.com

http://ficfaq.com

http://notquitequintessential.wordpress.com

http://ryan2point0.wordpress.com

http://cjgorden.wordpress.com

http://serenityspell.com

http://carldagostino.wordpress.com

http://davidkanigan.com

 Thank you again, Turber, for nominating me!