Summer of Awards

This has been a great summer for me, not because I've necessarily gotten a ton of writing done, but because I've been nominated for a couple different awards from fellow bloggers that I admire greatly.

I've been saving them up, so I apologize if this turns out to be the longest blog post ever! Here goes...

A BIG thank you to the amazing Crystal Collier for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger award. For those of you who don't know Crystal, you should! She is so talented, not only as a writer, but as a singer, composer, mother...you name it, she can do it! Soulless, the second book in her Maiden of Time trilogy is set to release in October.

With this award, I am required to list seven random facts about myself, and then nominate 15 other bloggers I've recently started following. So, here you have it:

7 Random Facts:

1. As much as I think I'm a social butterfly, I'm really just a homebody. I love to be home with my family.
2. My favorite dessert is ANYTHING with chocolate.
3. I can play UNO like a pro.
4. Growing up, I read Nancy Drew, the Babysitter's Club, and the Sweet Valley Twins series like they were going out of style.
5. I've always loved writing, but I was inspired to start writing my first novel years ago after reading the infamous vampire series written by a truly talented author who is a mother to all boys, like myself. 
6. I used to love riding roller coasters, but now, they just make me sick. Instead, I watch my kids ride them and that is twenty times better!
7. I love to laugh.

Blogs I Nominate:

1. Heather Belle—Heather is a fun blogging buddy I recently connected with because we have so much in common!

2. Charity Bradford—Even though I've known Charity for years, I'm a recent follower of her blog. As my mentor in this publishing process, I can't say enough good things about Charity. She's awesome!

3. Heather Holden—I love Heather's blog and her webcomic Echo Effect. I can't get enough of Coco and Nicholas!

4. Elizabeth Seckman—I'm sure Elizabeth has been nominated for this award dozens of times, but she is such a fun person and I've enjoyed getting to know her through blogging. And hey, us mothers of "all boys" have to stick together!

5. Mark Noce—One of my first followers when I started on this blogging journey, Mark is a great blogging buddy and a very talented writer. So excited that he recently got an agent for his manuscript!

6. SA Larsen—Sheri is simply amazing. One of the nicest people in this blogosphere, Sheri is always available for an encouraging word or uplifting comment. 

7. Madeline Mora-Summonte—This amazingly talented writer awed me with her A to Z challenge theme, and now, I keep going back for more.

8. Cortney Pearson—I found Cortney in this big, beautiful blogosphere and immediately connected with her honest, heartfelt writing. I'm so excited for the release of her debut novel, Phobic, coming out in September. Congrats, Cortney!

9. Sherry Ellis—If you haven't visited Sherry's blog, you need to! Her posts about the humor in mothering are Hi-larious! 

10. Aditi Kaushiva—Aditi's blog is another one I found during the A to Z challenge, and I was immediately captivated by her raw, beautiful posts titled Shades of Life. 

11. Mark Koopman—Mark is the funniest person and the most entertaining blogger out there. I always know I'm sure to get a good laugh when I visit Mark's blog.
12. Lori MacLaughlin—A fantasy writer, Lori is one of the sweetest people in the blogosphere. She was one of the first people I "met" when I started blogging a few months ago, and she immediately welcomed me with open arms. Lori, you're the best!
13. Kyra Lennon—Kyra is a very talented New Adult author who came up with a brilliant theme for A to Z—diary entries of characters from her current WIP. So cool!
14. Stephanie Bruce—Stephanie is a good friend outside of the blogging world, but she's also an amazing blogger. She's one of the those super crafty people who can make anything, and her blog is full of fun DIY projects and yummy recipes. Love ya, Steph!
15. Emily King—I recently started following Emily, and although I know she's busy moving to Utah, I look forward to reading more of her posts and her journey as a YA author. 

*****

Moving on to the next award, my good friend and mentor, Charity Bradford, nominated me for a Liebster Award. Thanks, Charity! Charity is another one of those talented writers and mothers who can do it all. From singing to decorating cakes, she is amazing! Check out her blog to find out more about her.

**Although I am deeply thankful for the award, I will not be passing it on this time. I received a Liebster from the wonderful Lori MacLaughlin not too long ago, and for fear of being redundant, I've decided to answer Charity's questions, but not nominate other bloggers. Sorry!! 

Questions from Charity:

1. What's your favorite season of the year?

I would say fall. I love that the air turns chilly and the leaves change colors. Fall reminds me of apple picking, pumpkin carving, wood-burning stoves, and high school football games. 

2. Would you rather know when and where you will die or keep it a secret?

Keep it a secret. I would hate to have that hanging over my head. 

3. What's your biggest pet peeve?

Okay, this one will be a little gross, but it's the truth—when my boys pee on the toilet seat. 

4. What do you think is your greatest strength?

Friendliness. I believe the simple act of a smile goes a long way.

5. Your greatest weakness?

Impatience. I wish I had more patience with my children.

6. When you get in the reading mood, do you look for books by genre or author?

Whatever I can get my hands on. Sometimes by author, sometimes by genre, but I really like it when I get recommendations from friends.

7. Do you still own a camera? Or do you rely solely on your smart phone?

Oh yes. I still have a camera. It takes much better pictures than my iPhone, and I can zoom and do all this fancy stuff. It's a great camera, if only I could figure out how to use it to its capacity...

8. What is your greatest possession?

My family.

9. Chocolate or Vanilla?

Do you even need to ask? Chocolate, of course! :)

10. What's your favorite childhood memory?

I have two:

• Playing in the ditch near my house (even though I would get in trouble when my mom found out) and playing TV tag in the summer with neighborhood friends.
• Summer nights at the cottage—roasting marshmallows, staring at the stars, listening to music on the beach.

11. What drives you to keep pushing forward when exhaustion or insecurities strike?

Hmm, this is a tough one...I know I have the potential to be what I dream—a published author. I just tell myself that it takes time and perseverance (and good writing, of course!) That and the desire to make my parents, children, and husband proud. 

The Liebster Award

I'm excited (and a bit surprised) to announce that my blog was nominated for a Liebster Award! This award allows fellow bloggers to spotlight blogs that haven’t yet built up a large following. Lori Maclaughlin of Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams nominated me for this award. Lori blogs about her self-publishing journey, and she did a really cool theme for A to Z titled Fictional Favorites where she highlighted some of her favorite fictional characters.

The current rules for accepting this award are:

1. List 11 random facts about myself.
2. Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated me.
3. Nominate 11 more blogs who have less than 200 followers and let them know they’ve been nominated.
4. Post 11 new questions for those bloggers to answer (if they wish to accept the award — it’s completely optional).


So, here we go!


11 Random Facts About Myself (the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Truth):

1. I would rather clean the bathroom than clean the kitchen.
2. I was told by the ultrasound tech that my first child was a girl. Lo and behold, it wasn't a girl, but a bouncing baby boy! Four others followed him. I've often wondered, where did my girl go?
3. I play the piano and compose music (for fun) on the side. 
4. It is a dream of mine to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. 
5. I despise cooking, but I do it so my family won't starve (usually). 
6. My husband is a better cook than I am. 
7. I used to dream about being an actress, dancer, or singer (basically anything to get me on TV and in the spotlight). 
8. I played soccer in high school, which is why I'm forcing encouraging my boys to play also. 
9. I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed cheerleader in high school. And yes! Cheerleading IS a sport! Trust me, it ain't easy lifting and throwing a 120 pound girl into the air. I got hurt more cheerleading than I ever did playing soccer! 
10. I'm a baby when it comes to swallowing pills. Anything larger than an Advil and it's not going down! 
11. I once completed a triathlon and felt like a SUPERSTAR!

11 Questions Asked by the Person Who Nominated Me


1) What is the best place you’ve visited?

Belize. Absolutely beautiful. The lush jungles, combined with the Mayan ruins, combined with the turquoise waters and beautiful beaches made for an exciting, adventurous, as well as relaxing vacation.


2) What’s the most unusual thing you’ve done?

I don't know if this is all that unusual, but I tend to be a "thrill-seeker," so I convinced my husband to take me parasailing during a trip to Key West. Way cool.


3) What’s your favorite movie?

Hmmm, this is a hard one. Titanic? Or maybe, You've Got Mail? Although, I do love The Notebook...I love romantic comedies, and even though Titanic isn't a romantic comedy, it is a classic.


4) What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

It's a toss-up between Mint Chocolate Oreo and Chocolate Moose Tracks. Both are YUM!



5) What fictional character do you like best?

Katniss from The Hunger Games. She is strong, intelligent, devoted, and she doesn't take crap from anyone. And it would be cool to be able to shoot a bow as well as she does. Just saying.


6) What’s the best book you’ve read this year?

Divergent by Veronica Roth. I've talked about this already in my What's Up Wednesday post, but her books have inspired me.



7) Why should people read and follow your blog?

Because it's AWESOME! No, really, I think there's something for everyone here. If you're a parent, you can relate to the joys, triumphs, and frustrations of parenthood. If you're a writer, you can relate to the joys, triumphs, and frustrations of being a writer. If you're a published author, you can offer encouragement and advice! :)


8) Morning person or night owl?

Definitely, a night owl! I find I do my best writing after all my kids are asleep, in between the hours of 9:00 pm and 1:00 am. I can't give up that time -- my time -- when no one is calling "Mom!" or needing food, or wanting my attention, no matter how tired I am the next day!


9) What’s at the top of your bucket list?

To become a published author.


10) What do you consider your most important personality trait?

I think I'm a really good listener, which is probably why random people I meet in the grocery store tell me their life story. Throughout my life, I've found this to be true. I'm not a "fixer", meaning I don't try to help fix the problem, but I am good at listening. Don't we all need a good listener from time to time?


11) Have you ever performed or been the recipient of a random act of kindness and what was it?

Yes! I have been the recipient of many random acts of kindness but the one that comes to mind happened not too long ago in our local grocery store. I had my two youngest boys with me (I think I've told this story on here before, so sorry!) and they were seated in those carts that look like race cars with two little steering wheels so the kids can pretend to drive. Well...The two-year-old bit the four-year-old and started a chain reaction of hitting and screaming. They were both crying as I hurried through the store to get the last items on my list, when an older woman (grandmotherly type) came up to me and asked if they could have these cookies she had bought. The cookies were wrapped, character cookies from the bakery. The boys immediately stopped crying and I was able to finish my shopping before they were done with their cookies! I was so thankful for that sweet woman who went out of her way to make my life easier, and my day better.




Now for the nominations of other great blogs!

1. Melanie Crouse -- Melanie is the co-author of Alchemy, the first book in the Prophecy Breakers series. I met Melanie during all the A to Z craziness and turns out she and I have a lot in common! Melanie blogs about life, family, and writing.
2. Heather Belle --Heather is a busy mom and wife who writes AMAZING 5 minute prompts on her blog Belle's Bazaar.
3. Heather Holden -- Heather is an amazingly talented artist and creator of the insanely cool comic Echo Effect featuring Coco and Nicholas. 
4. S.K. Anthony -- S.K. is a mother, writer, and an official "make-stuff-up-er." She wrote a hilarious A to Z where she came up with her own words she titled S.K.-isms. 
5. Liz Blocker -- Liz is a talented writer whose A to Z posts gave us an inside look into her current WIP. I was blown away -- both by the writing and how she is able to weave the story through six different lifetimes. So cool!
6. Le&ndra Wallace -- Leandra is a YA writer with a super fun blog where she talks about books and writing, and often highlights other authors. 
7. Madeline Mora-Summonte -- Madeline is a very talented writer who specializes in flash fiction. Her A to Z short stories were the highlight of my A to Z experience, and many of them gave me the chills. Truly wonderful writing!
8. Erin Funk -- Erin and her sister Jaime Morrow are the creators of the awesome weekly blog hop What's Up Wednesday where writers can connect with one another, spread encouragement, and offer words of wisdom.
9. Jaime Morrow -- For the same reason as above, Jaime rocks for creating such a cool blog hop and the adorable badges to go with it.
10. Chrys Fey -- Chrys writes a blog about writing a novel and has great tips and advice for doing it RIGHT! 
11. Lynda Dietz -- Lynda is an editor with a fantastic blog about books and editing.
    

Last, but not least, the 11 Questions for the Nominees to Answer (Should you choose to accept):

1. What are your favorite pizza toppings?
2. Who is your favorite superhero?
3. If your house were burning down, what would you take and why?
4. If you had a time machine, what year would you travel to and why?
5. What are you afraid of?
6. What's the best book you've read in the past year?
7. What is the best vacation you've ever had?
8. What's your biggest pet peeve?
9. What's your favorite love story? (movie or book)
10. What is the best thing you've done in your life?
11. List five adjectives to describe yourself.

Congrats to the nominees! Looking forward to reading your answers, should you choose to accept!