I’ve been engrossed. In a 15-day writing challenge, in novel re-writes, all of it. So I haven’t been reading as many blogs as I like to. And my own posts have been even more scatter-brained than ever. For instance, this was supposed to go up on Monday and it never did because I never finished writing it. And during my procrastination, one of the people I was going to mention beat me to the punch (Hi, Dawn ^_^)

And I must be talking about something, right?

This is a good one: Blog Award, Publishing Announcements, and Giving Back. This is JD Brown’s blog. I know this name because when I very first really started blogging here late last year, she was one of those awesome people who always read and commented. I was new and she made me feel welcome ^_^

So very first, congratulations on your publishing news – that’s absolutely awesome ^_^

And second, once again she’s made me feel welcome and special by giving me my first ever blog award.

And Dawn Embers is an amazing sweetheart – I think she may comment here more than I post 😉 And has added me to her list of reward recipients as well. Dawn also kept me from the brink of insanity yesterday when I pretty much hated the world and everything in it. I think she was just trying to stay awake, but she responded to all my random tweets, and for that she rocks even more ^_^

And I see there are rules associated with this shiny award. I can follow rules. As long as they’re not ones I’ve set for myself 😛

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Award ten recently discovered great bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.

Seven Things About Me

1. I work in a very techincal/left brained industry. I spend my days analyzing numbers. Twelve years ago it was a way to pay the bills. Now it’s actually a career choice.
2. I claim I’ve written five novels. I have. But not the five I claim (three on the list match up).
3. I write contemporary fiction and urban fantasy. One or the other. The concept of writing about elves, dragons, talking robots, or anything else that requires heavy world-building escapes me. I read it, but I can’t write it.
4. I used to be in management. It sucked. Now I’m a corporate runt and prefer it.
5. When I was in high school, I used to wish my English teachers would see my writing brilliance and I’d never have to do another grammar worksheet again because they loved me so much. #NeverHappened
6. I finished writing my first novel when I was about 20. I rarely claim it. It is dead to me.
7. I queried my first string of agents at the end of 2008. The query sucked, the novel wasn’t ready, and I’ve learned so much since then.

Ten Recently Discovered Great Bloggers
Recently isn’t defined here, and I’ve been reading all of these for less than six months, so that has become recent now. In no particular order:

• Kate Larkindale
• Dawn Embers (for her new Reading at Dawn book review blog)
• Ben and Majora Bell
• Jessica Lei
• Ben Langhinrichs
• Cathy
• Breanna
• Amalia T
• Barbara G.Tarn
• Fadzlishah Johanabas

I’ll be back Monday with more ramblings. After I submit my story to ABNA and take enough deep breaths to keep my breakfast down. Ciao!