Friday, April 26, 2013

And the Nominees Are...




If you heard McNamara's Band playing in your neighborhood this morning, it probably was because Melissa Janda gave me the surprise of my life by nominating me for the Sunshine Award! I never have imagined even the possibility of being considered. I'm so grateful for the honor.


1.     My favorite color is blue, possibly because I grew up with horses and competing in shows. First prize is the blue ribbon.
2.     I love watching equestrian events like jumping competitions and horse races, but also figure skating, gymnastics and baseball.
3.     Most people aren’t aware that I love music and singing. I used to be a voice student and have done a few recitals.
4.     I began writing children’s books with heartwarming messages because I want every child to realize he or she is gifted and unique.
5.     Our family dog Elliott is featured on the cover of two of my books. He’s an important character in the stories and he loves the attention. He even does a few things in the book that he does in real life, like catching biscuits when you toss them. He already has a big head and we tell him if he gets too many compliments it’ll grow even bigger!
6.     When I started blogging, about a year ago, it took me all day to write one blog and it still needed a major overhaul. I was so nervous, I could barely breathe.
7.     The riding school where I grew up was called Sweetbrier. Someone once asked if   it was a vegetable farm. It took 3 years to build the house and the word "Sweetbrier" is actually engraved on the shingles by the attic windows.
8.     I adore spending time with my amazing family. My husband and I researched our sons’ names. One of them nearly got stuck with a name that means “crooked nose.”
9.     I have the worst sense of direction in the world. When I was little, I told my mom that it’s a good thing I’m not a bird, because I’d fly north instead of south and freeze my feathers off!
10.   The best advice I’d give anyone is to never give up on their dreams. My parents taught me that anything is possible if you persevere.


        And the Nominees are:
  1. Sherry Ellis for Mama Diaries- Sherry's blogs are delightfully entertaining and so funny. I enjoy all of them immensely.
  2. Tiana Smith for Tiana Smith- Hers was the very first blog I read when I joined the group.She's tremendously talented and also kind enough to help me solve an email problem I had.
  3. Amy Jarecki for Amy Jarecki Writes- I love her stories about dogs, particularly today's which was devoted to the Whippet.
  4. Jessica K. McKendry- for Jessica K. McKendry-She deserves a great deal of credit for having her first novel published at the tender age of 16. What a stunning accomplishment.
  5. Deniz Bevan for The Girdle of Melian- Deniz writes riveting historial stories. I think we all should take an interest in events of the past and the lessons they offer.
  6. S. A. Larsen for Writer's Alley- S. A. looks for ways to make even horrible tragedies transform into something positive, particularly with her blog, U is for Unity where she asks authors to donate some of their books to benefit the victims of the Boston bombing. She shows the kindness in the hearts of Americans.
  7. Laura Clipson- for My Baffling Brain- Laura is a gifted poet. I do believe that writing good poetry requires a unique gift and I'm glad that she's working hard to perfect it, even when she's going through profound sadness.
  8.  S. K. Anthony-for A time to Celebrate-S. K. finds wonderfully special things to celebrate, such as the birth of a baby, or the wedding of a 70 year old bride. I think more of us should savor those special moments.
  9.  Suzanne Furness- For And the Word is- Suzanne is an aspiring author from the UK. She's already achieved success in poetry contests. Her poems are adorable. I wish her much success.
  10.  Kathy McKendry for-Imagine Today- Kathy dedicates some of her stories to her grandpa. I think she should be admired for her writing abilities and for appreciating the values her grandpa shared.

 

Here are the Rules:

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  • Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog
  • Link to the person who nominated you
  • Answer 10 questions about yourself
  • Nominate 10 bloggers
  • Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs letting them know they have been
       Thank you again, Melissa!

16 comments:

  1. You are very welcome my little ray of sunshine :-)

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    1. Thank you, Melissa. I'd like to continue to be your ray of sunshine. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

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  2. Thank you for the nomination, Deanie I am honoured you thought of me. I received this award a little while ago but I will add a link in a future post if that is OK with you. Thanks again for thinking of me.

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    1. That's fine. How lovely for you to have received the Sunshine Award previously. It's perfectly fine to add the link whenever you wish. Wishing you continued success.

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  3. Hi Deanie - Thank you for the nomination! It was very kind of you to think of me! I will be out of town for awhile, but when I get back, I'll follow the rules. Have a good day!

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    1. You're welcome, Amy. I hope you're having fun on your trip and I wish you continued success.

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  4. Thanks, Deanie! I like the advice about following dreams and never giving up!

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  5. You're welcome, Sherry. You certainly deserve it!

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  6. Thank you so much! I'm honored. It was a pleasure seeing you visit my site. :)

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  7. You're most welcome, S. A. I certainly enjoy visiting your site.

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  8. Aww thank you for the award!
    I did receive this one about a month ago but I might be up for doing it again, you are awesome for nominating me ;)

    Having Elliott on your covers is way cool. Singing? I'm so jealous, I love to sing and do it fairly often, the only problem is my voice is horrible lol really, its true and its ok, its about the passion, isn't it?

    I thought I was already following you but sadly not, I fixed that!

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  9. You're most welcome, S. K. You must be so excited being nominated twice! I'm glad you enjoy singing. I think people who sing are generally cheerful. My voice teacher is still a close friend. It seems most of her students keep in touch with her because she's so gifted, as a teacher and a person.
    Thank you for following me. It's greatly appreciated.

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  10. Thanks for the nomination! Sorry it's taken me so long to stop by your blog, I really don't know why it has!
    I love that you're into horse riding, I'm hoping to start again soon, I really miss it! Thanks for all your kind words :)

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  11. You're very welcome, Laura. I hope you can start riding again soon. It's great fun and no matter how long you've been riding, there's always more to learn. I wish you the best in all your endeavors. Remember that nothing is impossible if you persevere. You'd be surprised what you can do!

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  12. Thanks so much for the nomination! Can't wait to answer questions in a future post...
    I'd love to go horseback riding someday - I've only ever done it once! Also love the idea of using your dog on your book covers :-)

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  13. You're welcome, Deniz. Elliott is just thrilled to be on the covers of 2 of my books. That big, handsome head of his gets top billing. He also has important things to do in the stories so he had to earn his way to the cover!
    Best wishes

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