General housekeeping

Happy Sunday, friends!

Okay, I know. It's been an awfully long time since my last blog. Life happened and before you know it, it's 10pm on any given work night and I have to go to bed, often at the expense of my blogging time. Where does my time go? That's a question for another day. For now, I'm back and I'm planning ahead (gasp!).

Awards
Over the course of the past few weeks (read: months) I have received some fun awards and I haven't had a chance to go through them and play by the rules. So dear blog awarders, my apologies. I'll do them below--I promise!

Blogfests
Three (yes, THREE!) of my blogging friends are hosting blogfests in the coming weeks. Please take a moment to stop by and check them out!

Sommer at Tell Great Stories is hosting MonsterFest 2011 during the month of October, though registration is already open. If you haven't heard of Sommer Leigh or read her blog--specifically the College of Blogging Series, well, then I don't know what to tell you. You're missing out. That's all. But you have to check out MonsterFest 2011 if only for the freakin' amazing buttons and because who doesn't want to be part of the League of Monstrologists?

Claudie at ClaudieA is hosting the Superheroes of Science Blogfest, which celebrates the great scientists of our work, whether imaginary or not. Awesome, right? Do you have a scientist in your WIP? Someone who tinkers with genetics or computers or diseases? Yeah, I thought so. Then sign up for the Superheroes of Science blogfest--you might even win a copy of SB Steward-Laing's newly released e-book, Forgotten Gods!

Margo at Urban Psychopomp is celebrating her first year blog anniversary with the I AM LEGEND Blogfest. For one day only--September 29, 2011--you can share with the blogoverse what is EPIC LEGEND WIN about your WIP or your favorite book. It might be a favorite creature or a hero that is so freakin' amazing that you can't help but wonder how to be him/her for Halloween (cough, Starbuck, cough). Tell us all about it by signing up on the linky list and grabbing yet another cool button!

The Follower Project
Do you know Matthew MacNish? Or, I should ask, do you Matt, better known as Yoda in your Google friend reader? If not, go make his acquaintance tout suite! Matt is aiming for 1000 blog followers (yeah, a thousand) before he starts to query his work. While he realizes there's no real correlation between his 1000 followers goal and starting the query process, Matt is going to try anyway. It gives him something to do. So please, if you haven't checked out The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment yet, take a moment to do so. And if you don't know how to follow someone's blog, read up on Matt's posts this week about how to follow other bloggers!

As promised... AWARDS!


Ms Saba over at Of Thoughts and Words gave me the Versatile Blogger award, along with requiring me to tell you 7 unique things about me. In no apparent order, here you go:

1. My dog is currently whining for me to feed him. Someone call the ASPCA.
2. My writing headphones only work on the left side. Annoying.
3. I'm a Leo but don't act like one.
4. My kitchen is clean for the first time in WEEKS, people. Weeks.
5. I'm working on my 2011 NaNo outline right now.
6. I am a professional napper.
7. I'm currently watching (and enjoying!) The Last Avatar.


Mel Fowler at Adventure Writes was kind enough to pass along the Liebster Award, given to people with under 200 followers. Thanks, Mel!



Sarah McCabe from The Aspiring Sub-creator awarded me the Blog on Fire award, complete with ridiculous questions to answer. :) Here goes...
1. Are you a rutabaga?  Yes, of course. Aren't you?
2. Who is your current crush? Oh... this is hard. There's the guy from this summer, or the cute guy I see in the parking lot during the week. Clearly, I need to walk around with my eyes up more often. Oh! ALCIDE! How could I forget the hottest man on tv? Go ahead and Google Alcide and True Blood. You're welcome.
3. Upload a heartwarming picture that makes you smile. K. Let me see what I can find...
4. When was the last time you ate a vine-ripened tomato? Friday night for taco night!
5. Name one habit that causes other people to plot your demise? I refuse to use a vehicle navigation system. You should know where you're going. I know how to identify my place in a city or town based on where the sun is in the sky or by landmarks. I hate being lost but because I study maps, I rarely am.
6. What is the weirdest, most-disgusting job you've ever had to do? Um, the "worst" job was as a server and I actually really liked it. So I think I'm lucky on this one!
7. Where da muffin top at? I don't answer ridiculous questions that end in a preposition but if you truly want to know where my muffin top is, it's right around my tummy. Where's yours?
8. What author introduced you to your genre? I worship at the authorial altar of JK Rowling.
9. Describe yourself using obscure Latin words. Procerus, puella, scriptor

Dierda Eden-Coppel granted me the beautiful Powerful Woman Writer award. Thank you, Dierda!

Please take a moment to check out Dierda's blog, A Storybook World because it is fascinating.