I'M A "VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD" NOMINEE!

 

Hi folks,

I’m supremely honored and humbled. Erika Liodice, author of the novel, Empty Arms, and one of the bloggers listed here on my site, and one I visit daily, nominated my lil’ blog for The Versatile Blogger Award! I’ve followed Erika for a long, long time on her blog, Writing the Dream at http://www.erikaliodice.com/. Thank you so much for this singular honor, Erika!

There are four simple rules for The Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Post a link to the person who gave you the award.
2. Tell your readers seven random things about yourself.
3. Award 15 newly discovered blogs.
4. Send them a note letting them know you nominated them.

So, here are 7 random things about me:

1. I was a criminal for a long time and went to prison.

2. I kept my criminal background a secret for many years.

3. I have a fear of heights when I’m standing on something like a cliff or a bridge, but none when I’m in an airplane.

4. I wet the bed until I was a year old. Oh—that’s not unusual? My bad.

5. I sucked my thumb until I was six. Someone told me that was unusual…

6. I think the best book ever written was The Stranger by Albert Camus.

7. I firmly believe my wife Mary is the most beautiful woman who has ever lived—inside and out.

And here are the 15 nominees I’ve chosen (in no particular order—in fact, they’re all #1):

1. You Would Say That, Wouldn’t You? http://pdbrazill.blogspot.com/ Noir master, Paul D. Brazill’s absolutely amazing blog.

2. Criminal-E http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/ One of the most interesting and informative blogs in existence for writers and readers alike, by author, editor and literary agent, Allan Guthrie.

3. Guilty Conscience http://guiltyconscienceblog.blogspot.com/ A must-read blog for crime and noir writers and readers  by Luca Veste.

4. Spinetingler Magazine Blog http://www.spinetinglermag.com/ Featuring the writerly info by Jack Getze, Sandra Ruttan and Brian Lindenmuth and others—all rightfully-so “big names” in crime fiction. These folks are on the cutting edge of fiction.

5. The Graveyard Shift http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/ This is THE place to go to fact-check your novel if it involves police, police procedures, or even criminals and their ways. Lee Lofland is the real deal and provides a huge service to writers with this blog and with his Writer’s Police Academy. Plus, he’s a great guy.

6. The Kill Zone http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/ This is written by a group of some of the top thriller and crime writers in the world—guys like John Gilstrap. If you want to know the real inside stuff in writing and publishing in the genres of thriller, noir, and suspense, this is the place to go.

7. The Worst Book Ever http://theworstbookever.blogspot.com/ I’d nominate this blog by my publisher Aaron Patterson (StoneGate Ink) simply for being the coolest-named blog out there, but it’s truly a super blog for writers.

8. Sea Minor http://nigelpbird.blogspot.com/ Written by brilliant noir writer, Nigel Bird, every day he posts exciting visuals and commentary.

9. HermansGreasySpoon http://anthonyneilsmith.typepad.com/hermansgreasyspoon/ Another blog with a great name… and a great writer behind it—Anthony Neil Smith. If you read DocNoir’s books be prepared to buy ‘em all. He gives great perspectives on both writing craft and on the thinkings of a writer.

10. Write On – Hooked Again http://dawnall.wordpress.com/ Great posts every single time on the craft of writing and on the spirituality of writing from Dawn Allen.

11. Eating My Words http://shirleyjump.blogspot.com/ This blog is by my buddy, Shirley Jump, bestselling romance writer and teacher. Lots and lots of good stuff on both writing and food here. Warning: If you visit Shirley’s blog, not only will you gain invaluable writing advice… you’ll simply gain. Weight. She shows food and gives recipes that will make you wish you had a treadmill in your bedroom. I don’t know how she does it—she looks as if she never ate a brownie in her life!

12. Love and Chocolate http://sallyclements.blogspot.com/ Written by Sally Clements, multi-published author and giver of great writing advice.

13. Christine’s Journey http://christinedanek.blogspot.com/ Written by writer Christine Danek, this blog is just chockful of great writing advice, super book reviews, and scintillating author interviews.

14. Piedmont Writer http://piedmontwriter.blogspot.com/ This is author Anne Gallagher’s (The Lady’s Fate) blog and it’s a winner! She’s got the kind of writer’s voice that you want to keep reading and keep reading.

15.Straight From Hel http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/. This is one of the best and most informative blogs ever written, by my buddy, Helen Ginger. If I were to list just one blog, Helen’s would probably be the one, just for all the innumerable times she’s gone out of her way to help her fellow writers. Not to mention the cutting-edge writing information she dispenses. Not to mention that she’s just a great human being.

 And so many, many more!! I had to leave off so many equally-interesting and deserving blogs that I kind of feel sick about it. I hope those people know that I just ran out of spots. In fact, every single blog I have on my blog list here should have been on it, but I have more than 15!

Thanks again, Erika!

Blue skies,

Les