I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award!!!!

There is no better way to start your day than to see waiting in your inbox an email like this . . . You have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award. I was so excited to open my email not because I won this award, but because Lynn A. Davidson had this to say, “You are a true inspiration, I am glad to have discovered your blog.” What an honor it is to not only been given this award by Lynn, but also knowing I have touched someone with the things I am sharing here on The Writing Mama. So now that Lynn has given me this wonderful surprise I feel I need to not only thank Lynn (who’s blog you can visit at: http://lynnadavidson.wordpress.com), but all of you who come to read my ramblings, articles, and interviews with other writers. If you all believe in me like Lynn does . . . then I will not worry or be intimidated by this award. I will continue to share my writing journey with you all even if I do end up living in a trashcan one day instead of on top of the best-sellers list.

Thanks so much Lynn for this honor and award!

Now, there are usually rules to follow on an award like this so here are the requirements:

1. Thank the one who gave you this award. 2. Share seven things about yourself. 3. Present this honor to 15 newly discovered bloggers. 4. Drop by and let the fifteen new friends know how they have touched you.

Well I have one down as you know above. What a real treat this is. I really cannot believe Lynn honored me with this award. Okay, so now on to the seven things about myself . . . let me think on this one. There is a lot you all already know so I guess I should share some stuff you might not know or few know about me.

1. My parents, even though they are divorced and remarried, have remained friends over the last 25 years and we all get together for the holidays. This includes my mom, dad, step-mom, step-dad, my hubby, our three kids, my sister and her hubby, my brother, and our baby sister (who is turning 12 this year).

2. Even though I worked in ladies and teen fashion as a buyer, I’m more of a tomboy. I hate shopping, doing my hair, make-up, and forget about my nails. I bit them. But you wouldn’t know it if you saw me at a conference or tradeshow.

3. I use to work on Hollywood Blvd. in the Frederick’s of Hollywood buying offices. I have met many different celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis; who had her star put right outside our office doors. That was pretty cool!

4. I met my hubby on the internet back when it was not a very popular idea. And if you ask him what happened when we first met in person, he’ll tell you I was hiding behind a counter in one of my stores. So not true though. I was getting more flyers to pass out.

5. My son and brother are only 1 ½ years different in age.

6. I date someone as old as my step-mom before I met my hubby. That was a bit strange and one of the reasons why we broke up among others.

7. I never planned to be a writer. I always thought I would be a CEO of some fashion company. However, I am happy with my life the way it is. I have three wonderful children, a husband who loves and supports my crazy ideas, and a job I can do from home while being a mom. Who can beat that!

Now to the best part . . . presenting this award to 15 other bloggers and that is not going to be easy. After long and careful consideration, here are the ones I feel are deserving recognition.

Market My Words http://faeriality.blogspot.com

Breakthrough Blogs http://stephentremp.blogspot.com

Writers in the Sky E-zine http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com

Adventures in Children’s Publishing http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com

Dallas Woodburn’s Writing Life http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com

Karen Cioffi-Writing for Children http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

Jane’s Ride http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com

Write What Inspires You! http://donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Cathy Witbeck-Story Painter http://cathywitbeck-storypainter.blogspot.com

Katie Hines-Walking on Water http://katiehines.blogspot.com

I Devour Kid Books http://idevourkidbooks.blogspot.com

Janet Ann Collins/OnWords Open Eyes http://onwordsblog.blogspot.com

Magdalena Ball http://magdalenaball.blogspot.com

Mayra’s Secret Bookcase http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com

Lea Schizas http://thewritingjungle.blogspot.com

Wow, this is a list and I really have to say this is only a sample of the wonderful blogs I follow. Please stop each of these blogs. You’ll be glad you did!

Note: Those of you who I am bestowing this award to are not obligated to do anything if you cannot manage it. Please simply enjoy the kudos!

Thank you again Lynn and everyone who follows The Writing Mama!

Guest Post: Tips on Writing Your Memoirs

Whether you have lived a rough life or had a silver spoon in your mouth, it is normal to want to write your memoirs. This is especially true if you are getting up into middle age or beyond. Otherwise, it could be a pretty short story. Assuming you are ready to put 40 years or more down on paper, here are some tips for maximizing the effect of your finished work. First of all, give yourself plenty of time for a project like this. You are going to remember things as you work through the memories that are freshest in your mind. For this reason, it makes sense to give yourself lots of time, even as much as a year or more. Hopefully, you have a supply of old photographs you will be going through at the same time. But even if you don't, you can dig out those memories that are buried within. A good place to start is with a general time line of your life. You may find that you need to make more than one draft of this line, because you are likely to remember important ...

Guest Post by Author Mary Cunningham

Cynthia's Attic - Inspiring Young Readers and Writers Writers love to write. It's a passion. But, I discovered another benefit writing for children that I didn’t anticipate. Who knew how much fun I’d have visiting schools and interacting with my target audience? I’ve created several slide presentations that are informative and fun, but the question/answer session is most entertaining. For instance, I'm amazed at the number of elementary and middle-school students who not only love to read, but want to know what it takes to become a published author. Questions like, “How did you find your publisher?” or, “Who edits your books?” One of the most asked questions is, “Who did your cover?” I love sharing information about one of the best graphic artists in the business, Nathalie Moore. Although the artist and the publisher have the final say, my ideas are always considered. Naturally, the inevitable questions come up; “How much money do you make?” (Don’t quit your day jo...

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J.D. Holiday is the author and illustrator of two children’s books: Janoose the Goose, picture book and a chapter book for six to eight year olds, THE GREAT SNOWBALL ESCAPADE. A chapbook of her short stories called, Trespasses was published in 1994 and she has had short stories printed in literary magazines and numerous articles about writing and publishing published. She is a member of both The Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators, (SCBWI) and Small Publishers of North America, (SPAN.) J.D. Holiday lives in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania. VS : I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. It is so exciting because you are my first World of Ink Tour Guest. It’s been a fun couple of days and the tour is only getting started. Okay, so I know your children are grown and out of the house, but I’m sure you’ve had to balance your writing life around them at one time or another. I know being a parent and writer can be hard and I find ...

VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

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