ZOO

Well, it has been an absolute ZOO this month: writing posts and visiting blogs. BUT oh what fun we've had! Thanks for playing along and stopping by my zoo. I look forward to our continued relationships in the blogging community. YAY to the AtoZ Challengers!

Source: http://www.zoo-directory.com/

Yeezy

According to Urban Dictionary:

1.	yeezy
	Slang referring to the rapper Kanye West

However, now Yeezy also refers to Kanye's shoes.

According to http://buyingairyeezys.blogspot.com/:

"Air Yeezy is a brand of sneakers/trainers produced by Nike which were designed for and endorsed by the rapper Kanye West.

"The Air Yeezy sneakers were developed from a strong relationship between West and Nike. Partnering with Nike Creative Director, Mark Smith, Kanye was taken through the product creation process, the same way athletes have with Nike Design for the past 37 years. This creative partnership of Smith and West’s talents as designers yielded a unique Nike Sportswear sneaker worth the wait or was it?"

According to NIKE:
"The shoe, which takes West’s nickname Yeezy, draws upon the innovations from Nike’s rich sporting history and fuses them with original lines, materials, and design elements that reflect West’s unique style."


So what about you?

Do you own or want a pair of these shoes?

Xanax

As we near the end of another LONG A to Z Challenge, I figured we could all use a little calming influence.

Xanax: Also known as Alprazolam is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It belongs to a class of medications called benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming effect. It works by enhancing the effects of a certain natural chemical in the body (GABA). (source: www.webmd.com)


Book Drive Update: The goal is 500 books (or monetary equivalent) for teenagers during the month of April. So far, we've received 14 books and $105.

... uh ... this number hasn't budged in the last two weeks! YIKES!

PLEASE HELP US OUT and donate a book or a buck for this worthwhile cause. The donate button is on the blog's right side bar, and you can find complete details by CLICKING HERE!

Word Count

You can find a lot of information out on the internet regarding appropriate word counts for your genre.

Why does it matter?

1. It shows an agent that you have done your research.
2. If you are over the word count, an agent *might* be less likely to invest the necessary time to read your manuscript.
3. If you are over the word count, an agent may think you didn't revise and edit your work efficiently.

However, if you have an interesting plot concept, many agents and editors will overlook the *appropriate* word count range and invest the time necessary to read your manuscript.

But as Chuck Sambuchino says, "I believe that we cannot count on being the exception; we must count on being the rule. That’s the best way to give yourself your best shot at succeeding."

CLICK HERE to read his fantastic post on word counts.

What about you?

Do you pay attention to the appropriate word count range for your genre while you're writing?

Verbs

Do you use strong action verbs in your writing? Do you mix it up and use less common verbs? A couple of ideas I've tried recently during revisions:

1. (If you're writing YA) Print out a list of vocabulary words that your target readers would be using in school. These vocabulary lists are a great resource for interesting verbs.

2. Create a word bank. Think about the theme of your manuscript and come up with as many words related to your theme as possible. Use a thesaurus and dictionary to expand your word bank.

Switching boring everyday verbs to stronger action verbs adds dimension and description to your story.

For example:

Using TRUDGED is more descriptive than using WALKED.

Happy writing!

:)

Unconscious Repetitions

A few posts ago, we discussed the find/replace feature of MS Word which is great for repetitive words that you are AWARE of ... but what about words and phrases that repeat an idea that you are unaware of? These are unconscious repetitions.

What does that mean?

SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS by Browne and King has a great section on eliminating repetitions.

"Most writers already know to edit out places where they have literally repeated a word or phrase. But the repetition of an effect can be just as problematic. Whether it's two sentences that convey the same information, two paragraphs that establish the same personality trait, or two characters who fill the same role in the plot, repetition can rob your writing of its power" (pgs 175-176).

Have you checked your WIP for unconscious repetitions?

Time Management

I once had a friend who only scheduled one "item" per day. When she first told me that, I thought she was joking. At the time, I was ridiculously busy, packing as many things back to back in a day that I could manage. I got a lot done, too.

But now that I'm at a different point in my life, I really wish I could schedule one thing per day.

I've bought wonderful books on the topic of time management. I've read great magazine and blog articles on the topic. And I've tried many different concepts throughout my *time*.

But really ... regardless of what system you use to manage your time ... just don't be late.

I'm a believer that if you are chronically late - you are telling people that you don't value THEIR time as much as you value your own. Show up early. If you are super busy, take "work" with you, that you can complete when you show up early and have a few minutes to wait. Or always carry a book with you, and use that "early" time to treat yourself to your favorite author.

Just ... don't be late for people and appointments and events ... it's rude and selfish.

Stampin' Up!

I joined as a demonstrator for Stampin' Up! in 1998, and it has been a great blessing to our family over the years. It was a wonderful way for me to stay home with my young children and earn money. In the early years of my business, I worked it very diligently and ranked high with the company (as high as #2 in recruiting out of 40,000 demonstrators). When my husband was laid off, my Stampin' Up! business supported our family and helped us buy a new home. Through my business, we've also been able to travel extensively, going on nine all expense paid cruises.

In more recent years, I've done much less with my Stampin' Up! business. I still have three stamper's clubs that meet once a month, but other than that, I am focusing on my family, my health, and my writing.

If you are interested in learning more about my Stampin' Up! business and/or purchasing products visit my SU! website at: http://margo.stampinup.net

Do you stamp, scrapbook, or have other hobbies you love?

Recipes & The Flat Belly Diet

As many of you know, I am a big fan of the Flat Belly Diet program. I've had great success following it. However, I got sidetracked by a medical situation in September and reverted back to old habits of eating comforting junk foods. Not good. And sadly, I regained all that I had lost. Double NOT GOOD! So, I have set a new goal to get back on track!


I purchased both of these cookbooks:

And I was SO EXCITED when I read on page 39 of the Family Cookbook, that you can go online to: www.flatbellydiet.com to plug in the recipes you want to try out for the week, and it will generate a shopping list for you!


However, when I went to the website ... it's not quite that simple. First, you have to sign up for a membership ... a $19.95 per MONTH membership! YIKES. What a bummer. But there is a free 30 day trial period. So, I thought I'd give it a try and report on it to you.


Bummer again.


It took me forever (maybe I'm just slow?) to figure out how to customize the menu and select recipes from the the actual cookbook. Once I figured it out, I typed in the first recipe title, and it couldn't find it. I typed in another, and it couldn't find it.  Seriously?


So ... I emailed the customer support people.

Their response: "I apologize for the difficulty you are having with searching for the recipes from the Flat Belly Diet! Family Cookbook.  Although many of the recipes from various related book editions have been entered into the online website, there still are those that have not yet been entered."

Big Bummer. My opinion? They shouldn't print in a book what isn't actually available. My advice? Do not pay for the online Flat Belly Diet!

However, the recipe books do look very promising on their own. :)

I was going to type out the recipe for the Lemon-Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins recipe from page 74 in the Family Cookbook, however, the book very clearly states that would be a copyright infringement. ... Of course, the book also said I could utilize their website for shopping lists, and that wasn't right ... bwhahahaha. ...

None-the-less, I'm a *rule follower* (usually).

But let me tell you, I made the muffins for my family and they were absolutely YUMMY! This diet is succesful for me because the foods are so delicious.


Now ... if I could just figure out a way to STAY on the program and NOT revert back to old habits.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

Quotes

"It is not enough for the hero to triumph, he must change the world." -- Blake Snyder, SAVE THE CAT

"Cracking the door open for teenage drama doesn't mean throwing that door wide for sterotypical characters or hokey dialogue that over-emotes to make up for a flat plot." -- Deborah Halverson, WRITING YOUNG ADULT FICTION FOR DUMMIES

Do you have a writing quote to share?

Pineal Cyst

Well, I had REALLY hoped to have an informative post and update for you today on my very own pineal cyst, but alas ... we don't always get what we hope for! As many of my regular readers may remember, an MRI last September showed a 12mm pineal cyst, lesion, tumorous nodule, pineocytoma, THING in the middle of my brain.

Previous posts on the topic:
(Discovery of Pineal Cyst Post)
(Giving up on Doctors & Pineal Cyst Situation Post)

There is so much scary information on the internet about large pineal cysts ... I really was worried that I was simply going to drop dead. The good news is: I'm still alive! YAY me! The frustrating news is: the doctors keep telling me it is just a "coincindence" that I have this *thing* in my brain, and that it is not actually causing my symptoms. I find that REALLY hard to believe. Several doctors have suggested that I have multiple sclerosis instead, but there is no "for sure" test to prove that.

So it has been my goal for the last six months to get back on the Flat Belly Diet and just really work hard on eating right and exercising and stop worrying about my brain.

Epic Fail.

Therefore ... in honor of the letter R ... I will try out a new Flat Belly Diet Recipe and post my opinion about it with the R (for recipe) post.

Then, if and when, I have any pertinent news, regarding my brain, to update you with ... I will. *sigh*

Go eat some healthy brain food today!

Originality

Originality ... is there really such a thing? I mean, how many times can someone create a fresh original plot featuring fresh original characters? Hasn't it all been done by now?

According to Agent Donald Maass: "Originality comes not from your genre, setting, plot, characters, voice or any other element on which we can work. It cannot. It isn’t possible. Originality can come only from what you bring of yourself to your story. In other words, originality is not a function of your novel; it is a quality in you" ( Writer Unboxed post ).

Okay. But what does that mean?

Agent Kimberly Shumate wrote: "Out of the 50+ submissions I receive each week, there will be five projects that catch my eye mostly for their originality. Out of those five, maybe one will survive the scrutiny and editorial changes I suggest. ... If the author is willing to work with me to make their book the best it can be, this usually results with an offer of a contract, but it’s about one out of 100 submissions that are signed. Originality is what I look for first" ( Guide to Literary Agents post ).

Okay. But what is orginality?

And Agent Laney Katz Becker wrote regarding a query letter she'd received: "After reading the pitch, I’m loving this because it all sounds so fresh. You can literally go through each sentence and not come up with another novel that features the same thing. For instance, can you name
another book where the protagonist is a medical illustrator? How about a story where a young girl and an adult woman (who aren’t related) form some special bond? And a celebrity chef?! It all just sounds like a story I haven’t read before—and I really like that" ( Guide to Literary Agents post ).

Okay ...

Merriam Webster, don't leave me hanging here ...

Definition of ORIGINALITY

1: the quality or state of being original

2: freshness of aspect, design, or style

3: the power of independent thought or constructive imagination

( Merriam Webster )

Okay.

So ... does your writing have ORIGINALITY (aka the state of being original)??

NOTHING

Seriously.

We're halfway through the tough A to Z Challenge, and I'd rather hit nothing NOW than later when we get to X, Y, or Z.

Bwhahaha.

Book Drive Update: The goal is 500 books (or monetary equivalent) for teenagers during the month of April. So far, we've received 14 books and $105. YAY!

Please donate a book or a buck for this worthwhile cause. The donate button is on the blog's right side bar, and you can find complete details by CLICKING HERE!

How many blogs have you visited this month so far?
Have you run out of steam, yet? Hang in there!

Mastering MS Word

Now, don't get all excited. This is NOT a computer class. This is simply a list of tips for utilizing MS Word to assist you with your writing.

1. On the main screen in the upper right hand corner, there is a "find and replace" feature. This is helpful during revisions, because you can:

•  Find all "was" words and replace them with "WAS" ... How does this help you? Once you've done this find/replace feature, then you can start back at page one and focus your revision efforts to employ stronger action verbs, and you will immediately see all of these words on your computer screen.
• Also, if you *think* you might be using a certain phrase too much (like: her breath caught), click on the find feature and type in the phrase and select the option to highlight all. This tool will highlight the findings and give you a count. If your count is 234 in a 299 page novel, you've got a serious problem!! ha.
• Another great advantage of the find/replace tool is if you realize you've not been consistent with something (like with spaces after a period), you can type the problem into the "find" box and type the solution into the "replace" box.

2. From the main screen, click on the "review" tab at the top of the screen. The features/tools on this tab are amazing for working with a critique partner or editor.

• My critique partners and I used the comment bubbles to mark words, punctuation, and scenes that we want to address with our partners.
• My agent and I used the track changes feature to work together during a final revision process. Huge potential with this part.

And, that's all I've got for today!

 

What is your favorite feature of MS Word that helps you with your writing process?

 

 

Logline

Do you write a "logline" before or after you've written your manuscript? Hmm.

According to Blake Snyder, "A logline is the one--or two-- sentence description of your movie that tells us what it is. It must contain a type of hero (that means a type of person plus an adjective that describes him), the antagonist (ditto), and the hero's primal goal. It must have irony, and it must bloom in our brains with potential" (SAVE THE CAT, p.188).

A logline is also known as an elevator-pitch or a hook.

And it is essential because it's the quick one-two punch that excites people about reading your story. And if you can't pack your story into a tasty-bite-sized-morsel, that could mean there are inherent problems with your story.

Now, granted, I wrote my first manuscript with no logline. I just wrote. I didn't know much about the craft or the industry ... I just wrote. And then when I *thought* I was finished with the ms, I started researching how to get an agent and how to write a great query letter. Oops. That became a huge problem for me, because my story was "too big" to be bottled up so tightly. That wasn't MY fault. ... right? ... I figured the problem was with the system.

But then before proceeding with my second ms, I decided to write the query letter FIRST, just as an exercise ... to see if it was helpful or even possible. Hmm.

That's when I realized how important a BASIC storyline is to the success of the process.

Let's look at one of Snyder's loglines:
"A hen-pecked husband finally gets the house to himself one weekend and loses it in a poker game to an unscrupulous gambler" (SAVE THE CAT, p. 49).

HERO: Hen-pecked husband
ANTAGONIST: Unscrupulous gambler
PRIMAL GOAL: Get the house back which will protect his physical survival needs of warmth, sleep, and sex
IRONY: Finally gets the house and loses it
BLOOMS WITH POTENTIAL: Absolutely

I challenge you to write a logline right now - off the top of your head - simply use the formula:

A (adjective) (noun) finally gets the (noun) (phrase) and (verb) (phrase) to (adjective) (noun).

And remember to hint at the primal goal and include irony.

Knowledge Gaps

One of my favorite books on the craft of writing is THE STORY BOOK by David Baboulene. He explores the concept of knowledge gaps a great deal. I'd love to quote all of the text here for you, but that's probably not legal. BUY THE BOOK, if you don't already have it. Here is a snippet:

"When we have a gap in knowledge we set about understanding and filling it, and until we have the correct information to fill the gap, we try out different possibilities to see which ones might fit. We project different answers into the gap, and when we find one that seems right, we use it and build on it to project further. And this is how we create an underlying story, a subtextual story in our own minds, all by ourselves. ... Our brains instinctively do this; ... so the writer uses this to his advantage. He grips the audience and maintains interest by constantly cracking open gaps in the knowledge held by different participants and crucially, that available to the audience. Sometimes the audience has more knowledge than the protagonist, sometimes less. Sometimes the audience has the same knowledge as the protagonist, but less or more than another player. ... In a good story there is always, always a difference in the knowledge possessed by at least one participant when compared to the audience" (THE STORY BOOK, p.77).

Another book I recently read (written by Deborah Halverson) addressed the same topic, specifically regarding dialogue:

"Tease readers with bits. Give readers part of the facts in the dialogue but not all of them. ... Dialogue is a great venue for sprinkling. You can make readers wonder about what you've left out to entice them to stick with the story" (WRITING YOUNG ADULT FICTION FOR DUMMIES, p.179).

Do you intentionally use knowledge gaps when writing your fiction?

Jealousy

According to www.merriam-webster.com:

Definition of JEALOUS

1 a: intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness b: disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulness

2: hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage

3: vigilant in guarding a possession

According to www.psychologytoday.com:

A Signal to Look Within

Jealousy is an extremely painful emotion; social exclusion, whether real or imagined, always hurts. It throws the mind into turmoil and is difficult to dislodge. ... there are huge individual differences in the propensity for jealousy, and there is emerging evidence that elements of personality influence some of them. Those who are most insecure, in fact, may be most unrealistic in perceiving threats and making accusations. But this same view of jealousy also suggests that the emotion need not be unleashed on a destructive path; it can instead serve a highly constructive purpose—as a valuable signal to look within and repair one's own sense of self. That, in turn, can only improve relationships. Jealousy, it seems, says more about the bearer than about the deeds or misdeeds of [others] ...

...

Yup. Take it for what it's worth.

Inspiration or Lack of Inspiration?

What do you do when you're lacking inspiration? Do you write anyhow? Do you eat chocolate? Do you clean the house? Do you go shopping? Do you read a book?

As writers, the best thing we can do when we are lacking inspiration is: write anyhow.

** Google writing prompts and force yourself to write a piece of flash fiction.

** Open a book on the craft of writing--just flip randomly to a page--and use whatever revising, writing, or editing technique is discussed on that page to improve your current work in progress.

** Write a scene in first person; then rewrite it in third person; then rewrite it in second person.

Basically, if you are lacking inspiration, spend some time exercising your writing skills. Sometimes it's necessary to chop down less trees and take time to sharpen the axe.

Is it HORROR or Suspense?

Not long ago, I read a great article (6 Secrets to Creating and Sustaining Suspense by Steven James) in WRITER'S DIGEST magazine (January 2012 issue, page 28), and it had a chart that detailed the differences between the categories of mystery, horror, and suspense.

I found it very interesting. I wish I had an online link to let you SEE the original chart, but I don't; so here's my variation of it:

 

	MYSTERY	HORROR	SUSPENSE
Timing of Crime/Crisis	The violence occurs before the story begins.	Readers see it happening.	Readers anticipate that it will happen.
Narrative Question	Who was responsible for the crime?	How will the character die?	How can the crisis or impending crime be averted?
Reader Orientation	Readers may lag behind the detective in understanding the clues.	Readers view the action; they’re in on the secret.	Readers know about danger that the characters do not.
Reader Appeal	Head (intellectual curiosity)	Gut (visceral reaction)	Heart (worry and concern)

Which genre do you prefer to read? Write?

Editorial Note of Thanks: Diane Carlisle gave me the ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD. Thanks! I will better acknowledge and pass along awards after my scheduled AtoZ posts. :)

Good Grammar

My son, a high school senior, asked me to proof read one of his AP Literature papers. Sure. No problem.

Right?

... until he questioned the grammar changes I'd made with a red pen ...

Ha.

At a writer's conference I went to in 2010, an agent said that THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White was highly recognized and referred to in the publishing industry.

So, I use it and refer back to it regularly. I also google grammar issues and if I can find two or more educational sites that agree upon a grammar standard, I go with that.

What book of rules or internet resources do you rely on for good grammar?

Or were you simply born a grammar expert?

..........


Editorial Note: Please consider giving a book or a buck to the BOOK DRIVE FOR TEENAGERS! If everyone from the AtoZ Challenge gave a single dollar ... we'd have a huge donation for this high school library. My goal is to donate 500 books (plus monetary contributions). So far we've raised $50 and received 12 books!

Yes, I'm going to keep reminding you for the ENTIRE month of April. Because I'm PUSHY like that. And it's a GOOD cause! Please pass the word and let's hit the goal before the end of the month! To easily donate, just click the "DONATE" button on this blog's side bar. THANKS!! :-)  

..........

What Do You Fear ??

The majority of this material was borrowed from:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/03/02/what-are-you-afraid-of/

1.      What is your deepest fear?

2.      To what extent would you go to avoid it?

3.      Where does this fear come from?

4.      What if your deepest fear was magnified by ten? Then, what extent would you go to in order to avoid it?

5.      What if you failed twice to overcome your fear? Would you try one more time to overcome it?

6.      Why or why not?

......

7.      What are you least willing to admit about yourself?

8.      What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done wrong?

9.      If these secrets were revealed to the world, who would be hurt?

10.  What would you do to keep the secret from ever coming out?

...... 

11.  What is your deepest shame?

12.  Why are you a fraud?

13.  What are you powerless to change? 

......

Our worst fears are not hiding out there in the dark; they’re the darkness inside us.

Can we turn our fears to our advantage?

Authors do it every day. Think about some of your favorite books. When novelists unsettle us we praise them. As a story teller, fear is your friend. Authors are encouraged to open the door and invite fear in.

Try answering the above questions from your protagonist's point of view ... you might be surprised with what you discover.

The majority of this material was borrowed from:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/03/02/what-are-you-afraid-of/

Donald Maass founded the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York in 1980. His agency sells more than 150 novels every year to major publishers in the U.S. and overseas. He is the author of The Career Novelist (1996), Writing the Breakout Novel (2001), The Fire in Fiction (2009) and The Breakout Novelist (2011). He is a past president of the Association of Authors’ Representatives, Inc.

Dialogue

The regularly scheduled IWSG post is being interrupted to bring you the following important information about the letter D ...

Should writing dialogue be hard? We all speak everyday ... right? So, why would it be hard to write?

Well, partly, because if you are writing "everyday" dialogue, your readers will be bored to tears.

Don't believe me?

Then think about what literary agent, Donald Maass, wrote on the topic:

"In real life most of what people say to each other is drivel. Transcripts of genuine dialogue, as in police wire taps, is a chronicle of halting, disjointed, nonlinear incoherence. Really, it's a wonder that we understand each other. Dialogue in novels is, thank goodness, unnatural. The author has time to think it through" (THE FIRE IN FICTION, p.190).

What do you think?

Is writing dialogue a challenge? Do you agree with Maass?

Editorial Note: Please consider giving a book or a buck to the BOOK DRIVE for teenagers! If everyone from the AtoZ Challenge gave a single dollar ... we'd have a huge donation for this high school library. My goal is to donate 500 books (plus monetary contributions). So far we've raised $30. CLICK HERE to help out! THANKS!!

A Critique for YOU!

When I *finally* got an agent (an uber-awesome-one, btw), a writer said to me, "Make sure that you give back to the writer community."

Okay.

I'd like to do that by offering FREE critiques of the first 250 words (approximately the first page) of your manuscript. Ideally, I'd like to post the writing and critique on this blog, but if you're terribly opposed to that, I'd still be happy to offer the critique to you.

Disclaimer: I say what I mean. Don't get me wrong, I am not intentially harsh; I just don't waste time sugar coating my opinion.

So, if you'd like a critique, email me at margokelly@q.com and let me know if I can post it on this blog.

THANKS!!

Book Drive for HS Library

All over the blog-o-sphere you will find book give-aways ... everything from a single book to boxes full of books. Authors give books; bloggers give books; publishers gives books; and so on. But I'm not giving away a book today.

Instead ... I'm asking you to give a book today ... or more specifically:

Give a BOOK to Columbia High School's Library! (please?)

Teenagers need books to read, and the shelves of this library are TOO bare! Help us out and either send me a book (leave your email in the comments below, and I'll send the shipping address to you) or click on the Paypal button to donate $$ for a book (or two).

So, go through your bookshelves or your wallet, and let's make some magic happen for teenage readers! Your support is greatly appreciated.


According to the school policies:

Subject Areas and Formats Collected

           Because this is an organization of higher learning our resources are chosen by their educational value and subject relevance.  Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation and are consistent with the educational goals of the Nampa School District.  Our collection emphasizes the following:

• Lifelong learning
• Student aspirations including university studies and workforce training
• Recreational reading and research
• General core curriculum research and guidance
• Local and international culture studies
• Reference services

Books:

 Must have quality construction and durability, and should contain obvious literary or informative value.

Gifts

·         Unsolicited donations will be reviewed in light of the selection criteria listed in this policy. Materials that do not meet these criteria will be offered to teachers for their classroom collections if no teacher sees a need for the material it will be offered back to the donor.

·         Reference materials will only be accepted as complete sets and should not be more than 5 years old.

·         Parties interested in donating items to the library must understand that the library staff cannot evaluate of the monetary value of any gift for income tax purposes.

·         Donors must understand that the library is in no way obligated to keep or circulate donated materials.

Please help to spread the word by sharing the link to this blog page on your blog, twitter, facebook, and email.

THANK YOU!

A to Z Challenge Begins!!

I recently (okay ... like two months ago) received an award from a fellow blogger Christi Corbett:

Thanks CHRISTI!

But, with this award comes responsibilities:
1.Thank the person who nominated you
2. Share 7 random things about you (see below)
3. Share the love with your favorite bloggers (see below)
4. Put up the Versatile Blogger Award picture on your blog

...

And, I received an award from blogger Connie Keller and from Leslie Rose:

Thanks Connie and Leslie!

But, also, with this award comes responsibilities:
1. Share ten things about myself (see below)
2. Pass the award onto six other bloggers (see below)

...

And, I received the Sunshine Award from Kathleen Doyle:

Thanks Kathleen!

But, again, with this award comes responsibilities:
1. Write a blog post about it with answers to questions (okay, I'm cheating on this one, and just going with the ten things about myself listed below!)
2. Nominate 10 other bloggers for this award (see list below)

...

And, embarrassingly enough, back in September (I was distracted that month!) the wonderful Christine Tyler gave me:

Thanks Christine!!

...

So, let's tackle these things all at once! I'm combining the "responsibilities" for these awards, because really, who wants to know so much trivia about me?

Ten random things about me:
1. I have one teenage daughter who is very active in everything.
2. I have two boys graduating from high school this year. YIKES.
3. I have three old-used-cars ... but no car payments!
4. I have four wonderful ladies who come and clean my house every two weeks ... because my wonderful brother pays for them to do this. His gift to me.
5. I have five days a week that we get up at 6am and read scriptures together as a family. Nobody likes it, but we do it anyway, because it's good for us, and it's the only time we are all home at the same time.
6. I have six ... hmm ... what do I have six of? Maybe pairs of earrings - total - not a big fan of jewelry.
7. I have seven favorite foods: chocolate, pizza, chips, cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls, kettle corn, and ... oh wait ... okay, I have a lot more than seven favorites!!
8. I have eight years of flute playing experience (5th-12th grades).
9. I have been on nine cruises: Southern Carribean, Alaska, Bermuda, Hawaii, Western Carribean, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Bermuda (again), and Alaska (again). All expenses were paid (even gratuities) by Stampin' Up!
10. In less than ten years, I will have three colleges graduates (fingers crossed) and maybe I'll even be a grandma (no rush!). haha

People I'd like to pass the first two awards on to (click on their names to visit their blog and give them a shout out!!) AND, for those of you listed here, you may choose either the Versatile Blogger Award OR the Kreativ Blogger Award:

LG Smith
Belle
LD Masterson
Rena Traxel
M Pax
Misha Gericke

And, the following ten bloggers (click on their names to visit them!) may either choose the SUNSHINE AWARD or BLOG ON FIRE AWARD ... YAY!:

Leigh Moore
JA Bennett
The Golden Eagle
Sarah Allen
Denise Covey
Margo Benson
JL Campbell
Laura Marcella
Tara Tyler
Dianne Salerni

I know you already have a lot of blogs to visit today because of the A to Z Challenge, but take a second and visit the ones listed above and congratulate them! :-)

Happy April 1st!