Thank you to D.G. Kaye at dgkayewriter for nominating me for the Blogger Recognition Award.
With each award there are rules of courtesy to follow. Here are the rules:
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select up to fifteen bloggers you want to give this award to.
6. Comment (or pingback) on each blog to let them know that you’ve nominated them and provide a link to the post you’ve created.
How my blog got started
This was one of my first posts on a blog I named A Girl Called Brenda.
Posted on July 24, 2010
Writer: A Profession Like No Other
Brenda had just completed all the revisions on her novel. She’d been working steadily on it for three and a half years and now it was finished. She had sent her synopsis to a publishing house and the editor now asked to see her manuscript. She felt elated.
The next morning her sister called. “I’m having a bar-b-q for the family,” she said. “Do you want to come?”
“Guess what?” Brenda said, “I’ve finished my novel.”
“That’s nice,” her sister said. “What do you want to bring?”
“I’ve got a publisher and I’m sending it this morning to the editor.”
“Bring potato salad. Our mother’s recipe.”
At the bar-b-q Brenda placed her potato salad on the table and took off the plastic wrap over it. Her aunt who was standing next to her said, “How have you been, dear?’
“I’ve just sent out a manuscript to a publisher.”
“It’s nice to have a hobby,” her aunt said. “Your potato salad looks good. Is that your mother’s recipe?”
Then a cousin whom she hadn’t seen in a long time spotted her. “Hey,” he said, “How it do, Brendy? Long time no see.”
There were reasons for that, Brenda thought but was keeping them to herself. No sense ruining her sister’s bar-b-q. “Yeah, well, I’ve been busy writing my crime novel. I sent it out yesterday.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I always thought I could write a novel. Can’t be too difficult. I’ve got a few crazy tales up here myself,” he said pointing to his head.
“I bet,” Brenda said. “Excuse me,” she told her cousin, “I have to talk to grandma.”
“I heard you say that you finished your manuscript,” her grandmother told her.
At last, someone in her family was taking an interest in her writing.
“I did, grandma,” Brenda said glowing. “Three and a half years and I finally sent it out.”
“Oh my, how many pages is it?” her grandmother asked her.
“Five hundred and thirty,” Brenda said. “Double spaced.”
Her grandmother’s face lit up. “Do you have any ruined sheets?”
“What do you mean?”
“I just thought that maybe if you had any extra pages that didn’t come out you can give them to me to line my budgie’s cage. Newspaper is so messy.”
It was also on this blog that I posted my Ten Great First Dates series which I eventually migrated to my current blog and shut down A Girl Called Brenda.
Two pieces of advice for new bloggers:
- Check out all the WordPress Tutorials for beginners on YouTube. There’s lots of easy to follow advice.
- Remember that you are not the only one who bloggers are reading so be efficient. Avoid Anna Karenina length posts on your blog. Short and sweet is better than seemingly endless.
I’ve chosen to nominate some new bloggers I’ve discovered whose blogs are inspiring, positive and beautiful.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/signote/
Congratulations, and very, very richly deserved!!
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Thanks, Margot. So sweet of you to say. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. ❤
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Oh poor Brenda, that made me laugh.
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I’m glad it made you laugh but there’s a bit (a lot) of truth in her experience. I have found that it is not necessarily those closest to me who are the most supportive of my writing. Alas! Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. ❤
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I heartily agree, most family members never mention writing at all.
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congrats to you, carol –
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Thanks, Beth. I appreciate your comment. It was a hard choice for me to make because there are so many bloggers whom I follow who also deserve this award. You certainly are one of them! ❤ Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. 🙂
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❤️
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Congratulations, Carol! Well deserved indeed!
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Thanks, Jill. So kind of you to say! 🙂
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Congratulations
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Thank you ❤
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Your welcome
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Congratulations
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Thank you, Juan. I much appreciate your taking the time to stop by. Happy Holidays. 🙂
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Carol, huge congratulations! 😀🎉 I’m so happy for you! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas filled with joy and laughter! hugs xx ❤️
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Thanks, Annika. Wishing you and your family a very joyful Christmas ❤ xxx
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“I always thought I could write a novel. Can’t be too difficult.” – oh yes, that sounds very familiar. 😀
Congratulations on the well-desirved award, Carol!
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Thanks, Ana. Most people go silent when I tell them that I’m working on a novel. or change the subject or ask how many books I’ve sold. What I would like to say is probably more than you but I’m too polite. Hope you’re having a great day! ❤
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Not many of my friends/acquaintances/relatives know about my writing, yet I still get comments like “all you need to do is write a few sex scenes and it’ll sell”… No point in saying, “that’s not the point.” 😉 When I told my mother, the first thing she wanted to know was how many books I sold. I told her I have great fun giving them away for free. 😀
Happy Holidays, Carol! ❤
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How many books have you sold is such a standard question from non-writers. It’s a bit like asking someone what their salary is. Happy holidays to you as well, Ana. 🙂
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Congratulations to the Blogger of the Year !
>
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Well, I’m not really the blogger of the year. I participated as a favor for a special blogger friend. 🙂
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You are very talented and a warm soul, the best to you always
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Thank you, misterman. I appreciate your very generous comments. ❤
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I always look forward to your latest creations,peace
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Happy Solstice Day to you. ❤
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Peace and respect
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Congratulations, Carol! Good tips, too. I also like a post that’s quickly read, not the one I really have to commit to.
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Thanks, Jacqui. ❤
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Congratulations, Carol! Oh, I love Brenda’s story. Perfect example of why I (almost) never talk about writing with any one but fellow writers (and sometimes my husband ;)).
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Thank you, Marie. I know what you mean about never talking to anyone but fellow writers about writing. I’m really grateful to have the WordPress community as support. I think that if I were a criminal rather than writing about one people would be more interested in what I do. 🙂 Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. ❤
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Happy Holidays to you too!
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congrats to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you! I appreciate your enthusiasm! ❤
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Thanks a lot! I appreciate your enthusiasm! ❤dank. more, and a merry Christmas, holidays, peace and joy,(((*L*)))))))
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Loved this post Carol. I am Brenda, where you Brenda too? I still shake my head, lol. And you blog advice was spot on! ❤ Happy holidays! xx
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Yes, I still am Brenda only now I learned to choose who I talk to about my writing, which amounts to almost no one. 🙂 As I told Marie in a comment I am grateful for the WordPress community’s support. Happy Holidays to you as well. I should have my answers to your interview questions tomorrow or Monday. Have a great evening. ❤ xxx
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Fantastic Carol. Yes, that is why our community is so important. I think many writers in their daily lives are share the same problems, especially when we are surrounded by people who don’t even read books! Happy holidays my friend. ❤ xx
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You make a good point about people who don’t read books. ❤
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Lol, astounding! ❤
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Your writing is terrific and your blog is always so diverse, I always look forward to reading them! You and Bau certainly deserve this recognition, congratulations my friend, ❤
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You are so kind, Ellie. Thank you so much. Greatly appreciated ❤ xxx Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.
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Congratulations on your award, dear Carol xx
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Thanks, Christy. I appreciate your kind words. ❤
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I really like your blog. A pleasure to come stroll on your pages. A great discovery and very interesting blog. I’ll come back to visit you. Do not hesitate to visit my universe. See you soon. Happy Holidays.
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Yes, I’ve visited your blog. It’s also very interesting. I especially like your Christmas decorations and your dog lit up. All the best for the new year! ❤
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