Two Stars From New Zealand by Vonnie Davis

There's a lovely, talented young star in New Zealand who writes the most imaginative stories. Her name is LaVerne Clark, and she sent me my fifth star today by nominating Vintage Vonnie for Blog of the Year. I'm thrilled, but first, let's go back a minute to my remark about her writing the most imaginative stories. Folks, this author thinks on a very deep level. Have you ever wondered how the atomic bomb dropped over Japan might have altered the genes of some of the survivors? That perhaps they now possess special powers? Not I. My mind doesn't think like that. Thankfully hers does or I wouldn't have had the chance to read Affinity. Check out LaVerne's blog at http://www.laverneclark.blogspot.co.nz

This award is unlike other awards that you can only add to your blog once. This award can be updated with additional stars. For every time your blog is nominated, you get to add an additional star.

There are a total of “6” stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs—and even if they have already been given the award by someone else—you can still make your opinion count and pass it on to them again and help them (or me) reach the maximum of “6” stars.

The rules of the award are simple:

1. Select the blogs you think deserve the 2012 Blog of the Year Award.

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen—there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required and present them with this award.

3. Please include a link back to this page: Blog of the Year Award. http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-rewards/blog-of-the-year-award/ and include these rules in your post. (Please don’t alter the rules or the badge!)

4. Let the blogs(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the rules with them.

5. You can now join our Facebook page – click the link here. ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award (http://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/) and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.

Here are the blogs I've chosen to receive this award:

http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/ I love Maeve Greyson's books. She takes a bit of Scotland, a bit of muscled brawn, a bit of magic, throws it into her magic culdron of talent and stirs with her own brand of delightful humor and **POOF** she's got another winner. But beyond all that, I just love Maeve, the woman. And I thoroughly enjoy her blog.

http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/ I've stated many times how I feel about history, the beauty of the West and cowboys. Caroline Clemmons loves those things, too, and her blog is a font of information. I lurk there often to learn something historical. She's very supportive of other authors and does great interviews, too. Have you read Home Sweet Texas Home? Artfully written, folks. And I confess to being in love with her cat, Sebastian. He's gorgeous.

http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/ Rolynn was a recent guest here. I just love her to pieces. In fact she was my muse for my second entry in the Honky Tonk Hearts series. We met on The Wild Rose Press yahoo loop and again as bloggers on Voices of the Heart, blog for RWA's online chapter, From the Heart. She's got a great series going on right now--suspenseful, humorous in spots, thought provoking in othes. A great combo, if you ask me.

I'm Having DejaVu and So Are You!

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you're probably thinking didn't Vonnie just post this? In a way, yes, but this post includes an additional star. **SQUEE!** You see, I'd nominated the talented Sarah Grimm for Blog of the Year Award, and when she chose her blogs to nominate, mine was included in her list.

Sarah's like that, you know--personable, supportive and very appreciative of people in her life. I count myself as being very blessed to be included in her circle of online writing friends. So, believe me when I say she has this marvelous ability to write deep emotion. Emotions so sensually thick they wrap around you like a plump down comforter, making you hate to reach the story's end where you'll have to leave the warmth of the comforter to step into the often cold reality of life. Sarah's blog is http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com/ Stop by to visit her. Get to know her, if you don't already.

This award is unlike other awards that you can only add to your blog once. This award can be updated with additional stars. For every time your blog is nominated, you get to add an additional star.

There are a total of “6” stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs—and even if they have already been given the award by someone else—you can still make your opinion count and pass it on to them again and help them (or me) reach the maximum of “6” stars.

The rules of the award are simple:

1. Select the blogs you think deserve the 2012 Blog of the Year Award.

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen—there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required and present them with this award.

3. Please include a link back to this page: Blog of the Year Award. http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-rewards/blog-of-the-year-award/ and include these rules in your post. (Please don’t alter the rules or the badge!)

4. Let the blogs(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the rules with them.

5. You can now join our Facebook page – click the link here. ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award (http://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/) and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.

Here are the blogs I've chosen to receive this award:


SUSAN MACATEE is one of my favorite historical authors. I love that she's so generous in sharing the fruits of all her historical research from corsets to button hooks to medical practices of the day. Mention history to Susan and she is instantly your friend. She's an expert on the Civil War era, a time I've always loved reading about. Her blog-- http://susanmacatee.wordpress.com/ --is always an interesting place to visit to get your 19th century historical fix.

http://chickswagger.com/ I love the way these young chicks think! Simply love it! Their blog is a fresh-air dose of reality infused with sass, snark and sixty feet of attitude. I've yet to read a blog post at Chick Swagger that didn't make me both laugh and look at things in a fresh light. Simply love these writers and their take on life--MISTY DIETZ, JOSIE MATTHEWS, RACHAEL SLATE, RENEE ANN MILLER and JODIE ROPER. If I were thirty years younger, I'd get down on my arthritic knees and beg--BEG!!--these chicks to let me swagger along with 'em.

For a couple years now, JENNIFER JAKES blog -- http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/ -- has been my go to spot on Monday mornings. Her Man Candy Monday feature has made me drool more than I should admit. Sigh, folks, simply sighhhhhh. One of the many things I love about Jennifer, other than her writing talent, is her selfless promotion of other writers. She's had me guest on her blog several times. Jennifer has written one of my favorite heros of all time. Rafe's Redemption, y'all. Just sayin'...

Second Nomination for Blog of the Year Award -- by Vonnie Davis

No sooner had I gotten over the excitment of receiving my first nominatin for Blog of the Year Award, than I received my second. Oh my! I'm "curl my toes" happy! I’m honored to receive this blogging award from talented writer and friend, Mackenzie Crowne. Thank you, Mac, for thinking of Vintage Vonnie--and me. Hugs, darlin'. 

 

 

Mac and I met online via the yahoo loops for authors with The Wild Rose Press. She has a personality I describe as sunshine in a jar of honey. She’s fun, caring and very, very talented. She's also a breast cancer survivor and author of an intensely personal and inspiring memoir, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR NIPPLE.

If you've never visited Mac's blog, you should. http://mackenziecrowne.com/wp/ Mac loves having guests, just as I do. She also details her journey as a writer with amazement and her awesome positive outlook on life. Mac and I share a complex relationship. At times I am her sistah in The Garden of incredible Roses and, at other times, I am her editor at Still Moments Publishing--and she still speaks to me. In addition, we are fellow-grandmas...ah, now there's a sweet connection.

This award is unlike other awards that you can only add to your blog once. This award can be updated with additional stars. For every time your blog is nominated, you get to add an additional star. How cool is that?

There are a total of “6” stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs—and even if they have already been given the award by someone else—you can still make your opinion count and pass it on to them again and help them (or me) reach the maximum of “6” stars.

The rules of the award are simple:

1. Select the blogs you think deserve the 2012 Blog of the Year Award.

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen—there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required and present them with this award.

3. Please include a link back to this page: Blog of the Year Award. http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-rewards/blog-of-the-year-award/ and include these rules in your post. (Please don’t alter the rules or the badge!)

4. Let the blogs(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the rules with them.

5. You can now join our Facebook page – click the link here. ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award (http://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/) and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.

 

 

And now it’s my turn and a thrill to pay this honor forward by giving the award to the following bloggers. Their award will have one star, but no doubt will recieve more as time goes on. They are:

 

http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/ Joanne Stewart is one of the most supportive authors I know. Anytime I put out a call for a place to blog, she's almost always the first to respond. Gotta love a gal like that! She's also moving her career ahead with bigger publishers. I love watching her progress. Don't we all love seeing the "good guys...er...gals" succeed? I know I do. She is soooo deserving of her successes. Her stories draw you into a world of emotion and struggle and hope. Awesomeness.

 

http://rakesroguesandromance.com/ I don't know Nancy S. Goodman that well. In fact, I can't recall how I stumbled upon her blog, but I'm so glad I did. She does the best interviews, and I love reading her progress in this often crazy publishing world. Anytime she blogs, I'm right there, even if I don't have the time to leave a comment.

 

http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com/ Here's the author I want to be when I grow up. No one writes deep emotion like Sarah Grimm. Golly, she's phenomenal. Every time I read one of her books, I sigh with envy...deep, pea-green envy. She's had me to her blog several times to post and promote. Talent galore there, folks, talent galore.