Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2008

Life is Beautiful


I am pleased (okay, thrilled!) to announce the newest sprout in our corner of the blogosphere: Life is Beautiful.

The blog is the creation of Aine Evans, the resident night owl at Jason Evans' The Clarity of Night. For those of you who have had Aine comment on your blogs, you'll know to expect a wealth of warmth, insight, and understanding at her new daytime digs. I have been lucky enough to develop a friendship with Aine over the past few months, and well, I've been waiting for this moment. :)

So hop on over to Life is Beautiful to wish Aine well, and stay to discuss her latest post on personality types! Whether you're an INTP or an INFJ (trust me, you'll want to find out), I know you'll discover a fresh perspective and a generous heart.


[Photo courtesy of Jason Evans]

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Get Thee To Ello's...

Brilliant writer, Mom to Angus, and tickler-of-funny-bones everywhere, our dear Ello is tackling the serious subject of media sexualization of young girls with Dr. Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect. Scoot on over to Ello's Place on Wednesday, May 28th, for a thoughtful discussion about this troubling cultural phenomenon.

If you don't, she might make you sleep on the floor. ;)

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Get on the Blog: A Church Lady/Evil Editor Joint

Our beloved Church Lady is hosting a blog party for the release of Evil Editor's new book, Novel Deviations 3, on Thursday, January 24th. All the cool kids will be there.

Oh, and you're invited, too. ;)

In honor of this historic confluence of good and not-so-good, Church Lady has authorized me to reveal this top secret, never-before-seen photograph of the said Evil One:

Mind that backstory, gentlemen...

Thursday, December 6, 2007

You, too, can be Shameless


It is time to get a little crazy, my friends.

It's time to break out the fuschia font.

ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!!

Okay, not quite a barbaric yawp, but close enough.

quill was so kind as to honor me (and Wayne Shannon, among others) with this lovely blogging award. Having my writing called "engaging" and "heartfelt" is even more thrilling than inviting a hot-pink lion into my shabby little den. I really appreciate the sentiment and good will behind Seamus Kearny's effort to build a community of writers, and kindred spirits. And I already have a whole heap of new blogs to explore as a result. Thank you, quill!

About the award:

Seamus Kearney of Shameless Words believes in powerful writing, and he believes that it can be, and is, found in many places on the internet. This award was developed by him to put forth that belief and to encourage writers to roar.

The rules are simple and can be found at the original site. Please follow the link and pick up your award. The Shameless Lions Writing Circle

My 3 Writing Requirements:

Confidence: I didn't start writing until four years ago. Simply didn't believe I had it in me. And while I have yet to transform into a pillar of strength, I am light years more secure about myself than I was before. We all need to believe that we are good, but more importantly, that we can be better.

Empathy: As character builders, we need to be able to flip our perspectives, and tunnel into new skins.

Lyricism: Character is not enough. As writers, we must love language. We must stretch its boundaries, and be willing to fight for the words that will elevate our writing above the commonplace. When we succeed, we elevate our readers, too.

And my 5 picks for the award (note: I tried to pick blogs that have not recently been honored, or don't have the big kitty already in their sidebar):

The Clarity of Night
Jason Evans' blog is less a web destination than a nighttime harbor. I can almost feel my pulse slow, and my muscles relax, when I see that twilight background and his beautiful photos. Through his poetry, fiction, and photography, Jason challenges us to explore the world from different perspectives, before taking our hands to guide us, gently, along the way.

Jaye's Blahg
She calls her kid Spawn. She introduced me to "crypt lit." She makes me kinda like Texas. Jaye Wells is super-smart, wickedly clever, and endlessly provocative. Oh, and she's also a powerful, sharp writer. In each of her posts, Jaye clears away the cobwebs, and finds some buried treasure. But watch out for that heel...

The Reluctant Writer
Abhinav is passion personified. Whenever I read his lovely writings, I sense his generosity of spirit, and a conviction that will never fail him. He's young, but (and I know this phrase has become trite) he truly is an old soul. He reminds me of the fact that we are all still students, sharing a common classroom.

ABenchPress
Church Lady is our web guardian. She's everywhere, and we all love her. Her blog is reflective of her personality: open-hearted, and wildly curious about everything. Through her writing exercises, contests, and free-flowing trivia, Church Lady's blog is a party that never ends (it better never end!). And none of that love of fun detracts from the fact that she is a profoundly gifted writer.

Hotwire Reality
I have only recently stumbled across Hotwire's blog. His vignettes are wonderfully free of pretension and altogether unique. When reading his stories, I feel like I'm drifting down a river that bends and curves, until arriving at a destination so quietly joyful, or melancholy, that the heart sighs to recognize that intangible thing called truth.

So there you have it! The honorees may feel free to select five more blogs to broaden the circle, or they can just wrap their arms around the kitty, and squeeze.

Now I want to thank my husband, my children, my Apple laptop, my dog, the jackass neighbors with the crazy-loud pickups and the rotting pumpkins, and most importantly, God, for this truly humbling award. I feel God in this blog roll tonight. Now let's all raise our (*exit music playing*)

Hey! Wait a minute!

No fair! More names! I think Al Gore deserves a shout--

aw, crap.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Look Me In The Eye...I Won!

Thanks to Church Lady, and John Elder Robison, for holding such a fun contest on this cold, rainy weekend! With my cunning insight into his secret, organic vegetable chowder fantasies, I won a copy of Mr. Robison's bestselling, highly regarded book, Look Me In The Eye: My Life with Asperger's.

I've tracked some of John's success on the writing forum we frequent, and look forward to a compelling, thoughtful read. So thanks, guys.

And now to celebrate . . . cyber-chowder for everyone!