The Envelope Please

I’ve been blessed by several awards lately, so it’s time to pass them on. I’ve got a wild card here, so stick with me.

First, thank ever so much to:
Charmaine Clancy
Shannon O'Donnell
Julia Reffer

You guys definitely bring me smiles. Everyone else, go on over and share some Friday love.

Now to my wild card. I’ve gotten a lot of new followers here on Benedictions recently and I wanted to say thanks to all of them. :) So, if you’ve followed me in the past month the Blogger Buddy Award is yours. Take it, love it, share it. :) And I look forward to getting to know you better!

Next, to the Beautiful Blogger award. This one absolutely has to go to my friend Katherine from Katherine Alison Photography. The photo’s she posts can only be described as beautiful. Whoever you are, you have to go over and check her work out!

I’m handing out the “It’s Like We’re Soulmates” award to the three people who, when I told them I was giving Beguiled away on my blog last week, replied, “I just read that book and I loved it.” Doesn’t that just fit?
Christina Banks
Tyrean Martison

Diane Estrella

The “You Are My Sunshine” award is going out to some of my writerly friends. These are the blogs that I read and think, “Someone who understands!” (And, yes, writerly is a word.)

Lydia Kang
Jody Hedlund
Jennifer Daiker

Th. Mafi

And now for a little extra Sunshine for more people who are sunshine in my life. :)
Carol J. Alexander

Robyn Cambell

Andrea

Kara

Please, go visit these blogs and say hello. :)
Have a great Friday everyone!!

Friday Fun, Awards, and Sneak Peaks

Oh, yes, we’re having all sorts of fun today. ;) I’ve got a tag, an award, and two big announcements!

First, Karen Lange from Write Now has tagged me with the Like, Hate, Love tag. These sorts of things are just fun. When you’re tagged you share things you like, hate, and love.
So…
I like going to Star Bucks with my dad on Fridays.
I like shopping days with my mom (especially when we stop for lunch ;).
I like discovering a new writer.
I hate it when people hurt someone I love.
I hate it when I make a stupid, easily avoidable mistake.
I hate it when people try to ignore or put down others just because they don’t understand their differences.
I love writing.
I love making people laugh.
I love knowing how much God loves me! :)

Btw, you should definitely jump over to Write Now. It is full of great tips and info for writers!
Okay, so now to the people I’m tagging.
Alicia@ Life's A Journey
Karen@ Karen R. Evans
Shannon@ Book Dreaming

Also, Lydia Kang from The Word Is My Oyster gave me the Blogger BFF award. Thanks so much, Lydia! This is one of the cutest blog awards I’ve ever seen. :D
Everyone really needs to check out Lydia’s blog. As a doctor, Lydia has started up “Medical Mondays.” Writers can ask questions about medical conditions and she helps us sort them out so we have things right in our manuscripts. They are really fascinating posts.
And now to the people I’m passing this award onto. :)

Karen@ Write Now
Sarah@ Southern Sky
Linnae@ Scarabocchi
Jill@ Jill Kemerer: Christian Romance

Definitely check out all the blogs I listed today. They are all great. :D

Now, hurry, hurry over to author Sarah Scheele’s site today! It’s the last day of her online book signing. Don’t you just love this idea? If you order her awesome book, Facets Of Fantasy, through her site today she’ll send you a signed copy and a free signed copy of her first book, The Birthday Present. :D Plus, she has an open discussion on her fan page right now too! (Go on. Get over there!)

And last, but not least, the sneak peak!! (Drops voice to a whisper.) You definitely want to come back to this blog on Monday…good things are going to happen…like my very first book giveaway!...ssshhh, you didn’t hear it from me. ;)

Link Love!!

Okay, I said I’d post samples from my “Share Your Link” board last month and then I blinked and March was gone. So, I am here to correct that mistake and give you a look at the great links people have posted.
Just in case you didn’t see my original post on the subject, the discussion board on my Face Book page has a Share Your Link post where you can, well, share your link! Post the link to your blog, website, Face Book page, Etsy shop, Twitter…anything you’d like to share with the other members on the board. It’s a great way to introduce you work.

And now to the sampling.

Websites:
The John Springer family band: http://johnspringerfamily.com/

Writers Blogs:
Janyce Lofthouse Swineford: http://wordplayswordplay.blogspot.com/
Julia Dao: http://juleswrites.blogspot.com/
Karen Lang: http://karenelange.blogspot.com/

Esty Shops
One of a kind jewelry by Jasmina: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jasmina100
Satin Stitchery: http://www.etsy.com/shop/satinstitchery
Finding Charm Jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FindingCharm

Face Book pages.
Teen Harvest Ministries: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ava-MO/Teen-Harvest/102165244983
Extraordinary Life: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Extraordinary-Life/254285190460?ref=nf#

Please visit my page and add your link.
Oh, and just a little bit of added sunshine.
Karen at Write Now gave me the Sunshine award. :D Thanks so much, Karen! I highly recommend following her blog!

The Prolific Blogger and Creative Writer awards.

Last week I received two new blogging awards! :D (feels warm inside)
I received the Prolific Blogger Award from Christian at With Pen In Hand.
Thanks Christian! I really appreciate it. :)

“A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.”
1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.
Please visit Christina’s blog. She’s got some great book reviews and writing posts!

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to THIS POST, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit the Mr. Linky page and add his/her name, so that we all can get to know the other winners.

And now for my nominations! Please visit these blogs. :)
Nisa at Wordplay-Swordplay
Suzzane at Write At Home
Susan at The Christian Reader/Writer Connection
Robyn at Putting Pen To Paper
Abi at 4 The Love Of Books

And then last weekend I received the Creative Writer Award from Tyrean at Tyrean’s Writing Spot.
Thanks Tyrean! I feel so honored. Definitely stop by Tyrean’s blog too!

The recipients of this award must list ten things that make them happy. Just ten things? But the world is full of happy things! Okay, okay. I’ll abide by the rules. ;)
I’ve also nominated three more people for this award. Please check out their work as well.

1) The fact that God not only wanted to save me from my sins, but give me a victorious life here and now. For long time I didn’t understand that.
2) My family. It’s hard to express how close we are and how much fun we have together.
3) My dogs. All five of them!
4) Cappuccino. Enough said.
5) Anything Jane Austen related (provided it’s historically accurate).
6) Cheese…I cook a lot and am part Italian. That should explain everything.
7) My cute little green laptop. His name is Lappierre.
8) Old movies. Humphrey Bogart is the best!
9) The patio chair on my back porch. It’s the best place in the world to read.
10) Talking to all my Blogger, Face Book, and HSA friends. Love you guys!

And my nominations are….
Stormgirl at The Wind In My Face
Diane at That’s What I’m Here For
Bernadine at Keeping it Real

-And now a little confession from me. Between these two awards and the one I got last week I’ve sort of run out of people to give them to. You see, I’m a little new to blogging and regularly reading blogs. So, I’m giving out 8 of the total required between the two different awards right now and then I’ll pass out the others at another time. :) I hope the award creators will forgive me for this rather unorthodox approach. Again, please check out the blogs I’ve listed. :)
Programming Note: Next week I’m doing an interview with writer Warren Baldwin, author of Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks and other gems from Proverbs.

The Honest Scrap Award

Hey, I received my very first blog award! And it’s kind of an interesting one. Recipients of the Honest Scrap award must list ten things about themselves that few or no people know. Hm….
Thanks every so much to Abi from 4theLoveofBooks for giving me this award. :D

I’ve passed the award on to seven more great bloggers. Please check their work out.

Okay, here’s my list of 10 things you might not know about me:
1.) I can’t drive, but actually really like cars. (My father and brother restore classic cars, so it’s hard not to ;)

2.) I have an extremely good long-term memory and a very poor short-term memory.

3.) I’ve only danced at one event in my entire life…and I wasn’t any good. Hopefully I’ll learn to do it the right way.

4.) Nobody ever calls me Emily Ann, but I use it for my writing name because my mother always wished people did.

5.) I was homeschooled from the 8th grade on up and consider it to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.

6.) I can beat my brother at racing video games. That’s it. :P

7.) I was standing on top of the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2000. Yes, that one still freaks me out.

8.) I’m addicted to spanakopita (an oh-so-wonderful Greek snack), but I can’t pronounce the name.

9.) I refuse to read Agatha Christie’s The Mouse Trap because I still believe that someday I’ll be able to go to London and see the play in person.

10.) I was diagnosed with a somewhat rare disease in 2004 which does cause some problems on occasion, but the whole experience has drawn me so much closer to God I will always consider it a blessing. :)

Now for my nominations. Again, please check there writing out. :)

Linnae@ Scarabocchi
Sarah@ Southern Sky
Tyrean@ Tyrean’s Writing Spot
Joanne@ Whole Latte Life
Christina@ With Pen In Hand
Lynnette@ Chatterbox Chit Chat
Jules@ On Eagle’s Wings