Monday, August 9, 2010

Origins & the Passage of Awards

First, why are cats so adorable? This is one of my faves (stolen from the Tart):




I've decided to be the cat at WriteOnCon. It's a mistake I'm sure since 1,400 people have registered, but I want to conceal my identity.

Only now I've just told it to you, so you know. But it's OK if my friends know it's me--I'm actually hoping that will generate friendly input.

No, I'm on the lam from the professionals there. You know, in case they're feeling overwhelmed and mistakenly think they don't like one of my samples...

I mean, I can only imagine these online conferences combined with their already bursting email inboxes make these guys want to go postal. So perhaps if they don't know it's me, once they cool off a bit, I can dupe them into looking at my stuff again.

It's a strategy. It might even be a good one...

I also got a partial request Friday (whoot!) that asked me to include a short bio. It's happened before but this time it got me thinking about when I knew I wanted to be a writer.

There was never that one moment where I said out loud, "This is what I will do." I just always did it, and by the time I was graduating high school I was filling in the blank for "What you want to be when you grow up?" with "Writer."

Hmm... I guess this means I've grown up! Wow. When did that happen?

So DL's doing his high drama blogfest. I'm not really doing a festival or tour, but I wonder when did YOU realize you wanted to be a writer?

Or going past that because I've got all sorts of professions reading this. When did you decide you wanted to be a doctor? A chef? A business owner?

What was the first thing you did (that you can remember) in your chosen profession? For me, it was Fury Woman.

Fury Woman was a "graphic novel" I penned (literally with a ballpoint) as an elementary school kid. She was a scientist who spilled acid on her face. The result was giant eyebrows and a huge mole.

Fury Woman was only ever depicted in profile in my drawings, and sadly I don't remember much of her story. But I do remember the drawings and all the ink I wasted making those eyebrows...

My next book was a romance novel. I wrote it, my BF Dara did the illustrations. (She's actually a professional artist/art teacher now and very accomplished.)

I remember us tossing around for a name. I liked the sound of Pride and Prejudice, so we grabbed the ole Thesaurus and came up with Dignity and Detriment.

I think Dara still has that spiral-bound noteook...

So that's my origin story. Now you share. Scarlett, I want to hear about your first baking experience, and writers, that first book. Engineers, what was your first building, and doctors, your first patient. Hopefully it wasn't the little girl down the street... Hello!

***

And now for the Awards show!

Blogging is tough. Agents tell us reclusive writers we have to "network," so we start these little sites and then it's just one more thing to keep up with... For a while.

Then you start meeting people. Then you start making friends, and before long, you're exchanging little gifts...

Well, it's my turn to hand out the gifts. And I put it off because, heck! This is hard. I'd give everyone who regularly reads and comments here an award--maybe I'll invent that one. Visit here, get an award.

But to get going on what I have. First, the Supportive Commenter award. This award can go to so many people. Here's a few of my most supportive commenters who also have blogs (NOTE: Names are links to their blogs):



Odessa
Angela
Nicole


(Non blogging supportive commenters include Pam, Jenni, Carey, Stacey, JRM, Becca, Charla, Suzie Q.--!...)


I figured out how to do this next award. It goes to some of my new superstar blogging buddies who are great supportive commenters, but who are up to their ears in bling already. I'm throwing you guys a curve-ball.



The Mayan "End of Days" award. The way this one works is you have to say what three things you'll do if the Mayans are right and the world is going to end on Dec. 21, 2012. I mean, before that.

It goes to:

Katie (CQG)
Candace (MiC)
Jen
Cruella
DL

And finally, my newbie bestie award. (Awww...) This one goes to new friends who have become close friends just through the process of blogging. Imagine.

It goes to:



Hart
Carolyn
Rayna
Scarlett




Now as Candy would say, come get your crap. And remember to keep passing the love! See you back here Thursday. Remember to look for Miss Kitty at WriteOnCon~

15 comments:

Hart Johnson said...

Awwww! Thank you! I haven't seen that one before! I suppose now that we know each others' life stories though *wink*

As for writing... I always DREAMED of it, but I thought it was like that movie star thing... REAL people didn't become writers! So while I journaled and wrote plots for years, my first actual ATTEMPT came when I was 26--I wrote half of a horror novel. The fan fiction taught me how to finally FINISH a darned book.

As for my day job... didn't even know it existed until I was in my late 20s, but it applies my lifetime math affinity to my INTERESTS in psychology and health... I'm a research geek...

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for the award! You made my day :D

The first time I knew I was a writer...hmmm. Well, like so many of "us," I wrote stories, poetry and essays since I could hold a crayon. But I didn't know I was a writer until I posted a story to Writing.com and began receiving feedback from other writers. I was like, whoa. THEY think I'm a writer. Am I?

And just yesterday, I got a rejection letter from Crazyhorse (lit. mag.), which made me feel like a real writer! Ha!

Congrats on your partial request!!!! Way to go! My fingers are crossed :))

((hugs)) Nicole

Candyland said...

Aww shucks. Thank YOU! Though I have to say, the End of Days award makes gives me hives (I'm too anxious/neurotic for the possible impeding day of doom). But still, thank you:)
xoxo

Q said...

I read you often but don't often comment. But this inspired me to say...I am a bit jealous of those who say "I'm going to be a..." and actually follow through with it. It takes a different kind of courage than I possess. My admiration for you is boundless.

Scarlett said...

You are so awesome and have put the biggest smile on my face! Thanks soooo much! As always, I find myself giggling at your witty humor! You really want to know my first baking experience?! I'm afraid you might just loose some respect for me here, but here goes...I was a freshman in college a literally could scorch water! Yes, you can do that. After that pitiful incident, I learned how to make meals from my mom- over the telephone! Long distance cost a pretty good penny then, but she was very patient with me and guided me effortlessly. I didn't do much cooking til I got married and became at stay-at-home mom. I guess a desire for something to do to fill the time gap led me to a new discovery! But!: It is my desire to write that led me to blog about something I enjoy doing. I credit God to hearing my prayers and guiding me to fulfill my goals in accordance to His will. Sounds mundane, but I know He has greater plans! Thanks again, L.T! You're one awesome lady!

Cruella Collett said...

Thank you so much, Leigh! I will try my best to decide what my pre-apocalyptical routines will be ;)

I am impressed of your early writerly accomplishments. I wrote from a young age, but I struggled with length and finishing things. I still do. I knew I wanted to be a writer since I at the age of thirteen once sat up all night with words flowing effortlessly from my pen(s - I exhausted three of them that night). I imagined that would be the rule from then on. Needless to say, I was wrong.

Have fun with WriteOnCon :)

Carolyn Abiad said...

First...Thank you, thank you thank you, Leigh!! My very first award! :D

My first foray into writing was in 4th grade. I read Trumpet of the Swan and wrote a knock off...Pasha the Swan. Even then I was thinking of Pashas?! I gave it to my teacher to read and she lost it :( Then again in high school I tried YA, with Campfires...don't know where that story went. Hopefully it will never be found. I went to college considering journalism...but now I'm a real estate broker? But writing is what I wake up in the morning for really, it's just taken a LONG time to find myself. So you see, a crappy housing market had it's benefits after all!

LTM said...

GUYS! I'M supposed to be handing out the love! And there it all comes right back... Well, that's the way it works, right?

@Hart: NERD! No, I think it's cool that your brain's so ambidexterous. (sp?) I have trouble making change... ;p You realize now you're not a real person, right? J/k--horror novel! kewl...

@Nicole: That magazine is WRONG--you are a wonderful writer! Crayons, eh? I didn't start that young, but I hear ya about the affirmation from others. It helps w/believing it... ;p

@Candy: (evil laugh) mwah ha ha ha ha!!! :D

@Suzy Q: (!) uh! *sniff* But YOU'RE the artist! YOU'RE amazing~

LTM said...

love love love~

@Scarlett--OK, you got me. HOW do you scorch water? I don't believe it. ;o) I actually learned to cook via telephone! In college I took a summer job as a "nanny" that included being able to cook dinner for the kids. I'd never cooked a day in my life! Luckily, we all survived.

But you're a REAL master in the kitchen... that tiramisu... *shiver* :d

@CC--I only did those two works as a kid. The rest was school stuff, but I really liked going into my head and creating worlds. It was fun! I never knew someone would actually PAY me for it! (LTM: W.O.W. :o)

I'm starting to worry about WOC...

@Carolyn--Yay! Down housing market = amazing books about cool parallel worlds! :o) LOVE your book. LOVE your blog. Of course, I love all things exotic. Can't wait for it to hit the market.

Pasha was my favorite character in Dr. Zhivago (the movie)! I just thought his character was so fascinating. The true believer... and then he shoots himself at the end while trying to find his wife. (Wow. How's that for Leigh as a little kid? ;p Yes. I think she'd better be a writer...)

RaShelle Workman said...

Congrats on your partial request!! Newest follower and excited to be here. Also Writeoncon is gonna rock. =D See ya there Miss kitty.

Ezmirelda said...

Wow! A parial request. Congratulations.

I hope when I "grow up" my decision won't waver either. :)

LTM said...

@RaShelle--yay! new freendz! :o) Thanks and welcome to tha pahtie! ;p I haven't been able to get on WOC... :o| And now I have to work.

a sign? but of what???

@Ezie--I kind of went around the world first, but I ended right back where I started. It could happen~ :o)

(and thanks!)

DL Hammons said...

Hey...congrats on your awards and thanks for tabbing me with one!! If all things go as planned I should be able to pass this along next week! :)

Pam said...

wow! I got a mention. Thanks Leigh. Love you blog...you know that....can't help much with the know what I want to be when I grow up....truth is I don't want to :o)

Ex-pat Odessa said...

aww, thank you! Yes, I do comment A LOT, but that's cause we're blood related, and someone other than JRM needs to give you a hard time every once in a while!!! ;p