Friday, September 3, 2010

The Voices say "Pass the Awards"

We interrupt our regular schedule for a special Labor Day Weekend Party Post! Welcome BBQers. I'll be coming around with the ice and not singing that song.

JRM had a mock trial in Ft. Smith, Ark., all week so I've been home alone. And it was so quiet after I put the girls to bed the other night, I read a blog comment and realized something...

I assign voices when I read.

Do you guys do this? Like I was specifically reading something RaShelle had written, and she has sort of a high, sassy voice. Then I read Portia's comment, and hers is a quieter, more serious voice. A telling ghost stories around the campfire voice.

And please. Who doesn't hear Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) when they read Janet Reid?

It actually comes in handy when I'm writing--helps keep my characters straight. And of course, as novelists we're always talking about Voice, so there's a little bonus there.

Yes, I know, I'm nutty. So you're welcome to be a nut also, and admit you do the same thing!

Since Jen over at Unedited did a blogfest where you had to guess what the MC looked like in a passage of fiction, I'm doing an unofficial mini-blogfest in honor of Labor Day! The musical question is as follows:

Who's got my voice? Or if you haven't assigned me a voice, is there a blogging buddy who has a very distinctive voice to you? Who & who?

To me, Rayna sounds exactly like the mother of my youngest daughter's best friend from kindergarten. The mother's name was Puru (there were additional letters I didn't get). She was from India and was just the sweetest thing. I adored her. So that makes sense.

As much as she tries, I just can't hear Dennis the Peasant when I read the Tart's posts. She sounds exactly like my friend Apryle from Indy. (I know, I know. It's Idaho.)

So let me know your brand of crazy.

And now I must obey the voices... Last week one of my blogging besties Rayna/Puru and Supermom Holly tagged me in that handwriting game. Here are the questions and my sample:

Write down (by hand!) on a piece of paper the following:
1. Name, Blog Name
2. Right handed, left handed, or both?
3. Favorite letters to write
4. Least favorite letters to write
5. Write out "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
6. Write in CAPS: BABOON, SPLENDOR, ONOMATOPOEIA, FLIP-FLOPS, HUZZAH!
7. Favorite song lyrics (*in this case, I just wrote the last song I'd heard. Yes, it was "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child... SO!)
8. Tag 7 people
9. Whatever else strikes your fancy

I'm not sure what this means other than I skipped penmanship, but here's my seven Tags on the Handwriting Game:

Portia
Rosie
Angie
Ellie
Jessie
Odessa
Melissa

On these next two, I didn't get directions on how to pass them, so I'm making it up. If you get one of these, you have to pass it on to at least three (3) people, OK?

The first is from another blogging bestie Carolyn who has the cool blog Burnt Amber that tells all about Turkish customs and culture and compliments her novel of the same name. Thanks, Carolyn!

I'm passing it to my "Blogging Buddies":

Jen
RaShelle
Jan
Anne
Sheri

I got the next one twice, so I guess that means I rock out with my socks out!  (uhh....  huh?)

Well, anyway, I got it from my new blogging bestie RaShelle (see above) and then from *ahem* established blogging bestie Tami/Hart/Watery Tart.

Thank you RaShelle& Tami! And I repeat to both, "No, YOU rock!" (It's true. They are way more rockin than me...) My "You Rock"(ers) are:

Stephen
Roland
Matt
Jessica
Morgan



Now, keep the B-love going, don't forget to play the Voice Game. And have a great holiday--see you back here Monday!

45 comments:

Matthew MacNish said...

Congrats to all award winners! Yay awards. Also Karen's blog BBQ idea is so cool, but I already know you and your blog, so I still have to make sure to visit some new people.

Today's guest blogger is Emilia Plater!

Jessica Bell said...

Oh wow! That's the best award EVAH! Thanks so much Leigh :o) And yeah, you got Janet Reid SPOT ON!!!! hahahaha

S.A. Larsenッ said...

The Janet Reid comment is dead on!! So perfect.

And thanks for the buddy award. You just made my weekend. Enjoy yours!! (& psst...I will respond to your email soon. I seem to have misplaced the little sucker.)

RosieC said...

Hahaha! Janet as Sue! I love it :)

Hm, I'll have to think about the other voices, but, yes, they're there. I may have to dig a little deeper for identification.

Oh, and I consider myself tagged. I did the handwriting one a little while ago, but I'll repost it :)

Happy Friday!

Summer Ross said...

Congrats on awards ands as far as a voice for you...the voice I would choose would be more sigourney weaver style...

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Congratualations to all the award winners. Thank you for mine, Leigh.

Perhaps that's why movies from books are such a let-down for me. The characters do not look or sound like I imagined.

I hear voices and dialects when I write my characters. DayStar, my ultimate antagonist, has the voice of Anthony Hopkins. McCord has the voice of Tom Selleck with a bit of a Texas drawl, his world travels have almost erased.

As always you have a fascinating post. Roland

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hi Leigh! Thanks for following my blog. And what a surprise to come here and see my award!

Angie Ledbetter said...

Just stoppin' back by to say hey, sha, and Geaux Tigers! :)

Melissa Cunningham said...

You no more crazy than me! LOL LOVE your post! Found you from KarenG. I'll followed and will be back! Have a great day!

Unknown said...

Great awards, congrats to all the recipients.

CD

Jenna Wallace said...

As a Gleek, I loved your Janet Reid comment!

Found my way here from KarenG's party. Count me as a new follower!

Ann Best said...

What a lively post! I too liked the Janet Reid comment.

I came over from KarenG's BBQ. I'm now a follower. I'd love to have you come over and visit me too.
Ann

MTeacress said...

I found you on KarenG's. I really enjoy connecting with other writers in the blogging world. I look forward to checking out your blog.
Have a great day! :)

RaShelle Workman said...

Hey Leigh - Thanks for the blogging buddy award. *sniff sniff* That really, really means so much to me. *wiping eyes* Okay, I'm collected. As for my voice, I just read some of my stuff. It IS sassy. But not in a high voice. I have kind of a medium. Certainly not tinkling anyway. Some people have even said my voice is low. Especially when I'm being more lazy. LOL

Congrats on your awards!!! We def know that YOU ROCK!!!

Laura Kaye said...

Loved Janet as Sue! Popping over from the BBQ and am following--you're almost to 100! :)

Julie Musil said...

I'm here from Karen's blog! I'm lucky #99 on your followers, so 100 is around the corner. I enjoyed you blog, and I'll be back.

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Hi! I hopped over from Karen's blog BBQ to say hello. And lucky me - I get to be your 100th follower! Congrats on your awards. :-)

Colette Martin said...

Yes, I assign voices -- and I hear voices when I read. Wierd huh? Anyway, stopping over from Karen's.

Ex-pat Odessa said...

I don't know if I hear voices, but I defintely hear songs!

Angie said...

LOL. I don't think you really want to see my handwriting, but I'll give it a try. Have a great weekend.

LTM said...

Wow! So THIS is what happens when you stop procrastinating and start working...! ;p Supercool stuff! WELCOME new friends! That KarenG, huh? Anybody need some ice? ;p

I've gotten around to visit many of you--now I'm so glad it's a long weekend! So yay, new blogging buddies! ((hugs)) I will do my best to keep you entertained~

Jessie Harrell said...

thanks for tagging me - I tried that handwriting one before and ended up being so distressed by my writing that I never posted it :p
I wished I could claim the nuttiness of assigned voices when I read - guess I'm just boring...

LTM said...

@Jess: yep, you have that sort of cockney, Aussie accent in my head...

@Sheri: It's all in good fun, but dammit Janet's just such an easy target~ ;p

@Summer: the only person who gave me a voice... SW? Really? Hmm... I wonder if I *might* sound like her...

@Roland: you're right. And I like your voices--I figured you'd *get* this one~ :o)

@Alex! I TOLD you, nerd... ;p

@Angie! Cher~ <3

@RaShelle: No, YOU do. ;p

I have to stop here--children demand attention! It is going to be neat getting to know you all~

LTM said...

@Jessie--LOL! :D

wait... did you SEE my serial killer scrawl? You're not boring. Goof. You're... what's the word? Sane? ;o)

Unknown said...

Ahahaha Janet Reid as Jane Lynch, I love it. Sometimes I do get voices in my head (er, that sounds weird), so you're not alone :)

I stopped over from the BBQ to say SUP, DUDE.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

woo hoo you just hit 100 followers, congrats!

Jennie Bailey said...

I dropped by for some of that ice for my drink! Love love love your blog! I never really thought about voices, but I think that I've been subconsciously doing it. For example, Jen over at unedited sounds very bubbly, like a cheerleader I went to college with who was ALWAYS happy and always knew just the right thing to say to make you feel better. For the rest of the blog reading day, I'm going to see if I can hear voices for my other blogging friends. Jane Lynch for Janet Reid did make me giggle! Have a great weekend!

Vicki Rocho said...

*passing through from the BBQ...would love a cup of ice!*

I haven't noticed the voices...but that might be because there's usually so much going on around me I don't get a chance to hear them! I'll keep my *ears* open from now on though!

Congrats on all the awards. That handwriting one has been one of my favorites!

Ella said...

Congrats on the awards; How fun handwriting....Thank you I will try to post it Monday! Looks like fun...
Your voice mmmh somehow I think you are Claire Danes like, exuberant and smart, with a sense of humor!

I will think more about this. When people don't put pics on their blogs or comments, I try to picture them. I am usually wrong with voices and looks, especially DJ's on the radio!

Thanks for Fun Friday and the passing the handwriting baton!

Jan Markley said...

Thanks for the Blogger Buddie Award - you're my blogger buddie too!

Hart Johnson said...

Sometimes I hear voices, sometimes I don't. I am poor at building in southern accents in though, so I probably have yours wrong. (I do sound like Dennis... I swear...)

Congrats on all your awards!

Talei said...

Hi Leigh,

I'm dropping in from Karens BBQ party too!

Congrats on your awards and to all the winners you have passed them onto! ;)

Nicole said...

Hiya! Just popping in from karens BBQ - and YES I soo hear Sue when reading Janets blog *lol*

http://damselinadirtydress.blogspot.com

Brenda Drake said...

Stopping by from KarenG BBQ blogfest. Congrats on your awards and kuddos for spreading the love. Nice to meet you! :D

Kittie Howard said...

Stopping by from the BBQ to say you've got a cool blog, I'm following you now. Nice to meet you *waves*.

Unknown said...

Hey girl! I'm officially here with Karen's Blog Hop, but (I hope you know) I visit often anyways, 'cause you're one of my newest, most favorite blog bff. And yes, come to think of it, I DO "hear" a voice when you blog or comment on mine. I hear my friend Beth's voice. Beth has a distinctive voice, gentle but expressive, funny but never sounds like she's trying to be. Beth is one of my most cherished friends, whose energy I crave because I feel like a kinder, better person when I'm around her. Hmmm...must be why I hear her in you!

Okay, enough gushing, before I weird you out, LOL. Love the handwriting thing going around. It's so fun to see other people's penmanship.

Hope you're having a great Labor Day weekend. Have fun!

LTM said...

@Steph: well, thank goodness I'm not alone--Matt called me weird. ;p

@KG: you are a superstar.

@Jennie: you cute thing! I love your job~

@Vicki: newbie bestie!

@Ellie: I think it's OK to be wrong... but that DJ thing made me think of Wayne's World. ;p

@Jan: awww...

@Hart: no you don't. ;p

@Talei, Nicole & Brenda: Welcome, welcome! Ice?

@Kittie: Hey, thanks! Ice? ;p

@Nicole... AWWW!!! :o) you too!

Kathryn Magendie said...

Just stopping on by from the BBQ to say hello! Your blog post sounds happy and energetic, so I'm following *smiling*

Natasha said...

Award for you on my blog.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the award! Super sweet of you!!!

Carolyn Abiad said...

You know, I suppose you should have a sweet southern drawl, but I never imagined you with one. Funny. I'll have to think about that one for a while. I do think you must smile a lot when you talk, because you are so positive...like sunshine!

Thanks for the linkage!

LTM said...

@Kath: Thanks! I try~ :o)

@Rayna: No, YOU'RE awesome~

@Jen: You bet!

@Carolyn: I think my accent's more like Daisy Duke's... not so pretty. :D lol! and you bet~ <3

Portia said...

Oh gosh, shucks, I'm blushing. Maybe I can be your weird lefty in the mix :-)

LTM said...

@Portia: weird? no--you're not weird! Lefty? OK--yay! :D

Morgan said...

Yay! Thanks. I'm excited now. =]