Liebster Blog Award

I started this blog with the idea that it would be a fun way to explore this secret dream of mine - my dream of being a writer. It was meant to be a journal to record the process and my thoughts. I also thought it was a good first step toward putting my writing out there, into the Universe, and making it seem real. After a few posts and finding blogs by other writers, another possibility opened up for the blog: it could be a way to connect with other writers.

That's all well and good, but after two-and-a-half months of posting, you do start to wonder  does my blogging resonate with anyone out there? Then something really nice happens! You stumble out of bed and shuffle to the computer with a cup of coffee on a gray Saturday morning to find a new comment on your blog bestowing upon you, your first blog award. Or, at least, that's what's happened to me today.

JeffO over at The Doubting Writer has very kindly nominated me for my first blog award. JeffO started his blog about the same time as I started mine.  I first found him over at the AW Water Cooler. I read some of his forum threads and his first blog posts, and I knew I'd found someone at a similar stage in this journey. His was the first blog I followed and he the first follower here.

The goal of the Liebster is to showcase up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who bestowed the award on you
2. Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love
5. Have bloggity-blog fun!

Now, I'm with Jeff in feeling a bit shy about joining in on blog tags, and this is my first, but it did make me smile, so it wasn't all that painful, after all. 

I have three picks to pass on the Liebster award and here they are:

Starving Novelist - A blog by Sara Burr, a fellow writer and science fiction fan. She's been blogging for less than a year, but I love the quality and insight of her posts. There is a lot of good information, analysis of writing craft and tips, delivered in a clear, conversational style.

Carolyn Arnold - Carolyn is another writer who started her blog this year. She's a very busy woman; she's written seven novels in four years! She writes about many things "writing", including the path to becoming a writer and its pitfalls. She is also very active in supporting fellow writers, spotlighting self-published writers in her Independent Voice posts.

Beckah-Rah - Becky Regalado is a horror and fantasy writer with a blog less than a year old. She blogs on a variety of topics, but with her own (entertainingly sartirical) slant. A funny read, she keeps you rooting for her (and you're own writing dreams) with her honest posts about writing and publishing. I also enjoyed reading the short fiction she's written (linked on her blog) and look forward to more.

Go check out these three blogs!

Posted by Jennifer B. at The Writing Cocoon.