Awards!

Shelly from Write for a Reader gave me this incredibly cute award. The Heartfelt Award is about the warm feeling you get when you're relaxing, seeking comfort, or sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends. If you haven't been to her blog, check it out: you'll find reviews, interviews, and author spotlights. Thanks so much Shelly!





Shelly was also sweet enough to pass along this Queen of ALLL Things Awe-Summm award. This one comes with a meme: Once you receive this award, you have to share 7 Awe-Summm things about yourself and then pass it on to 7 others. Shelly's list is truly awesome -- check it out. Here are seven little-known facts about me:

1. I am certified to lead white-water rafting trips. In my youth, I spent the bulk of one summer rafting and kayaking white-water rivers in California, Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado to become qualified as a river guide.

2. I have placed second in two national cooking contests. One was for an apple pie contest run by Family Circle magazine and the other was for recipes using pumpkin puree hosted by Libby's. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

3. I have a PhD in physical anthropology and genetics but I earn my living as a freelancer in the publishing industry.

4. In the early 1970s I spent a month backpacking in Baja California. The trip was actually part of my freshman orientation program for college.

5. I won the first-grade read and review contest. From January to June I read 56 books and wrote a review of each one. We were supposed to write our reviews on 5-by-8 cards. I still have the stack of cards somewhere in this house.

6. I have been in every state in the United States except Louisiana and Alaska. I can understand why I haven't gotten to Alaska yet, but I'm still not sure how I missed Louisiana, especially because I've driven cross-country a number of times.

7. Many members of my family are "literary professionals." My mother is a journalist, one of my brothers is a published poet and short story author and teaches writing at the university, one of my nephews has had stories published on the web, one of my sisters-in-law is a freelance indexer, a brother-in-law teaches English in high school. Everyone is an avid reader.


And finally, Bernadette of Reactions to Reading passed along this super award developed by Cathy from Kittling Books. The I Keep Coming Back for More Award is

for a blog you just can't stay away from. If you've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the hives and your Google reader is over 1,000 unread posts, these are the blogs that you single out to read. These are the ones that are never victims to the dreaded Mark All As Read. There may be many different reasons why you can't stay away: a taste in books that mirrors your own, the same sense of humor, always knowing the latest in the book world . . . for whatever the reason, these blogs are flat out addictive and you have no wish to be cured!

Wow! Thanks so much Bernadette. And now, be sure to check out Reactions to Reading, Bernadette's blog is not to be missed.