Recognition and the Liebster Award

It seems I’ve been nominated for a “Liebster” Award.

It’s a way to recognize new and less well-known blogs and help get them some exposure. The rules are simple:

The rules have changed over the years, but it seems to have begun in 2010.

Sopphey Vance, on her blog Sopphey Says, did some internet archaeology to track down the origins of the Liebster Award. Though she didn’t find the very beginning, her research highlights the tone and intention of the Award.

I think there can be a lot of flexibility here. The point is to introduce your own followers to new and interesting blogs. Do the best you can. Have fun.

…And at this time, I will point out that the images above are linked to blogs (where I borrowed the images) that have also been nominated for a Liebster Award in the past. Go check them out!

So, I’ll come up with 11 facts and 11 questions, and endeavor to nominate 11 other blogs. Not going to concern myself with the number of followers of other blogs, because, honestly, it’s not always clear.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Mary Hill and her blog Mary-andering Creatively for nominating me. It makes me happy to think that another person thinks this blog is worthy of broader exposure.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I found it hard not to spell out ‘eleven’ just then, and had to convince myself that using the numerals would be OK. (It is OK, isn’t it?)
2. I am a vertebrate paleontologist, and the envy of dinosaur-obsessed pre-teens everywhere…
3. …except for my own young son who couldn’t care less about dinosaurs, but is really into World War II history.
4. I’m married to a mechanical engineer.
5. We live in an old farmhouse that was built in 1835.
6. Our pets include three cats and nine chickens.
7. I’m studying swordfighting. Not just sport fencing, mind you. The longsword. Rawr.
8. Along those lines, I also like to fabricate armor (using plastic barrels) for heavy weapons combat in the Society for Creative Anachronism.
9. Up until about a year ago, I thought I hated writing. Then I started writing fiction, and now hardly a day goes by when I don’t write something.
10. My husband and I own over 600 cameras and one day we will try to have a museum to showcase them. In the meantime, we have our website (which is sadly in need of updating).
11. One of my life’s dreams is to own a horse, and I think I might actually be able to do that in the next few years.

My answers to the 11 questions posed by Mary:

And now for the 11 questions I ask of my nominees, should they choose to answer them:

1. Got any hobbies? What do you do when you have a day to play around?
2. How about pets? Anything more exotic than dogs or cats?
3. Sports: Watch or participate? Or neither?
4. Original Star Wars (Episodes 4-6) or new Star Wars (Episodes 1-3)?
5. What part of the world would you most like to visit?
6. Do you think there is life in other parts of the universe?
7. What’s your favorite season?
8. If you had the chance, would you go back to school to study something new? What?
9. What’s the strangest thing you have sitting out in your dining room?
10. What’s your favorite type of music?
11. If you could go back in time, when and where would you visit?

And to pay it forward, some nominees for the award:

I doubt I’ll come up with eleven, but I’ll give you a few that I think you should read. I know everyone’s busy, and I don’t do this with the expectation that they will accept the award and go through the whole rigmarole as I have. But these are definitely worthy of a look. Please visit their blogs:

The Swordmaster’s Grimoire, by Adam Crown (Maître) and Linda Wyatt (Prevost). Maître Crown is my sword instructor. Want to learn something about chivalry and proper swordplay? Read this blog!

The Wandering Wordsmith, by DL Shackleford. A kindred spirit: Mom, Army, Doctor, Writer.

Inside the Mind of The Joe, by Joseph Hancock. A student of science and paleontology.

Because I operate a little differently than most, I also want to highlight the blogs of some writers local to me, whom I consider friends. Pay them a visit. Give them some positive feedback:

Contego Secretum – Just another blog

Claire’s Writing Log – I’m working on novels to publish someday hopefully soon. I have a fantasy trilogy planned, a few related science fiction novels, and a mainstream novel.

Laitie’s Scripts – I’m a recent graduate from SUNY Fredonia with a bachelor’s degree in English. This blog is a taste of my writing and grammar/spelling skills.

Chocolate Makes it Better – I’m a 22-year-old aspiring writer with ADD, Depression, PCOS, and PMD. I write about all my personal struggles here.

svaria – The random musings of an average person

Shauna O’Toole – My name is Shauna. I am a middle-age Male-to-Female (MTF) transgendered individual on a voyage of discovery about who and what I am. Regardless of how our paths crossed, I’m glad that they did. Pour yourself a cup of coffee. Let me share my story with you.

Working Title – Staring into his netbook while sitting at yet another McDonalds, Kurt pondered the twists of fate that led him to be here, now.

Rebecca McKeown Writes – A horror and fantasy junkie, McKeown creates stories about normal people thrown into very abnormal situations.

Awake at Midnight – a compendium of the best in young adult horror, including book reviews, author interviews, and the latest news from the cutting edge of fear.

Thank you again, Mary, for you nomination. And thank you all for reading this!