It's that time...IHYB Award Nominees!!!

As promised, it’s time for me to post my I HEART YOUR BLOG AWARD nominees. So, here are the “official” rules:

1) Add the logo of your award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Now, the smart thing for me to do, in light of the fact that I do have a book coming out in 2009, would be to nominate a bunch of book reviewers (to do a little pre-publicity sucking up). But, BAH, I say! I’ve never been accused of being smart, and I’m not about to start now.

Instead, I’m going to throw my noms back to my fellow writers. Those in the trenches; toiling away over revisions, panicking about what kinds of reviews they’re going to get, or even those who are still spending hour after hour crafting the “perfect” query letter.

That said, here are my nominees (in no particular order):

1) P.J. Hoover at Roots in Myth. Not only do P.J. and I share an agent, but she has already gone through the trials of her debut novel’s release. And she shares her wisdom on her blog. I love a gal that doesn’t mind lending a helping hand! P.S. If you’re looking for a perfect gift for that kid, aged 8 and up, you can still get your copy P.J.’s The Emerald Table on Amazon in time for the holidays!

2) C. Leigh Purtill, another seasoned veteran, posts about all kinds of things, including her books, Love, Meg and All About Vee. Another author not unwilling to give advice and tips to those of still struggling to learn the ropes. Thanks, Leigh!

3) Heidi Willis at Ocean Deep is a newbie for me. I’ve just started reading her blog, and I have to say, so far I love it! She has great information for those writers still trying to snag an agent’s attention, complete with articles and links. Plus, she totally taught me what a pellet stove was. Hurrah!

4) And Heidi’s friend, Brit, over at Dream the Dream. Another great new blog for me, with tons of good links and info. And, hello??? I made her book list for 2009, so she’s smart too!!!

Both of these ladies are funny and insightful.

5) Mandy Hubbard, author of the upcoming Prada & Prejudice (what’s not to love with a name like that???). She is funny and honest…I love someone who is willing to put herself out there, and Mandy does! Also, she lives just down the street. Seriously, we just figured out that we live just miles apart. How cool is that?

6) Carrie Ryan, who is the author of one of the books that I would literally rip someone’s arm off to get an ARC of. That is, if I were a zombie. (ehem, her book is about zombies, by the way.) Her forthcoming debut, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, is due out March 10th, and I, for one, will be pre-ordering my copy.


7) Maggie Stiefvater, another fellow Laura client, and author of the recently released Lament, and the forthcoming Ballad (the follow-up to Lament) and Shiver, both due Fall 2009. I’m incredible excited to see Shiver hit the bookstores, as I’ve heard that it will have millions of teen girls crying onto the pages (in a good way!).


8) Christy Raedeke’s blog, Juvenescence, is another one that I’m just starting to stalk (I mean, umm, read). Coincidentally, her sidebar has a post called “Stalking” which is a list of things-not-to-do when you sign with an agent, and when I read it, I cracked up. Why? Because I had done ALL of them! Speaking of which, since Christy is one of said agent’s clients, why do I have her listed here at all? Am I just begging for an inferiority complex???

Anyway, since my list is growing slightly too long, I just want to add that I love all of your blogs and I wish everyone FANTASTIC success in 2009!!!