Apology and Award

So this past week I've been a bad writer, blogger, campaigner, critique partner, beta reader, friend, wife, mother, magic bean buyer...you name it.

Before I get any further I'll get my excuses out of the way...

1. My partner in crime at the day job is on vacation. So I had my job, and her job, and a few extra people I trained in this past week. Add a long commute into the office (I usually work from home) and it was buuuusssssyyyyyy.

2. My youngest daughter's school decided to throw in an extra teacher just a mere 5 days into the school year. This meant a class change, lots of tears, lots of worries, and extra time and attention to ensure she wasn't scarred for life.

3. I have not been feeling up to my usual energetic Tigger-riffic self. A few years ago I was diagnosed with this crappy super-sucky disease that makes you hurt all over known as Fibromyalgia. And while for the most part I can keep the pain at bay with diet, exercise, advil, and wine, I find I am not immune to the weather. And here in Minnesota, where we've gone from a humid 90 degrees to a brisk 30 with lots of sunshine, a little rain, and the occasional snowflake (okay well maybe not snow...yet) my body has responded with an achy protest that leaves me wanting to bury myself under the covers and not come out until October.

So yeah, it's been a bad blogging week.

And I'm sorry.

And now on to more exciting things... While catching up on my blog reading, I discovered that Jenn over at A Single Bell awarded me The Versatile Blogger award (which is super sweet of her considering how un-versatile my blog has been this past week!)


Anywho...the rules are:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this Award along to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it.

So up first thank you Jenn! I've never received a blog award before! :) So please, all my followers, go follow this wonderful brilliant generous fellow writer at A Single Bell.

As for step #2, since I already shared 10 thing about myself, I thought I'd steal from Jenn by sharing 7 things about my writing and WIPs instead. So here it goes...

1. The first book I ever remember writing (circa age 7) was about a calico kitty named Priscilla who ran away from home.
2. The first novel I wrote as an adult was a category romance. I 'thought' that was what I wanted to write, but since the day I thought I'd give YA a try, I haven't looked back.
3. I write first drafts on the couch or in bed with the TV on, music playing, and kids screaming. I re-write and edit at my desk in a quiet room with the door shut.
4. My current 20000 first draft WIP is a YA dystopian/sci-fi combo with romance, time travel, and a lot of misspelled words.
5. The name of my current protagonist in my WIP has changed 3x already. She has been Katie, Hannah, and Summer. And her name will most likely change again. I'm starting to confuse myself...I may just start calling her Girl until I can settle on something.
6. My next WIP I would like to write is a middle grade that involves 2 sisters, a frog, and a window.
7. I once was a legal secretary. You would think that would help me. Um, nope. Me and commas...not on good terms.

And on to #3... I'm about to be a HUGE rule breaker (maybe I should call this post Apology...Awards...Apology), but choosing among so many awesome blogs is impossible.

So without further ado, I bequeath this award....

• To my fellow writer, tea enthusiast and friend Sarah over at Latte Tea Dah.
• To three brilliant writers whose work I enjoy...Amber at amberafterglow, Nicole at Ink and Prose, and Jenn at Jennifer Baker-Henry.
  
• To fellow writer mom Jessica at Just Following A Dream.
• To Rain at Rainstorms & Rainbows who is friendly, funny, and happens to share my birthday.
• To Doctor Faerie Godmother for her sarcastic-laugh-out-loud writing style.
• To ALL of the bloggers in my writing campaign groups. The YA writers of Group 13, the Sci-Fi Writers of Group 28, and my fellow Blogger Beginners in Group 50.
  

Okay so I know that's way more than 15. I also know many of you already have won this award. But if you haven't, I would love the honor to pass it on. Thank you all for your wonderful posts. They've informed me, inspired me, moved me to tears, or gave me a laugh (and I love to laugh). I enjoy blog reading (apparently more than blog writing).

Happy Writing!