Liebster Up-and-Comers (Like Me)

I got an award!

This week, I made the top ten in the GUTGAA blogfest's First 200 Words contest. My Top-10 slot had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the host (also one of the judges), Deana Barnhart, is in my writing group. Nope. It also had nothing to do with the fact that another one of the judges, Nancy Thompson, seemed to feel a bit of gratitude toward me, for helping her snag one of the top slots in the Week 3 Query Contest. (She had an awesome premise and she let me play with her pitch.) Nope, it was totally because my first page is that good. Not, like, Top-3 good, but a nice, solid Top-10. I'm happy.

But that's not the award I'm talking about.

No, yesterday, I also got an award from Lisa Chickos--one of the Top-3 in the First 200 Words contest. She won a partial request from the agent-judge, Kathleen Rushall. I like Lisa not only because she has the coolest job in the world (she's a zookeeper, animal trainer and environmental educator), but the first page of her novel talks about working with dolphins! How fun is that? Thanks, Lisa!

The award is the Leibster Award, which spotlights up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers. The rules of the award are:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Display the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!

Since I know and follow so many awesome bloggers, it took me a while to figure out which of them had fewer than 200 followers. Here's the winners:

1. Ru: She's a lawyer, a writer, hilarious, and she has an adorable puppy. She recently joined me in a pitch contest just because I threatened to kidnap her puppy. I may, anyway. :)
2. Heidi Tighe: Another in my writing group--she's a college English instructor, a brand-new blogger, and gives awesome advice. Everyone should go over and tell her to blog more.
3. JD (not sure if he wants me to reveal his Clark Kent identity): I knew this boy in high school (go Beetdiggers!), and we've reconnected online. He's a tax lawyer who recently decided he wanted to write novels. He read my WIP and had AMAZING advice.
4. Christy Dorrity: she has excellent taste in WIP titles, knows how to Irish dance, and was recently spotlighted on Sara Eden's I Need Friends Friday. She also writes a mean YA Fantasy (we were bootcamp-mates at LDStorymakers this year).
5. Nancy Thompson: because I can't resist someone who thinks I give good advice. :)

Everyone should go check these folks out. Seriously. Why are you still here?