The Addictive Blog Award

Hello,

Many thanks to Kimberly Sullivan for nominating me for The Addictive Blog Award. Kimberly is one of the beta readers for my current novel-in-revision “Hooked” over on Critique Circle and she blogs about her own women’s fiction writing and her varied travels from her base in Rome. I’ll be using her local hints for my trip to Rome this June.

For this award I need to write about why I blog and then nominate ten other blogs that I find addictive.

Why I blog

I began blogging in the spring of 2009 with the aim of sharing my passion for unusual and fun words. My first word was flibbertigibbet, so that will give you the general idea. Since then I’ve explored the meaning and origins of strange words every week and sometimes talked about my writing, especially during November when I’m a Municipal Liaison for National Novel Writing Month or when I’ve had a new piece published. My love of gardening creeps in now and then too.

Nominate Others

The following ten blogs (in alphabetical order) are ones I visit regularly because I share their passions…

• Carolann Copland of Carousel Creates – I was lucky enough to spend a blissful and educational weekend as Carousel Creates, the writing retreat in the Dublin Mountains, this spring and Carolann is a real lady.
• Errol and Debbie at Nanotoons – I really shouldn’t waste time during November reading comics online and watching a crazy NaNo musical, but I can’t resist because they are just so funny and I think they might have based the insane ML on me.
• Ficticious Amo –  anybody who’s actually tweeted with Toby from the West Wing is cool in my book but meeting AnneMarie in person at Carousel and listening to her amazing fiction made me realise that she’s effortlessly cool all by herself. Read her fiction and be transported into her world.
• Hope Clark – Hope has been writing about writing for a long time and she brings her trademark common sense and wit to everything she does. I am a huge fan of her newsletters (which I have been honoured to write features for in the past) and her blog is great too.
• The Irish Writers’ Centre Blog – I’m biased because I guest posted for this blog during NaNoWriMo 2011, but actually it’s an interesting blog because it is populated by guest posts by all levels and types of writers who are joined by just one thread – they write in Ireland.
• Jade at CraftHope – regular readers of my blog will know that I craft. I crochet, sew, make jewellery, paint, make cards, and basically have more arts and crafts supplies in my home than is sensible. So when I came across Craft Hope it was a eureka moment. Jade, a stay-at-home mom of four in Texas, began the blog in 2009 as a way of co-ordinating hand-crafted gifts for those that need them. The first project generated 27 pillow dresses for kids in Mexico made by Jade and some online crafting friends. Since then it was blossomed beyond belief. She’s on project 21 now and has helped more than 100,000 children and adults in need right around the globe. There’s a great book of projects (and suggested venues to donate them too) and I cannot recommend her site and her projects enough. If you know anybody who crafts – direct them here so they can make a difference with their skills.
• Kristin and Kelly at Dinner du Jour –  love good food for your family? Then you’ll love this blog written by two old friends, now seperated by the Atlantic and blogging together to bridge the gap. Kristin used to be in my knitting group and was a great knitter, but honestly – her recipes are even better.
• The Madwoman in the Attic – I met Lisa in my role as a mentor for National Novel Writing Month. I think I’m a compulsive reader (witness my Reading 501 books blog) but she puts me in the shade and in her role as a bookseller for Waterstones bookshop in Drogheda she is ideally placed to promote great writing. Want something amazing to read? Ask Lisa.
• PurlBee – my favourite crafting blog. Beautifully photographed, brilliantly detailed, and endlessly inspiring. Covers crochet, knit, sewing, embroidery, weaving and general craft.
• QuickCrop – Andrew and Niall grow vegetables and they know what they’re talking about when it comes to growing them in Ireland, which is important because our growing season is different to the South of England which is where a lot of our seeds originate. Not only that but they’re irreverent bloggers who share useful tips for gardeners experienced and less so. They also make great raised bed kits that form the skeleton of my own veg plot in my back garden.

Thank you all for writing such great blogs. I love reading them. I’ll be back next week with more unusual words at Wordfoolery, but until then happy reading, writing, and wordfooling.

Grace