Aaron Polson and Katey Taylor blessed the Bleed-zone with some really cool endorsements and I’m rather beyond humbled. Okay, I’ll use the word stunned – as always I’m shocked when people actually *read* the posts, let alone comment, and now – an award!

With the award comes a responsibility of sorts… there are rules. So of course, I’m gonna break ‘em just a tiny bit.

1) Add the logo of your award to your blog. (check)

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you. (check and check)

3) Nominate at least seven other blogs. (check, and I didn’t go over or I’d be longer doing this than I have been already…)

4) Add links to those blogs on your blogs. (checkity check check)

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs. (if I remember to, or I might email instead)

Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware had an interesting take on this particular award, and I do agree with her. But, I’d like to go half a step back from her stance and make my nominations, the stipulation being that these folks don’t have to continue on. I read a lot of blogs in a day (I’m currently subscribed to just over 100, and use two different feed readers to get to them all!) so narrowing it down to just seven is hard.

1 – Louise Bohmer
Louise keeps me grounded, professionally and personally. She’s spent more time talking me down off the edge of a tantrum than most people would. Then again, we’ve also had a couple of spectacular, well-deserved blow-ups together. This is only one of her blogs, but I’m subbed to pretty much all of them.

2 – Bob Freeman
Bob is a rare gem in this field. He tells it like it is, lives it like it is, and explores more of it than anyone I know. He’s one of very few people that has a foot in each of the worlds I wander around in, so he knows what I mean when I go off on a tangent from either my personal or professional life. Plus – he’s got the cutest bug of a boy! Conner is like a cherub, only you can see the glint of mischief sparkling in his eyes. I’m pretty sure it’s hereditary…

3 – MR Sellars
What can I say about Murv except he’s still my hero. And he still puts me on the ceiling at least once a year… This man is a marketing machine, a writing genius and a damn fine mentor. Someday I am going to hug him. If I can sneak up on him, that is.

4 – Kevin Hurtack
Kevin has been there to crit my work, spank my ego when it overinflated, send his zombie Frank to cheer me up (shakes the hootchie-butt at Frankie) and he lets me drool on his artwork. Not to mention he created a fang-tastic piece of work to go with Thirsty in Night to Dawn. Maggothead will ALWAYS be my favorite, but Michael cradling his grandfather has a special place in my heart.

5 – Gina Ranalli
I bopped around the edges of some of the circles Gina’s in, and imagine my surprise when she and I become friends. Gina just *knows*, if you know what I mean. When I write about the voices in my head (and Krispies) talking to me, she knows what I mean. When I whinge about blocks, and editors and reviews and… Gina knows.
I’ve read very little bizarro in my career (life for that matter) and most of what I read, I didn’t like. I read Gina’s 13 Thorns not long ago and frankly – now I see why people like bizarro. I can dig it.

6 – Brandon Layng
WORMS! There. It had to be said, I’m sorry. I think Brandon has just as weird and vicious a sense of horror as I do, and I think he enjoys thrusting his eww in my direction when he writes it. It wasn’t just the story from Courting Morpheus, either, I’ve read some of the others – and parts of his novel, Sin in Skin. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Brandon is dangerously insane. At least… I think I know better… Well, anyway, that’s what makes him cool.

7 – Debbie Ridpath Ohi, InkyGirl
InkyGirl – Daily Diversions for Writers lives up to it’s name. Pretty much every day, Debbie posts something of interest to writers, and editors, and people in general. What I love most, though, besides her sense of humor, is her art. Debbie is the artist behind “Will Write for Chocolate”, and of course, InkyGirl. I absolutely love the “Little Nightmares” series she has at DeviantArt, and someday I might just have to order ‘em. PS – She’s Canadian!