You all know how I love Cate Gardner – if you don’t, well, I do. In a weird sort of stalker-y-ish-ly kind of way. She’s strange, her writing is strange and her men come in strange pin-striped suits, too. Cate’s running a blog award/contest in conjunction with the forthcoming release of her story collection, Strange Men in Pin-Striped Suits, from Strange Publications. Don’t click those links yet. Wait, it’s okay, they’ll open in a new window. Now, scroll down for award and contest info.

*squeeeee* Sorry. Had to get that out of my system before I literally buy a ticket to the UK and set up camp in the bushes outside her house. (yes really, well, maybe)

And now, on to the award/contest.

The ‘Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits’ award is given to only the strangest of folk, and as the recipient of such you are deemed very strange indeed. Congratulations.

Now you must go forth and celebrate the strangeness of friends (and strangers – strangers are always allowed) by nominating blogs run by strange folk. *Beware, some people don’t like you to refer to them as strange…Try to avoid them if possible.

Some rules:

1. Add the logo of the award to your blog post.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you (don’t mess with strange people).
3. Nominate seven other blogs telling us why you think the recipient is strange enough to deserve the award.
4. Leave a message for those nominated on their blogs.
5. And, if you email catephoenix(at)gmail(dot)com and tell her you’ve received the award for your strangeness, she’ll enter you in the biggest kick-ass Strange Men competition ever. Details over at strangemeninpinstripesuits.com (click on the award link on the home page)

Technically, not awarded as I went following links from Cate’s blog to the award page, and I want to help spread the word for Strange Men. (I said I was stalker-y-ish-ly, didn’t I?) So, since that’s the case for Cate – Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits

Louise Bohmer – http://louise-bohmer.livejournal.com/

Why do I think Louise is strange? Because she’s put up with me for 5+ years, spends most of her time under a rock, and has slowly infected me with her ratty passion until now we have 5 rats, too. Finally – she does an eerily awesome Joey Ramone. o_O

MR Sellars – http://mrsellars.com/mrblog

What can I say? A wonderful sense of humor that is perfect for morning coffee… if you want your sinuses cleansed with caffeine. Just watch out for EK, because I hear tell she’s got some really sharp heels…

Brandon Layng – http://brandonlayng.wordpress.com/

If following me into New Bedlam – and then sticking around and liking it – doesn’t make Brandon strange, I honestly don’t know what would.

Gina Ranalli – http://ginaranalli.wordpress.com/

Don’t believe me? Oh, she’s strange. She writes about the oddest things. Seriously, read 13 Thorns, and tell me she’s not strange. (and she doesn’t yell too loudly when I’ve drooled on her…)

Jezzy Wolfe – http://jezzywolfe.wordpress.com/

She has ferrets. A lot of ferrets. In the coffee, in the fridge… she has more ferrets and ferrety stuff than I have rats and rat stuff. I think. Seems like it. Dook dook!

Zoe Whitten – http://zoewhitten.com/wordpress

Zoe’s got a quirky, kinky, spot-on sense of humor that is in its own way, strange. Not to mention, she does some borderline-bizarro writing that is just killer. Literally.

Ray Garton – http://preposteroustwaddlecock.blogspot.com/

Every day, I check Facebook or Twitter for one of Ray’s hilarious little updates. Strange sense of humor, but if loving it is wrong…. yada yada. I would love to have coffee with him some day, just for the laughs and atmosphere.

Now, go forth, pre-order & multi-post!