The Thinking Blogger Awards (and news on the next Clarity of Night short fiction contest)

Terri, my motorcycle-riding compatriot over in Ireland and long time reader, has graciously bestowed the "Thinking Blogger Award" on me and The Clarity of Night!! How cool is that? Here is what she said:

[The Clarity of Night] is where I go to find a bit of peace in the world. He may be a lawyer by trade but if you ask me, he missed his calling. An immensely talented writer, his words, often combined with photographs, soothe the soul... or make your hair stand on end, depending on the subject, mood and genre of his current post / vignette / series. In between the fiction he also manages to occasionally run short fiction contests; and it would be remiss of me not to mention the poignant posts focussed around his fascination with old and beautiful gravestones.

Thanks Terri!!

The Thinking Blogger Award is an effort to build a network of blogs linked together outside of the usual search engines. Here is how it works (sort of like a meme):

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that tickle your grey matter (**Terri broke the rules on this one, and I totally support that. I think that you should only do this part as much as you want, or not at all. It's an award, after all.**);

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme;

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative gold version if silver doesn't fit your blog).

Every blog in my blogroll has a special place for me. There are humor blogs, irreverent blogs, writing blogs, just-hanging-out-with-cool-people blogs.... They're all wonderful in their own way. The five I've pulled here push me towards new understanding or help me see the world in a different way. So, by the power vested in me (ha), I'm happy to bestow the following Thinking Blogger Awards:

1. STATIC. The place where bestselling author (and great friend) Anne Frasier rolls in for a late night hamburger and fries. My first experience at her blog was a post on old, creepy medical equipment, something which has long fascinated me. She's taking a bit of a break now, but you'll find no lack of writing industry insights, honest advice, and just plain down-to-Earth coolness.

2. JAYE'S BLAHG. Jaye is like the smart girl in school who could easily take you in a fight. Her blog is to the point, full of great information, insightful, and funny in the way humor gets late at night just before the bars close.

3. AN INNOCENT A-BLOG. Bernita Harris is a one-of-kind. Never shrinking from telling it how it is, she guides us through technical aspects of writing, the publishing industry, human nature, mythology, and history. She also dishes out amazingly crafted poems and prose from misty, faraway times.

4. MERMAID HEALING. Mermaid is true to her name, an ancient spirit rising from the deepest oceans. Her blog is like a secret hideaway where she teaches how to hope and forgive in the midst of the fiercest storms. Her poetry burrows down and exposes what is sometimes hard to admit and even harder to let go.

5. CAMERA OBSCURA. The blog of my wonderful critique partner, Billie Hinton. If you wander her blog, you will see reflections of many of the thoughts you find here at The Clarity of Night. It was surreal to visit for the first time. She is a dedicated novelist who dares to explore the deepest human traumas. Look for great things to come from her.


UPCOMING CONTEST:
Lastly, I'd like to let everyone know that I'll be running my fifth short fiction contest in two weeks. As always, there will be great stories, cash prizes, and lots of chances to meet people and learn from each other. Look for the official announcement soon!