I recently discovered the books and online seminars offered by Kristen Lamb.  Having just finished my first novel, I felt adrift on a dangerous ocean; I knew not one thing about the publishing business.  The one thing I did know was, I needed help and fast.  I have no talent for marketing, and social media only confused me.  Today, just two weeks after I started implementing Kristen’s advice, I have more than doubled the traffic to my blog, ditto my Facebook friends and Twitter is more like a conversation than headache.

Along the way, I have met some pretty amazing people out there in the cyber-wilderness.  Diana Murdock, whose terrific blogs on random acts of kindness and meditation were some of the first I discovered, was kind enough to bestow the Versatile Blogger Award upon me.  Sweet!  Many thanks to Diana!

It is however, an award with conditions, which I am happy to comply with.  Firstly, a link back to the blogger giving the award.  Of course!  Next, provide a list of seven things about me.  Okay…

1. I love Coast to Coast AM.  Yeah, the radio program.  I am geeky enough that I download the podcasts and listen to them when I can actually stay awake and pay attention.
2. Because of #1, I love conspiracy theories.  Okay, I don’t drink the koolaid, but it’s kinda scary to see how many so-called theories have proven true.
3. I have two dogs, three cats, one fish, and chickens.  My chicken population is variable.
4. I am the woman who thought she’d never get married, married to the man who swore he’d never get married again.  No wonder I write romance!
5. No kids, kids terrify me.  I think mothers are some of the bravest people on the planet.
6. I am always reading.   I haven’t been without a book since fourth grade.  Sometimes I plan my next book to read halfway through the one I’m currently reading.  I often read a non-fiction and fiction book at the same time.
7. I love to bake bread.

Last, but most important, I am to pass the torch on, and introduce you to some of the bloggers I’ve discovered.  The requirements state 15, but as Diana also indicated, I couldn’t stop at just 15, I kept finding more to add, all I had to do was go down my new Twitter list.  Here, however, are some of the most worthy.  I hope you’ll enjoy reading them as much as I do:

1. Kait Nolan.  Her recipes at Pots and Plots are delicious, and she’s also a talented author of the paranormal.
2. Deborah J. Hughes.  I followed a link on Deborah’s Facebook page to Kristen Lamb’s blog…and you read the rest earlier.  Deborah tells her own true paranormal experiences in chilling detail.
3. Jenny Hanson.  How can you not love a blog that tells you, you need more cowbell?
4. Girls With Pens.  Written by Lisa Wilson and Marcy Kennedy, they won me with their discussion of Buffy vs. Bella.
5. Shannon Esposito.  Loves ghost tours, awesome!
6. Barbara McDowell.  Has this inspiring list of ROW80 goals.  What is ROW80?  I need to learn more.
7. Kristal Lee.  Some entertaining videos, and musings on the Rapture.  Eclectic!
8. Lynette Benton.  Helpful tools of the trade, and lots of them.

I hope you’ll visit all of them, I know you’ll enjoy their writings as much as I did.