Oct 14, 2011

Pay it Forward Blogfest and A SCARY GOOD BOOK

First of all, today is a great day because the Tigers and the Red Wings won last night! Yeah!

Okay, so let's get down to business. Today I am taking part in Matt McNish and Alex Cavanaugh's Pay it Forward Blogfest! I will be highlighting three blogs that I really want you to know about. I will briefly describe them and then let you follow the link. Hopefully, you will become a follower once on the other end of the link. Let's get started.

1. Anita Laydon Miller's Blog (AND Anita Laydon Miller's Middle Grade Blog, oops - is that cheating?) With each blog, Anita gives her readers anecdotes about her personal life and her writing life, and how the two tie together. She asks for advice, gives advice, and shares techniques learned through her classes as she works toward an MFA. Anita has been a rock for me since I started blogging, and I am so thankful for her friendship and her nagging.

Anita recently released her second self-published children's ebook, A Scary Good Book. I love the title and cover of her latest release, but the inside is even more amazing. Children and adults will be wowed by the thrills and chills, but Anita grounds this great kids ebook with moments of reality and depth. The characters are easy to relate to one minute and totally annoying the next - that is a great skill in writing, in my opinion. Anita rings several seemingly unrelated events together and knocked my socks off with the ending.

I really want you to give A Scary Good Book a chance, head to Anita's buy page to see Anita's answers to many ebook-related FAQ's.

2. Jedi! Ninja! Homeboy!, which is the virtual home of writer Bryan Bliss. Beside having a kick ass author name, Bryan is one insightful son of a gun. His posts are so deep, but also hilarious. At times, I feel like I am reading a Sherman Alexie/John Green hybrid. But Bryan really has a unique voice and perspective that is hard to find. His critiques are amazing too. Why should you follow his blog? Well, Bryan needs your readership and you need Bryan's humor. Win-win.

3. Mia Hayson, a Scottish writer around my age, has one of the highest quality blogs out there. My Literary Jam and Toast has a lot of followers, but every time I go there, she has very few comments. I just don't get it. Mia is always good for sweet, custom-made infrographics, zombie related everything, and just heartwarming well wishes for everyone. I really think I am in love with her. And Scotland.


20 comments:

  1. Thanks for the fantastic blogs! I don't know the first one. Hopping over...

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  2. Great suggestions--I'm going to check them out (I know Anita, of course, already!)

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  3. Cool suggestions! I'm on my way! ;)

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  4. Thanks for taking part Jon! I don't think I've been to Bryan's blog in like a year.

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  5. I don't know the second one! Thanks for the spotlights, Jon. :-)

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  6. Thanks Jon! I wasn't familiar with the third one. :)

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  7. Bryan Bliss is a great name, but the blog name is cool, too! Must check this one out.

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  8. Thanks for the suggestions! It is nice to meet you through the blog hop. I will definitely check out the links!

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  9. Awesome links! Thanks for sharing. The zombie and jedi loving geek in me was thrilled. :)

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  10. Great picks, and you made me giggle when you said you are thankful for Anita's friendship and nagging.! (I'm thankful too!)

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  11. Thank you so much for the mention and the kind words! I like to think Husband is as appreciative of my nagging, but probably he enjoys the %*^ more. Hah! A SCARY GOOD BOOK is such a freaking huge PART OF MY LIFE now, so I love when people enjoy the book. Big hug to you!!!

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  12. Hi Jonathan! Sorry it's been so long since I dropped by. I'll definitely check these other ones out. Thanks!

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  13. Sounds like some great blog picks for me to read, will have a look as I blog hop about!

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  14. Hi Jon! I follow both of Anita's blogs and read her book and loved it. I hadn't heard of the other two bloggers, so thanks for the recommendation!

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  15. i missed the pay it forward hop, so coming fashionably late to say hello! nice to meet you :)

    oh--i once won an award for biggest slacker lol

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  16. Thanks for the links -- heading over...

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  17. All - Thanks for coming by and supporting my friends!

    Anita - You made me LAUGH!

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  18. Great blogs! I'm visiting and following them now. Been a long time since I've visited yours. Happy Wednesday!


    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

    Can Alex save Winter from the darkness that hunts her?

    YA Paranormal Romance, Darkspell releases October 31st!

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  19. Let's see. Anita, check, check, check.

    Bryan, check.

    Mia, check.

    What else do you have for me??!!

    Okay, I'm putting Mia on my blogroll so I don't lose her. :)

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  20. Dear Jon,

    I do not remember ever reading this and if I did I have obviously had SOME KIND OF BRAIN TRANSPLANTATIONING and thus forgotten.

    Anywaddles. MY WORD! Thank you for mentioning me! Look how behind I am on my google reader! Now you all know! Only three more months to read through! Wooo!

    Tooootally totally off to browse le other LINKYS now and THEN maybe I will, you know, continue google reading.

    *TACKLEHUGS**RUNS AWAY*

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:D