Awards

The Benefits of Blog Awards

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Kate Policani

Have you ever been included in a Blog Award? There are tons of them and you can’t blog for long without seeing them everywhere. But are they anything but a shout-out to your friends?

I think the most valuable thing I’ve received from a Blog Award is the networking! I got new follows and views from people I might never have found online through my blog awards. Each link is a connection to innumerable others who may find your blog. Whether you’re just looking for blog publicity, or whether you’re trying to promote something else through your blog, this is really the reward you get with a Blog Award. Plus, you get to pass it on to others too.

Besides that, blog awards provide you with content you might not otherwise get. If you’ve committed to regular blogging, you know how hard it is to create content sometimes. A lot of a Blog Award is already planned for you.

So I’d like to give an extra “Thank You” to everyone who has included me in their Blog Awards, shared their networks with me, and given me content for my blog! If you’ve been reluctant to join in on the Blog Awards, I’d encourage you to reconsider.

Categories: Awards | Tags: blog awards, blogging, network, promotions, reasons, views, Writing | 5 Comments

Reader Appreciation Award

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Kate Policani

Enormous thanks to Laura, The Quillwielder for her nomination for the Reader Appreciation Award. I love these things and I’m honored!

Reader Appreciation Award rules:

1) Include the award logo somewhere in your blog.

2) Answer these 10 questions, below, for fun if you want to.

3) Nominate 10 to 12 blogs you enjoy. Or you pick the number.

4) Pay the love forward: Provide your nominee’s link in your post and comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been included and invited to participate.

5) Pay the love back with gratitude and a link to the blogger(s) who nominated you.

The Questions for the Reader Appreciation Award:

1) What is your favorite color?

Today it is yellow. It might be a different color later in the day. I change favorite colors based on my moods.

2) What is your favorite animal?

That’s a hard one. I like them all. I’ll say birds because they are so interesting and resourceful.

3) What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

Mocha, preferably with hazelnut or salted caramel flavor.

4) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook. Twitter confuses and overwhelms me with all the input.

5) Favorite pattern?

This is a weird question. I’ll say, the self-fulfilling prophecy.

6) Do you prefer getting or giving presents?

Giving! I love making people smile.

7) Favorite number?

A googleplex.

8) Favorite day of the week?

Today

9) Favorite flower?

Pansy. They are pretty and they are an annual that survives the winter so I feel like I’m getting a super-good bargain.

10) What is your passion?

Jesus is my passion. Nothing else has any value for me without the sacrifice he made.

Blog Nominees:

Since this is reader appreciation, I’ll nominate my most avid blog readers! I’ll do 5.

Maria Tatham

Rosysophia

NewEngland_Muse

Tahlia Newland

Jaxpress

Categories: Awards | Tags: appreciation, award, blogger, blogging, questions, quillweilder, readers | 7 Comments

Winner of the Book Giveaway!

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Kate Policani

Congratulations, John Betcher! You’ve won the book giveaway!

Categories: Awards | Tags: Author, blog, book, comment, contest, giveaway, review, win, winner | 3 Comments

Sunshine Award!

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Kate Policani

Thank you Lolo for nominating me for the Sunshine Award and always putting a smile on face!

Please check out her blog: http://lolosofocused.wordpress.com

Here are the rules for the award:

Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
Answer 10 questions about yourself.
Nominate other fabulous bloggers.
Link your nominees to this post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

What is a favorite childhood memory? – I loved the feeling of really believing I was a unicorn or a princess. I entered fully into my play and felt like I was the thing I imagined.

What is a real fear you have? I am afraid bad things will happen to my kids. I see little movies in my head of awful things and I panic a little. It’s a real opportunity to trust God.

How would you describe yourself? I’m a complete nerd. I try really hard to look and act normal, but deep down I’m a total geek.
What Countries have you lived in? United States of America

What is your style? Action-ready and as nice as I can manage without ruining nice clothes. I confess, I occasionally buy clothing items at Costco. If given the opportunity, though, I always choose the most expensive item in a store. It’s a talent.

What is your favorite breakfast food? I have no particular favorite, but rather choose based on what keeps me from having hypoglycemia later in the morning.

What are some of your hobbies? Writing, reading, home improvement, crafts, singing, cooking, sewing. I used to have more, but I’m too busy.

If you could tell people anything, what would be the most important thing to say? Jesus loves you, died for you (you sinner), and all you have to do is accept it.

What is one of your passions? I am passionate about kids and helping them grow up awesome.

What is the one truth you have learned? People are not basically good, but they aren’t any worse or better than I am.

And here are my 10 nominees (my newest blog followers):

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, blogging, facts, followers, fun, lolosofocused, Sunshine Award | 6 Comments

Kreativ Blogger Award

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Kate Policani

This is my first nomination for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

Thank you to Laura the Quillwielder for nominating me!

The Rules:

1. Thank my nominator and provide a link to their blog

2. List seven things that readers might find interesting about me

3. Nominate seven other bloggers

4. Do the Hokey Pokey and turn yourself around. (Just kidding!)

Seven things:

This time I’m going to choose seven things that are not about me.

I have never smoked a cigarette (not including sidestream smoke)
I have never had a root canal.
I have never broken a major bone. (Maybe a toe, but not sure.)
I have never been off this continent.
I have never tried a martini.
I have never owned an Apple product.
I have never written a letter to a publisher.

Seven bloggers:

http://inspirationnet.wordpress.com/

http://pagesunforgotten.wordpress.com/

http://newenglandmuse.wordpress.com/

http://christianfantasyforwomen.com/

http://www.savannahpage.com

http://jmmcdowell.com/

http://clairemca.wordpress.com/

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, bloggers, blogging, fun, Kreativ Blogger, seven things | 8 Comments

100th Follower!!!

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Kate Policani

My official 100th follower has just clicked that “follow” button on my blog! Thank you,

http://braininjuryselfrehabilitation.com/ You are my 100th follower! Please email me at katepolicani@gmail.com to get your prize! I’m going to give you ebook or print copies of both my books!

Categories: Awards | 2 Comments

The Versatile Blogger Award

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Kate Policani

Versatile Blogger Award 2012

What a great way to start 2012!

This award is given to bloggers, by bloggers (another reason I love the blogging community).

Now for the details, here’s how it works:

If you are nominated, thank the award giver and link back to them in your blog post
Share seven things about yourself
Pass this award along to recently discovered blogs you enjoy reading (some say to 15 some say to less than that.. I did 15).
Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award and post the award picture

I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by Kate (such a cool name!) at http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/post-about-handing-out-versatile-blogger-awards/

and earlier by J.M. McDowell during the Christmas rush http://jmmcdowell.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/thank-you-the-versatile-blogger-award/

Thank you to Kate and J. M. for the award! I really appreciate it!

Seven things about me:

1. This is my first official public blog! I never had anything else to blog about so I never bothered before. I posted one for my own amusement but never tagged anything or connected with anyone really. I was really missing out!

2. If you asked me before 2007 if I would become a writer I would have said “no.”

3. I enjoy using my writers’ vocabulary in everyday conversation and it sometimes gets me strange looks, but usually people just think I’m smart (or a smarty-pants).

4. I am aware that I use way too many exclamation marks!!!!! It is a secondary affliction to my addiction to writing fiction!!!

5. I’ve been married for almost 16 years and I got married when I was 20. Yet somehow, I’m still 29….

6. My name was supposed to be just “Katie” but Mom was under anesthetic and Dad wrote “Katherine.”

7. I have been to Hawaii and St. Barths, both for work, and I prefer Hawaii.

Here are the 15 bloggers who deserve this award–they are sort-of in order of discovery. You should follow them all and read and/or comment on their most excellent posts!

1. http://christianfantasyforwomen.com/

2. http://newenglandmuse.wordpress.com/

3. http://womenthrillerwriters.com/ also blogging at http://pamelahegarty.com

4. http://jeanewatier.wordpress.com/

5. http://alannahmurphy.co.uk/

6. http://sarahwinters.wordpress.com/

7. http://themonstrumchronicles.wordpress.com/

8. http://www.jaclynsmusings.com/

9. http://rebeccaberto.wordpress.com/

10. http://maggiepublishing.wordpress.com/

11. http://rosysophia.wordpress.com/ also blogging at http://rosasophia.com/

12. http://pigletinapoke.com/

13. http://cameliamironskiba.wordpress.com/

14. http://jaydesummers.wordpress.com/

15. http://bindo.wordpress.com/

Categories: Awards | Tags: award, blogging, community, promotion, reading, versatile blogger award, Writing | 15 Comments

The Candle Lighter Award

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Kate Policani

The Candle Lighter Award

Originator, Believe Anyway

Special thanks to Maria Tatham for awarding me the Candle Lighter Award! I am honored and so glad that my blog has lit up the web for you! The Candle Lighter Award originated from the blog, Believe Anyway.

Quotes from the site:

“I call my award The Candle Lighter Award. It is for blogs and bloggers that light a candle in the darkness with their blog.”

“I think people that are going through the efforts to be positive and make the world better through their efforts and blogs deserve to be recognized. I am always looking for encouragement and ‘light’. I want my faith, my optimism, and my love for life to help to set the world ablaze.”

I’m passing along this award to:

Angela Fish, the Caffinated Autism Mom is a dear friend from College, my “secret sister” (go Barkers!) and a fabulous mom with two amazing boys struggling with the challenges of autism. Angela takes her challenges with humor and valor, trusting God to work out the details. She uses her site to raise awareness and aid other moms struggling with the same challenges.

and

Laura Pfundt, the Quillwielder is a web-friend from the other side of the world, who fills her blog with interesting and helpful info for writers. I don’t know what her faith is, but she definitely makes the web brighter with her supportive and welcoming attitude! Not only does she spread light with her blog, but she has taken it off-blog too. She has given me a fantastic critique for The Lustre which has given me almost double the word count and made my writing doubly good! Thanks again, Laura!

Congratulations, Angela and Laura, for lighting candles! Enjoy your award and pass it along to sites you admire.