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/