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The 84th Academy Awards will be televised on Sunday, February 26th at 7pm EST. If you are interested in a run-down of the nominees, you can go to the Official Site of the Academy Awards.
The Blogosphere has its own awards that one blogger can confer on another blogger. Among the many awards are the Versatile Blogger Award, the Stylish Blogger Award, the Kreativ Blogger Award and the Liebster Blog Award.
I was honored to receive the Liebster Blog Award yesterday from Patricia Tilton, an amazing woman who has been in love with writing for most of her life. Please visit her Children’s Books Heal blog to learn more about this special lady. I’ve connected with Pat in Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge and in Susannah Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Fridays. If you love picture books and children, you will love all of these talented authors.
“Liebster is a German word, meaning dearest or beloved, but it can also mean favorite. The idea behind the Liebster Blog Award is that it is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to create new connections and bring attention to their wonderful blogs!”
In accepting this award, I must thank the giver, add the award to my blog, list five things about myself people don’t know and select five bloggers to whom I want to give the Liebster Blog Award.
Patricia…Thank you so much. I truly am grateful for the award…but connecting with you and the others who have motivated me to return to writing picture books is, in itself, the ultimate reward for me!
I’ve posted the award logo…so on to five things about me that most of you might not know.
- Heights are not my favorite thing, but I went skydiving with my son last year in Chicago. I had a ball. You can click on the link to see the video.
- Oceans and swimming are also not my favorite things, but I went on an undersea walk with a Jules Verne-type helmet on my head during a trip to the Caribbean. It was an amazing experience!
- Decades ago, I almost failed the verbal part of my teachers’ license exam because of a panic attack…but I managed to collect myself and continue on, even though my hands were sweating, my knees were knocking and my teeth were chattering.
- In addition to being a kindergarten and Head Start teacher before I had children, I also operated a home daycare for many years while my own children were growing up. At the same time, I helped my husband in his financial planning business and had to get licensed as a registered insurance and investment representative. Talk about juggling many hats!
- When my children were small, I wrote several picture book drafts that lay languishing in boxes or were lost during our many moves. I’m thrilled to be back writing picture books…thank you, Julie and Susannah…and I keep a notebook and pen with me at all times (by the bed, in my handbag and yes, even in the bathroom) in case a brilliant thought comes upon me and I need to write it down before it returns to the universe from whence it came.
And now here are five wonderful bloggers who I’d like to give the Liebster Blog Award.
Amberr at Like a Bump on a Blog
Elizabeth at Mirth and Motivation
Nancy at Spirit Lights the Way
Milka at Perfecting Motherhood
I honestly don’t know how many followers each of these bloggers have already…but I know I enjoy reading their posts regularly…they make me laugh and cry…they teach me things I didn’t know and make me think…so please go and check them out!
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
I am so glad you are back writing picture books, Vivian and I am totally envious of your underwater Jules Verne walk. You sound quite a daredevil.
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It’s a funny thing, Joanna…I always saw myself as timid and shy as a child..and not very adventuresome. It was my older sister who joined Campfire Grils and other groups to “do” things…I just wanted to stay home and read books and draw with my crayons. 🙂 But, I guess there was an inner core of something, which enabled me to move ahead and take on challenges. Reminds me of Shy Charles…maybe that should be my next PPBF selection. 🙂
By the way, the walk was AWESOME…like going on a nature hike, but under the water. 🙂
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How exciting! Did you get any pb ideas from the Jules verbe experience? I gave you the Liebster yesterday too, don’t worry you don’t have to do another post. I’ve just been and followed your blogging friends, thanks!
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Catherine…I do thank you so much!
I’ve got to run now and get ready for work…but I will go to your blog and comment there when I get home tonight. 🙂
Odd you should mention the Jules Verne walk in connection with Picture Books…I didn’t think of it when I did the walk…but just the other day an idea came to me…maybe it will surface as one of my 12 x 12. 🙂
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Thanks for the award, Viv! And thanks for sharing positivity here.
I’m so glad that you continue to embrace challenges in your life ~ skydiving, undersea diving, and now you’ve been drawn back into picture books by Julie’s challenge . . . a FUN challenge, indeed! 😀
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OH YES…FUN INDEED!
Honestly though, Nancy…you are one of my inspirations to “just do it” and decide what is good and pursue it. I did miss the writing…but didn’t realize how much or how important it was to me until I sat down the the ideas started bubbling over. 🙂
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Vivian,
You are such a wonderful part of the 12 x 12 community – thank you for bringing us your joy and spirit! I also admire your tenacity in plunging into adventures that scare you. That is inspiring!
Also, I love Nancy’s blog too! 🙂
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Hi Julie,
I’m sure you can “hear” the joy and passion in my posts and comments when I talk about the PB writing. It really means so much to me to have found this amazing writing community who support and encourage each other!
Nancy steered me to you…I am so thankful for that. 🙂
Yes, my husband says I am the most tenacious person he has ever encountered…but sweet and loving at the same time…he adds the latter comment because he loves my dinners and wants me to keep them coming. 🙂
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Vivian, you have have done some very interesting things from sky to sea. Can’t imagine jumping out of a plane or walking on the bottom of the sea. What strikes me in what you’ve shared is that you won’t let anything get in your way and take it on as a challenge. I am so glad you are part of our writing community and are writing again. You bring a lot to the writing community.
It’s also fun for me to see the delight from the bloggers you selected.
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Being part of the writing community is more important than I ever would have believed. I always wrote “on my own” …with not much input from others. But I see how valuable critique and feedback is…and I am looking forward to it with my present and future writing. 🙂
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Well, thank you for the award. Although now I realize you’ve signed me up for some homework. 😉
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Hi Milka,
Please don’t stress about it…put it on the side, if necessary and post the award at your convenience. I know exactly what you mean. 🙂
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What a pleasure to learn more about you, Vivian. You deserve every award that comes your way. Thank you kindly for the mention here, too. I’m flattered.
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Hi Amberr,
You are so welcome…you deserve it…I love your blog!
And thank you for your kind words. 🙂
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Congratulations on your award Vivian and thank you for sharing it with us! I admire your get-up-and-go approach to life and it doesn’t surprise me that you have faced your fears and conquered them. The day we connected on the blogosphere, the angels sang and I remain grateful for our blog friendship! TY for adding my blog to your list! 🙂
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Eliz, I think of you not only as a friend…but also as a blogging mentor. I am always in awe of your posts…the photography is fantastic…and your words are always inspirational.
Thank you for your encouragement and support!
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Vivian – You are such a generous soul and I’m humbled by this award! I’ll get to work on dispersing it in kind as soon as I dig my tiara out from the pile of soccer shoes, hiking boots and shin guards that seem to be multiplying in my closet faster than rabbits! ; )
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You see, Barb…even your comments are hilarious! You definitely deserved that award!
It’s a funny thing, Barb…now that our kids have grown up and started their own families far afield, my husband must realize that I would miss those piles and brimming over closets…so he has stepped in and stepped up to keep me from getting homesick and missing all of that mess by creating it anew for me. 🙂 🙂
No worries about the award dispersing…you’ll get to it when you get to it. 🙂
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