Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Very Inspired by...

If you've been around here long, you know I'm AWFUL at accepting blog awards. I let them collect for months before saying anything, and so it's that magic time to do something about them.


Very Inspiring Blogger Award: Thank you so much Sharon Himsl and Gina Stoneheart for nominating me! (And sorry it's taken 6 months to say that.)

Rules for the Nominees:
1. Thank the person who nominated you, and link to their blog.
2. Display the award logo.
3. Nominate 15 other bloggers (more or less) and provide a link where they may be found.
4. Go to their blog, leave a comment to let them know they have been nominated.
5. Mention three things that inspired you the most during the past few weeks.

My 3 inspirations:

1. I'm just about to finish reading a second book to the kids for summer. We enjoyed The School for Good and Evil, and are now finishing up The Eighth Day. Both are awesome reads. It's been amazing sharing these reading adventures with my littles for so many reasons. First, to watch their reactions and really see first hand what engaging writing looks like. Second, I'm a ham. Do you know how long it's been since I had a chance to act? I really would do pretty well if I decided to become and audiobook narrator. 






2. Cheese. (Enough said.)





3. This:




I wish I could nominate all of you, but tagging would take me a week straight, and let's face it: I have a baby. ;) Regardless, I adore you just as much as the people I nominated today. (Because you're beyond epic.)

My nominees:

Randi Lee--Whose optimism and kind words are like fresh air.
Krystal Jane--I'm not sure any blogger gets me laughing quite so hard. (Love you, Krystal!)
Ian AKA Botanist--Ian's deep thoughts really register with me, not to mention he put out an AMAZING Sci-fi book.
Elizabeth Seckman--If my blogging circle had a heart, Elizabeth would be it. Sweetest. Blogger. Ever.
Amy @ Involuntary Smiles--Amy has her priorities exactly where they belong. She's my hero.
Kristin Smith--I love her attitude, her sense of design, her hair. (Two thumbs WAY up.)
Jennifer Hawes--I don't know what it is, but I felt like I connected with Jennifer right away. Maybe it was the curls. Friends for life.
Robyn Campbell--Oh, Robyn. She has been through the ringer these last couple months, but she inspires me with her attitude, her friendliness, and her continued encouragement of others--despite her own struggles. You're a light, Robyn.
Liz Blocker--I love this woman. We kind of met over a disagreement (or that was my first memorable conversation with her), but Liz is the very essence of awesome, and beyond accepting. I couldn't imagine the blogosphere without her.
Sharon K. Mayhew--I think this woman has edited more people's books for free than I have hairs. She now does it professionally, but I love that she's always ready to give of herself.
Linda R. Young--A total multi-tasker, I applaud Linda. Here's a woman after my own heart.


Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?

Two weeks ago Laura Masiano shared with us SCHISM, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook!  

Laura's Game:

1. Laura got lost on the side of a mountain in Japan during a monsoon at night and hitchhiked back to her hotel.
2. She's eaten live octopus where the tentacles were still moving and the little suckers really do stick inside your teeth.
3. As a waitress, Shaq sat at her table and asked her advice on which concert to take his girlfriend to (Rickey Martin or Enrique Iglesias).

THE LIE: #2. Laura saw this on Amazing Race and decided she'd never do that. She'd end up losing.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Congrats, Sandra! 

And now for this week's game... 

It is twenty-five years after the events of Price of Vengeance. Deirdre and her sisters have returned to their home planet of Etrusci after completing their training with the Finnian Shock Forces. Their homecoming plans are disrupted when their mother, High Priestess Celinia, and other leaders of the clergy are taken hostage, and their father, Colonel Liam O’Connor, disappears. In their desperate search for their father, they discover that the Rebellion is secretly building weapons that could end civilization as they know it.

Meanwhile, Liam has been befriended by a Rebel war criminal, a woman Deirdre has sworn to kill. Will Deirdre cast herself into the role of judge, jury, and executioner, or will she discover the promise of mercy?

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 
Kurt D. Springs is presently an adjunct professor of anthropology and archaeology in New Hampshire. He holds a PhD. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as a Master of Literature in archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master of Liberal Arts in anthropology and archaeology from the Harvard University Extension School. His main area of interest is megalithic landscapes in prehistoric Ireland.

Kurt also writes reviews on Kurt's Frontier for Invincible Love of Reading.

Professor Springs currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire.

You might run across this guy eating Kerry Gold’s Dubliner late at night. (Call it a guilty pleasure.)
Kurt gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win a print book and bookmark for PROMISE OF MERCY. (U.S. and Canadian residents only.)

You have until Tuesday, July 29 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on July 30.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math, a Master of Liberal Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology, a Master of Literature in Archaeology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology.
2. Both of his parents are retired research chemists.
3. He's never published in Archaeology.
So sleuths, which is the lie? What has inspired you lately? Do you think blog awards are fun, or a pain?

66 comments:

  1. Hi Crystal - congratulations on the award ... and you've passed it on to some wonderful bloggers. Also the newbie looks so delightful - wonderful picture of Dad with her ...

    Enjoy the summer and have fun reading and blogging and writing and cuddling ... cheers Hilary

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  2. Congrats on the award. Love your inspirations. So cool you're reading Dianne's book with your kids. And love the picture of your sweet baby.

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  3. Congrats on the award! That picture is adorable :)

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  4. Aw, thanks, Crystal!! I'm honored, truly! Congrats on the award and thanks so much for nominating me. I think you have a pretty good excuse for waiting 6 months—and she's a precious one! :)

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  5. Congrats on your award! You have great inspirations :)

    I have no idea what the lie is.

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  6. Thank you so much, Crystal!! I do remember that disagreement - and I'm so glad we're friends, anyway:) Congratulations on this well-deserved award. And your daughter is so beautiful!!!

    Oh, and I might be terrible at accepting this, too, but I'll get to it :)

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  7. Congrats on the award! Your daughter is adorable. And as for the lie, I'll go with #3.

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  8. Your little one is adorable. You deserve that award.
    Susan Says

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  9. Congrats on the award! Cheese and your baby girl are perfect inspirations. The School for Good and Evil sounds like a neat book. I'll have to look into that to read to my nephews. :)

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  10. You are very inspiring! Congrats and keep it up!

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  11. Not sure I'd ever get inspired by cheese, but the rest are perfect indeed haha

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  12. Thank you for visiting my blog! I like your list of inspiring things. Cheese is always a good thing. :) Your baby is adorable.

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  13. Aww, thank you, Crystal!! ^_^ Those quotes are perfect.

    A PhD in anthropology and archaeology!! I need someone like that on my buddy list for one of my story ideas. I'm going to branch out and say #1 is a lie because he really has a bachelors in something else like biology or literature. Slight of hand? :)

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  14. Congrats on the award, aren't they wonderful. Cute baby, congrats on that too!
    I'm guessing #3 - what a fun game.
    Good luck with you book - sounds intriguing!

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  15. Cute quotes. Being a geek, I love the 'install new software' one!

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  16. Congrats on the award! I'm guessing #3 is the lie. Congrats to Kurt! Love that cover too!

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  17. I like number three, but I'll tell you right now I rarely catch a lie. I'm too trusting I guess. :-)

    Anna from Elements of Writing

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  18. I'd love to make a living as a children's audiobook narrator. I would totally rock it. Right now I'm reading Devil's Donkey by Bill Brittain to my Urchins. I love this book and have been waiting since I was in 5th grade and my elementary school librarian read it to me to be able to read it to my own kiddos. They're loving it. So, dream come true!! :)

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  19. You're baby is an angel!!! Congrats on the award and on sharing your love of books with your kids (Isn't EIGHTH DAY awesome?!). Have a great day!

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  20. Congratulations on the award! Congrats also to the nominees! That sweet little baby of yours is absolutely precious. Hands down super cute. Please give her kisses from me!

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  21. I've often been told the cake is a lie, but I'm not sure if that's applicable to this game.

    Cheers to the award. And the cute baby. I feel like the baby is slightly more important, but still, congratulations for both!

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  22. Crystal your baby is a darling but I'm sure you are totally aware of this... and who doesn't love cheese (I can't imagine :-) ....) ... Thank you for your kind comment as always, havd an amazing week ♡ xox

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  23. Congrats on the award and the nominees! I see a couple of my favorites made the list.
    And your baby is adorable!
    I'm voting for #3. I had to reread #1 a couple of times--that's a lot of degrees to wrap my head around.

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  24. Sounds like an awesome summer--I love your inspirations! Congrats on the award (and I really bad about accepting them too, somehow they slip through the cracks!).

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  25. Congratulations, my friend. And what an honor. Thank you so very much. Today I started trying to get around to see everyone. And lo and behold. There I am on your blog. Thank you. It cheered me at a time when I needed cheering. Can I have a kissy from that beautiful little one? And then some cheese (of course!). xoxoxo

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  26. Okay. I just saw your post at my blog. SMOOCHES (and cheese).

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  27. Congrats on the award, well deserved.

    I can't imagine getting lost in Japan in a monsoon! That would be kind of frightening I should think.

    I'm going to go with #2 being the lie because it's in the middle. :)

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  28. Congrats on the award. The baby is tots adorable.

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  29. Congrats! You second inspiration is epic, but i think you'd third edges it out!

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  30. That baby is darling!
    Thanks for the win:)
    And I'm so relieved that I'm no longer the last one to get the blogger award posted. Thanks for that. grin.

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  31. Thank you for the visit! Congratulations on your award. Inspiration #3 is simple adorable. I'm going to guess that #2 is the lie.

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  32. #3 is the lie...never is a long time ;)

    And thanks so much, Crystal, for the nomination. You're a sweetheart. Big hugs!!

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  33. Congratulations to you and the newly designated nominees of The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Very cool, indeed. And you’ve got some serious inspiration going there, Crystal, particularly #3. What a terrific pic!

    VR Barkowski

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  34. This is a well deserved award for sure. Congrats and it was fun to read about your inspirations. Who wouldn't be inspired by that beautiful little one?? Darling picture!

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  35. Loved your inspirations, especially that you're a ham. ;) So may well-deserving recipients. YAY! for them. Looking forward to what they write. (And psst...I completely stink at responding to blog awards, too.)

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  36. I'll say the lie is #1. Blog awards are a great way to fill in a day when you've got nothing else much going on, although I hate passing them off to others.

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  37. Look at all those awards! And look at that BEAUTIFUL BABY!!!! Okay, maybe moms are a little over the top, but that baby is adorbs!

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  38. Lovely inspirations, Crystal. Congrats on the blog award. I tend to forget about them, especially when you have to nominate so many people! But you did it, busy mum that you are! All looking good! :-)

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  39. Adorable baby! I loved The Eighth Day, too :)

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  40. Your inspirations are off-the-charts precious - especially #3!

    I imagine people who've published in archaeology have white/gray hair (How's that for stereotyping?), so I'm guessing #3 is the lie.

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  41. Congrats! And awwwww. Cute baby! :)

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  42. Your daughter is adorable! (Does she eat baby bella cheese...?)

    Very cool that you're reading Dianne's books to your kids. Have you read Connie Keller's books to them yet? They involved time travel, are action-packed, and even educational. (Win-win-win!)

    Okay, let me flip my three-sided coin to take a guess on which one is the fib. Let's say #2. (That's as good a number as any...)

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  43. I'll guess the lie is #2.

    My parents used to read to me too, though when I got older, they sometimes were annoyed to discover I'd read ahead on my own, and was no longer at the same place we left off together.

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  44. Love the picture of your daughter! She's adorable!

    I'll guess number 3 is the lie.

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  45. Hi, Cheese Woman! Love the photos, and congrats on your award! (even tho the announcement is late, haha). The books look good, too. Keep on multi-tasking!

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  46. Congrats on the award. Loved all the photos, especially of the adorable one! Thanks for all links.

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  47. Woo-hoo for Kristin! She's the best. And everyone else too, but as she's my CP, I'm a little biased. ;)

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  48. Congrats on the award, especially the baby picture, so cute! I think it'd be fun to be an audiobook narrator. It makes me think back to grade school when the teacher would read to us; I still miss that sometimes.

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  49. okay I'll say 3 is the lie? and your daughter is so adorable!

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  50. How're your British Accents? I'll be looking into turning my books into audiobooks soon. ;-)

    I think #1 is a lie, but only because Math is seen as a science or commerce direction in my country, so it's a wild guess.

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  51. congratulations on the award and on the baby !!!

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  52. Congratulations on the award, Crystal.

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  53. I think 3 is the lie.

    Congrats to Sandra.

    Cute baby pic. :) I'm also bad about posting awards. I think I skipped a few.

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  54. Congrats on your blog award!

    I.. uh... the lie is number 2?

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  55. I'm not sure how I feel about awards - I've never been nominated for one, as far as I know, and I don't think I'd accept one if I was, since I don't think my blog (or blogging) is anything really special. *shrug*

    But I do agree that Liz is awesome. ^_^

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  56. That baby's looking darned adorable! I don't do awards anymore, so congrats on following through. And 3 is definitely the lie. I think.

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  57. I'm always terrible with awards, too. Ha, I love that owl pic!! And Kurt's book sounds fun :)

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  58. Hello Crystalicious! Your baby daughter is adorable! Awwwww.

    Well, I think that number 3 is the lie.

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  59. Awards are fun as long as you have the time to deal with them. I'll pick number 1 as the lie because only crazy people have degrees in math. Like me.

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  60. I'll go with 3 being the lie. I bet Professor Springs would be an interesting guy to speak to. His book sounds fun. And I love to read with my kiddos! My son is starting to prefer reading by himself instead of with me, and it makes me sad, but I knew it was coming.

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  61. Congrats Cystal! :) And can I just say...your little one is just a darling! Your three inspiring points (and meme's) made me crack up. Esp. the chocolate and $6 million. Yep. I'd love that. :P

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  62. Congratulations on your award! Love the typewriter :-)
    I'll say #3 is the lie...

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  63. always so much awesome! love the award pics, you should totally do voiceover! and those bloggers are all terrific! congrats, because you really are an inspirational blogger. absolutely.
    and I'm guessing lie #3, cool book and i like the action cover.

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  64. Congrats all around. I think #3 is the lie.

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  65. Cute baby! And thanks for the mention. Just returned from 3 week's camping (mostly without internet) which is why it's taken so long to check in. Finally getting straightened out and catching up...

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  66. Congratulations on the awards! You amaze me girlfriend! You are always working or being the ultimate mom! Thanks for the kind words. It made my day. :)

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Hit me with your cheese!