Sunshine Blog Award

I woke up yesterday morning, opened my email, and found I'd been awarded the Sunshine Blog Award by my friend and fellow writer Jeffrey Hollar. Imagine my surprise. Jeff is known for his dark and probing tales, and I thought, "He's giving me sunshine?" :)

It turns out it is a fun way to connect writers and I'm so grateful Jeff thought of me. Thanks, Jeff. :)

So here's how this goes. It's something like the Kreativ Blogger Award in that I must give you ten "surprising" facts about myself, and then nominate ten other authors who I think you should meet (to promote them and help them sell their books). :D

1. I can't stand the taste of cilantro - it makes me gag and I'm quite happy living without it. Fredrick MacGregor doesn't like it, either. ;)
2. I've visited 8 different countries all before the age of 25 and I wasn't in the military. 
3. I've lived in India and Russia.
4. I'm a recovering volcanologist.
5. I was the mime at the Colorado Renaissance Festival for two years (can you imagine me being "silent"?)
6. I once drove 1200 miles (from Las Vegas to Albuquerque and back) just to see a hot air balloon at home. :{
7. I spent six weeks on a remote Aleutian Island, ostensibly to study the volcanoes there, but I was really studying the Harbor seals, sea otters, Aleutian terns, willow ptarmigans, caribou, and Arctic foxes. ;)
8. I can speak three languages fluently (I'm a little rusty): English, Russian, and Spanish.
9. I received 11 Arctic fox carcasses in the mail (from that remote Aleutian Island), skinned them myself, and had 4 pelts tanned.
10. For Valentine's Day one year, Mr. SM gave me a Canis dirus (Dire Wolf) skull. Isn't he sweet? :D

So there you have it. There's a reason why this blog is called The Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. ;) Below is the list of ten authors I think should receive this award. They are some of my favorites and people worth knowing.

Gem Sivad (@gemsivad)
Shannan Albright (@nae0309)
RM Sotera (@rmsotera)
Nichole Severn (@TheLVWriter)
Cara Michaels (@caramichaels)
Katie Salidas (@QuixoticKatie)
Emerald (@Emerald_GLD)
Tom Keller (@dryadsgarden)
J. Whitworth Hazzard (@zombiemechanics)
Jason McKinney (@jason_mckinney)

Check out these nominees and let the sunshine blaze! :) Thanks so much for stopping by and happy reading!