Purr, purr...

(FYI... I turned thirty-six on Friday. No biggie, though I did feel a twinge of sadness to say goodbye to thirty-five, which was a pretty decent year, all things considered!)

Anywho... I received two unexpected "birthday gifts" last week from fellow writers Jason Evans and Hoodie: The opportunity to call myself a lioness!

Yippee! Meoooooow!

Here's the deal (as I understand it.) Seamus started a Shameless Lions Writing Circle and encouraged bloggers to "tag" other bloggers to receive the honor of "A Roar for Powerful Words".

As Seamus explains:

"How does it work?

Below are copies of the award that we can each distribute to those people who have blogs we love, can't live without, where we think the writing is good and powerful.

I thought interested members could kick things off by publishing the award on their own blog, naming five people they would like to give it to (members or non-members), and accompany the image with three things they believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful. The recipients then do the same, passing it on to five other people, and so on."

Suffice it to say that I feel quite surprised by this delightful gift!

Of course, the rules state that I have to name three things I believe make for good writing, so here goes:

#1. Objectivity - I heard recently that Ayn Rand (whose work I adore) wouldn't allow any edits of Atlas Shrugged, comparing her literary child to The Holy Bible. Though I do appreciate Rand's fiction and vision, I can't help but wonder how much better her work might have become if she didn't treat it like a "baby". I know that it's tough to step away from your words, but editors are in place for a reason. Without them, writing wouldn't be the same.

#2. Humor - There's a romanticized notion that every author broods in a garret, locked away from the rest of humanity. S/he is usually angry, cynical and humorless, determined to capture images and stories before being called upon by the Grim Reaper. For me, that kind of attitude wouldn't do. I like being able to laugh at myself. (And believe me, I do it every morning when I check out my growing fanny in the mirror. Ugh. Did I mention I'm a year older?)

#3. Persistence - Obviously, the best writers are damn persistent. They have to be. The competition is fiercer than ever, and if you don't keep throwing your hat in the ring, you'll be lost. I'm fortunate to have a sales background which helps me tremendously in this area; even though there are days that stink out loud, I keep coming back like a jonesin' junkie.

Okay... now the really fun part! Naming some other bloggers for the award!

My first nominee is...

Jennifer Chait, from Offbeat Homes, 7 Babes a Blogging, and Balance! She's such a friendly writer that you really feel like you're invited to share her life. I never get the sense that she's being anything other than herself; it's that kind of attitude that keeps me coming back!

My second nominee is...

Mary Whitsell, from ResidentAlien. Mary's posts are incredibly thoughtful and persuasive. She's obviously an introspective person and I adore her musings. (In fact, one of them was the inspiration for the contest that just wrapped up here at Recess for Writers!)

My third (and final) nominee is...

Beth, from The Perfect Neurotic. This gal has a wonderful sense of humor as well as the ability to generate tons of commentary. She's also just someone you want to know better.

Congratulations to the nominees! You're all PURRRRFECT!

Collect your awards at http://theshamelesslionswritingcircle.blogspot.com/2007/11/roar-for-powerful-words.html.