Thursday, January 10, 2008



A Confidence Booster

Aside

This week I have been lucky enough to have A the above award given to me twice. First by Kenju and secondly by Eryl both are on my side- bar and both are writers I admire. I copied the paragraph below from Kenju (Judy)

“How does it work? Above 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."

So: three things I believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful.

Passion. To care so much about what you are writing you have to communicate it to others.

Diligence. To make a persistent effort to research, edit and prune and to get all the right words in the right order to achieve clarity.

The Inner voice. The voice that impels you to impart what is in your head and your heart.

This is my opinion. You may disagree.

The five I have chosen – and some of my friends have already been given this particular award. Virtually everybody on my side bar are worthy of it.

Johng In his own words:-

“I am 45, single, disabled due to an accident, broken neck, back and fractured skull. Damn falling trees!!”

I visit John on a daily basis to see what he is up to, with his visits to the pub, his love/ hate relationship with Keith and his unfailing good humour. He is very popular with both sexes and he inspires me to stop moaning and get on with it.

Randall Sherman is a lawyer from Missouri, Philosopher and Christian who I regard as a good, wise man although is of my son’s generation. He writes engagingly about his family, the outdoors and his passion for sport and although sometimes what he writes is above my head I don’t feel intimidated by it. I love his trenchant sense of humour and this is a quality all five share.

Zinnia Cyclamen was one of the reasons I started blogging two years ago. My son recommended I read her and I have been hooked ever since. She is a non religious funeral celebrant and he blog at present is composed of short stories and posts on writing; she is presently writing a novel and shares the experience. She writes beautifully and often brings a tear to one’s eyes but there is also a mischievous sense of fun which often has me smirking.

FourD hails from Oldham – a Lancashire lad I have always felt a bond with. In his own words “Married, Mortgaged, Skint, Sober (at the moment) and according to my daughter Homer Simpson in the flesh.....”

His language can be appalling but his powerful writing about his abusive childhood has shaken me to the core and with that childhood he’s entitled to a few expletives. He is passionate about his family, music and justice and he paints vivid pictures with his words as he follows his rumbustious life style.

Guyana-Gyal

“I gon tell you stories, true, true stories. Like me gran'pa and me nanee and cha cha used to do, and they ancestors too. Take half, leave half, cry or laff. Enjoy the gyaff, what you learn is up to you.”

If you don’t already know my friend GG you have a treat in store. She writes about her life with verve and humour and has the blessed ability to make you laugh and cry. Her warmth would melt the ice on a bitter February day in Whitewell Bottom. Rock on GG!

My technical ability had completely gone to pot this morning and I am struggling but cannot manage the links. All five names are on my side bar. Please just click on them. Also although I have got the lion award on Word I am not sure it is transferring to Dashboard. If it hasn’t and you want to see what it looks like please click on Eryl.

I am mortified and will get the peas out

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness.

Thank you, dear. I'm extremely flattered.

Kim Ayres said...

Superb! And very well deserved :)

Pat said...

Randall : and now you can actually see it:)

Kim: them words is balm to ma troubled spirit.

kenju said...

Thanks for doing it, Pat. I am interested to see your choices. I am already familiar with Zinnia C. and I used to read her often, then she quit for a while. I am glad to know that she is back.

Anonymous said...

There's no doubt you deserve the award and I'm so pleased you have chosen two of my other favourite bloggers, John-G and Guyana Gyal. It's very tempting to add more to my sidebar but if I did it would be too difficult to read them all regularly.
Congratulations!

Pat said...

Judy: yes I missed Zinnia a lot! I did think long and hard about the language question but in the end the 'powerful words' won.

sablonneuse: Kim and Sam and the apprentice already had been awarded. it's getting to be a family affair:)

FOUR DINNERS said...

Bewildered of Oldham...

thank you x

(mind you as I deleted the original blog it might cause a bit of confusion)

Pat said...

4d: not to worry - they'll just have to take my word for it and lots of people did read it originally. Just a part of your whole blog.

Nea said...

Congratulations on yours and your choices, all, as Kim said, very well deserved.

And 4D is now explaining confusion, so many thanks to you and all.

Heidi Grether said...

You and I share respect for 4D. I think he is quite the person.

Anonymous said...

Very good signposting, and what flattering commentaries - neatly typifying an attractive and eclectic mix of writing.

Pat said...

Shane: thank you; it's great if people discover each other.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

I'm so honoured, Pat, I'm in excellent company. Thank you.

Everytime I feel like my writing energy is flagging, I think of all the bloggers with their various troubles, how they keep on keepin' on.

Your award is only going to encourage me even more, haha, I don't know if that's good or bad :-D

You know why you got that award too, don't you? Those delish tales of your past.

Pat said...

GG: it's good it's good! Now let's see who is first to get that pesky lion on our side bar. I suspect mine will have to wait till half term.

Anonymous said...

Well done , Pat, it's thoroughly well deserved. You have us all agog with your story - strangers from all over the world, eager to find out what happened to you next. That's a gift. it really is.

Pat said...

Sam: the pot calling the kettle black. Thank you Sam!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

CONGRATS, my dear! Well deserved, indeed!

I am not familiar with any of the people you have Awarded this to, and you have written about each one with so much care ...I am going to visit them because each one was incredibly intriguiging....I am unable to do that right now, but I will come back....Hopefully over the weekend...to do just that!

Pat said...

Naomi: thank you. I know how difficult it is keeping up with one's regulars - let alone meeting new bloggers but I hope you will find it worth while. Take your time - they aren't going anywhere:)

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Congratulations, Pat - and thank you very much!

Pat said...

Zinnia: you deserve it.

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Well deserved Pat! I am a fan of Guyana Gyal, but know the others only as commenters, so shall pop round and visit them all now.

Pat said...

Daphne: thank you! The more mingling the better:)

Eryl Shields said...

You do so deserve this award Pat.

One day I will get around to reading your awardees, they sound fascinating all of them.