And The 2021 Al Blanchard Award Goes To . . .

. . . alas, not me but someone else! But I was one of the top 4 and received an honorable mention for my crime/mystery short story, “Lady Killer,” so that’s pretty cool. I was unable to attend this year’s Crime Bake convention in Massachusetts, but they sent me this award certificate to commemorate the achievement.

This is the second time I’ve made it to the top 10 of the Al Blanchard Awards, but my first time as a finalist, and I have to say, it was pretty exciting!

The award submission period opens each January and is open to all writers living in New England or writers who have written a story in the mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, or horror genre that takes place in New England. Find out more info here.

For those who don’t know who Al was: (as taken from the Crime Bake website)

“Al Blanchard was MWA-NE chapter president and a member of Sisters in Crime when he and then-president of Sisters in Crime New England Gin Mackey seized the initiative to organize a regional mystery conference for New England. He then served as co-chair for the first three New England Crime Bake conferences.

The New England Crime Bake Committee established the Al Blanchard Award in his memory to annually honor the best crime short story by a New England writer or with a New England setting.”

To all those genre fans out there, happy reading and happy writing!

November 27, 2021 4

Release: 2021 BOULD Awards Anthology Available Now!

“In this fourth annual edition, you’ll find 100 of the weirdest, most outrageous, wackiest, scariest, puzzlingest (is that really a word?) short stories submitted for this anthology in 2021.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be shocked, scared, and maybe even perflutzed by some of the stories you’ll find, in many different genres and styles. But with nearly every story, we know you’ll be surprised.

But now it’s time for you to quit reading these promo bits, brace yourself and dig in. Have fun!”

I have two stories featured in this anthology, A Mother’s Heart and Rare Reception ~ and was amazed to learn that out of the 100 stories featured in this year’s anthology, A Mother’s Heart was awarded 2nd place! This year’s volume is so thick that the print version had to be split into two editions, but there’s a Kindle version available!

Find here.

November 25, 2021 2

All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld ~ Fiction Book Review

18142324 This book! Powerful prose oozing with ominousness, the pages practically sticky with sinisterness! The timeline was a little jumpy, disconcerting at first, but the pattern is quickly established and I soon developed a strange appreciation for it. The chapters alternate present and past, with the present moving forward, the past lapsing deeper and deeper into days gone by.

The reader is filled with anticipation while being unable to pinpoint the cause of suspense, knowing only that menace lurks somewhere in the shadows nearby. It was literary without being dull or boring, the refined edges sharp enough to cut yourself on. I can’t say I understood all of the slang, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the main character, an Aussie living on a remote island off the coast of Britain. A quick read that portrays a perfect example of how to break the rules of grammar the right way. Impactful writing, eloquent imagery, a beautiful work of art. 5 stars!

November 10, 2016 0

The Versatile Blogger Award

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A big shout out to K.M. at the Ankor You blog for nominating me for the versatile blogger award! This modern Renaissance Woman has it all going on, from fashion and glamour to the scary world of dating, telling it like it is with wit, humor and class! If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, head on over – what are you waiting for?

I’m super psyched to receive this nomination, because I often wonder if my blog is too ‘all over the place’. Variety is the spice of life, but being bombarded by a dozen different things can get a little annoying. Alas, my fears have been allayed – you like me, (at least one person 😉 ) really likes me!

The rules:

Because they’re super awesome for realizing your super awesomeness, thank the person that nominated you, and include a link to their blog.

Share the love and joy and nominate 15 blogs of your choice.

Then, time to confess! Share 7 facts about yourself.

Seven Facts about me:

I am owned by two terriers, a tall, wire haired Jack Russell named Tempest, and a Schnauzer mix named Sullivan. These rescue pups rule all of Terrierland (my house) with an iron paw, but are so sweet and loving that you can’t help but adore them. I highly suspect that my husband married me for the dogs.
Since moving to New Hampshire last year, I’ve become somewhat obsessed with moose. If you’ve never seen one, they’re like a cross between a horse and a camel and for some strange reason I could stare at them all day.
I’ve been writing stories since I could write words. There’s a trunk at my parents’ house filled with treasured titles ranging from Midget 314 (please excuse the un-PC title – I was eight) to Rainbow Valley to The Beast.
I’ve completed 3 novels. None are published, but my queries have met with mild success and I have high hopes that one day you’ll be able to find something I’ve written on the shelves of your local bookstore.
I am the mistress of the universe when playing the game Clue. I’m not being cocky when I say that I can’t be beat. Okay, so maybe these are the skills I went to college for, but I was the reigning champ long before then.
I originally wanted to get a doctorate in zoology. Turns out there’s three years of Calculus required for that, which kind of squashed that dream. So I changed to archaeology, which was fascinating, but not likely to pay the bills. I ended up with degrees in Crime Scene Technology and Physical Anthropology. I now only use all that hard earned knowledge for which I am still paying for while writing fiction or playing Clue, but make no mistake about it – I’ve seen dead people. I just don’t want to see any more.
I am currently in the exact middle of conquering the 48 NH 4,000 footers, which means I have hiked to the summit of 24 of the peaks reaching over 4,000 feet in the state of New Hampshire. Only 24 left to go!

And my nominees are:

https://deidraalexander.com/

https://fourthgenerationfarmgirl.com/

https://empathy75.wordpress.com

https://mypeleelife.wordpress.com

https://amandeepmittal.wordpress.com

Home page

https://unbolt.wordpress.com/

https://wordswewomenwrite.com

https://kristentwardowski.wordpress.com

https://writingthedreamblog.wordpress.com

https://mariemccloskeywrites.wordpress.com

https://amirhoseinghazi.wordpress.com

https://lynnthaler.com

https://mybooksopinionsite.wordpress.com

https://itsgoodtobecrazysometimes.wordpress.com/

August 27, 2016 6

Liebster Award! And my nominees are . . .

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I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award by K.M. Sutton, owner of the awesome Ankhor You blog. If you haven’t checked out this WordPress smorgasbord of fashion, humor and life, what are you waiting for? Click on over!

Blogging awards aren’t just a great way to show (and spread) the love – they’re a way to get to know the blogger behind the words.

The terms of engagement are:

Acknowledge the Blogger who nominated you and display the award.

Answer 11 questions that the Blogger gives you.

Nominate 5-11 Blogs that you think are deserving of the award.

Let the Bloggers know that you have nominated them.

Give them 11 questions to answer.

Answers to K.M.’s Questions:

1) What is your song of summer?

Who Let the Dogs Out – Just kidding. Summer always has me singing Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf. I don’t know why.

2) Do you have a secret talent?

Yes. But if I tell you, it won’t be a secret anymore.

3) What made you start blogging?

I wanted to get back into one of my passions (writing). Even though my bliss is in fiction, all writing exercises the creativity muscle.

4) Coffee or tea?

Coffee!!!! But I’ll drink either.

5) What city or country are you dying to visit?

Iceland – I think that it’s got to be one of the coolest places on Earth.

6) What is a fun fact about yourself?

I can frequently be found leading a puppy parade.

7) Do you prefer the book version or movie adaption?

99.9% of the time, the book version.

8) Nude lipstick or red lipstick?

Neither, I think it tastes funny.

9) What is your favorite app or site?

Goodreads! Friend me! I want to know what you’re reading!

10) What is one beauty product you can not live without?

Flavored Chapstick.

11) What is something you are looking forward to in the next few months?

Traveling more. I get restless leg syndrome without a change of scenery.

July 8, 2016 1

Blogger Recognition Award

I’ve been nominated for a Blogger Recognition Award by Trina at It’s Good to Be Crazy Sometimes, an awesome lifestyles blog with some great advice. You should definitely check it out!

The Rules:

Thank the person who nominated you and give a link to their blog.
Display the award on your post and write about it.
Give a brief history on your blog itself.
Offer a piece of advice to new and upcoming bloggers.
Select 10 other bloggers you wish to nominate.

bloggerrecognitionaward

I started my blog, Adventures in Thirty-Something, in 2013 as a way to get back into writing. The year before, I had moved across the country from my home state of Florida to Massachusetts (I’ve since found my way to the mountains of New Hampshire), and I realized that between work, life and obligations, I was failing to make time for the things I enjoy. This realization came to me one hectic morning as I rushed to get the dogs walked, eat, and get out the door in time to fight traffic on my way to work. I stared into the bathroom mirror wild eyed, hair crazy, doing my best Jack Nicholson sneer while thinking, “All work and no play makes Shannon a dull girl.” So I decided to put the ax down and do something about it. I blog about my adventures, whether they be in hiking, reading (book reviews), photography, the kitchen, my struggle as a writer, or anything else that catches my fancy. Hope you enjoy it!

My Advice to new and upcoming bloggers is to write for yourself first. If you enjoy what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter if a post gets 2 likes or 2000 . . . but, if exposure is what’s important to you, then actively network by reading other blogs, liking their content, commenting, and making new friends in the blogosphere. (Also, ALWAYS read what you’ve written and give it a quick edit before you post.)

My nominations are:

1 – https://mylifelivedfull.wordpress.com/about/

2 – https://travelhummingbirds.wordpress.com/

3 – https://cafebookbean.com/

4 – https://deidraalexander.com/

5 – https://abooknation.wordpress.com/

6 – https://hycaeit32.com/

7 – https://bisforblessed.com/

8 – https://thesarahdoughty.wordpress.com/

9 – http://darklandpoetry.com/

10 – https://staywildlittlebird.wordpress.com

11 – http://bbooksmart.com/