Kidlit community – Liebster Blog Award

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One of the greatest pleasures about becoming a children’s writer has been becoming part of the kidlit community. Little by little over the past twelve months, and yes it is pretty much spot on a year since I began writing, I have been making friends across the globe, who share my passion. Some are writers, some illustrators, some editors, some write YA, some for preschoolers etc, all seem to be interesting, caring people. Everyone seems keen to embrace newcomers. Julie Hedlund’s blog I began following before she went to Italy last year, as I knew she would be just down the road from me! Thus, when she said she was launching 12×12, I said, ‘Sure, I’ll join in,’ thinking, like she, that maybe we would gather a group of 30-50 together. And now here we are at over 400, and a truly thriving supportive group is developing. I am making even more new writing friends, and one, whose humour I just love, is Elizabeth Stevens Omlor. If you haven’t already, check out the Banana Peel Thursday on her blog. Elizabeth kindly passed on the Liebster Blog Award to me this week, thus I am sharing five random facts about myself and passing on the blog love to some more new friends.

1. My favorite winter sport is snowshoeing!

2. I could live happily in pajamas!

3. The furthest north I have been in the world is Lapland (Finnish), above the polar circle – the furthest south I have been is the island of Chiloe, off the central Chilean coast (had to check the map, but it is further south than Cape Town!).

4. I make a darn good marmalade  from the citrus fruits growing in my garden.

5. I was born on a Friday 13th and consider 13 a lucky number!

My five Lieblings, with whom I have had the pleasure of connecting over the past few months, and who are also doing 12×12, are:

 Kelly Korenek – I wish Kelly had been my librarian at school!

Eric Van Raepenbusch – What a fab. Dad!

Julie Falatko – Julie is a great and witty oral communicator, let alone her writing!

Renee LaTulippe – Talented poet!

Lonie Edwards – Gifted artist!

 

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22 Responses to Kidlit community – Liebster Blog Award

  1. Loni Edwards says:

    Wow! Thank you so much for the award, Joanna! It has been a true pleasure for me to get to know the PPBF community. And now most of us are connected through 12×12 also! Love it!

    I have always wanted to snowshoe! When we lived in Alaska, we crossed country skied a lot. I imagine it is similar. Going in the back country is a wonderful experience.

    I love marmalade! Remember Paddington Bear? 😀

  2. Joanna says:

    Loni, I cross country skied in Lapland and loved that too. Yes, it is that same real wilderness feel you don’t get with downhill skiing.

    Oh, Yes, I do remember Paddington and his marmalade. 🙂

  3. Thank you so much, Joanna! Starting my blog and joining 12×12, practically simultaneously, has given me a renewed energy and excitement in writing. I have just loved getting to know you all through that and PPBF. It’s amazing the friendships that have been forged in such a short time. I don’t know how I got along without the kidlit community.

    And I have to say that I love the others you listed, as well. Each is so unique – I visit all of them regularly and always come away with something new.

    Would love to hear more about your travels! 🙂

    • Joanna says:

      PPBF is proving a wonderful group too, you are right, as well as 12×12. When you think back to pre internet days and how totally isolated you and I would have been in France and Italy! I am so grateful for all these virtual connections.

      My travels trickle out occasionally in my blog posts. Need to work on weaving them in more. Think it may have to be through more poems!

      • So true, Joanna! The Internet is a lifesaver in so many ways for me, and not just because I work through it. I shudder to think of life without it now, and the isolation you spoke of. Writing is a lot less lonely now. 🙂

        Yes, more poems!

  4. I just noticed your comment that you may have to express yourself about your travels through poems, and I want to say “YES!” I love your poems.

    None of these took me by surprise, neither your “random things” nor your choices. Excellent choices, by the way.

    I bet your home smells heavenly when you’re making marmalade.

  5. Joanna says:

    Thank you for your encouragement to write more poetry, Beth!

    Yes, I love the tangy citrusy smell of making marmalade.

  6. Heather says:

    Congratulations on the award! Your travels would make several wonderful children’s books.

  7. CONGRATULATIONS! And I love that you make your own marmalade. I do a lot of jams and butters from stone fruit, much of it local (and some from my backyard).

  8. I am in pretty good company here. Thanks for the award Joanna!

  9. Joanna says:

    We are all in good company, Eric, and it is lovely to have a strong male writer of kidlit in our midst!

  10. Congrats on the award! You deserve it! I loved your random 5 facts, and you couldn’t have picked 5 better bloggers to pass the award onto – they’re all fantastic! 🙂

  11. Thank you, Joanna, for passing on the Liebster to me-I am totally honored to receive this from you! When I first began my blog, it was a leap of faith into something unfamiliar and scary. Thank goodness I took that risk! I am so grateful to have met you-your writing is an inspiration to me-you write from the heart. I always look forward to reading your posts and comments!

    • Joanna says:

      Isn’t it wonderful to have this community, Kelly? I think Susanna has also done a great job with her PPBF, as I feel that has really strengthened our relationships. I think your blog launch timing was perfect!

  12. Yeah, I know I am working backwards…lol. Congrats on the award and love your 5 facts, though i am not a marmalade lover. Your mentiion of having to do more posts of your travels reminds me I have let mine go and must get back to it at some point. Also I must get on with my Aotearoa as I still remember I promised you some myths and legends.

  13. Congratulations! Boy am I late to the game. I was gone Saturday and then discovered that I had received the award, and now I see that I indirectly received it via you and Loni. Diane also awarded it to me. Enjoyed your comments. Like the snowshoeing photo — where’s your coat? You didn’t tell me you were in Finland — still am learning.

  14. So nice to see these new people! Will visit their blogs soon! I think I did have a chance to connect with Renee and Eric from the Comment Challenge hosted by Pam and Lee.

  15. Hannah says:

    Congrats on the award. I love the snowshoeing picture and am a fellow pajama lover myself. Good job Joanna. You deserve it!

  16. Joanna says:

    Well, thank you, Hannah!

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