With another weekend gone, we start an EXCITING new week. Today is the day for the Please allow me to RE-INTRODUCE MYSELF Blogfest.
Our hosts, Stephen Tremp, Mark Koopmans, Elise Fallson, and C.M. Brown.
What a FUN way to get back in touch with former blogger friends as well as new ones! For me, this community ROCKS! There is no other social media more rewarding than our blogosphere. The time, care, and dedication it takes to blog is unsurpassed. I know it can be time consuming and crazy, but even though we ALL have our little blogging vacations, we always come back because it feels LIKE HOME.
I began blogging in the fall of 2010. I had completed and illustrated my first m/g novel and managed to make it through the first rounds of the ABNA contest. THERE, in the threads, a very sweet person came to my rescue, after I had posted my horrible reviews from the Vine readers. Erica from erica and christy, offered to help me out. She critiqued my first few chapters and gave me invaluable advice that I still use today. A month or so later, she had mentioned to me that she had started a blog and asked I had considered creating one. Well, of course I was terrified. What could I possibly say that would attract readers and other writers? So, for a month I had just blog hopped. I LOVED what I saw and the true sincerity of the blogger writing community. So I wrote my first post and created my blogger account.
Since I am a Renaissance man, I wanted to create a blog that not only featured writing, but ALL the arts. I decided to concentrate on interior design posts at first. After several months my blog evolved to more "writer's" subject matter. And today I write about whatever comes to mind. Lately it is to help other writers and help keep our community healthy and fit. I also feature on occasion my "Earthly Angels" posts which feature the unsung hero. People that have helped us without asking for anything in return. I am ALWAYS on the look out for these stories, so IF YOU HAVE ONE, PLEASE let me know by leaving a comment or emailing me directly. I would LOVE to feature it.
My new feature which sort of evolved into a real fun writing assignment for me is to create AWESOME cover reveal intros.... If any of you are launching a new book let me know. I would be more than happy to create one for your cover. I feel reveals should be built up and special.
As many of you know I am still on MY journey to publication. After years in the fashion industry as a model, and for the past nine years as an interior designer, I began writing in 2009 during the financial crash, and had lost most of my clients. I have written two novels since, one m/g fantasy, the other an edgy Y/A Contemporary, which I am querying now. My latest project is a film noir novella set in 1940's Chicago. I write eclectically as I do in my interior design and illustration work.
In the past three years I have met SO many AMAZING people. I have even been fortunate enough to meet several of my blogger friends in person, which are treasured memories for me. I hope that someday I will meet many, many more. It is my goal to travel around the world and connect with them in person. What a lovely dream I hope will come true.
I hope you all will find the TIME to hop over to one of our host sites and get to know other bloggers. This is a WONDERFUL fest and I am looking forward to getting to know more about my loyal blogger buddies as well as new blogger friends.
WELCOME BACK to my BLOG.... I've missed you!
71 comments:
I'm so glad for this blogfest and being able to meet and re-meet people like you. How exciting to be in the fashion industry, and what a wonderful source of inspiration. I think combining all the different arts with writing makes a lot of sense, artists are a special brand of people and share so much in common.
Thanks for participating in the blogfest! (:
It's great to know a little bit more about you, Michael. I've read some of your writing from RFW and thoroughly enjoy reading it.
Nice to know more about you!
Michael: Reading a post from you is like chatting easily to a good friend on the phone (do people still *talk* on phones?)
However, reading a post from you that's *about* you is like bumping into an old friend you haven't seen in months or even years. (You grab a coffee (Irish whiskey optional) and the catching up is so much fun.
Thanks for sharing :)
And we are glad you started blogging as well!
This community is just amazing and supportive, traits you have embraced to the fullest.
Might have a cover reveal in February - will let you know!
Loved learning more about you Michael and how you started blogging and writing. Glad we're blogger friends.
Loved learning more about you, Michael. I didn't know that you knew Erica of E&C and that she beta read for you. It truly is a small world. :)
Very nice to re-meet you.
So nice to re-meetcha Michael! You truly are the Renaissance man and I sincerely hope you publish that first book of yours very soon!
I've loved your blog since I found it. Boy could I use your decorating tips. I'm so not good with that. LOL
I'm doing a combo cover reveal/release February 25th. I can't wait. If you are interested, I'll be sending around Feb 1st.
Hi, Michael! It's great to know the story of how you got into blogging. Those Vine reviewers are nasty. I can say that with confidence because I used to be a member of Amazon Vine and participated in their private forum for awhile.
But the nastiness ate away at me. I'm sure there were nice people in there somewhere, but as a group, they were vile. They even stalked each other and voted "unhelpful" on their rivals' reviews to improve their own reviewer ranking.
I was leery about blogging after that experience, but oh, what a different world it is out here!
Its a great way to start off the new year by reconnecting with people. Thanks for sharing your story. And thanks for participating in the Re-Introduce Myself Blogfest!
Great to meet you, Michael and very cool looking blog you have here :)
I know a lot of us share your journey towards publication and best of luck to you in that!
HA! I remember that, now that you say it, that Erica pulled you in. She's fabulous. Now are you entered in ABNA this year? I haven't seen you on THOSE boards for a long time.
You're doing great, Michael! I hope that publishing road is smooth from here on out.
Nice to meet/re-meet you! It's fun to learn about other writers and the journey they're on. Thanks for sharing, Michael!
Hi Michael. Your renaissance blog always has something intersting to share.
And the community of blogging writers is all about support down the publishing path.
It's nice to meet you Michael! This blogfest has real introduced me to really great people! Sounds like you love blogging as much as I do!
The blog community is amazing, isn't it? I find your Earthly Angel post idea terrific. Hang in there with the writing! Nice to meet you.
One of the warmest and friendliest people on the net. Nice to remeet you.
mood
Moody Writing
Hi, first thanks for your comment and joining my followers:
I thought your post so interesting, you are a very talented person and you mentioned about meeting your blogging friends, well last year my brother and I went to LA and met up with Arlee Bird of A to Z fame. It was a wonderful day. I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future.
Yvonne.
You are such an interesting person with such a full resume!
Michael -- my most favorite name.
so very nice to meet you, again!
Love this blog hop.
Yay!!! I love Erica. (and Christy!) And what's this about ABNA??? (You know I'm doing it for the first time this year. *chews nails*)
This is a great rundown of how your blog has evolved. I love your interior design posts as well as the writing ones, and I think the fitness ones are a GREAT addition!
I have a new book coming... We should chat. :D *LB HUGS* to you! <3
You are one of my very favorite people in the blogging community! It's a pleasure to "re-meet" you. :)
This has been a great blogfest! I love getting to know more about everyone. I know I've said it before...but you are very inspirational. Keep up this amazing work. :)
So good to meet you! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such a friendly message. :) I write YA too, and yes it's tons of fun to connect with other writers. Good luck on your queries!
You have some terrific plans/dreams. I hope you get them all.
What a great post! It's wonderful to re-connect with you after so long. :)
It's amazing how our blogs have all evolved over time.
You should see my house. I'm going to for that 'I have messy kids' look. And I didn't even need design school to do an awesome job at it. :D I bet you're a better interior designer than me, though, Michael. lol
It's been awhile Michael! This truly is a re-introduction. So great to be back in touch with you again!! :)
I love your Earthly Angels series, it's so fun and inspirational to read!
You've got a great blog here.
I agree Michael - this writing community is awesome, so ENCOURAGING and SUPPORTIVE! It feels like home for many of us because of the incredible people here. And what I love most is we all have two things in common: writing our hearts out and working toward publication! It couldn't get better than that!
I know you'll be able to see your dream come true of becoming a published author. I have faith in you! Never give up! You can do it!
It's been nice to re-meet you! :)
Aww, I remember those days! :)
erica
Nice to meet you, Michael. How awesome is it that you have been able to do so many things- modeling, interior designing, writing, and illustrating. You sound quite well-rounded.
I myself am working on a YA novel right now and it's always neat to see what other YA writers are up to.
I look forward to reading more from you!
Michael Darling you are THE most creative person I know, and I can't wait for the day we are able to meet in person. I bought a lotto ticket today to speed that happenstance along :)
Keep on doing what you are doing with your blog, your writing, and your other fantastic endeavours. Your energy and love of life are an inspiration to me.
Have a good week hon. Sending you kisses, hugs, and best wishes for success on all your projects.
......dhole
Hello from a fellow writing addict! The fashion industry could make a good story setting. . .
What a journey, eh? Amazing how it all happens. I remember when I was first told I needed a blog. I had no idea what a blog was or what the heck to do with it. lol
Now look at us! *Hugs for you Michael!* :D
It's great to re-meet you Michael.
I'm also a lover of crafts and can crochet and sew quite well (though I can't seem to find the time these days...) and recently I've been quite taken up by mosaics... would love to go for lessons... but once again the time factor...?
You are uber-creative... wow!
I love your "unsung hero" concept... yes, a definite kindred spirit!
I agree with you, Micheal it is a wonderful blogfest! It is fun learning more about the people we are connected to in this community and great to meet new people!
I love being a part of the blogosphere, it really is the best community I've ever been a part of. I couldn't imagine my life without blogging now :)
What a cool story about your blog came to be!
This is an amazing community. I'd be nowhere without all the kind souls in bloggyland.
Nice to meetcha! Thank for stopping by my blog and signing on as a new follower. I'm happy to reciprocate. A Renaissance man, huh? My kids and grandkids think my hubby and I are Renaissance, too, but for them, that just means they think we were BORN back then. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
You did an awesome job of re-introducing yourself! I know much more about you now so thank you for that. :)
Nice to meet you, Michael! : ]
you're right about the blogging community, Michael! It's such a wonderful supportive group. I'm also happy whenever I get to meet fellow bloggers in person !
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
I can't imagine not having my blogger buddies now. What an awesome community. Great to learn more about you, Michael!
I've only been blogging for about five months, and I've met so many great people. You are right, this really is an awesome community. it was great to learn more about you!!
I've learned so much from blogging, but another great thing is finding new friends. There are so many people I'd never know, or books I probably wouldn't have read if I didn't get into blogging.
I hoping to meet some of them one day too.
Meeting blogger friends is so much fun. I loved meeting Elizabeth Craig last year. She's so professional on her blog, but in person she's just FUN.
Ooo... traveling around the world to visit bloggy friends sounds like the BEST adventure! Heh, I'm still counting on Madman Mark aka "Koops" to plan a writer's "convention" in Hawaii. :P
What a great blogfest. Wish I had crawled out of my cave to participate! Gah... *waves from my Rocky mountain cave to your high class big city cave* :D
I guess your story about how bloggers have helped you is pretty much all our stories. I've met a ton of wonderful people who give and give. I have enjoyed finding out lots of interesting stuff about a variety of people in the last two days.
Loved learning more about you!
I didn't know you modeled. That's so awesome! I was nervous about starting my blog too, but I'm on my second year and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I hope I get to meet more of my blogging friends in person! Sadly, most of them live in Utah :(
Good to hear from you!
Sam
Well, it looks like I've gotten the vicious malware in my computer under control and can again comment. I couldn't hit publish yesterday at other blogs I visited!
A nice little intro for your new followers. You give them two+ years in a nutshell with your immutable style! Here's to two+ more years of blogging friendship! Cheers!
Wonderful post. I love the dream you have and wish to come true. I have several of those myself, including being able to write fulltime. Blog hopping is a great activity that I wish I had known about when I first started blogging. I like how you continue to follow your dreams!
Do you still enter the ABNA? I entered it for the first time this year.
dang it, you totally forgot to say how buff and brawn you are!! MAJOR disappointment... :D
So glad this blogfest allowed us to meet. You're illustrations are stunning. You certainly are a man of many talents :)
Great to meet you Michael and thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you have success with your book, I have never been able to write one although I have been writing a blog for several years now.
So great to meet you Michael! I can't wait to explore the rest of your blog. Interior design posts? Illustration? Whee!
I totally agree that blogging feels like the most rewarding of the social networks - I'm just not able to make real connections in 140 characters or less. And your blog has definitely made my blog (and real) life richer. :)
Wait - did YOU write that intro for Julie's cover?? It was so awesome! And heeeeey...I would so love to have you write one for my new cover whenever it's finalized and I get the thumbs up to go public with it. Would you, would you, would you?
I hope you get published soon, Mikey!
Thank you for sharing your journey into blogging. It's nice that you had such supportive people along the way. I've been amazed at what a welcoming community there is online! Nice to meet you :)
I love this (re)intro Michael, and I love that you are a "Renaissance" man. I'd kind of lost track of where you are writing-wise ~ so cool that you are querying now! Good luck!
Thanks for stopping by GirlZombieAuthors -good to meet you! Next time we'll have a more guy-friendly topic. haa!
I'm so glad you decided to start blogging. You are one of the first people that I ever networked with. If you ever would like another pair of eyes to look over your writing, I would be honored to do so. Take care, Michael. You are one of my favorite people *hugs
It's so nice of you to honor erica every year! What would either of us have done without her? Sorry I've been MIA. Can't wait to hear more about your newest writing project! Christy
Really great to meet you! You certainly seem to live an interesting life. Sending the best on querying--that's always a daunting time! And about those cover reveals, any way to get some more info on that?
Thanks for stopping by my blog, Michael. It HAS been a long time. Your new novel sounds very interesting. How do you like writing YA?
Did you enter ABNA this year? I did. ugh. I don't know why I keep putting myself through the torture. lol.
Nice to catch up with you.
Loved reading your reintroduction. You've done so many things the rest of us bloggers have only dreamed of doing!
I love meeting blogger friends in person. I'm glad someone persuaded you to join the blogging community.
It's so great to meet you! I'm looking forward to reading your blogs on interior design (as well as all the writer-themed entries)!
Also, I think your Earthly Angels idea is an amazing one. What a great way to thank the wonderful people that are out there. SO much better than concentrating on the negative.
Best of luck with your queries - I'm looking forward to hearing more about it!
Missed this one :( Not enough hours in the day!
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