Thank you so much to everyone who entered the guest blog contest! There were over 250+ entries and they were awesome. Very awesome. Some were personal, some were wacky, some were touching, some were hilarious, but all were good in their own way. This was actually one of the most difficult contests I’ve yet had to judge and I spent a really long time agonizing over the choices.
So — let me say again, thank you so much to everyone who entered. I wish I had time to thank everyone personally, but… well, I have a plane to catch. So THANK YOU everyone.
You will be in great hands next week. I intentionally chose a variety of publishing topics and authors representing different perspectives, so there will be a little bit of everything.
Without further ado, next week’s guest bloggers will be (in no particular order):
Eric
Kiersten White
Jordan McCollum
Victoria Mixon
Steph Damore
Also, please note that all opinions expressed by the guest bloggers are their own and may not necessarily be shared by me, Curtis Brown Ltd., the Internet, and/or Ryan Seacrest.
Enjoy!
Ink says
Bane,
Lol, the funny thing is that Pippen was my all-time favourite player. '94 stats (without Jordan): 22.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.3 steals. Everyone thought the Bulls would completely fall apart and suck that year, but they won 55 games (only two less than the year before with Jordan) and might've had a chance at another title if not for one horrendous call in the playoffs. Pip should've been MVP that year. Led his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks and steals… plus all-world defense. Good ol' Pip. Not the handsomest guy in the world, but hey, who gets everything they ask for?
Ink says
Mira,
I hope it's okay… but I never count my chickens before they're plucked (and edited).
🙂
Jen C says
Congrats to the winners! Mira, I hope you post your entry somewhere! I would love to read it… I love the way you write 🙂
Laura Martone says
I don't really have anything to add to the conversation… but I just had to share my word veri: burpt. Need I say more?
Bane of Anubis says
Bryan – sorry to step on the toes… No, he was definitely a highly productive player, but he'd never be top 50 w/o Jordan… He may not have been handsome, but he sure is a step up from Sam "Enemy Mine" Cassell 🙂
Scott says
I picked a bad week to not stop by the blog. But congrats to the winners!
Mira says
Ink – this is driving me crazy. I really want to read yours and everyone's.
Jen C, that's so nice of you. I'll e-mail it to you or anyone who wants to read it. It's not worth posting. It's not my usual style and honestly, it's not that good. Really. Truly. Promise.
It's overdue for us to chat by e-mail, though anyway. Do you want to? my address is in my profile….
Victoria Dixon says
Thanks for the contest, Nathan and congrats to all the winners! I have a strange question. Was I one of the winners? It's possible there's a Victoria Mixon, but I know I entered and my last name is Dixon. Thought I'd ask. I look forward to seeing all of blogs!
Mira says
Victoria, that's……well out of 250, it would just be too weird if there was a Victoria Mixon.
I would think!
I'm going to say mega -congratulations!
Anonymous says
Congratulations!!
Laura Martone says
Victoria – I agree with Mira. What are the odds that it wasn't just a typo? After all, Nathan was in a hurry – bent on catching his plane and all! He's a cool cat, but accidents do happen. Guess you'll just have to wait till next week to know for sure! 🙂
Mira – Sigh. Your post is funny… don't sell yourself short.
Jen C. – You should definitely email Mira – she's entertaining off the blog, too!
Jen C says
Victoria, maybe Victoria Mixon is your evil doppelganger *cue scary music*.
Mira, I'm emailing you now. I need a break from editing!
Mira says
Thanks Laura. Appreciate it. 🙂
I'm really excited to see the winning entries! What an opportunity for them. Amazing. I'm really going to support them when they post.
I wonder where Nathan is right now….do you think he's there yet? Wonder what time it is in South America. Will he go right to work with the orphans? Wonder what he'll do there. Play games with them? Sing songs? Feed them meals? Build things? Tell them about America and….read books!
Laura Martone says
Probably all of the above, Mira! 🙂
Steve Fuller says
I suppose my 6th place finish will have to do.
Steve Fuller says
Mira,
Wow, you think about Nathan a lot.
Mira says
Steve
Lol.
Only when I'm not thinking about you. 😉
and, of course, it is his blog.
Chris says
Congrats to all the winners. I'm looking forward to reading your posts. With over 250 entries these are sure to be the cream of the crop.
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
I must win the 'Stalker with the most available time' prize – first thing I did was Google the lot.
allegory 19 I'm so glad it's you and not the ex-principal of the Martin Luther King School!!!
Victoria Mixon – Editor?
Man Utd signed Michael Owen? That was random!
Ink says
Michael Owen! Ooooh!
Ink says
Turkoglu a Raptor!
Ain't life grand?
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
I worry that your Hedo could score more goals for Utd than the injury prone ex-England striker – without actually turning up for a game!
Michelle says
Can't wait to read these!
Nathan- Brazil, by any chance? Have a great time wherever you're headed!
Ink says
Elaine,
I have this dream of perfect health and universal synchronicity that returns Owen to the speed and form of his exuberant days as an eighteen-year old… It's such a nice dream. Just beautiful.
Anonymous says
I would not really want you all to read my entry. I entered never expecting to be chosen. It was the strangest coincidence when I decided to check Nathan’s Blog again the morning the contest began. I had recently read some of his entries with responses about favorite books, characters, etc. As the blog was opening, I was literally thinking that I wished he would write something about books that become movies. Then I saw that I could write it myself. I opened Word without even closing the blog and wrote my entry in 15 minutes flat. I never thought I would win, but figured it was too serendipitous to pass up at least putting a spark of a thought for a post of Nathan’s own someday. A little “Cuuuuh—stanz-uh” if you will (Seinfeld reference). I can tell that the rest of the entries would have been by people with true talent looking for a chance to showcase it, and those I would love to read…
Mira says
Anon 8:45, obviously you have talent and deserved to win. Don't be silly.
Allegory, you're Steph? You won? Omg, you go, girl! Right on. This may be a weird thing to say, but I'm proud of you. I hope you drop in, say 'hi' and celebrate alittle! Yea!
Mira says
Hmm, let me say alittle more. I may not need to, but just in case.
Allegory, if you're thinking maybe I'm alittle jealous because I didn't win, and here I encouraged you to enter, well, duh.
But so what! I'm impressed by your bravery and talent, and happy for you. There's a reason I was encouraging, after all. Contests come and go, but writers are in this together. That's much more important. Good for you, Allegory.
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
Bryan
Re your dream …
So do I!
But the press here will be lining up to trip him over!
Hargreaves is the name I'd want on the back of my shirt (course that could be just a reaction to his hair in motion) and I spent all last year checking for medical reports on his 'performance'.
Anonymous says
Happy 4th of July!
Ink says
Good Canadian boy, that Hargreaves. Like me! I'm sure Ferguson will be calling any minute now.
annerallen says
I can't wait to read the winners!
As Nathan suggested, I've posted my "losing" piece on my blog: "Everybody's a critic: dealing with unsolicited criticism."
https://annerallen.blogspot.com/
Anybody who's been stung by clueless a critique might find some comfort in it.
mkcbunny says
Congratulations to the winners. Can't wait to read them all. And have a great time away Nathan.
Anonymous says
Anne Allen,
I thoroughly enjoyed your blog!
Funny, insightful, entertaining… and true! Everything I look for in a blog.
I have added your blog to my favorites and will visit regularly.
Thanks for sharing.
AM
annerallen says
Dear AM Anonymous: You made my day! Thanks a bunch.
Ink says
Thanks for sharing, Anne. Maybe we all should? We've got these blogs we wanted to share amidst our little community here, so why not? What else should the kids do while the teacher's away?
This is my post, Found in Translation.
I'd love to see some more bonus blogs here… lay 'em on me, folks.
Shilpa says
Just wanted to share that I just read an incredible book…the Glass Castle. I couldn´t put it down! It reminded me a little bit of Running with Scissors. Happy 4th everyone!
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
What else was I going to do with the surplus entry?
https://notexactlyblogging.blogspot.com/2009/07/you-tell-me-and-nathan-when-he-gets.html#comments
Bryan
Like I didn't know the origin of the England team's best mid-fielder.
Mira says
Happy 4th everyone.
Finally got a chance to get on-line and read everyone's entry who shared them. Thanks so much for sharing them!! I left comments there…RBG – thanks for being so brave.
I hope some other people post theirs if they want to, this was a treat.
I don't know if I'm going to post mine….um, I'm torn…..it's sort of……vicious.
I just re-read it. Nope. I'm not posting that. Lol.
Jessie says
I read them. Interesting. Wouldn't mind seeing more.
Ink says
Hey, what's wrong with vicious?
🙂
Mira says
Ink – I sent it to you.
So tomorrow's the first one. Exciting. 🙂
Anonymous says
Winners – congratulations!
allegory19 says
Hey Mira –
Yep that's me.
Wow, did I pick a weekend to go up north and not have an Internet connection! I managed to post a quick thanks Friday from my brother-in-law's phone, but then none of us had phone service the rest of the weekend – Ahhhh!!!!
Thanks for the congrats – and an official THANK YOU for motivating me to post an entry. You rock!
Elaine "still writing" Smith – Google away. I don't think you'll find anything on me. I guess I better hurry up and post my author website – huh?
Steph
Mira says
There you are Allegory. What a weekend to not have access. I'm really happy for you.
Congrats! 🙂
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
You know I am happy to answe to Elaine (insatiably curious)Smith too – or Elaine for short.
allegory19 says
Okay Elaine "still writing" Smith – er, I mean Elaine – I'll have to remember that.
Laura Martone says
Thanks, Bryan, Anne, Brent, & Elaine!
I enjoyed reading all of your posts – and commenting, too. Glad you shared them with us. Makes me even more curious about the this week's winners.
A misinterpreted wave says
I posted mine (www.amisinterpretedwave.blogspot.com) and my sister said that it wasn't true to me. I thought it was, but on reflection, it is missing something. I'm obviously not very good at writing things in a rush. Will work on that. Love having an open and honest sister ( better than saying everything is good all the time).
I'm looking forward to going back over all of yours, I spend about four hours the other night stalking blogs, and enjoyed it so much (hehe).
Rhonda says
This is kind of embarassing, but after anonymously saying I would not want my entry read by everyone, I have changed my mind. I finally decided to start a blog, which I've been meaning to do for a while (more related to my son's cochlear implants than writing, but still). Since I actually set up the blog, I figured I might as well also post my entry to this contest on it. If anyone wants to see it, they can: https://mamasavage.blogspot.com/
Laura Martone says
Thanks, Christine and Rhonda, for posting your links, too!
More, more, give us more! The clock's running out for the other unchosen posts… soon, we'll be reading the winners.