A Few of My Favorite Things

I set out to create a "Twelve Blogs of Christmas" entry today, but found I was spending way too much time trying to fit creative blogs into numeric holes. Since that didn't seem like a good use of time on Christmas Eve, I decided to abandon Plan A and simply share with you some of the blogs, blog posts and bloggers I enjoy. Though I've never met any of them in person, many of them still feel like old friends thanks to the glimpses into their lives and expertise they've shared. The community of writers is like that.

Since I was setting out to write a list blog, the post that started it all was Amy Sullivan's "99 Ways to Serve Your Family and the World This Christmas," a post recommended to me by my agent. My favorite idea was the prayer board.

Carole Brown generously shares her blog space with authors on a regular basis, helping them to promote their works in progress. In addition, she does what I hope to do more of in the new year - reads and comments on other blogs, including mine. Just about the time I'm wondering if anyone is out there, Carole stops by and leaves me a comment.

Heidi Willis' blog (Some Mad Hope) is a gorgeous blend of funny slice-of-life and poetic prose. Her posts never disappoint, and I hope to some day meet her in person so we can pick up on the many conversations we've had on Facebook.

I love Holly Bowne's blog (Write Expressions), but I think I like her presentations of the Quote of the Week best of all because they are, indeed, presentations. Love her voice, too.

A recent interview with Sarah Reinhard (Snoring Scholar) about her new book A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy proved that even though she takes her faith seriously, she's far from a boring church lady.

Michael Hyatt's book Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World is on my Christmas list, and his blogs are a must-read for aspiring writers and leaders.

Michael Hyatt's posts might have introduced me to the idea of a landing page, but Chuck Sambuchino's landing page is the one I'm going to post in my office for inspiration when I aspire to create my own. Guess it's time to start capturing those random thoughts I've been having about setting goals for 2013!

See you in January! Until then, I wish you happy reading, a Merry Christmas and a new year filled with family, fun and blessings.