I was very honored this week to receive the Sunshine Blogger award from three terrific bloggers.
Mark Bierman
Ron Yates
Gwen Plano
I don’t usually do awards, but I was so touched that these three would gang up on me separately nominate me for an award that has anything at all to do with sunshine. Well, yes, I’m an outgoing, happy person, but sunshine? For example, I was called a curmudgeon, recently, and it wasn’t by the internalist doing my colonoscopy either.
So the rules are:
- Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and link back to their blog.
- Answer 11 questions the blogger asked you.
- List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award in your blog post.
- Nominate 11 new bloggers & their blogs. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know they received the award and ask your nominees 11 new questions.
Whew. That means 33 questions to answer and 33 to write.
Let me thank each who nominated me and link back to their blog.
Thank you, Mark, Ron, and Gwen. If you haven’t visited them before now, you should. They all have a lot to say and do it very well.
Rather than answer separate questions, let me make a summary statement that will cover a number of them.
I started blogging in March of 2012 and have been doing it every day since. So this year marks my eighth and so far I have over 300,000 views and over 90,000 comments.
My blogging philosophy is to present content that folks want to read. I like humor and prompts. Most of my posts could be considered on the fluffy end of the spectrum. I do this on purpose. Maybe someday I’ll get around to an “author” blog where I can write about writing. Right now, I would prefer to just write and leave the teaching to others.
I am a dyed in the wool panster, and many times on my blog, I have no idea what I’m going to write until the first word. In my novels, I lay out the last three sentences of the book and work to reach them. I’ve done this for six books now, and it seems to work for me.
I get my ideas from living every day. Most of what I write is made up. I do have some philosophical beliefs that wind their way into my stories, but they are rare.
The writing system I use is to keep at it until I have written at least 1000 words. Since I write every day, that is my daily goal in just my novels.
My advice to new writers is to write every day, no matter how much or how little. Grammarly tells me they have checked 10M words since I started. I’m still learning. I do intend to keep writing until they pry the keyboard from my cold fingers.
Thank you again, Mark, Ron, and Gwen. I’m honored that you thought of me.
Today’s JohnKu talks about peer recognition. I hope you have a great weekend.
Peer Recognition bu John W. Howell © 2020
You never expect,
The day would come, then it does . . .
A nod from your peers.
Fiction Favorites 
Very cool. Didn’t realize these things were still going around.
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I know right? A whole new batch for sure.
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Congratulations, John! Definitely a well deserved award. I always enjoy learning more about you. I love that you write the last three sentences of your WIPs first. I hope you got a good report on your colonoscopy. I have mine coming up soon. They seem to come around quick when you have them yearly. 😦 Enjoy your weekend!
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All is good, Jill. Thank you. ❤️
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Lovely post, John! I like the way you handled being nominated three times in a row. Your summary was great. That being said, congratulations! You are deserving of these nominations, Mr. Sunshine❣️
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Thank you, Vashti. 😊
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What a wonderful summary of your approach to writing — and to life! You amaze me, dear friend. I always look forward to reading your daily ventures and your books! 🙂
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Aw. Thank you, Gwen. 😊
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Congrats, John. You deserve it!
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Thank you, GP.
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congrats
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Thank you.
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As Nd as well-deserved nod at that.
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“And” – that’s the new spellcheck induced typo format. Turn one misspelled word into two meaningless bit.
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Hahahahahaha. Excellent, Dan.
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Still laughing. If you read this outloud it is a mini poem.
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Haha – not my intention, but you’re right.
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What a great way to go around these award thingies. Wonderful summary giving us an extra little glimpse into what makes you tick. Perfect JohnKu to go with!
Every day for eight years is mighty prolific…
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Thaks, Dale. Maybe the proper term is ‘obsessive.’
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Congratulations John !
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Thank you, Juri. 😁
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Well deserved, John. Love the JohnKu. 🙂
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Thak you, Jennie.
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You’re welcome, John.
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Well, I don’t think curmudgeon describes you at all, John. Well-deserved awards!
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Thank you, Teri. 😁
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John, I find the way you write extremely interesting. Laying out the last three sentences of your book and working to reach them is an entirely new approach to me.
And hey, you bring sunshine to a lot of people with your posts, so congrats on an award well earned!
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Thank you so much, Mae. Means a lot coming from you.
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Congratulations
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Thank you, Susie. 😁
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Your welcome
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Great way to handle a blog award. You are a prolific blogger, and manage to always keep it interesting and fun.
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Aw. Thank you, Craig.
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You’re the Iron Man of the blogosphere. Which sounds a lot tougher than calling you Little Mister Sunshine.
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Hahahaha. I like that Iron Man moniker.
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It fits you.
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😊
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Thanks Boss
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Cheers to you, John! Well deserved indeed. 🙂 Wow… 90,000 comments is an amazing milestone! I really enjoyed your JohnKu, as well. Thanks for sharing. Happy Friday!
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Thank you, Natalie. Happy Friday to you as well.
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Congratulations on this well deserved award, John.
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Thank you, Soooz
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Congrats on your nominations:) I would have nominated you, too but saw it had been done already! Happy weekend.
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Yes. Thank you, Denise.
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Curmudgeon, indeed! What audacity! What dastardly ‘Dufus’ done did dis dirty derivitive deed!
Yeah, I’m with you and Charles: thought these ‘stick it to someone today’ trophies were through! But, then, guess we can say, “It’s the thought that counts…and you are truly loved…” Good day, good John… I’m about to weep at my own words! 🙂
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Hahahaha. Such nice weepable words too, Billy Ray.
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Congrats, John — an honor well deserved! I’m a pantser, too — everybody advises me to outline, but other than a vague notion of how A fits into B, that’s just not on the horizon. Probably too many outlines required in school for me to willingly do one now!
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I hear you. I haven’t outlined one of my book yet.
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Congratulations on the award, John. You are definitely not a curmudgeon. Have a good weekend.
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Congratulations on your Sunshine Blogger Award from a fellow Panster. You (and lovely ladies Lucy and Twiggy) definitely bring little spots of sunshine into my days.
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Thank you, Liz.
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I absolutely love how you incorporated this into your JohnKu! And congrats on your awesome nominations!
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Thank you, Jan
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Well, for me, you are a dose of sunshine so the award is apt. That it comes from three different bloggers shows how much you light up our lives (this here’s a sincere thought, not a pun). How intriguing that you write the last three sentences of your novel first and then work toward them. Obviously it’s a method that works well for you 🙂 Have a great weekend, John! At least, what remains of it 😘
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Aw, you are the best, Marie. Yes the last three is as a result of some thought and then once written can’t turn back. Have a great weekend.
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Reblogged this on Loleta Abi Author & Book Blogger and commented:
Congrats, John!
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Thank you, Traci
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You’re welcome, John!
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😊
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Congratulations on winning the “Sunshine Blogger Award” John! You totally deserve it. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Aw. Thank you, Suzanne. 😊
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Congratulations, John!
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Thank you, Deborah.
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