Seu Blog Inspira

I just got a new meme thanks to WhiteLady3! So here's what you have to do with this one:

1) Pass it along to 3 blogs:

• Wandeca Reads
• Books - Livros & Livros - Books
• Estrelas ao Vento

2) Link to whoever sent it to you
It was WhiteLady3 at Este Meu Cantinho. Thank you! :-)

3) Mention 5 random facts about you:

1. I never wear a watch 
2. I hate olives
3. I love fried eggs
4. I wore a shoe size 36 for most of my adult life but lately my feet only feel comfortable on a size 38
5. I have worn glasses since I were 4 years old

Award!!!

I was awarded the Stilish Blogger Award by the lovely Muse in The Fog, it is so nice to be remembered and nominated for this kind of meme. :-)

 

Here are the rules for accepting this award: To accept the award I must share 7 things about myself and pass the award on to 5 other blogs I've newly discovered. I'm not sure I can be truly original when mentioning things about myself since I have already done it here and here.

So, if you don't mind, I'll just jump to the nominations part and list 5 of the blogs that I have discovered recently and really enjoy:

• Truth In Fiction
• Things Mean a Lot
• Nonsuch Book
• Reading, Writing, Working Playing
• A Whole Book World

Honest Scrap Award

This week Leya has given me a new award! Thanks Leya! I thought it was kind of fun but since I did it last year I'll just leave you with my answers at the time and will share only one new one:

I share Leya's thing for Eros Ramazotti and I add Luis Miguel to the mix!:-)

Prolific Blogger Award

I was happily surprised when I received the Prolific Blogger Award from Marg, isn't it just the thing to brighten your day? Thank you Marg!!

Receiving this award means:

A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to this post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, so that we all can get to know the other winners. (Click here for the Mr. Linky page.)

I am going to pass this award on to the following bloggers:

• Maria Grazia
• Rebecca
• Carla (Whitelady)

Honest Scrap Award

I received a new Award last week thanks to Maria Grazia at Fly High!

It's the Honest Scrap Award!

This is the Honest Scrap award. It is for those bloggers who write from the heart. The rules are to pass it along to seven bloggers and then list 10 honest things about myself. Here are those deserving of this honour, bloggers who write from the heart, who really love what they write about and touch me because of it:

1 - Marg at Reading Adventures

2 - Holly at What Were You Expecting

3 - Lucie at Folha de Rascunho

4 - Carla at My Little Corner

5 - Claudia at Estrelas Ao Vento

6 - Rebecca at Lost In Books

7 - Leya at Wandeca Reads

These are all bloggers who share their thoughts about books, life and whatever else they take a fancy to and I like folowing their blogs and commenting on their posts whenever there's a common interest.

Now the 10 honest things about myself:

1 - I'm very lazy about exercising

2 - I have a big sweet tooth and regularly have chocolate cravings

3 - I love to read and would really like to have more time for it

4 - Although I do like my work I'm starting to feel burn out

5 - I would love to have a crafts related job

6 - Blogging has become an addiction, I do it everyday.

7 - I hate to cook but I love to eat

8 - I love watching series on TV especially period dramas and crime dramas

9 - I hate rude people

10 - I recently became addicted to Farmville, a game on Facebook abouts farms and farming, could it be that tending the flocks and taking care of the harvests is my real vocation??

Awards Received

Thank you Catherine Delors for awarding me the Sisterhood Award


Here are the rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.





6 Coisas 6 Links (6 Things 6 Links)

Thank you so much Nefertiri for nominating me to this award!

Here are the rules:
1. Link back to the person who has awarded you.
2. Write the rules in your blog.
3. Tell 6 random things about you.
4. Indicate 6 people and write their blog names at the end of the post.
5. Let the person know that you have awarded her/him by leaving a comment.
6. Let the people you have awarded know when you publish your post.

Since these are friendship awards I would like to nominate everyone who visits my blogs, leaves me comments and likes to read and chat about books. It's the sharing of our favourite reads that really appeals to me and keeps me blogging regularly.

Now the 6 random things about me mentioned on the second award:

1 - I like to spend time at home with the family or with my hobbies

2 - I never use a wristwatch

3 - I hate olives (and so does L.)

4 - I have a big sweet tooth

5 - I don't trust easily

6 - I like to receive awards! :-)

Proximidade Award

Thank you so much Leya! You just made my day, friend! :-)

Here's the information on the award:

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

And I would like to pass this award to:

Holly at What Were You Thinking

Marg at Reading Adventures

Amy at Passages from The Past

Ana O. at CosyLittleWorld

Flor at Livro em Flor

Claudia at Estrelas ao Vento

Alex at Le Canapé

Catarina at Cenoura do Lado

More Awards

It's so nice to be remembered by friends and acknowledged by fellow bloggers! Thanks you Ana O. and Slayra.

Premio Dardos

I have just been awarded the Premio Dardos by Leya at Wandeca Reads. I am especially honoured by her kind words. Thank you so much Leya!

Award Rules:

This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day. The rules to follow are:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to other 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I would like to pass this award to the bloggers whose posts I a "must read" for me. Here they are:

Amy at Passages to The Past

Teddy Rose at So Many Precious Books So Little Time

Rosario at Rosario's Reading Journal

Zeek at The Way I See It

Janicu at Janicu's Book Blog

Ana O. at The Magic Screen

Kailana at the Written World

Marg at Reading Adventures

KristieJ on Ramblings on Romance etc etc

I know some of you have already received it but since you you on my top of reads everyday you get it again! :-)

The Great Buddy Award!

I just received two Great Buddy Awards and I can't seem to wipe the smile off my face! ;-)

Thank you Amy at Passages From the Past and Teddy Rose at So Many Precious Books So Little Time. You just made my day!

Here the rules:

1.. Put the logo on your blog. 2. Add a link to the person who awarded you. 3. Award up to ten other blogs. 4. Add links to those blogs on yours. 5. Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs.

I choose some bloggers whose daily posts I love to follow:

Holly at What Were You Expecting

Whitelady3 at My Little Corner

Jessica at Racy Romance Reviews

Catherine Delors at Versailles and More

and my usual buddies:

Alex at Le Canape

Ana at Cosy World

Claudia at Estrelas ao Vento

Catarina at Cenoura do Lado

Christmas Spirit Award

Leya from Wandeca Reads has recently given me a Christmas Spirit Award. Thank you Leya! :-)

Here are the rules for the Christmas Spirit Award:

"You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.

The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.

Link back to the person who gave you the award.

List 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space!

Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But keep the Christmas cheer going!

Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment. Also, link back to the person who gave you the award."

Here are my 5 favourite things about Christmas:

1 - Gathering the family around the table for Christmas dinner.

2 - Christmas movies.

3 - Christmas music (if you've been visiting my blog I guess you know that already).

3 - Giving and receiving hand crafted and meaningful presents.

4 - Baking cakes and cookies (I did it this year for the first time and enjoyed myself very much).


In the spirit of Christmas I would like to share this award with everyone that enjoys the Holiday season!

Merry Christmas everyone!

BookWorm Award

Teddy Rose tagged me for another award/meme: The BookWorm Award. Thank you Teddy!!

Here are the rules:

Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56.

Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following there.

Pass this on to five blogging friends.

The book closest to me at the moment is one I'm reading for the Medieval Challenge: Sharan Newman's Death Comes As Epiphany which I'm loving btw.

Suger waved him off. He made the sign of the cross on the dead man's forehead and softly intoned a prayer. The onlookers grew silent and bowed their heads.

And to continue playing I pass the award to the following blogs:

Le Canape
Cosy World
Wandeca Reads
Reading Adventures
What Were You Expecting?

I Love Your Blog!

Today I opened the computer and the first thing I usually do is check my Google Reader. I was sitting in front of the computer with a cup of coffee on my hand and the first feed I checked was this one. You can imagine how happy I was! This totally made my day!

I absolutely love to read Holly's blog! She is funny and witty, always with anecdotes to share. And when she is being serious I always find myself nodding in agreement. So, really, it is an honour to receive this from you!



Here are the directions for this award:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!



Now as to my nominations, those blogs I also love to read and that haven't received an award yet:

Alex from Le Canapé
She is a great friend, someone I feel like I know even though we never actually met. We did talk on the phone though even if I thought she was someone else at first! My bad!!! :-(

Ana from Cosy World
Another great friend, we first met online somewhere and since then we've been talking every day. I remember the first time I met her in person and my first thought was: wow she's tall! :-)

Catarina from Cenoura do Lado
Catarina is a sweetie really, she shares titbits of her life on the blog and is a generous person always ready to lend a few books and chat about them!

Rosario from Rosario's Reading Journal
Rosario hasn't been online much lately but I'm sure she'll come back soon with more of her wonderful book reviews.

Leya from Wandeca Reads
I found a lot of my favourite cosy mysteries through her blog and a couple new authors too!

Wendy from The Misadventures of Super Librarian
I've been reading Wendy's blog for a long time now. I really enjoy her reviews and her comments on life and being a librarian. She has the dream job of every book lover.

Claudia from Estrelas ao Vento
Because she has such humorous comments about life and work. I always leave her blog with a smile on my face!

I hope I put a smile on your face too!

Mamma Mia

Today is the day! I'm going to go book shopping, out for dinner and to the movies to watch Mamma Mia. A Good day!



... and may I just remind you that is voting time for the Book Blogger Appreciation Week over at My Friend Amy? Historical Tapestry is one of the nominees but there are many other interesting blogs to discover there.

RITA Awards 2008

The RITAs are the awards given by the Romance Writers of America (they are choosen by fellow writers) to the best of romantic fiction out there.

I was more interested in some of the award winners than others as there are several genres I don't usually read. Below are the 5 categories that grabbed my attention because I have the first three in the TBR pile and have read the last two.

RITA for Best Romantic Suspense Novel
Ice Blue - Anne Stuart

RITA for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Silent In The Grave - Deanna Raybourn

RITA for Best Paranormal
Lover Revealed - J R Ward

RITA for Best Historical Romance
Lessons of Desire - Madeline Hunter

RITA for Best Regency Historical Romance
The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever - Julia Quinn

You can find the full list of winners here

Blog Award

My blog colleague over at Historical Tapestry Marg gave me a BFF (Blog Friend Forever) Award and I was very touched.



Now in the spirit of passing along the Award to people I consider my friends I choose 2 other blog colleagues and a blogger friend:
A. and A. and Ro

Agatha Awards - 2007 Finalists

I really like Agatha Christie's books and I have one shelf filled with them. So when a L. shared the finalists for the 2007 Agatha Awards it has ocurred to me those titles might be something I would enjoy. Here are the finalists for 2007:

Best Novel
* The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews
* Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
* Hard Row by Margaret Maron
* A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
* Murder with Reservations by Elaine Viets

Best First Novel
* A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
* A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater
* Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
* Prime Time by Hank Phillipi Ryan

The only author I've read before is Donna Andrews but I do have Deanna Raybourn's books in the TBR pile. All the others are new to me authors but if they write in Agatha Christie's style they might be worth trying...