STOP PRESS! Japan earthquake, changes to Roland D Yeoman's Blog Stops, Contest finals, Awards, the footy!!!

coFirstly, another disaster for our world and its people. Poor Japan hit by a massive earthquake/tsunami. Many countries are in the path of the tsunami. Hopefully no more damage will occur. That footage of the tsunami was like a sci-fi movie!
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So down to blog biz. I hope I grab you before you go into weekend hibernation. I've just heard that my blog tour with Roland has been bumped forwards. Now I'm hosting Roland over the weekend. So if you have a little down time, please come by Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th to check out Roland's influences on his writing style. I can tell you that it's going to have you riveted. He's over at Becky's @ The Rainy Day Wanderer again today.

More news...I entered the Race for 200 Contest where you were asked to write about 300 words on a race for survival. I entered a short extract from one of my short stories I've got pending in a magazine and IT MADE THE FINAL CUT, woo hoo. I'm amongst fine writers. If you want to read the 6 finalists; entries go here. I'm not a 'Vote for me' gal. I'm just letting you know so if you're interested in checking out 6 short short stories you might appreciate the heads up.

I got my short story sent off to Open Heart Publishing yesterday. If you intend entering your story of 3,000 - 6,000 words, entries are open until 15 March. Click on the badge in my right sidebar.

Today I was awarded the Friends for the Journey Blog Encouragement Award from the lovely Lynda R Young. Thank you Lynda, fellow Aussie mate. I'll be passing this award along as I see fit.

Just now Jai Joshi at the Tulsi Tree contacted me to say she has awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award for holding the Publication Parties. Thank you Jai. You're a legend.

Have a great weekend! (I know, I know, you're not thinking of the weekend but it's nearly 'beer o'clock' Friday afternoon over here at the bottom of the earth. The weekend is about to kick off, oh, it's the footy season kick off too, and my Rugby League team, the Broncos, is playing the North Queensland Cowboys at the stadium just over the hill from here TONIGHT!

Well I know I'm going to have a great weekend! Go Broncos!

Announcing L'Aussie's Fair Dinkum Award! Did you receive one?

Ooooooh, aren't they cute?

Around NaNo time I posted some awards I'd received. I was really pressed for time and didn't pass them on, so I promised I'd create my very own L'Aussie Fair Dinkum Award. I said I'd award it to all commenters under my Award post.

Well, as you can see, I've created two! Choose the one you like the best to post on your blog! For those newbies, the quickest way to copy this award is to right click it, click on properties, then copy the http code. Any problems, just ask.

All of these bloggers are fair dinkum in that their blogs are always very interesting and creative. Some have been very fair dinkum to me in that they comment as often as time allows. Who can beat Joanna St James? Is she fair dinkum or what? I no sooner hit 'Publish' and Joanna's there! Now if the rest of us didn't worry about things like sleeping, we could do that too! Ha! Ha! Thanks so much to Joanna and all you lovely people for your support.

Please visit their blogs if you aren't already a follower. You won't be sorry!

My Lucky Commenters

List No 1

Joanna St James the bionic writer
Erica @ Hypothetically Speaking
Coelene Murphy @ The Journey
Ellie Garret
The Golden Eagle
Lynda Young @ WIP It
Elliot Grace @ So close but..
N R Williams Fantasy Author
Velvet over Steel
Christine @ Inwardly Digesting
Laura Eno @ A Shift in Dimensions
Julie Musil

My other Faithful Followers

List No 2

These guys didn't comment on my Awards post, (probably thrashing out their NaNo novel,) but they are VIPs to moi and I'd like to send this award skittering their way. Most of them constantly comment on my posts in a thoughtful way. Some don't comment so much, but I know they're there and they pop back to cheer me up every so often! A few are receiving this award just because they're Aussies and we Aussies know all about 'fair dinkum.'

Francine @ Romancing the Blog
Grandpa @ Life on the Farm
Rachel Harrie @ Rach Writes
Catherine @ Kangaroobee's Blog
Theresa @ the Substitute Teacher Saga
Jai Joshie @ the Tulsi Tree
Jeffrey Beesler @ World of the Scribe
Al @ Publish or Perish
Writer's Block NZ
Nomes @ Inkcrush
Cheryl @ Kangaroos of the Scrubby Bush
Lisa @ Notes from Nadir
Lenny @ Lenny's World
Donna Hole
The Words Crafter
Pamela Jo @ There's Just Life
Amie Kaufman
Adina West @ Stairways and Landings

Sure, I know. You should have been on the list, but I thought I'd better stop somewhere. I will be sending this award to more of you in the future, as your name leaks back into my NaNo zapped brain. Be ready!

INSTRUCTIONS

Recipients of this very first L'Aussie Fair Dinkum award are asked to:

• leave me a comment on this post, telling me what you think Fair Dinkum really means in 30 words or less - not just in the blogging world, but in your whole world view. Do you know some fair dinkum people? Tell us about them. er, do you think Julian Assange is fair dinkum for example?
• tell me why you think I chose these particular images to represent Oz
  THEN:
• post on your blog, linking back to me if you're pleased to receive my award
• pass the award onto the 'fair dinkum' bloggers in your life - as many/few as you like
  
  OPTIONAL: Write a blog post on your thoughts about being fair dinkum but please link back to me so I can read it!

Thank you all you fair dinkum bloggers out there!

L'Aussie Denise

You Deserve A Star Award - and some writing tips

Thank you to L Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick Tips for the You Deserve A Star Award. Now is a good time to pass it on before #flashfriday hits. When the Spunk passed it on she wrote an interesting post about how the stars needed to be aligned in a special way before she could write (my pun, sorry.) I loved the post as did many others judging by the comments. If you didn't get to read it, go here.  Spunk's blog is for handing out excellent writing tips, amongst all the other things she does, and to me and many others she's certainly a star and well deserving of this award.

Lately I've been too busy writing to write much about writing, so I'm going to pass this award onto some of my most recent commenters who support me in what I do. They deserve a star for reading my flash fiction, blogfest entries etc. and leaving kind, helpful comments. But I want you, my little or not so little, stars, to let me know your answer to the question the Spunk posed - What Are Your Writing Habits? I'm going to list 6 of mine, so perhaps you'd like to use the same format. Please link back here so I can read your words of wisdom or leave a comment so I can go chase up these hot tips of yours.

I'd also love everybody who reads this to leave comments about their writing habits.

I'd like to hand this award on to so many stars, but here are six recent and at times prolific commenters and followers who I think deserve a star for at times making me feel like a star, however undeserved: Please spread the star dust around to however many of your stars, er, blogger friends, as you wish.

Talei at Musings of an aspiring scribe
Francine at Romancing the Blog
Rainy Day Wanderer and word's crafter extraordinaire
Ashley Ashbee that Loveable Homebody
Pamela Jo at There's Just Life
Aubrie at Flutey Words

Okay, here's my answers to the question...
What Are Your Writing Habits? 

1. My favourite spot to write is: in my little office when there's no one else within cooee.
2. My favourite treat when writing: is not actually chocolate (which is surprising) but I like to have endless cups of tea tottering dangerously near my keyboard.
3. For white noise I like: 24-hour news channel very low. Never know, I might learn something. Right now I hear Barack Obama  telling the pesky Israelis and the Palestinians to behave themselves or else. Yes, they are there, right behind him, I checked, with pained smiles. I can catch it all later on twitter. Ooh, there's a distraction! Don't get me started!
4. Water is very important whilst (doncha love that word? It's nearly obsolete or is it already?) writing because: It keeps the brain charged. It really does. Google 'reflexology.' Maybe dehydration leads to dehydrated prose.
5. When there's too many people around I: nick off to the library to write, taking my little netbook. Oh, boy, in November, I'm going to take my air mattress and hide under a table when NaNo's on. Reminds me, gotta get some ideas for a new novel...
6. When I lack inspiration I: make yet another cup of tea and raid the cupboards, drawers, behind the washing machine, or in the filing cabinet for my stash of chocolate. Suddenly it's all good!

Does this sound anything llike your writing habits?

C'mon, I'll bet yours are a lot more interesting than mine. Share with Denise. Everyone loves to write...in their own way...You might also like to pop over to Lenny's World where he's put his writing tips.

And for a bit of extra fun, don't miss the writing tips in my sidebar. They crack me up.