A Blog of Thanks

Before I get into the turkey of this post, I want to point out that I have a new link on The House on the Corner sidebar blurb. Of course, that link just goes to my The House on the Corner tab, but that's okay. Once you're on that page, there is the ability to directly purchase a signed copy of The House on the Corner. At least, I'm assuming that ability is there. I haven't actually tested it, but PayPal says it should work, and I'm sort of trusting them on that. Since, you know, those things working are the way they make money. The Christmas shopping season "officially" begins this week, so if you have young readers you need a gift for, and you want to give them something somewhat unique, and you don't want it to be some cheap, disposable toy, there's still time to order a signed copy of The House on the Corner. Actually, if you have some not so young readers that need a somewhat unique gift, it still works.

Anyway... enough with the marketing. At least, I'm not trying to make you all come to work in my big, box retail store on Thursday evening, right?

Those of you in the US may have noticed that Thanksgiving is this week. Some of you may be doing that pre-starvation thing so that you can deal with the calorie overload heading your way. The average Thanksgiving dinner is over 3000 calories, after all, and most of us don't need more than about 1600-1800 calories a day, so it is a rather huge influx of energy that will probably just end up getting stored in human battery deposits.
Darn those things.

But I'm not here to talk about the food. After all, we have a substantially lower calorie dinner than most people since we leave the sugar out of nearly everything. Except the pecan pie. That's my one exception, and I love Thanksgiving for giving me a reason for that exception.

I am here to talk about thanks. Being thankful is probably something all of us could be more or do more. Yes, I'm thankful for all of the normal things: my family, the fact that my wife lets me write, getting to interact with the kids at my kids' school about my book, all of that stuff. My family is most thankful, this year, for the addition of our little doggie.
You'll hear more about her soon.

All of that aside, since this is my blog, I want to be thankful for some of my bloggy people. In general, I want to give out a thanks for my followers and, more specifically, my actual readers. You guys that stop in here a couple or few times a week and read what I have to say. Above and beyond that, I want to thank you guys that leave comments and interact with me. As I've said before, blogging is somewhat like being deep down in a cave talking to yourself. You hope people can hear you, but, often, it's kind of hard to tell. You guys that leave comments are the people that are yelling back at me letting me know that there really are people out there. It's a really nice thing to know.

Above and beyond that, I have a few fellow bloggers in specific I'd like to thank (in no particular order (okay, that's not true -- I'm going down the list (because it's easier :P ))):

A Beer for the Shower: for having an always entertaining, if irreverent, blog that makes me laugh. And for perspective talks with the Bryan half of that team and his upcoming appearance here at StrangePegs.

Alex J Cavanaugh: for being a secret ninja and the Pay It Forward blogfest. Also for coming up with the idea for the Insecure Writer's Support Group even if I haven't joined it. A bunch of other stuff, too, but I'd run out of room for anyone else if I kept going.

Amanda Leigh Cowley: for her Magic Eyes.

J @ Concrete Pieces of Soul: for having interesting things to say for writing my favorite flash fiction piece (you know, other than mine) during the platform building campaign.

Elizabeth Varadan: for sending me a copy of her book (which I will be reading soon -- it just came yesterday).

Rogue Mutt/Grumpy Bulldog @ Grumpy Bulldog's Blog: for being cranky so that I don't have to be. Really. He rants so I don't have to.

Bess @ It's the world, dear...: for sharing New York with us (and affirming my desire not to live there but making me want to visit) and being a great writer (if her blog is any indication).

Steph @ maybe genius: for words of advice that got me started on all of this blogging nonsense to begin with. Wait! Is that actually something I should be thanking her for? :P

Michael Offutt: for being himself. And for reviewing lots of books. I'm not sure if there's a better thing he could be doing to help out "indie" authors.

M. J. @ My Pet Blog: for having a generally entertaining blog. I read even if I can't comment there.

bru @ Pitch Slapped: for having courage...

Rachael Harrie @ Rach Writes...: for the whole Platform-building Campaign

Jennifer @ Serendipity's Library: for having a fun and quirky blog, for buying my book and sharing it with her son, and, then, reviewing it! For posting creepy stories about the creepy doll in her house. >shiver<

Alyssia @ Small World, Big Dreams: for always having something interesting to say and saying it well.

Sarah @ The Aspiring Sub-creator: for sharing her explorations of fantasy.

Rusty Webb @ The Blutonian Death Egg: for more than I can really list off, right now, but, most of all, for awesome cover art! My awesome cover art! (click my house tab and take a look) And for having the greatest blog name ever.

Michelle @ The Innocent Flower: for being gracious in disagreements.

Shannon @ The Warrior Muse: for doing the very first interview with me. And for reading my book before it was "ready" and giving valuable feedback. And for reviewing it on Amazon.

Cally Jackson: for having me in her Hot Seat

I hope I didn't miss anyone... I mean, like I said, I thank all of you that stop by and read and, especially, those of that comment, but I hope I didn't miss anyone that needs specific thanks about something. I can't think of anything else, but, then, I've been fighting off kids (out of school) and a dog all day (and yesterday), so it's no wonder I can't think of anything else. I can barely think of my name, at this point.

You guys, or, as we say in the south (where I'm not but used to be), "y'all," have a great Thanksgiving!