Thursday, September 16, 2010

I Got U

BLOGFEST?!?

As most of you know if you've read this blog for very long I don't do blogfests. I don't do blog hops, contests, or awards either. This is not because I hate humanity. I promise. In fact I love you guys. You brought me back from the underwear soiled edge of despair at which I almost gave up writing.

Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but seriously, you guys rock!

The real reason I don't do these follower deluge inducing exercises is because I'm just not organized enough. Case in point: I was supposed to take part in Sheri Larsen's awesome I Got U blogfest ... wait for it ... yesterday. Yeah. I'm on top of it like that. Not to make excuses but I generally write my blog posts the morning of. Unless I have a guest. That would just be rude.

The idea is to give one of your fellow bloggers some love. I'm sort of like a hot ghetto mess of love for ALL my fellow bloggers so it's tough to pick just one, but I do try to build the community up whenever I can so this is a great topic for me. I have selected Candace Ganger to highlight today because ... well for many reasons, but mostly because we're kindred spirits and she rocks.

I could go on for quite some time about what is wonderful about Candace, but I'll try to keep this simple. On the surface the thing that endears me to Candace most is her sense of humor and her honesty. Candace is a lot like myself in that she is rude, crass, and jaded - er, wait ... I meant witty, hilarious, and ultimately ghetto fabulous. Candace has a unique, sort of twisted sense of humor that makes me laugh and cry while peeing my pants just a teeny bit nearly every single day. Hubs is kind of funny too.

Candace also has a wisdom and an outlook on the world that only comes from having lived a tough life full of pain. It wouldn't be my place to talk about this at all if she weren't so open and honest about the real her quite regularly on her blog. This is another thing we have in common, though Candace is better at expressing it.

If it were just these things about Candace she would already be pretty fresh (like a rapper fresh, not like produce) but there is more. We all know of her love of all things Matt Brady and New Medicine, but Candace is also one of the most giving bloggers I know. Not only was she the first to interview the little angel that is Lenny Lee, but she also held one of the most epic and selfless/giving contests I have ever had the privilege to bear witness to.

It's over but you should still go check out her Joy to the World contest just to get an idea of what a beautiful heart this lady has. Yes I did win a prize in the contest (it was a tandem critique from authors Tawna Fenske and Cynthia Reese, and it's been the best thing that happened to my book, ever), but that's not what makes it awesome. What makes it awesome is the cause. The cause and how much work, love, blood, sweat, and letting go of fear that Candace put into making it a success. She had t-shirts, custom graphics, music downloads, and so much more, all in an effort to improve the lives of our fellow human beings in Ghana, a country where a bucket for clean drinking water is a luxury of the wealthy.

Sweet, hilarious, kind and giving? AND organized enough to pull off something as epic as Joy to the World? Candace gets my vote for blogger of the universe any day.

That's all I have for now. I know I'm late to the party (sorry Sheri) but please take a moment to visit these other bloggers who participated in the I Got U blogfest:



Those links are to their front pages, so if they posted today you'll have to check the archives from yesterday for their post for the blogfest, but you can blame me and my seat of the pants blogging habits for screwing that up for everybody.

Announcement: If you look at my sub-sub title you will see that I have no guest set up for tomorrow's post. I have no idea what I'm going to write about. What I need from you people is help finding some more guests. Anyone who has ever submitted a query to an agent that earned them at least a partial request can take part. You just have to have a copy of that query you can share with me. Do any of you have one? Know someone who does? Know someone who might have one but you don't know for sure and want me to ask them?

Let me know. Thanks a million.

31 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

Yep, Candace rocks my world too! Great choice! ;o) Um, don't know anyone. What about Leigh Moore? Has she ever been on? I'm pretty sure she has mentioned a few full ms requests that are still pending. She participated in this blog fest today too.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

It happens! I don't do writing blogfests, either. Now, if it's about entertainment, I'm there!

Slamdunk said...

I agree, Candace and her wit are the best.

Sorry that I have nothing to offer regarding writing for your post tomorrow--I need to run in better circles.

Vicki Rocho said...

YAY for Candyland!

Creepy Query Girl said...

I *heart* candace too. I know exactly what you mean about her blog. She takes the cake. Unfortunately, I don't have another query out right now but I was going to ask you, the query guru, for help with my upcoming query for FOSSEGRIM...:)

Christine Fonseca said...

Dude! You just crack me up!!! and yea, good choice in Candace

Bish Denham said...

Hey, I'm not sure I even know what a blogfest is, so don't feel bad!

DEZMOND said...

what a lovely blogfest, too bad it wasn't promoted well enough so it doesn't have a lot of bloggers in it :(
I don't have anything against awards, but I have my own in January, and I don't have anything against blogfests but I took part only in Alex' blogfests :))

Kelly Polark said...

This is a sweet blogfest.
And Candace totally rocks!

Melissa Gill said...

I'm going to have to check out Candace's blog. Africa is near and dear to my heart as I have two girls that I sponsor in Uganda that I hope to visit next year.

So about this query thing. I have a query that recieved a request for a full, which was then rejected. But it's on my home computer and I'm at work. If I sent it later tonight would that work?

Feel free to take other offers if you get anything more immediate. You can e-mail me at mgill0627@aol.com (zero six two seven)

Sarah Ahiers said...

i know piedmont got responses on her Masquerade query. you'd have to check with her, though

Christina Lee said...

Yes! Candace is someone to *heart*!

I'd offer mine up if you're ever in a bind! But I'm sure you'll get lots of help from your request!

Jaydee Morgan said...

Good post and I totally agree - Candace is a great pick!!

Colene Murphy said...

Yeay Candace! She is epicly awesome. Good choice!

Candyland said...

Wow. You all are *amazing* for my ego. The hubs shall rub my feet tonight after bringing me a gourmet dinner (made to my liking) and re-read this post (and Creepy's) over and over until I fall asleep.

Thanks, Timmy. I hearts you, you dirty crack ho, you.

Old Kitty said...

I think the I got U blogfest is one of the sweetest going round at the moment! When I stumble on a blog participating, I'm left going "awwwwww how sweet!" really and truly!!

So thank you for the info on fab Candace Granger and all the links to these great blogs!

Take care
x

Lindsay said...

I agree, Candace = awesome. I couldn't choose one person to single out...I loves everyone. :)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

This was a wonderful tribute to Candace, and you nailed her coolness perfectly! Great job, Matt! And welcome to the party. :-)

LTM said...

LOL! Candace is the BEST--right on! And thank YOU for not letting me be the only one to forget the blog hop~ :D <3

Southpaw said...

I’m also among the unorganized. I’ve managed one blogfest though.

Shannon said...

Great post, Matt. It's great to see Candace getting some love - she rocks my socks.

As far as the blogfests etc. - meh. Do what you can when you can. <3

Hugs and stuff,

Shan

Jared Larson said...

So sorry I missed out on that incredible event. I'm late to the scene. It sounds like something far greater than any one of us. Candace is amazing and hilarious. Every morning her posts are among the first I read for a good laugh.

Matt, if you need material, I have a query that's garnered some requests. Whatever you need.

Ted Cross said...

Over and over I keep seeing blogfest entries for blogfests that I never heard about. It's frustrating because I tend to enter those that I do hear about. Oh well.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Matt, so awesome!! Thanks for participating.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Um, I whiffed on the I Got U fest too, and really have no excuses whatsoever. I'm impressed with Sherie (and Candace! I need to pop over there NOW) and all they do in the blogosphere! :)

Renae said...

Great post Matt! Candace is the best!

Let me check with a couple of people that might be able to guest post for you. I know it won't help for tomorrow, but I'll try to help for a post in the future.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Oh, just wanted to add: there is no need to be sorry. I appreciate your bloggership (yup, I used that non-word) and all the other great bloggests who have befriended me. Thanks, Matt.

vic caswell said...

hooray for candyland!!! she truly rocks! :)

Ishta Mercurio said...

GREAT POST! Thanks for sharing your love for Candace and her blog - now I can go check her out!

Have you checked the WriteOnCon forums? Cheryl got a request from an agent based on the query that she workshopped on the crit boards there; go to the thread that's in the WriteOnCon 2010 chat forum, called "Industry/Pro Success Stories". Good luck with it.

randine said...

Sorry, this is probably coming way late- kind of new here, but I just got a full request for my manuscript, Having Grace- a romantic comedy.
You can see it over on my blog.
Anyways, thanks for the blogfest. Will check it out!

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