#atozchallenge: Getting to Know The Hosts...Shannon

The hosts of the A-to-Z are all looking forward to getting to know all of the A-to-Z'ers. In the meantime, we thought it would be fun to help you get to know us. We've put together a set of questions that we'll each be answering in our own way on different days leading up to the A-to-Z. Please feel free to ask any other questions you might have for us in the comments, and we will do our best to answer them.

ABOUT ME

Name: Shannon Lawrence
Blog: www.thewarriormuse.com
Other Online Info (Twitter, Facebook, Website): Twitter-@thewarriormuse, Facebook-http://www.facebook.com/thewarriormuse
Publications: I have a piece of flash fiction coming out in an anthology, due out in March, entitled Sunday Snaps: The Stories. You can also find occasional pieces from me at The New Never News, a fun mixed up nursery rhyme blog run by author J.A. Kazimer.

10 GETTING TO KNOW YOU QUESTIONS

1. What is the most daring thing you've ever done? I ran into a cattle stampede to save my 2-year old brother when I was 8. Why we were in the middle of a cattle stampede is a long story.
2. What is your favorite article of clothing? This may out me as a weirdo, but...my flannel hoodie-footie pajamas. You read that right. They have footies. They are so warm! P.S. I can unzip and remove the footies, but I rarely do. It's cold! FYI-this is my leisure wear when I'm writing.
3. What is your favorite monster? Right now, I'd say skinwalkers. I'm interested in Native American monsters and how they varied from tribe to tribe.
4. If you had to dress up as your favorite literary character, who would it be? I am currently trying to figure this out because I will be attending a costume event where you dress as your favorite literary character. The pressure! It would be fun to be rogue vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock, from Faith Hunter's Skinwalker. Too bad I can't bring weapons or a modified Harley to the party. If I want to wear jeans and a t-shirt, I can bring a wrench and be Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson.
5. What is your favorite fairy tale, urban legend or nursery rhyme? My favorite urban legend may very well be the one about the girl who's driving home late at night when someone behind her keeps flashing their lights at her. The longer it goes on, the more panicked she gets. When she arrives home, she discovers...dun, dun, dun...there is an axe-wielding maniac in the back of her car, and the man in the car behind her was flashing his lights whenever he saw him going for her. Ack! I always check the back of my car...

6. What is a cause near and dear to your heart? The longer I sit here, the more causes I realize I have. However, right now I am very interested in saving the wolves (the photo to the right is Baby, from Rocky Mountain Wildlife Foundation in Guffey, CO). Here, we reintroduced them then turned around and gave out hunting licenses for wolf season! How does that make sense? Oops, stepping away from the soapbox. I am also intent on bringing attention to childhood cancer. I almost stepped back up on that there box, but instead I will explain that my interest in this came about after a friend's daughter, who was (is) good friends with my son, was diagnosed with AML Leukemia at three years old. She is now a thriving almost-seven year old, who is officially in remission, but the battle is ongoing. I write about monsters, but I could never imagine anything more terrifying than watching my child fight this particular beast.
7. What's the strangest item you've used as a bookmark? I haven't used anything truly strange as a bookmark, but I have used a collection of odd items: tissues, tampon wrapper, folded toilet paper, paint samplers, other books, magazines, straws, barrettes, binder clips, paper clips, etc.
8. Do you have any nicknames? What are they and how did you earn them? I'm rather fond of Warrior, which some who read my blog have taken to calling me. My siblings call me Sissy (I'm the oldest of five). A friend calls me Non (for the end of my name) because I call her Stine (her name is Christine). And a group of online friends from a mother's forum I belong to call me Pookie. I have no idea how that started, and it is so not my personality, but it's officially mine now.
9. Name one habit you want to change in yourself: Pro.cras.tin.ation. Yikes.
10. Tell us something interesting or shocking about yourself: I was nearly kidnapped as a child, not once, but three times, in three different states (Oregon, Maryland, Colorado). I was also in the car when a serial killer went after my mom in the 80's.  Yes, a real one.  In fact, this prompted me to look him up and he was in the news in 2007 for admitting to an additional murder.  Maybe that's part of why made up monsters don't scare me.

SOME A-to-Z QUESTIONS

1. What was your favorite A-to-Z post from 2011? I think my favorite post was my Y post, because it was so full of optimism and accomplishment. That moment reflected my really starting to see myself as a writer, not just someone who sometimes wrote some stuff.
2. What brought you to the A-to-Z originally? Tell us about your first A-to-Z: Last year was my first A-to-Z, and I signed up right as it was starting. Boy, was I feeling panicky! I sat there with that linky page open all day, starting to fill it out, backing off, starting again. Finally, I swallowed my fear, typed in my information and hit "submit." Almost a year later, I am delighted with where the A-to-Z has taken me. I learned so much and have come so far, and believe it or not, the A-to-Z was instrumental.
3. Are you doing a theme? I have decided I am mostly not doing a theme. I do plan to have some things running consistently throughout, but not something I would consider a theme. I'm still waffling, though.
4. Are you writing & scheduling posts in advance? Man, I hope so! I do intend to, but ask me if I've gotten even one post done so far. Nah, don't worry, I'll just tell you...nope. I keep thinking I'll have a minute. hahahahahahaha!
5. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet, and why? What letter do you like least? I like "X" because it makes me work for it, but it's interesting. "J," on the other hand, is one of the ones I think surprised me with how hard it was, and it doesn't have nearly the personality "X" does.

Thank you for reading!
Shannon

I hope you've enjoyed these questions and answers. Don't forget, you are welcome, even encouraged, to ask any additional questions you might have in the comments section. Or feel free to answer the questions yourself! We won't tell.

****
We also have 2 new videos--both from Nicole Ayers from The Madlab Post.  Nicole submitted another video earlier as well.  Like her previous video, these two new ones are partly promotion for the A to Z Challenge, but also they have helpful prompts for those who may be struggling with ideas for April.  Watch and enjoy and then go to Nicole's blog and tell her hello.

#atozchallenge: Community & the A-to-Z

When I took on the A-to-Z Challenge last year, one of the most rewarding things I experienced was the warmth of the blogging community. Before the A-to-Z I'd been trundling along, randomly talking to myself on my blog. I wasn't really visiting other blogs, and I certainly wasn't commenting on them. Yet I yearned to have people comment on my own posts; I just had no idea how to make that happen.

What I learned was that talking to myself meant I wasn't embracing the full glory of the blogging community. You see, we get to know each other, we comment on each other's blogs, we support each other. And this is no clique, no closed community. Anyone can take part in it by jumping in with both feet and putting yourself out there.

How do I do that?

Visit other blogs. Leave comments. Follow other blogs. If a blogger recommends another blog, check it out; you may just like it!

On your own blog, you can respond to any comments left to you. There are a number of ways to do this, either by email or by posting your reply in the same comments section. You can also carry the conversation back their blog, as long as it is done respectfully. I make it a point to not only respond to the comment, but to then also visit the other blog back and leave a genuine comment.

You will find that as you do this more people may wander by your blog. They may even follow you and/or leave comments. Speak to them, not to yourself, and you will go a long way.

How does the A-to-Z help me with this?

The A-to-Z gives you an easy means to connect with similar bloggers, as well as bloggers who may not be similar but still interest you. It gives you a list of blogs, a virtual cornucopia of reading material and connections, right there on the linky list.

In addition, it provides inspiration for what to post about. The possibilities are endless, yet a prompt can help get you ideas you might not have had otherwise. You have a built in audience coming by to see what you have to say.

On top of that, you get energy and excitement. Everyone has something to prove. Engines are revving, and there's nowhere to go but out into the blogging community.

The A-to-Z gives us all the opportunity to step outside our cocoons and stretch beyond our comfort levels. There is a good chance you'll find that this is exactly what you've been waiting for, and what you've needed all along.

May you find your Muse.

Shannon
The Warrior Muse

Don't Forget the Audience You Already Have

With all the frenetic buzzing around A-to-Z preparation, it struck me that I was forgetting one important factor: my current followers. Last year when I participated in the A-to-Z, I had two followers (no idea how they'd found me), so it wasn't an issue. I hadn't really established what I was even blogging about from day-to-day. I think I had three posts, total. This year, however, I'm approaching the A-to-Z with some actual followers and a fairly regular schedule.

While many of those followers were gained during last year's A-to-Z, not all of them were, which means putting my regular blogging schedule on hold isn't necessarily feasible (or the best thing to do). I'm in the A-to-Z to meet other bloggers and writers, as well as to challenge myself and have a good time; I'm not in it to lose the followers I currently have! As such, my plans have changed a bit on what I'll be posting during the A-to-Z. I can't forget the readers I already have, while reaching out to those who are new to me. My regular schedule will be worked into the theme of my A-to-Z posts to insure everyone is included.

So, as you plan (or not) what you'll be posting during the A-to-Z, consider taking a moment to figure out how to keep your current followers happy, as well, especially if there is a theme or meme that draws a lot of readers your way on any given day. You want to include them in the fun!

May you find your Muse.

Shannon Lawrence
The Warrior Muse

The Fantastic A to Z Ride: Observations by Shannon the Warrior Muse

     Shannon Lawrence who blogs as The Warrior Muse is one of the bloggers who went above and beyond the 2011 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.   She and Tina Downey (whose Reflections post appeared yesterday 12/28) continued after the end of the A to Z Challenge to start the Post Challenge Challenge in which they were joined  by many of you to continue to visit all of the blogs that had participated in April.  In the following post she provides some thoughts on how she will approach the 2012 Challenge based on what she learned in 2011.

The Fantastic A to Z Ride

Image by momentcaptured1 via Flickr

       At the culmination of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge this past year I posted my final letter: Z is for Zenith.  I was delighted to have successfully reached the end of the A to Z challenge, proud to have accomplished such a leap in my blogging, having only posted a handful of blog posts before that, and relieved that it was time for a break from the regimen of posting daily and meeting a challenge.  At the same time, I was already thinking ahead to the following year.  I met so many great people via their blogs and this challenge, and I knew 2012 would be even bigger, more spectacular. 

      One of the things I wondered about was whether to go with a theme or not.  It was fun reading blogs that had specifically themed their A to Z posts.  Did it make it easier?  Were those posts better than others that had no discernible pattern?  Was there really a difference?

       As April approaches, I am trying to decide whether to pursue that theme, and what theme that might be, or whether to post as I did last time, talking about whatever fit the correct letter of the alphabet as it came to mind.  Is one way better than the other?  I think not. 

       I’m also hoping to prepare at least some of the posts ahead of time in order to have more time to explore other blogs.  I wasn’t able to make it to many blogs at all during the challenge, at least not compared to how many entrants there were.  Because of that, I’ve spent the time since the A to Z following up on the listing of blogs, having been a part of creating a follow-up challenge that was all about visiting.  I’m not finished yet, but I have until April when it all begins again!  

 

       Ultimately, the A to Z is about having fun and challenging oneself, as much as it is about networking and discovering other blogs.  No matter what I do differently this year, I know the A to Z will be a fantastic ride!

         Thank you Shannon.  It sounds like you're ready to go.   Who else wants to get on board for the fun ride of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge?   Sign ups start on January 30th.

Related articles

• The Fun Factor of the A to Z Challenge (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Preparing Ahead for April (a-to-zchallenge.com)