Things that made my day

First, it's my day on Operation Awesome and I got to interview an amazing person, a teen philanthropist who also happens to write YA fantasy! Check out Riley Carney over there. She'll inspire you!

To make Thanksgiving easier on my three-year-old son, I asked him what he loves instead of what he's thankful for, as thankful for is kind of a mouthful for someone with such little lips.

He listed off:

Jamesy, Lukey, oranges, grapes, ice cream, and oranges.

I thought that was fitting for Thanksgiving. When you ask me what I love, or what I'm thankful for, the list comes down to people and food. What else is there, really?

So here are the things that made me smile upon my return to Blog World today:

This post from Amparo about what she's thankful for (you are so on my list, Amparo!)

The master of plays on words, Lindsay, sharing Thanksgiving love all the way from Britain! (I love you, too!)

Michelle celebrating her birthday! (Woo hoo! Happy belated!) and her book coming out SO SOON!

Kristal's fortune cookie wisdom (very inspiring, as usual)

and the happy emoticon smiling faces of Kelly and Angie on our group forum. 

These ladies get me through the dungeons of writer's block, and squee with me every time I break free of its chains. They call me on my crap when I get a character's voice or age all wrong, or when I'm stalling too much before the good stuff in a story. They commiserate with me over rejections, maybes, and the general slowness of the publishing industry. They put up with my (ahem) artistic temperament, and I don't know what I'd do without them. 

Thanks, ladies!! You are Operation Awesome. 

p.s. MYSTERY AGENT ALERT: December will have a M.A. judging one-line pitches. First fifty will make it in on the first of the month. Genres: all YA and adult subgenres except for Christian fiction, erotica, MG, and picture books. Polish 'em up! I hope you win!