Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest

Thanks to the ever wonderful, Alex Cavanaugh, for creating and hosting another great blogfest. If you know Alex, you know he's very generous with helping other authors with promotion. You can always find links to some wonderful people, articles and so much more on his blog.

Oh, How I Miss You is another example of the many ways he helps out so many people and also a subtle reminder to all us to pay it forward and backward. So who do I miss?

When I first started blogging, I reached out to the few writers I knew who were blogging. I remember when I had three friends. And one of those first three, Ava Quinn, was the first to friend me back. Back in those days, she usually talked about writing on many of her posts. But it wasn't dry discourse.

Nearly every sentence Ava writes will make you smile. The year she was reigning Possum Queen and shared all those great recipes was especially memorable. And if you want to enjoy some off the hit charts music, Tongue in Cheek is the place to visit.

Ava, like many of us, is a very busy woman. In one word, she has young children. But she still managed to visit my blog quite often and shares new entertaining posts on her blog. So why did I pick her for the one I miss? She's not gone, but her life has been hectic over the last few years and her writing often is pushed to the background.

Ava is a strong woman in many ways and quite a juggler of all the aspects of her life. I want to make sure she's always one of my writing buddies. I want to always know she's there. When I rejoin RWA next summer, I want to sit beside her at our local meetings. I want to see her drive in on her awesome cycle wearing her cool leather jacket. So here's my post to offer her lost of encouragement (I owe her some) and let her know how much I would miss her if she gets too busy for us in the blogosphere. I hope you go visit Ava and meet this terrific, funny lady.

So do you know Ava? Are you going to check out some more people who would be sorely missed if they disappeared from blogdom?  Does your community have a Possum Queen?

Q: Queen of the Possums

Not many of us personally know a queen.  Homecoming queens don't count.  My good friend, Ava Quinn, is serving as this year's Possum Queen.  If you know nothing about this royal position, please read on.  If you want to meet a woman of genuine, original humor, read on.  If you would like to learn something you didn't know about my part of the world(and maybe don't want to), please read on.  Ava is a writer and after reading her interview below, I know you'll be smiling and wishing for more.

Not everyone is familiar with the versatile creature we in PA call possums. Can you tell us why this nocturnal animal is honored in your part of the Penn Woods?

The Pot Bellied Processed 'Possum Products Company canning factory is a large source of jobs in our county. Because of the integral part the canned 'possum products have in both the fiscal and culinary parts of our lives out here, the PA Possum is an honored symbol of our community.

What is the process of being elected Queen?

Every year around October, the Pot Bellied Processed 'Possum Products Company sponsors the Moonshine and Fried Possum Carnival. Think Oktoberfest with moonshine. But with less oom pah pahs and more dueling banjos. The three day festival's exciting culmination is the crowning of that year's 'Possum Queen.

First there's the talent competition. That can get pretty fierce. Between the bologna frying and the goat yodeling, well let me tell you it's not a cake walk by any stretch of the imagination.

The swim suit competition can get pretty hairy as well. Especially with the true backwoods contestants.

Finally, the beer guzzling and 40 yard stumble results can really make or break a 'Possum Queen contestant.

Once all the contestants have competed and mingled each day with the crowds, visited the moonshine stills and sampled all the different vintages, the entire Moonshine and Fried 'Possum Carny crowd assembles at the Pot Bellied 'Possum Pavillion to show their support for the contestant of their choice.

How this is done is through a careful and scientific selection process. The previous year's queen holds the coveted crown (a taxidermy dream of an opossum mama with her babies embellished with rhinestones- lots of rhinestones) over each contestant's head. The woman to receive the loudest round of burps from the crowd is then crowned that year's queen. For full details on last year's competition see here http://readavaquinn.blogspot.com/2010/11/as-new-reigning-possum-queen.html .

What are your duties as Queen?

I swore the oath to do my darned tootin-est to represent the entire line of canned Pot Bellied Processed 'Possum Products to the best of my ability. From Creamed 'Possum to 'Possum Roadkill Stew. From hash to grits and all affiliated 'possum gravies and desserts in between. And I do it with 'possum pride in my heart.

Also I am to promote all 'possum products in the best light possible. You can check out some of those products here http://readavaquinn.blogspot.com/2011/03/possum-uses-diversified.html .

How do you prefer to be addressed?

Your Majesty, My 'Possum Liege or Hey You

Your friends and enemies know about your kick-ass ninja skills, do you have occasion to use your marital arts to defend yourself and your queendom?

Well, I don't want to badmouth anyone, but many of your readers will remember that in Punxsutawney, PA there's another famous mammal who garners the spotlight every spring. Many of the locals in that area of Pennsylvania talk smack about the opossum, yet it's never come to blows. But I'm ready to defend the reputation of my trailerhood with my karate skills. Don't you doubt it!
How do you fit writing into your busy schedule of royal duties?

It isn't easy. What with the all the trailer park grand openings and redneck yachts to coronate with jugs of moonshine, my time to write gets really truncated.

Tell us about the royal carriage?
Ah, my pride and joy, as Stevie Ray Vaughn would say. My Kawasaki Ninja is still in hibernation in the barn, but it won't be long before the weather is nice enough to get out on it again.

You won't believe this but the name of Ava's blog is 'Tongue in Cheek.'  I hope you enjoyed her visit as much as I did. Thank you for visiting, Ava.  Can you think of a royal position they should invent for your neck of the woods?  And please tell us if you've ever eaten possum.

Possum-bilities

Few writers find success without the advice and support of others be they friends, family or fellow writers.  Last fall I allowed my membership in RWA to expire.  I knew I would miss my friends who were members of the local branch of the national organization but fortunately I've been able to keep in touch with many of them through social media.

Let me introduce one of them today.  Ava Quinn's blog, Tongue in Cheek, was one of the first blogs I followed when I gave this style of social networking a whirl.  She became one of my first followers.  You can't visit her blog and not laugh.  You'll learn much more about her when she makes a guest appearance on my blog in April during the A to Z blog challenge as the letter 'Q' as in Queen.  You don't know what the reigning Possum Queen does? You'll have to return in April and find out.

In the meantime, visit me today at Tongue in Cheek and learn a little more about my latest release, Beyond the Gate.  I know you'll like Ava.  Do you remember who your first followers were on your blog? Did anyone help you out in particular getting started? Are you involved in A to Z and did you line a 'Q' yet?