Today I have the honor and privilege of appearing at C S Lakin’s Live Write Thrive. My topic - How to Handle Writer Insecurity.
I was the skinny girl who would sit in the dark with a flashlight, making up ghost stories to frighten my friends. Their squeals were cheers to me.
When I was twelve, my friends and I liked to huddle in a dark bathroom, stand in front of the mirror and call out, “Bloody Mary.” One of my friends would say “Bloody Mary” once and then chicken out. Another would shriek, “Did you hear that?” or “Something touched me!” Yet another would be in charge of the lights and would turn them on if we got too scared. The lights went on a lot.
I was the girl who would have the guts to blurt out “Bloody Mary” three times. Immediately after, I’d hear gasps of fear and awe. Seconds later someone would scream, which would prompt us all to scream and shove each other out of the bathroom only to go back in minutes later and do it again.
Available Now: GHOST OF DEATH at Amazon US, Amazon UK, The Wild Rose Press, and Nook.
Available for PRE-ORDER: WITCH OF DEATH at Amazon US and Amazon UK
Find Chrys: Blog, Facebook, Website, and Goodreads
Today at the A to Z Blog, I am kicking off the Themes That Rocked the Challenge feature with someone really awesome - J.H. Moncrieff! You like strange, ghostly, and bizarre? Then check it out.
Edi at Edi’s Book Lighthouse announced a writing contest – Epic Worlds. Check out his site for details.
Available now!
Iron Warrior by Jay Noel
(The Mechanica Wars Book 3)
Find it at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Available May 13!
A Taste Of Pain by G. B. Miller
Find it at Smashwords
The Blood, Boobs, and Carnage Blogfest is May18 – next Monday! Movie/show/book that exemplifies the theme, or part of the theme. Hosted by me and Heather Gardner. Join us – it will be epic!
I started this five years ago, right after the very first A to Z Challenge. This is to honor blogger buddies who have come to mean so much to me over the years.
Past recipients include Arlee Bird, Yvonne Lewis, RaShelle Workman, Hannah, Jeffrey Beesler, Gail, Rusty Webb, Chuck, George, Jeremy Hawkins, Matthew, Old Kitty, Ella, M Pax, Roland Yeomans, Melissa Bradley, Robyn Engel, Lynda Young, Michael Di Gesu, Heather Gardner, Stephen Tremp, Father Dragon Al, the late Tina Downey, Damyanti, Edi, Karen Walker, Elizabeth Spann Craig, and Suze.
Every year, it gets harder! There are those on the IWSG team, the A to Z Challenge team, and my faithful blogger buddies. How do I only pick a handful when so many are worthy? You guys are all awesome. I can only honor a few though.
This year’s You Rock recipients are…
Susan Gourley
She’s one of my IWSG admins and a fellow A to Z co-host. She’s a talented writer and an excellent organizer. No matter what, I know I can always count on her. But more than that, she’s been an awesome friend for so many years now. I don’t know what I’d do if this amazing woman vanished from the blogging world. Susan, you rock!
Pat Hatt at It’s Rhyme Time
Pat is a talented writer and poet, with dozens of books to his credit. He is owned by two cats, Orlin and Cassie, and blogs a snarky poem every single day. His sense of humor is awesome and matched only by his giving heart. Despite the fact he’s buried Mini-Alex in the litterbox more than once, Pat is a dedicated and amazing friend. Dude, honored to call you a friend – you rock!
Jo at Jo on Food, Life, and a Scent of Chocolate
Hailing from Canada, Jo posts daily about her life, interesting facts, and recipes. She also has a quick wit – her animal for Z last month was a zebra, followed by a recipe for zebra! She is also Grandmother Dragon to our private Dragon Fellowship group, watching over us and giving sage advice. Jo, you’re a very caring and supportive friend – you rock!
Michelle at Writer in Transit
From South Africa, Michelle is one of my IWSG admins. She’s a flash fiction master and isn’t afraid to tackle anything. What I admire most about Michelle is her enthusiasm. Plus her creativity knows no bounds. She gets an idea and runs with it. I’m fortunate to know her. Michelle, you keep me on my toes – you rock!
Brandon and Bryan at A Beer For the Shower
I’ve known these dudes for five years now, although we lost touch for a while during blogging growth spurts. The authors of numerous books, their site is bursting with humor and snark. These boys pull no punches – they call it like it is. Despite the rough edges they exhibit, both have morals and strong values. (Bryan is even a minister!) They are just the nicest guys and I’m honored they are my friends. Brandon and Bryan – you guys rock!
Christine Rains
Christine is a talented hybrid author, dabbling in numerous genres. I’m always astonished by what she accomplishes considering her busy schedule. She writes and blogs on a tight schedule, and always with considering as to how she can help her fellow writer. She is indeed ‘Fearless’ and an amazing friend. Christine, I really admire you – and you rock!
Truedessa
Most of the You Rock recipients I’ve known for years, but every now and then someone comes along who really speaks to your heart. Truedessa is an amazing poet, one with a gentle and loving spirit. She often embarks on adventures with Pat Hatt, and her natural innocence and pure heart shines through even then. Truedessa, you are the brightest star in the sky – and you rock!
Did you ever say Bloody Mary to a mirror? Ready for Blood, Boobs, and Carnage? Do you miss the A to Z Challenge? (Road Trip opens this week.) Are you following those blogger? Who rocks your world…?
Be sure to visit C S Lakin’s Live Write Thrive!
I was that Kid...
By Chrys Fey
When I was twelve, my friends and I liked to huddle in a dark bathroom, stand in front of the mirror and call out, “Bloody Mary.” One of my friends would say “Bloody Mary” once and then chicken out. Another would shriek, “Did you hear that?” or “Something touched me!” Yet another would be in charge of the lights and would turn them on if we got too scared. The lights went on a lot.
I was the girl who would have the guts to blurt out “Bloody Mary” three times. Immediately after, I’d hear gasps of fear and awe. Seconds later someone would scream, which would prompt us all to scream and shove each other out of the bathroom only to go back in minutes later and do it again.
Available for PRE-ORDER: WITCH OF DEATH at Amazon US and Amazon UK
Find Chrys: Blog, Facebook, Website, and Goodreads
Ninja News
Today at the A to Z Blog, I am kicking off the Themes That Rocked the Challenge feature with someone really awesome - J.H. Moncrieff! You like strange, ghostly, and bizarre? Then check it out.
Iron Warrior by Jay Noel
(The Mechanica Wars Book 3)
Find it at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
A Taste Of Pain by G. B. Miller
Find it at Smashwords
You Rock Award!
I started this five years ago, right after the very first A to Z Challenge. This is to honor blogger buddies who have come to mean so much to me over the years.
Past recipients include Arlee Bird, Yvonne Lewis, RaShelle Workman, Hannah, Jeffrey Beesler, Gail, Rusty Webb, Chuck, George, Jeremy Hawkins, Matthew, Old Kitty, Ella, M Pax, Roland Yeomans, Melissa Bradley, Robyn Engel, Lynda Young, Michael Di Gesu, Heather Gardner, Stephen Tremp, Father Dragon Al, the late Tina Downey, Damyanti, Edi, Karen Walker, Elizabeth Spann Craig, and Suze.
Every year, it gets harder! There are those on the IWSG team, the A to Z Challenge team, and my faithful blogger buddies. How do I only pick a handful when so many are worthy? You guys are all awesome. I can only honor a few though.
This year’s You Rock recipients are…
She’s one of my IWSG admins and a fellow A to Z co-host. She’s a talented writer and an excellent organizer. No matter what, I know I can always count on her. But more than that, she’s been an awesome friend for so many years now. I don’t know what I’d do if this amazing woman vanished from the blogging world. Susan, you rock!
Pat is a talented writer and poet, with dozens of books to his credit. He is owned by two cats, Orlin and Cassie, and blogs a snarky poem every single day. His sense of humor is awesome and matched only by his giving heart. Despite the fact he’s buried Mini-Alex in the litterbox more than once, Pat is a dedicated and amazing friend. Dude, honored to call you a friend – you rock!
Hailing from Canada, Jo posts daily about her life, interesting facts, and recipes. She also has a quick wit – her animal for Z last month was a zebra, followed by a recipe for zebra! She is also Grandmother Dragon to our private Dragon Fellowship group, watching over us and giving sage advice. Jo, you’re a very caring and supportive friend – you rock!
From South Africa, Michelle is one of my IWSG admins. She’s a flash fiction master and isn’t afraid to tackle anything. What I admire most about Michelle is her enthusiasm. Plus her creativity knows no bounds. She gets an idea and runs with it. I’m fortunate to know her. Michelle, you keep me on my toes – you rock!
I’ve known these dudes for five years now, although we lost touch for a while during blogging growth spurts. The authors of numerous books, their site is bursting with humor and snark. These boys pull no punches – they call it like it is. Despite the rough edges they exhibit, both have morals and strong values. (Bryan is even a minister!) They are just the nicest guys and I’m honored they are my friends. Brandon and Bryan – you guys rock!
Christine is a talented hybrid author, dabbling in numerous genres. I’m always astonished by what she accomplishes considering her busy schedule. She writes and blogs on a tight schedule, and always with considering as to how she can help her fellow writer. She is indeed ‘Fearless’ and an amazing friend. Christine, I really admire you – and you rock!
Most of the You Rock recipients I’ve known for years, but every now and then someone comes along who really speaks to your heart. Truedessa is an amazing poet, one with a gentle and loving spirit. She often embarks on adventures with Pat Hatt, and her natural innocence and pure heart shines through even then. Truedessa, you are the brightest star in the sky – and you rock!
Did you ever say Bloody Mary to a mirror? Ready for Blood, Boobs, and Carnage? Do you miss the A to Z Challenge? (Road Trip opens this week.) Are you following those blogger? Who rocks your world…?
Be sure to visit C S Lakin’s Live Write Thrive!
167 comments:
Excellent book reviews and congratulations to YOU ROCK AWARDS.
I was so proud when I recieved mine.
Great post Alex.
Yvonne .
Congratulations to the You Rock award winners. I hope you are going to take a break pretty soon, you are working harder than any blogger I know. And to Chrys, We called her Mary Worth, but all the screaming was the same.
I enjoyed your interview at C.S. Lakin's site. Good stuff!!! Chrys Fey is so funny!! I keep going blank on the Carnage Blogfest! Great choices on 'You Rock' awards! Have a great week, Alex. Thank you for visiting my blogs!
Congrats to all those who Rock :) I'll pop over to your other post now, Alex. Forgot that I can't do the BB&C, as its on the 18th, when I have my Mental Muse posts. :( I'll be hopping along to some posts though as it will no doubt be fun :)
shahwharton.com
I *didn't* say Bloody Mary to the mirror! I was the one who was in the other room, trying to block out what the others were doing. :) I also didn't care for Ouija boards or ghost stories. I think I had too much imagination and was too easy to freak out.
Congrats to everyone who won your award. That's awesome how you support and honor other writers and bloggers.
And congrats to Chrys on her new book! She was definitely braver than me as a kid.
Hi Chrys. You sound like my best friend when I was a kid. The one who loved the terrify the crap out of me!
Glad to see Christine on the list!
Howdy Alex!
We used to do "Bloody Mary". We'd also sit in a circle and try to "levitate" someone lying in the center.
Fortunately, I was raised by very skeptical and practical parents. My Mom would always say that there was far more to fear from the living than the dead. So ghostly encounters have never scared me.(But sometimes the neighbors do.)
Congrats to the You Rock winners, and to Chrys, too.
Love the idea for the Blogfest. Sounds fun.
Great guest post! In Nashville, our "Bloody Mary" was the Bell Witch. (The subject of the Sissy Spacek movie "An American Haunting.") She lived in Adams, not far from Tennessee, and is supposedly one of the few ghosts who has ever killed someone. We'd dare each other to go into the bathroom, turn the lights off, and say her name so many times. Supposedly when you turned the lights back on, you'd have a scratch on your face. I never tried it!
I don't think I ever did "Bloody Mary," but I remember one time when I was at a sleepover, the other girls thought a patch of brightness was a ghost, and I was the one who knew it was the reflection off a door and was brave enough to go up to it.
Congrats to the winners. What an honor for them and great of you to recognize them.
Congrats to those who rock!
And here I was just laughing over the thought of girls scaring each other mindlessly with "Bloody Mary" in a bathroom...
We're so honored to be mentioned on here! Especially among all those other awesome folks. Thank you, truly, from both of us. We hope to not lose touch with any of our blogging friends now that we're much more organized than we used to be (flying by the seat of your pants can only get you so far).
Also, shhh, the morals and values thing is supposed to be a secret. Next thing we know, you're gonna spill the beans and tell people we only drink beer in moderation.
...Crap.
Yvonne, you were one of the first!
Rhonda, I'm back to posting once a week. That's break enough.
Thanks, Dixie! Hope you can join us for the blogfest.
Shah, thanks and no worries.
Elizabeth, Ouija boards are just evil.
Lisa, your mom was right.
MJ - join us!
Stephanie, thanks!
Sandra, good for you.
Brandon and Bryan, you're welcome! And thanks for the first laugh of the morning.
Congrats to Chrs, and to all the other new releases and award winners, too! :)
Congrats to all the award recipients!
And Chrys, I was totally that girl, too. Except I wasn't so skinny. :)
I've never played a game where you say "Bloody Mary" into a mirror. I don't recall doing much that was scary when I was a kid. I guess I never had it in me to be a horror writer.
Thank you so much Alex, I am delighted to receive a You Rock Award from you and to join in such a notable crowd.
Never heard of saying Bloody Mary like that. After all, being a Brit originally, bloody is a not uncommon word to most of us.
Congratulations to your award recipients!!!!
Thank you for having me as a guest today during your You Rock awards, Alex! :)
@Rhonda, I need to do some research on her because I didn't know she was also called Mary Worth.
Thanks, Dixie!
@Elizabeth, I was attracted to all of the spooky, supernatural stuff.
@Natalie, thank you!
@TBM, too bad we did know each other as kids! ;P
@Li, yes! Because I was the lightest I was always the one my friends would try to levitate with "Light as a feather, stiff as a board." Haha.
Thanks, M.J.!
@Stephanie, I have heard of the Bell Witch. I think Bloody Mary is said to scratch too.
@Sandra, good for you! :)
@Brandon and Bryan, haha! Glad I could make you laugh. :P
Thanks, Emma!
@Madeline, woot! *high five* ;)
@Stephen, I don't like much horror now but I loved it as a kid.
@Jo, ha! That's true. :)
Congrats to the bloggers who rock.
Can't say that I ever screamed Bloody Mary to a mirror. I DO NOT miss the A-Z. Vowing again this year to never do it again. (That will end up be a lie.)
I've watched as girls did the bloody mary thing, rolling my eyes a bit lol
Thanks for a kind words, even though the cat puts mini you in the litterbox lol He's happy that Pat got all the recognition and not him, wouldn't want to spoil his snarky rep.
Chrys is braver than I am. I loved ghost stories too, but the Bloody Mary story terrified me. I trained myself never to look in the mirror in the dark for fear I might *think* the words "Bloody Mary" three times and draw her out.
The habit became so ingrained that even as an adult, I don't look directly into a mirror in the dark!
Great guest post, Chrys! I was that girl too. I grew up beside a cemetery, so you can imagine how much fun I had with that! :) Thank you so much, Alex. I'm blushing. I'm honored to be included with all those fantastic folks. Have a wonderful week!
Haha, Chrys and I could have been friends when we were little! My friends and I did that Bloody Mary thing all the time, except none of us had the guts to say it the third time. We'd always run out screaming after saying the name twice.
I feel so humbled. Thank you, Alex. Your regard means a lot to me. I have no plans to disappear soon.
I not ready for Blood, Boobs and Carnage but I will be.
I am following all the other bloggers you mention except one. Correcting that now.
Have a great week because you just made mine.
I was never brave enough to say Bloody Mary once.
Congrats to the You Rock recipients.
I've never heard of the Bloody Mary game. However my best friend and I often played games where we scared ourselves so badly we had to quit.
Congratulations to the all the new releases and the YOU ROCK AWARD recipients!!!
I'm ready for the BB&C blogfest. hehehe.
Those bloggers sound like they rock, know many of them and they do. Never played bloody mary
Congrats to the You Rock award winners, I know/follow a few.
Is the BBC blogfest next week. yikes! Have been chilling since the end of A-Z..
And a bit of frustrating news this week, went through the last major bookshop here and couldn't find CS/DotS, will have to wait till I get off this island and go home for summer... :(
Karen, I bet he appreciates that.
Stephen, I don't have it in me either.
Jo, you are welcome!
You're welcome, Chrys!
Teresa, it will suck you in again...
Pat, you're welcome! Cat must remain snarky.
Christine, you are welcome.
Susan, glad I could make your week!
Thoroughly enjoyable post, Alex! But your post at C S Lakin's was even better! And Chrys, what delicious fun! I had never heard of Bloody Mary before, but I've certainly participated in similar daring, giggling, screaming sessions when I was growing up. And Alex, it was such fun to read about your "You Rock Awards." I am not familiar with everyone on the list, but I certainly enjoy Pat Hatt's and Truedessa's blogs! Happy Monday to you! Glad to hear it was a domain transfer that's impacting the IWSG website.
I'd never heard of "Bloody Mary" until a couple of years ago. Each year our church sends up a group of members to work in the mission field with migrant workers somewhere north of us. Summer before last a big controversy arose when the daughters of our Spanish congregation leader became involved in the "Bloody Mary" game and trying to conjure evil spirits. According to our church leaders in charge of the mission they were successful and apparently some very frightening things happened. Throughout the mission trip the leadership said that they were convinced that Satan was working to sabotage their mission efforts after a series a bad things happened.
I can't say for sure, but I trust our leadership and their stories sounded very convincing and frightening.
I guess I dabbled on the periphery of such occult activity when I was young but never delved too deeply and for the most part avoided it. I don't think black arts and occult are things that should be taken lightly.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
You spotlighted an excellent crew. I'm not nearly as brave as Chrys. I was always too scared to say "Bloody Mary" - even in the daylight. I don't even drink that stuff.
Happy week, Alex.
I would have been the kid who chickened out.
Congrats to all of the award winners!
Great to know the winners of your Rock awards and congrats to them! Honoring winners would certainly spur them on!
Hank
I know most of your "rock stars," but will have to check out those I haven't visited yet. Thanks for making it easy to find interesting blogs.
I see a lot of new books by some folks I know, too. That's always exciting to read about.
Will stop by your Live Write Thrive post.
@Teresa, you missed out. ;P
@Pat, I can picture that.
@Dianne, poor you! Now I feel bad that my post brought all that up.
@Christine, the two of us would've had a blast as kids. ;)
@Julie, tee-hee. If I was in your group, I would've said it that third time. :P
@L. Diane, that's okay! :)
@Bish, it's fun to scare ourselves as kids.
@Fundy, there was nothing more fun than that. :)
@Arlee, that sounds scary! I never delved too deeply either. Kids will be kids though. Our little fun in the bathroom was harmless. Nothing bad came out of it.
@Robyn, I don't think I'm brave.
@Sarah, I would've held your hand. As a matter of fact, everyone would grip my arms as if I was a life preserver in that bathroom. Haha!
My closest friend in school was that girl too... she convinced me to watch 'My Bloody Valentine' once and I've never ever watched a horror movie since, lol
And I did see where Pat buried ninja in the litter, lol!! Wishing him well on his book!
Have a great week, and thanks for the Mother's Day wishes over at my place. Appreciated. :) We saw a movie of my choice and went for dinner. I chose the new Avengers and I loved it. :D
Thanks for the heads up on the Insecure Writer's Support Group temporary domain transfer. Hearing that story of "Bloody Mary" in the bathroom makes me realize that most of the people I know who like to watch scary movies are female. I wonder if there's a reason for that. Also, thanks for stopping by and telling me to avoid Pompeii. I was curious about it but now I won't waste my time.
Congratulations to the award recipients! I never had the guts to do the blood Mary thing. What can I say, I scare easily. Have a great week.
Chrys you are so much more daring than me. I wouldn't have even gone into the bathroom!
You've picked some of my favorite blogging buddies for the You Rock Awards. :-)
All the best to Chrys!
Nilanjana, sorry! Will they order them?
Thanks, Fundy! Yeah, the domain issue threw a wrench in things, but it will be fixed soon.
Lee, that's a scary thing.
Robyn, I don't drink it either.
Rosey, great choice!
Michael, the effects were good, but the story very flat.
Oh, man--I loved all those spooky games and stories but my close friends included enough jokesters that it never came out quite right.
Congrats to Susan on the award!!!
Oh no, you've honoured the Cat. What a fetid, foul feline he is. And now he's puffed up and strutting around with his tail in the air.
Seriously, I adore Pat. I've been with him for four years now and he's one of my favourite people on the internet.
Don't you dare tell him I said that.
Congrats to the You Rock recipients, some great choices. Haven't seen a movie in a while, must change that real soon.
I never knew about Bloody Mary but I would be the one to say it 3 times but then get scared out of my pants from someone grabbing my leg. I scare very, very easily. In fact I screamed twice watching Jaws 2 the other night. These blogging friends must feel great being honoured here and rightly they should. I became a new follower of Jo although i am not an asparagus lover:) Pat must rhyme even when he dreams. To laugh I read a Beer for a Shower. They are all so great
Congrats to the You Rock award winners and I hope the domain switch goes well. On another note Iron Warrior by Jay Noel has an awesome cover and is very stylish.
I remember playing Bloody Mary as a kid. Scary stuffs.
Congrats to all who received the You Rock award.
I was the girl who would have passed out from fear if you had said Bloody Mary in my presence. Total chicken.
Excellent blogger picks! They are some of the best.
It was great seeing Chrys here! Congrats to the wonderful You Rock award recipients!
Julie
yay for Chrys!! and so many lovely bloggers I recognize in that list :) i love Michelle's flash fiction too!
congrats to all of the You Rock winners. I think I did catch a few on the A to Z challenge. Very talented folks
@Michael, really? Most women I know hate horror movies.
@Patricia, going into the bathroom was easy. Closing the door and turning off the lights was the part that made everyone freak out.
@Hart, so do I. Obviously. ;)
@Birgit, when I scream while watching a movie (which is very rare) I crack up about it. Nothing is funnier to me than when a movie makes me jump and yelp. lol
@Robin, it's the thing of childhoods. :P
@Elizabeth, and we'd all think it was because Bloody Mary got you. haha
They sure rock, Alex. Now, all we need is a bit of roll and the Jungle Room and something to drink. Yes?
I was that kid too, Chrys!
A big congrats to the You Rock recipients!
Congrats to the rock award bloggers. Several I follow (and they deserve it!), and the rest, I'll be visiting :)
I was never bold like Chrys and still am not. Yep, I'm a chicken.
Great ninja news this week Alex! I hope you're doing well. I always enjoy reading about your recommendations. I didn't get a chance to comment in your other post, but I wanted to say that I hope to watch the Daredevil series soon. My husband loved it. He said it was fantastic. So I'm going to give it a chance...even though I'm a DC fan.
Every girl in our small school did the Bloody Mary thing, and we all ran out screaming. Right of passage, maybe?
While I enjoyed the AtoZ, I admit that I am glad it is done. It took much of my time..now I am getting back to my routine, which is answering comments. Go figure.
Yes, funny The Blood, Boobs, and Carnage Blogfest!!
Chrys, I bet you would have visited a reputed haunted house when you were young, too. Cue the spooky music. :-)
Congratulations to all the new YOU ROCK winners. It meant a lot to me when you chose me, Alex.
See you next Monday.
I read and thoroughly enjoyed Ghost of Death. Yay Chrys.
And, as for Rocking - you are the leader of a very big pack.
Congrats to the award recipients! There are so many wonderful people in the blogging community.
I'd never heard of the Bloody Mary thing till my daughter came home with it.
Why does that seem to be just a girl thing?
Nice group of YOU ROCK recipients!
Never did the Bloody Mary thing, but I can just imagine!
Ahahahaha!! Bloody Mary!!! I love that story!! Yeah, I was waaaaaay to chicken to say it three times. I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of impressed.
Congrats to all the new You Rock Award recipients!
Anne, I'm going to tell him!
Birgit, don't tell her you don't like asparagus. And for sure don't tell her you ever mowed it down.
Blue, yes!
MsMariah, I'm also a DC fan, but it's one of the best series ever.
Susan, I like my routine.
Roland, you're awesome - had to choose you.
Thanks, Elephant.
Andrew, because it doesn't scare boys?
The image of skinny girl with a flash light is pretty creepy.
Congrats to award winners.
Aww, that's really a nice mention of the You Rock' recipients. Congrats to each of them.
Oh so many bloggers rock my world! I'm so grateful for those who are still online posting and commenting and actively involved.
Congrats to the award winners!
I remember playing Bloody Mary in the bathroom with the lights off. Scared me half to death. Though I don't recall actually seeing anything, the suspense was enough.
Ha. I was that girl too, Chrys :)
@Cherie, high five!
@Teresa, that's okay. Hugs! :)
@Susan, I definitely thing it's a rite of passage. Now I wonder if boys did this or not. Hmm...
@Roland, Yes, I would have! I still would! :D
@Elephant's Child, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! :D
@Andrew, I was just wondering the same thing. Maybe it's because Bloody Mary is a woman? I don't know.
@Julie, impressed? Really? I'm flattered! :)
@Cindy, HAHAHA! I probably did look like a glowing skeleton. :P
@Emily, I never saw anything either.
@J E, we should form a club. :D
You chose some awesome bloggers Alex. A lot of new books out and congrats to the authors!
Chrys--I've sat around the campfire while spooky stories were told. Bloody Mary? Now, that's a new one for me. Congratulations on your new release.
Sia McKye Over Coffee
Off to check out your post over at LWT.
Congrats to Chris and Jay! And to all the You Rock recipients. They do rock.
I'd never heard of the Bloody Mary tales when I was a kid - but they make the rounds every few years at school. I'd have been the first one out the door :)
Great choices for the You Rock Awards :)
I don't think I'd ever heard of saying Bloody Mary to a mirror, though I've always loved a good ghost story and haunted house. I still remember how my best friend and I, along with another guest or two, got in trouble when her mother discovered us playing Dead Man's Buff by a sleepover. She was horrified at one of the body parts represented!
Wow - I am humbled to be a recipient of the "You Rock" Award. I see some familiar faces and I am honored to be amidst such fine company. Congratulations to the other winners!
We are all stars in the night we just burn a bit differently.
Great choices for your You Rock awards. I know most of them. And yeah, in my day we said "I believe in Bloody Mary" but same idea and I was always one of the ones willing to chance it. We also used to put each other in "trances" and such and I was always good at that. Must be that writer gene showing through.
Awesome group! I'm familiar with all but one of them, so will have to remedy that. Love that Jo did a recipe for zebra!
Congrats to the You Rock Award Winners. And no, I've never said Bloody Mary into a mirror. My slumber parties... Well, they were horror shows all on their own.
Thanks, Moody!
Truedessa, you definitely rock.
I've never heard of the Bloody Mary thing, which is just as well. Freaky stuff like that creeps me out. Congrats to Chrys on her new books and to all the You Rock award winners!
Great guest post on writer insecurities, Alex! It's amazing what happens when you take a leap of faith.
Loved ghost stories as a kid, we'd camp out in the woods, tell ghost stories and then not sleep a wink. It was great.
The recipients of the YOU ROCK award are so deserving. Congratulations to all!
Chrys's book sounds intriguing, especially since I love a good ghost story. I never tried the Bloody Mary trick when I was a child, but only because I didn't know about it.
Cheers to you, Alex, and all your blogger pals. I really am amazed sometimes at all the good people out there in the blogosphere.
Congratulations You Rock recipients !!!
Hi Alex!
Wow, I'm so excited and honored to be chosen as one of the recipients of your award!
'Flash fiction master' is the cherry on top of the cake!
Thank you, Alex!
...and I keep you on your toes?
Oh my word. How on earth do I manage to do that?
Congrats to the other recipients too... such a fine line up.
I've never heard of the 'Bloody Mary' game. As a child, I don't think I would've been that brave. As it is, I'm the adult who sits with the pillow in front of my face while others enjoy a spooky movie on TV. LOL
Congrats to all who have new book releases!
Popping over to Live Write Thrive to check out the article...
I know two of your rockers, now I am off to get to know more!
Congrats to Chrys and her new book. Plenty of Rocking Authors!!! Congrats to all!!!!
I'm acquainted with half of those award recipients. You have good taste in bloggers ;)
@Sia, Jemi, and Carrie-Anne, I'm surprised to hear that some people never heard about Bloody Mary.
@Shell, I think it was those times as kids that later influenced what genres we'd be attracted to.
@Liz, slumber parties weren't really my thing. But my friends would beg me to do funny impersonations of celebrities and say ghost stories, so for a while I didn't mind them. Until all of that got old.
@Yolanda, I never camped out in the woods as a kid. That probably would'v stopped me from sleeping too. Even though the stories were mine. :P
@Helena and Michelle, Bloody Mary must've made it's rounds in certain places.
Thank you, everyone! :)
Great choices on the You Rock Awards. I'm familiar with several of them.
And Chrys--did you see Paranormal 3 then? I'd never heard of the Bloody Mary thing until these movies came out.
Thanks, Lori!
Michelle, you're welcome, and you do keep me on my toes.
That's a great list of rockin' bloggers, Alex! I'll check out the ones I don't already know.
Shocking Chrys Con Bloody Mary Fey!
Chyrs Fey's blog is the cure for my ignorance - hopefully! I love her posts and I think I need to buy both of those books.
Alex: Great choices, by the way!! I love A Beer for the Shower and Pat Hatt.
Excellent choices for the award. I couldn't help imagining Chrys's parents skirmishing to discover what the yelling in the bathroom was about. Great post, Alex.
It's been surreal since the A-to-Z Challenge. Being able to go a full week without writing a blog post felt wrong. It was like I'd forgotten something.
I've never had the guts to do the Bloody Mary thing, or Candy Man, either. Why tempt fate? ;)
Isn't that so weird?! My sister did Bloody Mary in the school bathroom with her friends and kept saying it worked and so I'm scared of it. Not anymore, though...I should try it, see what happens.
I tried saying Bloody Mary but couldn't do it...too scared lol!
Congrats to all the authors with new releases.
It's fun checking out your You Rock recipients. Some I know and others are added to my list of bloggers to know :-)
Excellent choice for recipients of the You Rock Award. They're all awesome!
I've never heard of the Bloody Mary thing. The way Chrys writes about it though, I can here the other girls squealing from here.
Yes, the rock award winners do rock! checking out Moncrieff's blog. Thanks for all you do.
@Tamara, I've only seen the first two Paranormal Activity movies. I'll have to watch the third one some time.
@Cherdo, oh, stop. You're not ignorant. But your comment did make me smile. :)
@Joylene, we did the Bloody Mary thing at my best friends' house. It was her parents running to see what was going on. :P
@J.H., I never did Candy Man...now that dude scared me!
@SC, I've got my fingers crossed for you. ;)
@Angela, at least you made an attempt. It's smart to not do things that we're scared of doing, though.
@Patsy, I'm glad I could give you that visual. :)
Cherdo, those guys are awesome.
JH, that's funny.
Congrats to all authors with new releases.
Congrats! to all the You Rock Winners. They're all worthy (I'm bowing on my knees).
I remember receiving mine last year after a very difficult 2013 and 2014. Man, that sure made a happy happy joy joy difference and i keep that badge proudly displayed on my side bar.
I can just see Chrys Fey as a kid telling her scary stories! And great that you've dished out some Rock awards to worthy bloggers. I love that you awarded JO. She's really great!! As is everyone else!
I forget if I ever Bloody Maried, but if I ever get to be an uncle, I am doing that to my nephews and nieces.
Thanks for sharing. My daughter sounds very much like you. She loves to make up scary stories. Just the opposite of her mother.
Yay! I know almost all of the YOU ROCK recipients! You're right, they do ROCK!
Just stopped by to say Good Morning:) Love Truedessa's poems.
Ha! Bloody Mary. I'd forgotten about that one. :P
Chrys, that brought back memories! Congrats again on the book!
Stephen, you did have have a rough time!
Sandra, her poems are beautiful.
@Denise, I'm glad you can see that. :D
@John, you sound like you'd be a fun uncle. And maybe a tad bit cruel? ;P
@KAT, maybe she'll write scary stories as an adult. :)
@Melissa and HR, thanks for stopping by! I'm happy to bring back those memories. :)
I've never said Bloody Mary three times, but I've never really knew that was tied to some supernatural tale either. Chrys, you are a creepy girl after my own heart. :)
Alex, I think you rock. Great choices!
Did I ever say, "Bloody Mary" to the mirror? Naw, I was always the bloke who told everyone it was the power of the mind and you'll see exactly what you expect to see. If you are a doubter, you won't see anything. If you truly believe it, you'll see something. Yes, I was always a wet blanket.
Chrys, you are hysterical! LOL
COngratulations, everyone!! You all deserve the recognition. It's such a great award :)
Wow, these bloggers all sound amazing. Thank you for introducing them to us and giving them the recognition they deserve! I'm going to check out their blogs now.
I was the same type of kid as Chrys, but I entertained other kids less (they didn't like horror) and stayed glued to the TV for any and all horror movies.Wishing her much success with her new book!
Congrats to Jay and GB on their new releases!
Yay for the "You Rock" award recipients!
My oh my, look has arrived at almost three thirty in the morning. Time zones!
I've read and while I still fatigued, I shall just say yay to everyone you mentioned!
Did I mention that Chrys is one of my adoring fans, correction, one of Penny's adoring fans. Kudos to Chyrs.
I'm sorry, but the A to Z has gone beyond silly. I suppose the road trip will take you to April Fool's Day, 2016. Sigh. I'm ready for all blog hops to end. Thank you!
Seriously, all the best.
Gary
Congrats to the You Rock award winners. :)
I enjoyed hearing from Chrys! I did say Bloody Mary looking into a mirror. I can relate because my friends and I were always trying to scary ourselves silly.
~Jess
Chrys, that is awesome. What a way to push the fear factor, lol.
Congrats to all the You Rock winners. I'll polish my BBC post over the weekend. Have a good weekend Alex.
Congratulations to all You Rockers, past and present!
I've never tried Bloody Mary. I did hear about it as a kid. I'm familiar with most of those bloggers.
What! That Cat has buried Mini-Alex in the litterbox more than once? I knew it.
Ok well, just spank him and give him something to chew on. That'll get the creative juices flowing.
Thanks, Loni!
Gary, the road trip will take me that long for sure.
Blue, he's buried him twice! Bad kitty.
@Lexa, at least I wasn't the only one. ;) Thank you!
@Hi, Gary!
@Jess, scary ourselves silly is fun when we're kids.
@Dolorah, I don't push the fear factor anymore, though. I think I've learned my lesson from my youth. :P
I think we'd have gotten along just fine, Chrys. :)
Blood, Boobs, and Carnage ... how did I miss this sign up???? LOL Can't wait to read these!
I don't know about 'Bloody Mary' three times, but I said 'Beetlejuice' three times and got Michael Keaton as Batman.
I am late this week, but great post... I must say I lost a babysitting job because I made the kids help do the Bloody Mary thing... Looking forward to BBB on the 18th and loner for Mad Max on Friday... fingers crossed.
Jeremy
Wishing much success to Chrys on Ghost and Death.
I've always liked the idea of horror stuff, but I never got into it - I think I like the tropes and the atmosphere and such more than the actual stories. But as a kid, I would have said "Bloody Mary" three times if given the opportunity, because I didn't believe in any of that. Heh.
Alex!
I've missed you so much! I've been editing, but also under the weather, so I haven't been visiting like I should.
I'm honored to be on your list with these amazing bloggers. Everyone you chose this year is fantastic! Great additions! It's like the Blogger Hall of Fame! Thank you!
I can't wait for our blogfest! EPIC is certainly the best word for it!
Later!
Heather
@SA, awesome! ;)
@Al, hahaha! That's hilarious! :P
@Jeremy, that's one way to not have to babysit. lol
@Sandra, thank you!
@Mason, I didn't believe in Bloody Mary either, but I'd still get jumpy because of the antics of my friends.
Very nice highlight, Alex. Hope you have a great weekend. Cheers and boogie boogie.
Sheri, glad you can join us!
Al, that's just messed up... At least you didn't get him as Birdman.
Jeremy, that's funny.
Mason, I didn't either.
Heather, you definitely belong in that hall of fame!
Great Post! I just met so many new bloggers and made my way around the blogosphere reading their posts. You made very good choices for the You Rock Awards!
Alex, I love how you promote community.
You are one cool gal Chrys. Congrats rock awardees and Alex you know I'm in for your blogfest.
Hey Alex! I've been down and out of blogging for a while and have missed so much :/ hopefully I can start posting again soon. Thanks for a great post. Congrats to the You Rock Award recipients :)
Sheena-kay, getting called cool by you is a big compliment. :)
Never shouted Bloody Mary at a mirror. Should I? Showing my ignorance here. Have to research that to find out what it means, obviously something bad.
Congrats to the winners! You definitely picked well. Great post from Chrys. Sounds like she was a lot of fun to be around!
Well done all! I miss the A-Z Challenge, but BB&C? Probably wait for something else to come along.
Road Tripping from http://linensandlaurel.typepad.com/my_weblog/
I've just begun driving along on my 2nd Road Trip and wanted to say a big thank you once again for all that you do for everyone who undertakes the Challenge. You have a big heart and are a true giver :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace
Hi Alex - that's great you given your "You Rock" Award to those 5 great bloggers - everyone is so supportive and the choices you've made this year and over the years - really do shower the love around. They all deserve remembering and highlighting - good to be reminded and to see who everyone is ...
Congratulations to all and sundry .. I'd be howling for a vodka tomato juice now ... except it's tea time and a wee early for that Bloody Mary ..
Cheers and good to see the winners ... Hilary
@Jeff, yes, I'd research it first. ;)
@Nick, thanks!
@Hilary, I prefer the Virgin Mary drink. :)
Congrats to all the You Rock winners - I know some of them!
I love Chrys Fey's guest post - I've done the same with my friends, but I'm sure I was the one that screamed first. In fact, I think I still am :-)
Congrats to all who rock Alex's world. He rocks all of ours.
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend and enjoyed Mad Max.
You're awesome as usual, Chrys! I was a chickensh*t when I was a kid. I won't lie. I never got past Bloody Mary once. I was petrified of going into my cousins' basement too because they always told me the 'Purple People Eater' lived there. Remember him/her/it? SMH.
Congrats to all the You Rock winners! I follow some of them and will have to check out the ones I don't. YAY to GMD!! Xoxoxo
Way to go, Christine! You're absolutely right, Alex. She rocks.
@Annalisa, I'm glad you like my guest post. :)
@Eva, basements are just naturally scary. And they'd be even scarier if 'Purple People Eaters' lived there.
Some great blogs mentioned in this post.
My post for tomorrow's Blogfest has been scheduled and ready to go. I can't wait to visit and comment on the other bloggers' posts.
Congratulations to Susan for winning your prestigious You Rock Award! I'm a fan of hers. I am delighted to have met many new people this year and quite a few of them are a result of following your link to them. You honored and recognized some amazing bloggers this year. I'm a new fan of Chrys's and just bought her book. Congratulations to Chrys, as well. And a special thanks for the intro to A Beer For The Shower. I could stay there for hours reading. I'm very impressed that you are on Lakin's blog. She is top notch and it is quite an honor to be be on her blog. I will head over now to see what you have too say. I can't thank you enough for everything you do for the challenge and the blogging world and for all of your kind and helpful support.
An interesting array of guests appearing on your blog in this post. Like a variety show, Alex. I follow most of those bloggers already! Jay's book looks interesting. . .
Lauren, community is the most important.
Sheena-kay, awesome!
Emilyann, good to hear from you!
Thanks, Cat Herder.
Hilary, thank you.
Sandra, Mad Max was awesome!!!
Lass, awesome.
Thanks for the shoutout. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the shoutout. I appreciate it.
I've never said Bloody Mary to a mirror. In fact, I don't even like drinking them. lol
Man, if I was still blogging I could have been on that list. Nice to see you are still praising people.
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