ERMAHGERD!

Readers, I like to think of myself as a fairly well-spoken individual, but right now, all I can think to say is ERMAHGERD, NO WAAAAAAAY!!!!

You see, for the past few weeks, I’ve been sitting on some rather exciting news, and now that it’s been officially announced, I can share it with you:

I won the Take 5 and Random House Australia
Romance Writing Competition!

It was a nationwide competition, calling for writers to submit a romance story of 1000 word or less. I submitted my entry and held a small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, I could reach the finalists’ round, in which ten writers get the chance to have their stories voted upon by the general public.

But never in my wildest dreams could I have expected that phone call…

I won. I freakin’ won. And now, my short story—Trash to Treasure—has today been published in Take 5 Magazine (a serial that I’ve read and adored for many years now), and will soon be available for free download through Random House’s website. A few weeks back, the kind people at Random House Australia emailed me the virtual e-book cover, and let’s just say that seeing my name on that gorgeous thing sent my heart all aflutter. (Check it out down below!)

Not only that, but I’ve received $500 (my first paid publishing!), an e-reader (I’ll be sure to let you know how my experience with that goes), and a box-load of brilliant-looking books published with Random House (yes–an entire box of books, delivered right to my door. And bookworms everywhere swoon with me).

To tell you the truth, I’m still in shock, but I’m deliriously happy.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, to the lovely people at Take 5 Magazine and Random House Australia for giving writers like me a chance to be recognised. You’ll never know how happy you’ve made me.

- Love The Bad Guy

Purchase a copy of Take 5 today, Aussie readers, to find the story… and a photo of me. *le gasp!* I have a face!

EDIT 28/03/2013: Goodness me, people can now access “Trash to Treasure” on iTunes. Typing my name into the search bar brings it up. It’s sitting here on my desktop, looking at me… *swoons again*

I NomiNeed Your Votes!

Today’s post is brought to you by a needy, attention-seeking blogger.

Morning, readers! I shan’t beat around the bush:

I am a nominee for Best Australian Blogs 2012 and I need your votes!

For those who haven’t heard of such a thing, here’s the competition summary:

The Sydney Writers’ Centre is thrilled to announce the return of the Best Australian Blogs Competition for 2012.

In 2012, there are five categories you can enter. The categories were created so that your blog is compared with blogs that have similar objectives and resources to yours.

• Busines
• Words and Writing [clearly, this is where I fit in]
• Personal/Lifestyle
• Parenting
• Commentary

There is also a People’s Choice Award round open to blogs entered in any category.

This year we’ve added four special awards to recognise outstanding posts and newer blogs. The special awards are:

• Funniest post
• Outstanding advocacy post
• Best new blog (for a blog under 6 months old)
• Best young blogger (for a blog written by a blogger under 26)

Voting will only take a minute of your time. Simply follow any of the links in this post (they all lead to the same place…), and find Love The Bad Guy on the list of blogs.

BUT NOTE! You can only fill in this survey once; if there are other blogs that you would also like to vote for, you must select them all at the one time. 

ALSO NOTE! Though this is a competition for Australian blogs, you do not have to be an Australian to vote.

Voting closes May 9th.

There are many fantastic blogs in this competiton (1024, to be exact), and many of them have much larger followings. But it would mean the world to me to know that my band of merry readers appreciate my blog enough to show that gratitude with a click of their mouse.

Please — click on the images, or even just here, and give me your vote. In return, I shall endeavour to provide even more posts that amuse, delight and continually improve in quality.

…I will also tell the Karma Gods to cut you all a break. You’ll have earned it!

Cheers, readers! 

- Love [and Vote for] The Bad Guy

UPDATE: Having trouble with the links? Try this one instead.

DAY 30: Favourite Coffee Table Book

Holy heart failure, Batman! This is the final day of the 30 Day Book Challenge! Where the heck did this last month go?

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through my responses, and if anyone out there has been inspired to pick up even one of the books I’ve mentioned, then my job here is done.

But for now, let us round out the Book Challenge with my final response: What is my favourite coffee table book? It would have to be Short and Twisted, edited by Kathryn Duncan.

Short and Twisted is an anthology of short stories that, as you might have guessed, have some sort of twist in them. The endings can leave you laughing, leave you stunned, or leave you weeping openly (if you’re as emotional as I am). Guessing what that twist might be is half the fun. The stories, poems and images that are compiled in the annual book are selected with great consideration, leaving you with a book of fantastic and clever reads.

In the 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 collections are stories by me.

Now, I want you to go back and read the paragraph prior to that last sentence. Oh yes – I am most definitely tooting my own horn.

You can’t blame me, right? Short and Twisted 2007 was the first time I had ever been published and was an incredible milestone for me. Ever since, I have submitted a story each year, and have been honoured whenever they were accepted.

Short and Twisted isn’t a large organisation; I don’t get paid for my submissions, nor is the book available in local bookstores. But they gave me the opportunity to see my name in print, and for that, I will gladly display their work on my coffee table and let the world know (or at least, the occupants of the world who have access to my coffee table) about these great books.

And if, by chance, this scenario also gives me bragging rights, then I will brag to my little heart’s content, thank you very much.

- Love The Bad Guy