THE SUNSHINE AWARD

The Sunshine Award is presented to “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” 

 Thank you so much to Sherry of Fundinmental for nominating me for this award! I am honored! If she wasn't nominating me, I'd nominate her! She constantly spreads sunshine on my blog with all of her wonderful comments!

Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):

1. Announce your win and link back to the person who nominated you.

2. Display the award logo on your blog.

3. Answer the list of questions. (You have two choices here: Kimberly’s questions or Honoré’s. Or feel free to mix and match.)

4. Nominate ten bloggers for the award and link to them.

5. Let the bloggers know you’ve nominated them.

Kimberly’s Questions:

What inspired you to start blogging?

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

What is your favorite blog that you like to read?

What is your dream job?

Is your glass half full or half empty?

If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?

What food can you absolutely not eat?

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?

Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?

Honoré’s Questions:

Favorite color:

Favorite animal:

Favorite number:

Favorite non-alcoholic drink:

Facebook or Twitter

Your passion:

Giving or getting presents

Favorite day:

Favorite flowers: 

I choose . . . Kimberly’s questions!

What inspired you to start blogging?

I started blogging initially as a way to advertise and promote my books. At first I looked upon it as one more thing I had to do. I quickly developed a love for it and feel that I’ve made many new online friends—and frankly, that’s the best part!

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

Taylor Dean Books—not very creative I’m afraid, so it wasn’t hard! However, when we were trying to get the domain name, Taylor Dean Books wasn’t available at first! Go figure! We toyed with many different names: Taylor Dean Novels, Taylor Dean Romance, etc, etc. I had my heart set on Taylor Dean Books. It was easy and forthright. No guessing as to what the website would contain. Somehow my daughter was able to finagle it and I got the domain name I wanted!

What is your favorite blog that you like to read?

My daughter’s blog, of course. She posts pictures of my grandson!

What is your dream job?

Stay at home Mom was always my dream job—and that’s exactly what I did. Make no mistake, it is a job! But now that I have an empty nest, I’m living the ideal dream job as an author.

Is your glass half full or half empty?


Half full! I love my life and my family. They are everything to me. When I get a bad review, I remind myself: my life is happy whether my books are successful or not. My happiness does not hinge upon my success as an author. However, I will say this. Success is relative. I’ve already surpassed the success I thought I would achieve in the publishing world. Everything else is just a bonus. It’s all in your perspective.

If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?

Lake Tahoe in California. I don’t like to travel because I get very motion sick, so we’d drive. I don't fly--it's a miserable experience--and the only thing that would get me on a plane is an emergency!

What food can you absolutely not eat?

Anything that comes from the ocean. Yuck. Hate it.

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Milk chocolate.

How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?

I spend far too long on my blog posts when I should be working on my writing. I don’t take forever, but I don’t dash them off either. I consider my blog to be my connection with the outside world. Otherwise, I’m just someone sitting at their computer writing novels that no one will ever know about!

Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?

My TV nightlife consists of the following shows: The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Once Upon a Time, and Celebrity Apprentice. And we just finished watching ALL of the episodes of White Collar on Netflix. I love the humor in the show. Love me some Matt Bomer too. He could play the leading man in any and all of my books! (I'm not into 50 Shades, so I'm not thrilled that he's up for playing Christian Gray.)

Now on to the important stuff!

Which blogs do I nominate for the SUNSHINE AWARD?

(sorry, I can't choose ten!)

Ladies: if you'd rather not participate, I totally understand . . . just know that I nominated you because you are wonderful!

Christy at Christy's Cozy Corner

Melanie at Mel's Shelves

Jules at Good Ghost

Laura at Colorimetry

Charissa at Joy in the Moments

Shelly at House of a La Mode

Brandy at Book Worm Brandy

Why? Because, not only do they spread sunshine, but they are all good, kind ladies who make my world a better place!

Thank you!