Here Comes the Ninja and Celebrate Super Blogger Award

He's the Master of Blogging.
He visits hundreds of blogger buddies and leaves nice comments.
He helps to promote books, blogs, cover reveals, tours, bloghops and anything else that inspires him.
He reviews movies, he plays guitar, he is the successful author of CassaStar, CassaFire and soon-to-be-released CassaStorm.
He is the founder of the very successful (and growing) Insecure Writer's Support Group.

And none of the above is the reason why I am including Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh in the cave's Hall of Fame as part of my Dragon's Eleven. Don't take me wrong. It is all great. Alex is Da Ninja. He deserves all the recognition he gets. I don't believe there are many in the blogsphere who can do as many things as he can, and stay sane. If dragons wore hats, I would take off mine.

But the truth is, the first time I ran into his blog, I clicked on all tabs, checked the very long blogroll and noticed the high number of followers. I thought, "this guy is very popular and successful. Good for him!" And I moved on. I didn't believe we had much in common. I came from another world. I am not into rock. I rarely go to the movies. I am no author so I have no published or seeking-to-be-published book, and I had no idea what a bloghop/blogfest was. Lastly but not least, I had always been reluctant to join support groups (regardless how much they say I might need it). To me, dragon and ninja were different "genres", so to speak.

The only way to find out if there was common ground between us was through actual conversation, beyond comment and reply. Fat chance, I thought. Having such a tight agenda, why in the name of the Ancestors, would he care to converse with a dragon? He started by making me laugh. Surprise, surprise. There just might be something in common after all. Then he showed me he paid attention to what he read and not just understood it, but remembered it as well. And finally, he did care for conversation, even if it had nothing to do with blogsphere, books, hops and fests, rock or movies.

I'm including him because of a one-to-one approach. Neither the ninja left the suit behind, nor the dragon his scales, but they did walk on common grounds. Laugh and heartfelt conversation got the Captain Ninja into Father Dragon's heart. That's why his name will be in the Eleventh's wall for as long as Father Dragon writes.

Alex, this friendship has been a joy and my pleasure.

Celebrate the small things is the brilliant idea of VikLit. Each Friday we post something we wish to celebrate achieving or doing during the week. It can be writing/reading or life related. You can find the list and join us here.

Mother Dragon and I decided on celebrating doctor's good news with Italian food and red wine. Too drastic a change for a vegan stomach. It protested with fire (as dragon's stomachs do) so I spent three days pondering on the benefits of small and progressive "permissions." I'm celebrating my stomach forgave me already for my impulsive feast. (The wine was heavenly sweet, though. 8D)

On Monday, I was interviewed by Alex at Blogging from A to Z. He did a wonderful job putting the interview together and I had fun answering the questions. If you have not dropped by, check it out. (You'll get the chance to witness something completely unbelievable and extraordinaire. The one and only, the official Anti-A to Z, Gary Pennick, was there! Now I can say I've seen it all. Thank you for your sacrifice, Gary! ;))

On Sunday, sweet S.K. Anthony awarded me with the Super Blogger Award. This is a brand new award created by another blogger friend  of mine, Mark Means at Left and Write. The rule is: Take the award for yourself, and then pass it along to someone who inspires you or you just think is 'super' one way or another. Tell us why you think this person is super and deserving. Now, all the recipient has to do is reveal one small secret about themselves and pass the reward to another person.

Thank you very much for the award and for your kind words, S.K. You made me smile and float several inches above the ground, humming...

Those were the dwarves. They also thank you for mentioning them. There are many inspiring super cool bloggers, but since "there can be only one" I pass this award on to Jeff Hargett at Strands of Pattern. A dragon story should include a knight. Just this knight is not up to kill the dragon (thank goodness). Jeff was my very first blogger friend, critique partner and beta reader. Hidden under his cloak, I got the courage to enter this community and make this blog. Thanks to him, I've met awesome people I've come to cherish and who make my life richer. Tassin, Pancholin, Milin and Sessin owe their life to Sir Jeff.

To the Guardian of the Book, the Keeper of Secrets, Knight of the Order of the Red Dragon and my dearest friend, this award is yours.

Dragon's secret: I collect parrots. I have plush parrots, clay parrots, battery parrots, parrots in puzzles, in posters, and in hangers...and a Mr. Potato Head. The secret? I still play with Mr. Potato Head. (Long live the Inner Child!)

Buy an ice-cream to your inner child and have a marvelous weekend! I leave you dragon hugs.