Cathy-on-a-Stick | Cathy C. Hall Writes

I just read a comment on my friend Debra’s blog about her trouble getting a comment to post on my blog.

Well, dang. (To put it politely. But you know I’m not thinking politely right now.)

It’s not about me, though. Really. It’s just that I have this swell book giveaway (The Smiley Book of Colors) and I’d hate to think that people aren’t able to comment to get signed up for said swell book giveaway. So if you’ve tried to comment, and can’t, please shoot me an email (cathyhall55 at hotmail dot com) and I’ll add your name to the pot (otherwise known as Random.org). I won’t draw a name until Monday, April 3, just to give y’all time. And then I’ll send up a little wish to the Powers-That-Be in WordPress Land that this commenting snafu will be fixed.

And while I’m commenting on commenting, I’d like to speak my piece about commenting on certain Blogger blogs. Not pointing fingers here. Cathy-on-a-Stick is still over at Blogger. Some of my favorite blogs are at Blogger. And that’s why I feel the need to speak up.

I’ve noticed that an alarming number of folks have enabled that captcha wherein I have to try to figure out TWO words, all crammed together, and type them in so that my comment will post. Sometimes, I have to type them in multiple times before I get them right. And that’s only if I sign in using my Blogger account. I just cannot sign in using my wordpress account and get those words to work.

And so what happens is, I move on. I just don’t have time to type in two words, over and over and over again. Besides, I don’t like commenting under my old Blogger account. Yes, I comment to support the blogger and/or sign up for a giveaway. But when I comment, I’m also putting my name out there so that other commenters might check out my blog. If I can’t comment under my wordpress account, then that defeats that purpose, right?

So all you Blogger folks who have blogs I love, show your commenters some love and get rid of that captcha. Use comment moderation if you’re worried about spam. But those words that bleed together and don’t make any sense? They’re just dang annoying. (To put it politely.)

Holy whack-a-moley! I had to rush to get to the Decatur Book Festival in time to see Libba Bray on Saturday because a. I’d never seen her but heard tons of wonderful things about her presentation and b. Cathy-on-a-Stick wanted her picture with her.

I’m always amazed at how nice authors are when it comes to Cathy-on-a-Stick. In Ms. Bray’s case, the woman talked for about an hour– (And she was really funny and entertaining so if you ever get a chance to see her, you should go and experience for yourself how 45 minutes can go by in 13 minutes. I’ve never really understood that whole time/space continuum thing. And it’s not any clearer now.)and she had to catch a plane a couple hours later. But she sat out there for TWO hours and signed books and answered questions and posed for pics up till the very last minute.

I mean the VERY LAST MINUTE. A DBF helper let the few us at the very back of the line know that Ms. Bray may not be able to stay (I made a poem!). She HAD to catch that plane. So when I got up there, and she was still signing, I just said, “Here! Hold this, please! It’s Cathy-on-a-Stick and I have a blog and really, I’m a very nice person but I never know what Cathy-on-a-Stick might say.”

Good, old (not that old, really more like middle-aged) Libba Bray. She laughed, grabbed the stick, and I clicked and dashed so the next person could get her book signed.

So she’s my new favorite YA author. At least until the next one comes along to hold Cathy-on-a-Stick.

(P.S. Here’s her latest awesome book (BEAUTY QUEENS) which I bought and had signed. I may give it away in some sort of contest where you, the entrant, have to do somthing awesome. Because seriously, I stood in line for ~~TWO HOURS~~ ~~an hour and a half~~ ~~almost an hour~~ okay 28 minutes. See, I left the line after 12 minutes because I HAD to see Adam Gidwitz (A TALE DARK AND GRIMM). And he was pretty awesome, too, even if I didn’t catch up with him later for a pic with Cathy-on-a-Stick. But then I came back and stood in Ms. Bray’s line again for 16 minutes. She was there the whole time, so you know, that has to count for a lot of awesomeness.)