October 2010 Monthly Award Winners Announced!

Congratulations to our October, 2010 Best of AC and Rising Star Award Winners!

This month's Best of AC Awards went to top Contributors in Personal Finance, Politics, and Sports. It was, as always, a tough contest, but in the end awards went to three outstanding Contributors who triumphed thanks to their extraordinary skills and personal expertise in their topic areas. Congratulations to Bill Stanley (The Money Coach), William Browning, and Joshua Huffman. Check out the full announcement for more!

Our monthly Rising Star Awards recognize newer writers who are standing out in the AC community. It takes no small measure of courage to establish oneself on a new publishing platform, and these awards present bragging rights and a cash prize to Contributors brave enough to jump right in and talented enough to do so successfully. This month's winners are Vanessa Evans, Clayton Browne, Linda Rogacki, Jean Kelly, and Heather Braegger. Congratulations to the winners! Read our full-length announcement for more.

Rising Stars for September, 2010

Congratulations to our Rising Star Award winners for September, 2010! These up-and-coming Contributors took the plunge into a new publishing platform and displayed both talent and confidence in producing great, informative content. Check out the full-length announcement here.

Rising Stars of September, 2010

Emma Vine joined the AC community in June and has since produced 89 pieces of content, received nearly 20,000 pageviews, and become a Featured Contributor for the Food and Wine and Local categories. She really shines when writing about her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas.

Emmaleigh R. Hall has more than a few things in common with our first Rising Star of the month--both have "Emma" in their names, both joined in June, and both have 40 fans at the time of this posting! But superficial similarities aside, Emmaleigh is a truly unique and captivating writer with a sense of fun and creativity that's all her own. She's a Featured Movies Contributor, with 77 pieces of content and nearly 17,000 pageviews.

Amy Ess joined AC this July and has already attracted almost 38,000 pageviews to her library of 84 pieces of content, focusing primarily on arts and entertainment. She's rocking a Clout 7 badge already, and like the previous two winners, has 40 fans! Amy is a student double-majoring in psychology and human development and family studies.

Maggie Lumpcik has been with us since August and has already created 53 piece of content, drawing almost 28,000 views to her library and rising to Clout 6. Her content is flavored both with personal expertise and skillful research.

Lauren Finnegan has only been with AC since September, but she's already produced 62 pieces of content and almost 33,000 pageviews. She's even earned a Hot 500 badge, along with reaching Clout 7. Lauren is a military wife and proud mother who shares her knowledge as a Featured Contributor in the Shopping & Fashion and Fertility & Pregnancy categories.

Congratulations to our September winners. Don't forget to nominate your favorite rising stars for an October award!

Rising Stars for August, 2010

Congratulations to our Rising Star Award winners for August, 2010! These newer Contributors displayed savvy, talent and the ability to become rapidly accustomed to a new publishing platform. See the full-length announcement here.

Rising Stars of August, 2010:


Joan Haines has been with us since June, accumulating 53 piece of content and 56 fans, along with a Clout 5 badge. She's a Featured Education Contributor, using her experience as a professional fifth grade teacher to inform her content on subjects ranging from age-appropriate chores to choosing parts in elementary school theater.

Laura Cone joined AC in May of this year and has already racked up over 61,000 pageviews and become a Featured Contributor for Dieting & Weight Loss, Gardening, and Food & Wine. She's reviewed everything from Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread to Skinny Cow ice cream products. Laura is always on the lookout for "diet" products that aren't as good for you as they claim.

Nicholas Ward joined us this June and is well on his way to earning an AC Millionaire badge! He's already a Clout 9 and a member of AC's Hot 100, with more than 335,000 pageviews across a library of 123 pieces of content. Nicholas is also a Featured Technology Contributor, with numerous reviews of computers and mobile phones under his belt.

Philo Gabriel has been a Contributor since May, publishing a staggering 668 pieces of content in four short months. His local content can help anyone considering a visit to Michigan, while his series on elder care and elder abuse could be invaluable to individuals looking at living options for a senior loved one.

Phyllis Wheeler became a Contributor this May and is already a Clout 5 with 71 pieces of content. She's a Featured Health & Wellness Contributor, with lots of great content about unhealthy foods dieters should avoid. But the real "diet" she'd like to put you on doesn't involve food--Phyllis is writing a series of articles on "The Negativity Diet," which calls on readers to spend 30 days without voicing a negative statement.

Congratulations to our August winners, and don't forget to nominate your favorite rising stars for a September Rising Star Award!

July 2010 Rising Stars Announced

Congratulations to our July 2010 Rising Star Award Winners! These Contributors are rapidly climbing the clout ladder, racking up pageviews, and taking on Featured Contributor slots, achieving plenty of success in just a few short weeks.

This month's Rising Stars include Cindy Coulter, already an FC in three categories; gardening guru Denise Jennings; Starcraft and Eve Online expert Kemp Adrian; Chrisopher Berenger, a gifted news writer with an eye for hot topics; and Katy Cross, already recognizable around Associated Content for her "Buy, rent, or pass?" reviews.

All five July 2010 Rising Stars are talented writers and remarkable for their ability to take a totally new publishing platform and rapidly make it their own. Congratulations to all on their success!

Don't forget--five Rising Star awards go out each month. Winners get a cash prize, a profile badge and of course bragging rights for life. Nominate your faves in the Contests and Nominations forum every month!

June 2010 Rising Stars

Our June 2010 Rising Stars are an impressive bunch! From vampire facts to flood damage help, readers can learn a lot from these Contributors. They may be new to Associated Content, but they're already standing out.

June's rising stars include Jennifer Sale, who focuses on humor and pop culture; Briana Blair, an artist who writes about everything from vampires to healthy food choices; Featured Sports Contributor Adam Spencer; Beauty Featured Contributor Whitney Laurence; and Ebie Harris, a Featured Contributor for our Parenting and Travel categories.

Please congratulate our June Rising Stars! It takes courage to jump into a new writing site and succeed. These five Contributors are doing a great job.

Don't forget--we reward five Rising Stars each month with a cash prize, nifty profile badge and infinite bragging rights. Nominate your favorites in the Contests and Nominations forum!

April and May Rising Stars Shine Brightly

We're serving up a double helping of Rising Stars on the blog today! Our Rising Stars for April and May are experts in everything from Chemical Engineering to parenting. They do have a couple of things in common, however: All joined Associated Content recently and they're already seeing lots of success.April's Rising Stars include Casey Adams, Becca Grenier, Lisa McNamara, Tony Payne, and Gina Grace. They're sharing their expertise, making friends throughout the community and racking up pageviews. Stop by their pages and check out their great content. They'd appreciate congratulatory messages, too!

In May, our monthly Rising Stars include Nicole Pellegrini, Jillian McCoy, Melanie Patrick, Tom Bradwell and Hope L. Brock. From their libraries of content, you can learn about the film industry, raising toddlers, teaching at-risk students, classic video games and so much more. Don't forget to leave a "Congrats," too!

We're not quite halfway through June and there are already many new Contributors reaching for the stars... the next Rising Stars awards, that is! If you know of a newbie with great potential, stop by the forums to nominate them as a Rising Star for June.

March 2010 Award Winners

We'd like to congratulate the winners of Associated Content's March 2010 awards!

Best of AC: Automotive, Business & Finance, Gardening

Our monthly Best of AC awards recognize the achievements of Contributors publishing extraordinary content in a wide range of topics. March's winners are:

Best of AC: Automotive -- Michael MrTechnical Hewitt
Featured Contributor and auto enthusiast Michael MrTechnical Hewitt boasts extensive experience in auto repair, including more than 5 years as a Chrysler Master Mechanic. Check out his library for helpful DIY auto tutorials (like Replacing a Worn Out Brake Light) and niche car buying guides (Top Five Cars that Will Please Even the Most Active Seniors).

Best of AC: Business and Finance -- Angie Mohr
Angie Mohr has been an Associated Content Contributor since 2007, and has published more than 80 Business & Finance articles to date -- each piece informed by years of experience as a certified professional accountant. Check out her library of content for expert advice on everything from doing your taxes (don't forget these commonly-missed tax breaks!) to insurance coverage and policies (Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance: Is it Worth It?).

Best of AC: Gardening -- Dena E. Bolton
Dena E. Bolton, a master gardener for over 40 years, has contributed more than 200 gardening articles since she joined Associated Content in 2008. Whether she's guiding you through your first blueberry bush grow, offering tips on how to prevent pesky pest invasions or giving you a sneak peek into her herb garden in progress, Dena's passion for gardening is palpable in the work she publishes.

Rising Stars

Our Rising Star awards shine a spotlight on some of our most promising new Contributors. March's winners are...


Carly Morgan joined Associated Content in December, 2009 and is already a Featured Contributor in our Travel and Weddings categories. She's published nearly 90 pieces of content since becoming a Contributor. Don't miss her intensely personal and important piece, I'm Bulimic: The True Story of a Fifteen Year Struggle with Bulimia.

Our next Rising Star is Featured Mental Health Contributor, former law enforcement officer and crime novelist, Asher Kade. His content often incorporates extensive personal experience and in-depth interviews that are both touching and informative. Make sure to read his article, What Every American Needs to Know About Pakistan.

Donald Allen traveled the world during his 12 years in the military, as is readily apparent to any reader skimming his library of over 50 pieces of compelling content. He writes about a variety of topics, but really shines when addressing issues important to travelers. Don't miss his expert advice in Travel Safety: Defending Yourself While Traveling Abroad.

As a Featured Shopping & Fashion and Video Games Contributor, Lori May brings her unique perspective to each piece of content. Lori offers a refreshing take on compelling topics from Top 5 Punk Prom Dress Vendors to GameCrush: Gaming Social Network or Disguised Video Dating?

Shane Smith writes great SEO-friendly web content on Arts and Entertainment topics that genuinely interest her. Her achievements--including a spot in our Hot 500--are all the more impressive in light of the fact that she became a Contributor less than two months ago For her take on the recent Lindsay Lohan situation, check out Dina and Michael Lohan Faceoff Over Lindsay's Self Destruction.

Congratulations to all of our wonderful award winners! Stop by their profile pages to leave your own congratulations.

November's Rising Star Award Winners

We'd like to congratulate the five promising new Contributors who won Associated Content's Rising Star Awards for November!

Ramona Taylor joined in mid-October, and she's already on a roll with 135 pieces of published content and over 11,000 page views. She writes on everything from the upcoming winter Olympics to parenting, and her Hanukkah content is fantastic. Check out her piece on what to write in Hanukkah cards.

It's obvious that UC Irvine student Neil Takore knows his school's water polo program front and back. His informative, smart coverage makes him a sportswriter to watch. His other content includes well-researched political pieces, music reviews, tech advice and this helpful piece on the new FTC guidelines.

After joining AC in October, Britney Hornaday Boroughs immediately started building her library (she's already up to 40 pieces) and racking up fans. She was nominated many times in the Forum this month and won AC staff over with her gift guides, arts & entertainment content and exclusive interviews. Check out her Home for the Holidays: AC Exclusive Interview with Congressman Mike Ross.

Gavin Matthews has pinned down in mere months something that takes many Contributors years to develop—a keen insight into what kinds of content perform best. Three months after joining AC, he's earned over 97,000 page views with just 28 pieces of content! Be sure to read 2009 NFL Week 10 Predictions.

New Contributor Catherine Spencer has found a unique voice on AC. While she focuses on content areas covered by many other Contributors (such holidays, local and pets), she always finds an interesting angle (see Decorate a Western Theme Christmas Tree and Book Club Party Just in Time for Halloween; and don't miss her amusing Conical Bra Resurgence).

Be sure to visit these Contributors profiles to welcome them into the AC Community!

Congrats to October's Rising Stars!

We'd like to congratulate the five talented, new Contributors who won Associated Content's October Rising Star Awards:

Sylvia Branch has a unique, indie spin in all of her content, from pin-up girl-inspired fashion reviews to raw food recipes and unique gift guides (check out her Best Stocking Stuffers for a Roller Derby Girl). She has also climbed to a Clout 6 with over 26,000 page views in her first two months on the site.

Chiropractic doctor and practicing Kinesiologist Nathan Schilaty, DC is a member of the Featured Health & Wellness Contributors program, and has built an impressive library of heath content since joining AC in July.

Brandon Miller was nominated by several other Contributors in the Forum for his fun, timely and helpful online gaming content. Check out his guides and tips for Farmville, Restaurant City and Mobsters 2 as well as his Southern California local content.

She may have joined AC in September, but Kyla Matton is already a mainstay in the AC Forum and a Contributor to watch with 60 pieces of content on everything from the H1N1 virus to delicious recipes. Check out her piece: H1N1 Vaccine Available in Canada Earlier Than Expected.

Rebecca Caroll's profile says that she's "passionate about life" and it's definitely reflected in her content, which spans topics from Christianity to the holidays to living with disabilities. Her overt interest in hers topics makes her content extra engaging, and she's already raked in close to 25,000 page views.

Congratulations to this month’s winners!

September Award Winners

We’d like to congratulate the talented winners of Associated Content September 2009 Best of AC and Rising Star awards!

Best of AC

Christine Bude Nyholm won in the Alternative Medicine category. This is the 2nd Best of AC win for this multi-faceted, Clout 10 Contributor (she also won last year's award for Winter Travel Guides). She has written more than 150 Health & Wellness articles during her AC career, including an impeccably researched and crafted set of alternative medicine guides published in September, like this one: "Arthritis Alternative Treatment Options."

Kimberly Lawson won in the Fashion category. This Clout 10 fashion student and entertainment blogger has published close to 50 fashion guides in 2009 alone, offering a wide variety of style tips, trend alerts and well-researched shopping guides. AC fashionistas should be sure to check out her recent tips for looking hot when the weather's cold.

Victoria Leigh Miller won in the Television category. This long-time Contributor and Arts & Entertainment Category Editor has published close 100 pieces of television content this year, and more than 30 in the month of September -- mixing coverage of breaking entertainment news with retrospective roundups of great moments from TV history. Looking for something to watch with your kids this Halloween? Check out her recent roundup of the best Halloween-themed TV episodes for kids.

Note: We’re currently accepting nominations for our October Best of AC Awards in the following categories: Personal Finance, Politics and Sports. Be sure to nominate your favorite publishers in those categories by posting in this forum thread or emailing community@associatedcontent.com.

Rising Stars

Be sure to check out all five of September's "Rising Stars"...

Kimberly Sharpe
Joshua Huffman
Missy Jess
KK Thornton
Peter L. Bosch

...and welcome them into the AC Community!

Post in this forum thread if you'd like to nominate any new Contributors for October's Rising Star Awards.

Congrats to all!

August Rising Star Award Winners

Our monthly Rising Star Awards recognize some of Associated Content's most promising new Contributors. Please help us in congratulating these five talented individuals, and welcoming them to the AC Community:

Jolynne M Hudnell writes about what she knows—and that's a lot. Her article topics range from parenting and health tips to crafting guides, all written from personal experience. She has earned over 20,000 page views in just over 3 months of publishing on AC.

Rachel de Carlos has lived all over Europe but now resides in California. Her content focuses mainly on life in Greece, Israel, London and Santa Barbara - a truly unique and worldly perspective on "local" content.

In just over two months, Roz Zurko has published 133 pieces of content, racked up nearly 60,000 page views and climbed to a Clout 8. Her content spans her many areas of interest, from arts & entertainment to health & wellness.

As a jewelry designer, Lorraine Yapps Cohen is able to provide readers a unique insight into gemstones, precious metals, jewelry settings and jewelry shopping. Her expertise over her subject matter is readily apparent in the content she publishes.

Drew Bush recently graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science degree. His content is informed by his studies, as well as his intimate knowledge of Nevada and interest in arts and entertainment. He has published over 130 pieces since joining AC in early June.

Congrats to all! Be sure to visit our Forum to start nominating your favorite AC up-and-comers for next month's awards!

July Rising Star Award Winners

This month we selected 5 great new Contributors who have shown potential to become AC superstars. Their well-written and researched content, dedication to the site, enthusiasm and ability to promote their content earned them this distinguished award.

July 2009’s winners are:

Shelly Barclay
Jeffrey Weeks
Tamara McRill
M.G. Hardiman
Anne Wright

Congratulations to the winners! You can read more about why these winners were chosen here.