Liebster Award

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My thanks to A.J.Lundetrae, fantasy writer and blogger,
for nominating me for a Liebster Award.  Have a great day, Agnete!
 
A.J.’s eleven questions:
 
1]   What was most awesome moment of your life as a writer till now?
Finishing my first novel!  I’d been writing it on and off for over eight years and thought I’d never get it finished, especially after I got hopelessly stuck in the middle.  Finally completing it taught me a lot about myself and gave me the belief that I really was a writer.
 
2]   Is there any particular destination you would love to travel to?
I would love to visit the Arctic circle and see the Northern lights.  I saw them once, as a little girl, in Yorkshire and remember my mother telling me I must remember this, it’s really special - we don’t usually see them this far south.  So, they feel both magical and intimately connected to my childhood.
 
3]   Which song makes you feel happy really fast?
Not a song but the notes of the John Dunbar Theme from “Dances with Wolves”.  There is something about those wistful, yearning notes which really speaks to me and makes me feel calm and positive.  The music is by John Barry, a Yorkshireman, who also scored many James Bond movies.
 
4]   What is the best advice you ever got?
“Personal’s not the same as important. People just think it is.”
It’s from Terry Pratchett’s book “Lords & Ladies” but it crops up in other books of his.  I think it’s important to realise that the world doesn’t revolve around us - however much we would like to believe it does!
 
5]   What are the three most important items at your creative work space at home?
My laptop, my charging cable and a cup of tea.
 
6]   Do you prefer writing in a coffee shop or writing at home? Or somewhere else?
I prefer to write at home.  Coffee shops sound hideous places to write - all that noise plus they serve coffee not tea!  The one place I can’t write at all is on a plane.  I’m phobic about flying and just getting on the plane takes up all my reserves.
 
7]   What is your current read?
I’ve been rereading Agatha Christie while I write “Dark Peak”.  I don’t like reading new books when I’m writing as I don’t want to get too immersed in someone else’s imagination.  Rereading is fine because I feel more distanced from it if I know what’s going to happen.  I’ve just finished “The Hollow”.  Not her best but it was one I hadn’t read for decades.
 
8]   If you were a colour, which one would you be?
I like to think I’d be a pale, restful blue but I suspect I’m more of an angry red with a bit of purple shot through!
 
9]   If you could have one magical power, what would it be?
Turning back time.  I think it would turn out to be a poisoned chalice, though.  There’s probably some law of the universe which makes life turn out the way it does - no changes allowed.
 
10]            Do you have a favourite word(s)?
I like long words, for example: ‘deliquescent’.  Gorgeous!  Not sure where I’d use that, though.  I use ‘ponder’ a lot in my Twitter feed because I like words which are slightly offbeat.  I have to be very strict when editing my work because I know I can’t get away with too many fancy words.  Shorter, plainer, blunter reads better - or so they say.
 
11]            Which  one of your hobbies / spare time activities is the most unusual one?
I study Botanic art in my spare time.  I have very little talent but ache to be able to paint a lifelike facsimile of a flower.  There’s something about the discipline of line, colour and form which is completely engaging.
 
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11 random facts about myself:

1. I have a Masters in Maths Education - which is weird because my first degree is in English literature and I hated maths at school.
2. When I was three I climbed into the elephant enclosure at Chester Zoo and the elephants apparently protected me until someone could get me out.  I really wish I could remember that!
3. I broke my front tooth when I was ten.  I was trying to round up piglets.  Boy, do they move fast!
4. I played the viola at school which got me into the school orchestra because hardly anybody else played the instrument.  It wasn’t a success.
5. I only retook my driving test because my sister, ten years younger, passed hers first time.  Anything she can do...
6. I talk to birds when I pass one sitting on a twig.  Nothing deep.  Just “Hello” or “How are you today?”  Many people apparently find this odd.
7. I love Lake Garda in Italy and fantasise about having a holiday home there.  Mind you, I fantasise about having a holiday home in lots of places until I think about all the extra housework it would involve.
8. I’m not a fan of housework but I do like ironing.  It’s calming and gives me an excuse to watch dross TV during the day guilt free.
9. I learnt to stand on my head when I was 40.  Don’t know why it took me so long.  Guess I’m a slow learner
10. I once found a pig down the toilet at the farm where I grew up (no plumbing, basic dunny across the farmyard).  the pig had pushed through the barrier to the access passage to the bin and got wedged.  It looked very surprised to see me when I lifted the lid but not quite as surprised as I was
11. I plan to reincarnate as a cat and test out the nine lives theory

 
Rules

• Acknowledge the blog that nominated you and display the award
• Answer 11 questions that the blog asks you
• Give 11 random facts about yourself
• Nominate 5 blogs you think are deserving of the award
• Let the blogs know you have nominated them
• Give them 11 new questions to answer

 
 
Nominations
 
This award is a kind of chain letter but without the threats if you break the chain!
My apologies if you’ve been tagged before or if you’re having no truck with any of this nonsense.  I’ve chosen to play and thank the person who nominated me but please don’t feel compelled to join in.  It is entirely optional.
I’ve tagged a few blogs which have helped me with writing problems or which, simply, made me smile.  Sometimes both.
 
I nominate:
 
Stella G Maddox @ http://stellamaddox.blogspot.co.uk/
 
Katherine Hayton @ http://kathay1973.blogspot.co.nz/
 
Chris Thrall @ http://christhrall.com/blog/
 
Louise Marley @ http://www.louisemarleywrites.blogspot.co.uk/
 
Jessica Hatchigan @ http://www.jennysoft.com/
 
 
Questions for my nominees to answer:
1]  When did you first realise you wanted to be writer?
 2]  If you had the power to get rid of one species in the world, what would it be and why?
3]  Who has been the most influential person in your life?
4]  What do you most enjoy about writing a blog?

5]  If you could live anywhere at all, where would you go?
6]  Do you have a hidden or surprising skill?

7]  You can invite one person from history for a chat.  Who would you choose?
8]  Which is better - being a child or an adult?

9]  Rain, wind, snow or sun?

10]  Where and when do you like to write?
11]  Crunch time!  Tea or coffee?

 
My thanks to all and everybody who has, in any way, encouraged me to continue to write and to AJ @  http://lundetrae.com
 because who doesn’t like being nominated for an award?
 

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