My Blogness. Me?!

This is a quick note before I move onto Week 45.

I know it has taken me a while, but thanks to Julie Luek for passing on the Leibster Award to me.

My face reddens and a shy smile curls my lips. (Okay, maybe I could drop the 'showing' in this instance and just admit that I'm pretty happy about it.)

Unfortunately, I am very slack at following blogs, even though I have visited so many wonderful sites, but I will hold on to the privilege of passing on the award in the future, if that's okay.

I've done a few searches on the award, as you do, and whether it's German for 'I like your blog' or not, who cares? It's nice to feel worthy.

Here are Julie's excellent questions answered, excellently or not.

1. Who is your favorite author and why?
Agatha Christie. Such wit and precision.


2. The ideal writing retreat would be....?
Almost anywhere warm, as long as I was alone with plenty of time.


3. What is(are) your current writing project(s)?
NaNoWriMo creative memoir if such a thing exists; an older YA novel.


4. What is the philosophy or mission of your blog?
Read, learn, share.


5. You get an all-expense paid week to do anything you want-- what would that be?
Learn to fly a plane. Sorry, the writing can wait.


6. If you could sit down and have coffee n' chat with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
My father when he was a young man, because I think he would have been a hoot, and for other more serious reasons, of course.


7. A maitre-de comes to your table and lifts the silver lid off the plate of the most exquisite meal, what is it?
New Zealand lamb shanks with baby carrots, mashed potato and gravy, served just the way that place in Queenstown served it... but with a silver lid.


8. One item from your bucket list is...?
Learn a different language. How slack am I not to have done that already?


9. What is your favorite place in your house to read a book?
Boring, I know, but it really is in bed.


10. What song are you most likely to be caught singing in the shower?
'Oooo, I bet you're wondering how I knew, 'bout your plans to make me blue....'


11. What talent, besides writing, do you possess?
I can sketch a mean giraffe.



Okay, for the future recipients of the Leibster Award (you'll know it when you get it), or anyone who wants to answer them - it could be the start of a great story - here are my questions:

1. Would you rather be a cabbage or a rose?
2. What do you read most (fiction genre, news, cookbooks etc)?
3. What is one of your earliest memories?
4. What era (pre or post civilisation) would you like to visit for one week and why?
5. In 25 words or less, describe the best story you think you've written so far.
6. If you could talk to one of your inanimate possessions and have them talk back, what would you talk to and what would you talk about?
7. What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten (and keep it clean, please).
8. What is one of your favourite inspirational sayings?
9. Do you have a plan for the rest of your life or are you winging it?
10. Besides the bible, what book would you love to have written and why?

Back to the NaNaWriMo challenge.

For a break, I might do these exercises.

Exercise 89. List, what you feel are, your strengths and weaknesses (otherwise know as 'areas to improve') as a writer.

Exercise 90. Write a page of pursuasive prose explaining why you would rather be a cabbage or a rose. Use strong, passionate words to make your audience really believe your argument.