Liebster Award

 

So, turns out I have been nominated for the marvelous Liebster Award by the beautiful, hilarious and multi talented Ana over at A Z Pascoe. Ana is one of the most welcoming and insightful bloggers I’ve come across and reading her work is like taking a road trip with a good friend. Check out her blog, it’s far more interesting than mine.                                                                                                                                                                    The Liebster Award means you get to find out things about me and discover a whole new bunch of awesome people, which is frankly the best bit.

The rules are thankfully quite simple:

1. Share 11 facts about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
3. Nominate up to 11 bloggers and write 11 questions for them to answer

Okay, 11 facts about me, and pretty much my Online Dating pitch:

1. I love art almost as much as I love writing. It was pretty touch and go deciding which unrequited career to plump for. The Crone Avatar is taken from one of my charcoal drawings.                                                                                                                                                    
2. I’m a vegan. Yep, B12 is a bugger.
3. I love Indie Rock, the louder and more obscure the better.
4. I have 3 children. They’ve turned out great, I often take a moment to congratulate myself on that                                                                                  .
5. I once ran a charcoal drawing workshop. People thought I knew what I was doing and everything.
6. My favorite film of all time is Zoolander. I had to buy a replacement DVD.
7. My go to guru is Steve Jobs.
8. I can still code in Basic.
9. I have playlists for every possible emotional occasion. I’m currently listening to, ‘Who died and left you in charge?‘
10. My first love was a beautiful boy called Keith. I also dumped that one sided affection the day I saw Bauhaus play in Bristol. Even now Pete Murphy, even now I would run away with you.
11. I love Illustrators. I have their artwork all over my house. Especially, Kay Nielsen  Edmund Dulac & Arthur Rackham.
    

    

    

 

11 questions set by Ana. I’ve kept the answers short because life is bastard short enough already. 

1. What is the best thing you think you’ve ever written, and why?  The first draft of my first novel. Not because it was some sort of epic masterpiece, but because finishing that first book is so damn hard. Frankly, there should be flags and marching bands.
2. If you could spend an hour with anyone in the world, either alive or dead, to speak about life, the universe and everything, who would it be?  Nikola Tesla. I swear that man was/is/will be, a Time Lord.
   
3. What’s one genre/type of book/story you’ve always wanted to write, but been too scared to try? I’d like to have a go at science fiction, but I’d want to put a weird spin on it.
4. Alternatively, what would you hate to have to write? Any form of slushy Romance. Besides, I know my characters, they wouldn’t do it even if I asked them to.
5. Name one book, story or poem that inspires you to keep writing or, alternatively, contains some language that, for whatever reason, steals your breath.                                                                                                                                      
   
6. When did you start writing, and why?  I’ve always written stories. Question is, why did I stop for so long?
7. Is there a personality trait, quirk or other notable characteristic that you particularly gifting (or cursing!) your characters with?   You can’t beat a bit of darkness.
8. What’s your favorite kind of cake? (This is a big deal, think carefully)  Man… I don’t eat cake.                                                                                                                                                           
9. If there were no financial barriers, would you take up writing/blogging full time? And if you’re doing so currently, how’d you achieve that?  I am writing full time, (which is mainly why I don’t eat cake.. or biscuits). I have gone into this as if I’m starting a business and everything I do is about building a viable brand. Still, it feels totally insane. I’m risking everything, but I’m also doing what I love and honestly, where’s the fun in playing safe?
10. If you had to recommend one book to me, what would it be?  The Lord of the Rings (haha, I know you’ve read it, but read it again). Otherwise, The Pearl, by John Steinbeck.
11. And finally, are you guys way too busy to do this?? I totally understand if you are (it took me forever), so your alternative is to write a kick ass story for me (which, obviously, is no challenge at all).  Hey, you don’t need to ask me twice. Can you be addicted to writing?

Questions to the 11 Chosen Ones:

1. Why did you decide to start blogging?
2. If you were an evil villain trying to take over the world, how would you do it?
3. Which quote would you have tattooed up your arm?
4. What book, poem or piece of artwork are you currently working on?
5. Blue pill or Red pill?                                                                                                                            
6. How do you deal with self doubt?
7. What one piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
8. If you could go back in time, which period of history would you choose?
9. Which book or film do you wish you’d thought of writing first?
10. What is your zombie apocalypse strategy?
11. Which character from any novel, poem or piece of artwork that you have produced, would you most like to meet?

Chosen Ones: 

Actually, the one thing I hadn’t appreciated about blogging until I started was just quite how much downright awesome talent there is out there. Seriously, 11 blogs isn’t nearly enough. Check these guys out, they are great bloggers and in my experience, pretty down right fabulous people.

1.  Whalerquinn Quinn writes the most exquisitely beautiful and gloriously weird micro fiction I have so far come across on WordPress. Sometimes it does my head in. What more can you ask of a blog?

2. It’s All In Perception  This blog has kept me puzzled for weeks. There is an unfolding story based around Sherlock Holmes which I love because it’s from a weird angle. But be warned you will also find some beautifully written dialogue, which suddenly turns out to be Magic Realism. I fall for it every damn time.

3. Tammy Mezera Poetry  Tammy’s site reads, ‘Nothing verbose, just poetically inclined‘ Seriously, there is no just on this blog, her beautiful poetry always takes my breath away. There are also links to Tammy’s other writing available from the home page. Check out the side bar.

4. Ash N. Finn So I got hooked on Ash’s blog through the brilliant Cath White flash series. A set of short stories which all weave together to form a larger story. I live in fear that one day Ash will stop writing.

5. Christian Meneses  What can I tell you about Christian? Seeing, The Princess of the Secret Blood, unfold has been a privilege. And apart from making me laugh every time we exchange comments, he’s also a splendid all rounder. So you get blog advice, writing advice and most of all you get to sit back with a cup of coffee and read great Fantasy.

6. The Book of Hangman  With Neil, never know what you’re gonna get. ‘Gothic horror, bizarre absurdities, ridiculous comedy and poetry.’ From the utterly surreal, The last magical fart donkey, to the hauntingly beautiful, The Bogle, it’s always weird and always brilliant.

7. Drunk Off Rhetoric  It would be easy to flag up Minelli’s blog as one of the best places to pick up writing tips and advice, and yes it is. But what really I love about this site is her fiction. I’m not normally one for First Person, Present Tense, but Minelli uses it so damn skillfully that sometimes I’m not sure if I’ve read it or watched it on TV.

8. Kristen P  Kris is one of those bloggers who does all the hard work for me. She delves into this creative process and always comes up with some piece of advice I’ve never thought of before. I also love Kris’ passion for this wild and often confusing business and she will take an idea and run with it. Just a delight.

9. Somathread  ‘Expansion and liberation. Truth. Knowledge. Wisdom. Being informed. Being responsible’ and that’s just the first page. I haven’t even scratched the surface with this site. If the divine had time to write a blog, this is what it would look like.

10. Forged From Reverie  You can get blissfully lost in Stuart’s site. It’s like a glorious library of Folklore and Fantasy, I never have enough time to do it justice. I would take this blog on holiday with me.

11. Pema’s 50/50 challenge   I’m not ashamed to say that this final blog belongs to my dearest, fake beard buddy Pema. When I said I was going to nominate her, she said, ‘Oh god, tell them I don’t know what I’m doing… and that I can’t spell.’ Pema was set 50 challenges for her 50th birthday, and this is the account of her journey. Reading her blog is like being in her company. She’s funny, insightful and highly entertaining things happen to her. Plus she likes me and I admire that in a person.