Showing posts with label Liebster Blog Award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liebster Blog Award. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Blondie's Liebster Award #2



Liebster Blog Award #2
My awesome Aussie friend, Rachel Amphlett, nominated me for the Liebster Blog. Thank you so much Rachel for this distinguished honor. Mwah! Be sure to check out her website and thriller novel, White Gold, here. It looks like an amazing read! 

The purpose of the Liebster Blog Award is to recognize blogs with fewer than 200 followers that deserve a look. This is my second nom in as many months. How exciting, eh? My job is to list 11 random facts about me, answer Rachel's questions and to nominate 11 new bloggers, who should bask in the Liebster glow (by that I mean post a blog linking back here with 11 random facts about you, answer my 11 questions and nominate 11 new bloggers). Let's get right to it. 

11 Random Facts about Me

1. My mom is 5'2"and my dad is 6'2". I am thankfully somewhere in between.

2. I've been to 6 countries. Meh, not great for the rest of the world but for an ugly American, not too shabby! I've been to the UK (All of it including England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Switzerland, Bermuda, Italy, and Canada. Plus of course the USA.

Countries I've been to.
3.  I was born a poor black child. Not really, but I love that line from the Jerk. 

4. I'm a bit of an anglophile (and what ever you call someone who loves the Irish and Scots as well). If you're from the UK I would love for you to leave me a boo message stat at audioboo.fm. I've got English, Irish and a few Scots in the novel so any fodder would be greatly appreciated! 
5. I've lived in 8 different states. One of my favorites is Virginia.  Did you know that more US Presidents were born in Virginia than any other state? Now you can say you learned something today (you're welcome). Isn't their state flag lovely?

Anyone know why he's stepping on that dude?  
Oh, that's King George III! Anglophile or not don't mess with Virginia! 
6.  I've been working on my novel, Stealing Time, for 7 years. I'm working on the last 4 chapters. (I've been saying that for a month now. One of my characters has hijacked my novel. A crazy Scot, by the way, so I had to let her have her way. Sigh.)
My upcoming novel. You can read the prologue 
here. Blondie in the Hurricane

7. Through my previous job I met Al Gore twice. First time I was too shy to eke out a single word. The second time I was determined to make an impression. Let's just say Al and the secret service dudes were a bit nervous about my exuberance. Impression made.
Al Gore was scared of me!
8. Last summer I traveled to 13 states on vacation. See my blog: Blondie in the Atlantic Coast for more pics. 
Ended the vacation in Stonington, Maine,
a quaint little town outside of Bar Harbor. 

9. I love medical stuff. Favorite show a few years back was Dr. G. Medical Examiner. Don't recommend watching the autopsies during dinner although if you're trying to lose weight...
Dr. G. Medical Examiner. Yeah, she does autopsies. Yum!
10. I did some modeling in my earlier days. Strangest job was modeling for an artists painting a tarot deck. Here is one of the cards.


This is me, or at least the artist's
rendition of me.
11.  I've seen every episode of Spongebob in the last month. It's all my kids want to watch when they're sick. Let's just say we've not had a great month. Thank you stomach flu. 


Rachel's 11 Questions For Me

1.    What’s your favorite album cover and why?
The first thing that comes to mind is Michael Jackson's  Thriller. Why? Because he at that point was black, had a nose, AND was super cool. Who would ever have guessed that none of that would be true 30 years later? Rather symbolic of the moral decline of pop culture, don't you think?

Michael Jackson -- Thriller. Surprise ending for the King of Pop -- Propofol. 
2. You’ve got the chance to travel back in time and be in your favourite movie. Which movie, and which character do you choose and why?

 To be completely honest, I'd rather eat a snake than star in a movie. Do I have to pick? Hmmmm, I'd have to pick The Ugly Truth opposite Gerard Butler for obvious reasons.  Another choice would be Brigadoon with Gene Kelly to advise them to, at all costs, avoid this costume horror:
Travel back in time to prevent the atrocity of these God awful shorts in Brigadoon. Have ye nev'r heard of a kilt, lad?

3.    You’ve been offered the chance to interview a person of your choosing. Who would you  choose – and what’s your opening question?

 I would love to interview John Adams, our second President. I'm a descendant of his cousin Sam, you know of the beer fame? Opening line: So tell me about the Adams family (cue theme song...dun dun dun deh. Snap, snap.)

John Adams -- so tell me about the Adams family?
4.    You’ve been asked to speak about writing in front of a class of 12-year olds. What advice aren’t you going to give them?

Be a writer -- it's full of fame and fortune (NOT!)
5.    What’s the worst (repeatable!) joke you’ve ever heard?

 What does a mermaid wear to math class? An algae-bra. 
An Algae-bra! Get it?
Or, what my son came home with today: "Mom, someone called you an owl today.  I provided  the requisite answer: "Who?" Yeah, hook line and sinker.
"Who? Who?"

6.    Relaxing holiday or action holiday? And where?

Definitely an action holiday neck deep in some form of water. Where? First choice would be Bermuda. See my blog Blondie in Bermuda for a full picture. (Doubt me? See Blondie in the Pond or Blondie on the Reef!)

7.    You’ve got the chance to go back to your schooldays. What would you do differently?

I would have more confidence. I was awesome -- I just didn't know it yet. A few years ago I went to one of my class reunions. Over a cold beverage one of the 'popular' girls told me that  back in the day she wondered why I had so much confidence. I surely didn't feel that way at the time. My parents divorced when I was seven and it set me up for a damaged young ego. 

 That conversation changed how I thought of my younger self. That maybe despite the insecurities I felt I was a much stronger person that I realized.  One of the things I'm trying to instill in my kids is self confidence. We all make better decisions if we believe in ourselves. I want my kids to trust their instincts and stick up for themselves when it really counts. Think of what I could have done in high school if I knew then what I know now?

8.    Your house is burning down, you’ve got the family and the pets out. The flames are  making their way towards your bookshelves … and you can only save one. Which book do you rescue, and why?

I'll have to say the photo album my sister put together for me when I turned 16. I don't really have any valuable books and definitely not any I'd risk my life to save.

9.    You can be a superhero for the day (or a villain). Who are you going to be and why?  (And yes, you get to wear the costume with the cape too if that sort of thing floats your boat.)

I'm not really into super heroes but if you're gonna make me answer that it'd have to be a hot female version of Aquaman. If you've read my blog you know how I feel about the water -- how frigging cool would it be have aqua super powers?

You made me do it. If I have to pick I'll be a sexy Aquawoman 
as a super hero. No cape needed.
10.   Animal, vegetable or mineral?

Animal. I'll let you ponder on that.

11.   If you could play an instrument, what would it be and why? (And if you can already play an instrument, pick another!)

Another great question Rachel. I already play the flute, recorder, piano and guitar. None of them well anymore, but I was first flute in high school and in the marching band. I guess I'd have to pick saxophone.   
Who doesn't like sax?

Questions for My Nominees:


1.  What is your favorite line from a movie and why?

 2.  What celebrity do you think you resemble or perhaps people have told you look like? I had a guy gush over me in a store hands flapping in excitement. "Oh my Gawd, you look just like Olivia Newton John in Grease. The slutty version."  Nice, huh? He was talking about my hair -- I assure you I was dressed very demurely. 

 3.  Share a favorite line or paragraph from your novel. 

 4. Name 3 things that you love about being a writer.

 5.  What is your favorite place on the planet?

 6. What was your favorite character to write? Why? 
7.  If you were guaranteed to be safely returned unharmed what risky thrill would you try (i.e., Bungee jumping, free diving, scuba with sharks.)

 8.   Put a link to your favorite blog post here. Tell us why it's your favorite.

 9.   What is your favorite band or singer?

10.  Pop, rock, opera, classical, folk, rap... what's your favorite type of music?

11.  What author has inspired your writing the most?

My Nominees for the Liebster Blog Award

Be sure to check out these great authors and bloggers hand selected by me.

 1. Dan C. Chamberlain

 2. Kevin Hill Author/Writer ... for those lovers of travel. 

 3.  Roland Garcia The Eclectic Life

 4.  Joey Francisco Soul and Sweet Tea

 5.  R.C. Lewis Crossing the Helix

 6. G.A. Albrethsen

 7. Seumas Gallacher

 8.  Joanne Wadsworth

 9.  Joshua Stern Adventurer, dreamer, author

 10. Carol Hedges I write, I sleep, I try to resist cake

 11.  K.S. Haigwood The Dream of a Writer

 12.  Terry Tyler Terry Tyler's Blog

 13.  Brendy Caldwell The Shore

Connect With Me
When I'm not working on Stealing Time you can find me on my social media at the links below. I hope to have my novel completed by spring 2013 with book two close behind.
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Wednesday, January 2, 2013


Blondie's Liebster Blog Award


It happened. It did. I was nominated for the Liebster Blog Award. I've been seeing this badge on other blogs for awhile now and wondered how, if, when, maybe, someday... Now thanks to a wonderful supporter of my blog, Judy from Rhode Island (but pronounced Rhoa Deye Lind) I'm now part of the prestigious Liebster club!! Thank you Judi! You are amazing! Be sure to check out her great blog 50 and Fabulous. 

 The rules of this award are listed below and I hope you check out my answers to Judi's questions, my random facts, 11 questions for my nominees, and who I've chosen to pass the award on to next. 

 I promise my next post will be a water adventure. I've got two written and will share them shortly.

The rules of the Liebster Award are as follows:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog and link back to the blogger who presented this award to you;

2.  Answer the 11 questions from the nominator, list 11 random facts about yourself and create 11 questions for your nominees;

3. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen. (No tag backs)  

4. Copy and Paste the blog award on your blog.


Questions From Judi


1.  What is the one food you can't do without?

Probably salad if we're talking about healthy food. Yes, I realize salad is not 'one food' but I have a 'bigger than yer head' salad almost every night. If we're talking about desserts it would have to be ice cream -- coffee ice cream with Oreo's and caramel sauce. (Wipes the drool from my lips.) 

Nightly evening snack mixed green salad with cherry 
tomatoes, baby carrots, avocado, and mixed nuts.
2.  One thing you want to do before you die? 

Scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef. No doubt would be an amazing experience made even better if I saw a shark and still had all bits accounted for afterwards.

Great Barrier Reef, yes please. Add sharks and stir.

3.  What is your favorite hobby and why? 

 Is swimming a hobby? Ah heck it's my blog I can chose swimming if I want to. So yes, swimming in rivers, lakes, lazy rivers, pools, oceans, streams, creeks. Yeah, definitely swimming. But only if it's warm.

Swimming would have to be my favorite hobby. No doubt. Why? See Blondie in the Pool. 

4.  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Gerry, you wanna go to Bermuda? 
Bermuda and Scotland would be my top two travel destinations. I've been to both and fell deeply in love. Maybe just take a few Scottish people to Bermuda. Then I can be warm and enjoy their fab personalities and swim in that gorgeous ocean. 

5.  What book are you reading now? 

 I'm reading several books now...but mostly my own book. See #6.



6.  What are you looking forward to most in the New Year? 

My upcoming novel cover design.
Hopefully it will be out this spring.
Finishing my novel and getting it out in the world will be a great joy in 2013. I've already written about two-thirds of the second book in the Stealing Time trilogy and I can't wait to get back to it. Did I mention both books have Scottish people in them? I haven't managed to get Bermuda in them yet but I do have an ocean scene with a buff dude in Puerto Rico. I need to find a way to put the Scottish people in the sea. Book three maybe? 

 7.  Favorite meal when eating out?

Seafood, no doubt, is my favorite meal. As one of my twitter friends say, it's mermaid food. If I had to pick one I'd say scallops in white wine and a huge salad with goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries. 

Mermaid food is my fave.
8.  If you have one 'do-over', what would it be? 

Do over? Not sure about that. I'm very happy with my decisions. Maybe to travel more before I had kids. Although I did make it to Ireland, Scotland, England, Bermuda and Switzerland before kids. Oh, and Canada if you can really count that.

9.  What is your favorite movie and why?

That's a tough question. I'm not sure I have a favorite movie. I really liked Timeline but mostly because I studied it for the genre and timing of the plot. I'm not sure I'd call it my favorite movie. Enjoyed Beowulf and Grendel and the documentary War of the Gods about the filming of Beowulf during a hurricane and the other disasters they endured. A coincidence that the hurricanes that are in my novel are the same ones that hit Iceland during the filming of this movie and a Scottish dude stars in it? I think not. 

Not my favorite movie, but a good one...

10.  Who is your favorite TV character?

Dexter is my favorite character at the moment. I've cut out most of 'my shows' to make time for writing. TV is the bane of a writer's existence, as you know, because it sucks away your productive time. I've weeded out all other favorite shows and left Dexter as my Sunday night guilty pleasure. 

Why Dexter? If you're not familiar with the show, he's a serial killer. I know what you're thinking, he's my kind of guy with all that bloody knife action. But, the writing is excellent. They're masters at suspense and building the scene to maximize the viewer's angst. I have to wait an hour afterwards to get to sleep after watching an episode. Michael C. Hall plays the role as Dexter beautifully with brains, brawn, and excellent deadpan snark in voice over. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out on Showtime.

Favorite TV Character -- Dexter. Dark and twisty. Snarky and intelligent. 
Plus he rids the world of bad people. What's not to love?

11.  If you had a day to do anything you wanted to do, what would you do?

That's easy. See my blog Blondie in Bermuda. That would be #1 on my list. Snorkeling in the aqua waters of Bermuda with a well muscled man. It'd have to be summer though. Water is too cold this time of year, but since it's a fantasy type question I'm gonna go with a fantasy type answer and make it July.

 This Blondie Loves Bermuda

Random Me Facts  

1. I am allergic to onions and garlic. And no, I'm not a vampire! You did hear the part about me liking the beach right? Sunny warm beaches? Nope, not a vampire.

2. My favorite chocolate is Caramello, or any good chocolate with oooey gooey caramel. 

3. I used to play underwater hockey.  No, I'm not kidding, this is a real sport. My team mates told me I played like a guy and I won the MVP award.

4.  Both my father and step father were Episcopalian ministers. Mom, you have some s'plainin' to do.

5.  My favorite actor is Gerard Butler. Also my favorite flavor of human... Scottish.

6.  I love the Black Eyed Peas, especially Will.i.am.

7.  I broke my hand and foot on the same boyfriend's body. Different times in the same year. Very glad to be rid of him when I moved on to college.

8.  I love water, and I don't mean just to drink.

 9.  I drink sweet tea with Splenda in large quantities.

10.  I'd rather play with my children than clean the house. 

11.  To prove #6, I shake my thang to The Black Eyed Peas Experience Kinect game. 

Questions for my Nominees


Even if you're not a nominee feel free to answer these questions in the comments section. Like all bloggers I love comments. It's like crack to a crack ho. So get me high...

1. What is your favorite movie and why?

2. Who is your favorite author and why?

3. What is the concept behind your blog? Simply to promote your book/skills/product or a bigger purpose, like mine as therapy to deal with my current location?

4. What is your favorite meal?

5. What would you describe as your biggest personal accomplishment?

6. Why are you so awesome? I ask this because I chose you...apparently I think you're pretty fab.

7. What is your favorite household appliance and why? Ha! How's that for a quirky question.

8. For the ladies: Thongs, granny panties, or something in between. For the gents boxers or briefs (or just give me a cheeky answer if you prefer.)

9. What is your favorite holiday and why?

 10. What is your favorite restaurant? Why? 

11. Which question above was the hardest to answer? Why?

Nominees

1. Chef John Malik A Writer Trapped in a Cook's Body

2.  Shaunda Wegner Slow Stir Dribblings from a Writer's Life

3.  Charles Gonzo The Gonzo Lecture

4.  Scott Phillips Rattle and Blast

5.  Jonny A. Mypixel.se

6. Marla Madison Reading and Writing are Fattening

7. J.J. Collins Author

8. Stuart Haddon

9. Kenny C Dontthinkjustwrite

10. Valentine de Francis tossing logic out the window 

11. Chuck Barrett 


I really appreciate you stopping by my blog! Made my day in fact! Please take a few minutes to check out these amazing blogs.  If they're anything like me, a comment will make them very happy. 

Connect With Me

When I'm not working on Stealing Time you can find me on my social media at the links below. I hope to have my novel completed by spring 2013 with book two close behind.

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