The Leibster Award

Shari of Writing is Communication was gracious enough to nominate me for a Liebster Award. I was gracious enough to accept it but not gracious enough to complete it. Until now. April 15 was exactly one month ago so it’s about time I saddle up the horse and ride.

On a side note completely unrelated to the Liebster: it’s currently raining a good spring rain. While there’s no hope of it growing hair on my head, it will grow the seeds in my garden. 

Okay, back to the Liebster. Thanks a million Shari. It’s an honor to be thought of for  an award.

Next up: Answer some questions. 

1. Do you think that a writer has to be defined by one genre?

Hell yeah! I love Terry Brooks’s fantasy novels. If I were to buy a Terry Brooks book I expect it to be fantasy/sci-fi. It would be like buying a can of corn and opening it up and finding it filled with brussels sprouts. However, as an author I would want to be free to write whatever genre I want. Historical fiction today, thriller tomorrow, and romantic comedy the day after that. In conclusion, I shouldn’t be defined by one genre but my favorite authors should be.

2. What is your favourite writing topic?

I’ll have to go with my blog topic on this one, parenting and kids. Sometimes it’s about what to do. Sometimes it’s an example of what not to do. Most of the time my kids are great, but sometimes they can be assholes. I like to write about both.

3. Do you have a book that you recommend to other readers on a regular occasion? What and why?

For kids I always ask if they’ve read “The Book With No Pictures”. It’s the perfect read aloud book sure to have every laughing so hard the tears will run down your leg. To normal adults I always recommend “The Book Thief” by Markus Suzak. I’ve mentioned it several times on my blog, too.

4. Book version or movie version?

Really? The book is always better, isn’t it? Have you ever watched a movie that was better than the book?

5. If I gave you the word “vellichor” as a writing jump off point where might you jump?

I would jump into a story about a kid who accidentally wanders into the world’s oldest bookstore and finds a portal to a world where they become supreme ruler.

6. What would be your dream setting to write in?

I think I would love to be in a log cabin deep in the rainforest away from civilization. Of course, I’d be by myself because DW’s dream spot is on the beach. I bet there’s somewhere in the world that has a rainforest next door to a beach so we don’t have to divorce.

7. What is your favourite season?

Baseball.

8. Who is your favourite villain? Why?

My kids are 2 of them. They’re always out to get me. I don’t know if she counts as a villain or not, but I’m going to name Dolores Umbridge. God, I hated that woman. She was so well written and so easy to hate. She created some outstanding obstacles for the trioo.

9. Who is your favourite hero? Why?

I’m not sure she’s the hero, but she is the protagonist of her story. Liesle Meminger. She learns to read, hides a Jew, cheats death, and steals books. I think that makes her a hero in my book.

10. What does writing mean to you?

Writing means I get to be creative. I get to try to make people laugh with my weird sense of humor. It also means this stupid little blog gets to connect with people around the world.

11. How would you respond to this quote from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you are going any road h take you there”.

Hell yeah! I would respond with “Not all who wander are lost.” The license plate of our first car was “GET OUT”. Now go explore, see what’s around that next bend, and discover something new.

Now to nominate a few blogger friends from around the world…

1. A Momma’s View
2. Dorky Mom Doodles
3. Snoozing On the Sofa

Feel free to participate, or not. The choice is yours. If you participate, don’t forget to nominate a few or more!

For the three I nominated, here are my 11 questions for you.

1. What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
2. If you became a travel blogger where would you go first?
3. Which antagonist is easiest for you to hate?
4. Do you have a favorite board game?
5. Which fictional character would like to have a lunch date with?
6. Assuming you live through the book’s entirety, which book would you not mind finding yourself within?
7. Spring rain or winter snow?
8. You’ve been invited to do a TED talk. What are you going to talk about?
9. What song/artist do you consistently listen to?
10. What’s one of your favorite quotes?

Now give your nominations some questions to answer and thanks for playing along!