I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award by Juneta Key, writer of Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Sci-Fi Cyber-Steampunk & Mystery, Romance, and Life Inspired Stories.

 

Thank you, Juneta, for thinking enough of my blog to recommend it. Here are the rules:

 

Here are my eleven questions to answer:

1. Who is your favorite author? James Michener

2. If you had 3 wishes what would they be?

1. Health for me and my loved ones
2. Everyone would at least have enough
3. The ability to communicate effectively

3. If you were given a free round trip ticket to anywhere, where would you go? I’d set up a writing retreat via Amtrak sleeping car on the longest route I could configure in the United States.

4.  Would you rather live near the ocean, forest, mountains or the fourth option;)? I love the ocean, forest, and mountains, but I’d choose to live right where I am — smack dab in the middle of rolling Texas.

5. What is your favorite genre of music? Classic rock.

6. Plane, Train, Boat, Car or other for vacation travel? Train

7. Where is your favorite place to escape from the daily grind to? I’m retired. I’ve escaped the daily grind, so the answer is home.

8. What is your best memory?  (You probably have several, but pick one) My earliest memory is of riding in the wagon across a gravel parking lot behind my mom, who did not drive. I was not more than two. Mom says I’d say, “Bumpy ride, Mommy.  Bumpy ride.”

9. Do you have a hobbit? if not, what would you like to do for a hobby? ROFL @ SELF  okay this error was too good to correct—go ahead tell me who is your favorite hobbit? I have no idea what a hobbit is. (Well, all right. It’s a small, troll-like fictional being, but I am completely unfamiliar with the details, because I’ve steadfastly avoided reading the book for 40-plus years.)

10.  What is the most memorable book you have read, or movie if not a big reader? The Throwaway Children I checked it out of the library when I was around 13, and it was ghastly. I found it as a used book on Amazon several years ago and bought it, but I haven’t had the guts to read it again. It was a non-fiction book about the things adults have done to abuse children, and it was something I probably shouldn’t have been reading at that age.

11. Would you travel around the world in 80 days if you could? Nope.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1.  I’m still amazed I was able to retire from working for someone else before I turned 48.  I never saw that coming (not when I was 20, anyway!).
2. I’m going to attempt to have two total knee replacement surgeries before September, 2015.
3. My husband is an incredibly talented musician, an exacting craftsman, and, since he’ll be 78 this year, I’m embarrassed I can’t keep up with him. (See #2 above.)
4. Until Millie died in 2012, I had always had a dog.
5. My husband and I love long Amtrak trips.
6. I’m not a fan of holidays (except for paid time off work) or ceremonies.
7. I once wanted to be a zoo veterinarian.
8. I toyed with becoming a marine biologist.
9. Now I’m an amateur feline behaviorist.
10. I’ve always wanted to be a writer but didn’t think I was “experienced” enough. When I became “experienced” enough, I realized I had needed to be practicing writing all that time.  Catching up.
11. I’m a Native Iowan and a Naturalized Texan.

My Nominees (Note sure of the number of followers, but each has something to say, and I’d love to see more people find them):

1. Wendy at Shining the Light (She hasn’t been posting much, and I miss her thoughts, but I know she’s been busily writing good fiction.)
2. Paige at Tales From the Laundry Room
3. Patty at My Edible Landscaping Journal
4. Valerie at Valerie Comer
5. Stephen at 51313 Harbor Street
6. Erin at Erin Hartshorn
7. Bonnie at Cowgirl in New England
8. Margaret at Tales to Tide You Over
9. Zette at Joyously Prolific
10. Elizabeth at Dreaming in the Daylight
11. Thea at Expected Aberrations

My Questions for My Nominees:

Use the questions above, but, unless you actually have a hobbit (if so, tell us all about it!), for question nine, please tell us about your favorite hobby.