The Liebster Award

Well, I have received an award!
Thank you, Leslie, at the Upstream Writer , for nominating me!  (blush!)
< http://upstreamwriter.blogspot.ca/2015/05/blogroll-liebster-award-tag.html?spref=fb >

Okay, so the rules are fairly simple:

 

1) Thank and link back to the person who nominated you. (That would be me!)

2) List 11 Facts About Yourself

3) Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.

4) Nominate 9 bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers (and you can't nominate the blogger who nominated you, so I can't be one of those nine)

 

5) Ask them 11 questions (you'll find these down below)

6) Let them know about the nomination. (And this is important! I found out my own nomination quite by accident... Trust me, I've made sure it doesn't happen to the people I nominated!)

This is so perfect because I've not followed a lot of blogs over the last year, (sorry!) and so this is the PERFECT way for me to get some conversation and feedback going! 

Ready? Here we go!

Part 1: 11 Facts About Me

1. If you could be a character in any one of the worlds you've created for your books--like take over an existing character, or be your own kind of character--which world would it be and what character would you be?

·         Well, at my age, I guess that I could take over the role of Uncle Saul Rallence, retired member of the Topaz Realm Council and (quietly) captain of the Radiant Knights from a generation ago.   He is the quintessential user of the yellow topaz powers in his generation, and a critical member of the “Network” – a secret, loosely connected grouping of people that are trying to hinder the advance of the “Enemy”…who is inexorably advancing.

2. What's one item on your Bucket List?

·         Well, one item that stands out is to do a pub-crawl through the British Isles.

3. What is your favorite genre to read?

·         I am a sucker for well-written Sci-Fi/Fantasy, with a penchant for YA and Middle Grade work.

4. What is one of the stories you have started/written? (just the title and one paragraph description)

·         My debut novel is titled “The Boy Named Topaz”.   It is the tale of Toivo, a boy growing up in the Topaz Realm, the Shining world where people all possess the power to interact with and control Light itself to some degree….everyone except him.  He is “skin-blind” – a serious disability there – as well as being terribly clumsy and out of focus.  And he can see things like no one else can.  Sometimes those things are quite dark, and sometimes they look back at him.

5. What is your most prized possession?

·         This would be a toss-up between:  1) my cello, which I’m told I can play fairly well, and 2) my two schlager fencing swords, which I have been using for (gulp!) decades now.

6. What's your favorite vacation spot?

·         I would have to say Florida, though NYC is up there too.

7. How would you describe your blog?

·         The BlogSpot one is an exploration into the creative process that trammels through my brain, as well as a sketch book and sounding board.   

·         The Facebook Author’s page is where I am sharing insights and imagery from the story.  It is also a

 

8. If you could give one piece of advice, using only six words, what would it be?

·         Know That You Are The Stronger!

 

9. What is the craziest/nerdiest/geekiest thing you've ever done? (pick one superlative)

·         Hrm…this is a hard one…  I would say that the craziest thing I ever did was back in my Camp Counsellor days.  I was part of a “commando” team that stole back a 600-pound bronze bell from a rival summer camp.  Nearly herniated m’self…nearly got caught….nearly got arrested.   Heady days, to be sure.

 

10. If you had a week (but only a week) to travel anywhere in the world and do whatever you liked, where would you go and what would you do?

·         I would hop a plane and get m’self to Australia / New Zealand.  There are opal mines there, as well as some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet.  (Live in Canada, so I have few nice views here too…but those “LOtR” settings…sigh…)

11. If you could meet anybody, past or present, for coffee or drinks, who would it be?

·         Pentatonix…or perhaps Rick Riordan

 

Part 3: Nominations!Whew! I made it! Now that that's over, \

Now, I become nervous.  I must confess that I have not made a habit of reading the blogs of other authors, really.  Clearly that is in the midst of changing, but I will have to make a big pus