Many thanks to zeelikestowrite for nominating me for my first ever blog award! 
[photo credit: It’s Great To Be Home]
I’ve seen these on other blogs but never expected to be nominated for one myself, so it’s much appreciated. I now have to answer the 11 questions put to me by my nominee and then put forward the names of 11 new blogs which I think deserve the same nomination. So, without further ado…
Here are the answers to the questions put to me:
Describe in two words what a world without WordPress would be like? Less connected
When did you start blogging and why did you decide to start? I started blogging in February 2013 because I wanted to connect with other writers, keep a log of my own writing experiences and also thought it would be a way of making myself more accountable as a writer – if other people are reading your blog then it spurs you on and encourages you to keep going. You can’t say you’re writing a novel and then put it to the side, as everyone will be asking you what stage you’re at and when you’ve finished it!
What is your favourite possession and why? If I can count my dog, then it’s definitely him, because he’s the most loyal and lovable wee thing in the world and very cute with it! If you want an inanimate object then… perhaps my violin. I never thought I’d be able to read music or play anything at all, so owning my own violin and being able to create music from it is great!
Which author would you most like to interview and what would be your first question? I would most like to interview the deceased Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov, as I love his writing style and the hidden meanings behind everything (i.e. the state of Russia when he was alive). I think I would ask him his opinion on writing today and how he kept motivated to write when all around him were trying to ban his work.
Which book already published, would you like to have written? I love Maggie O’Farrell’s books and her writing style, so maybe ‘The Hand that First Held Mine’.
What is the most adventurous food you’ve eaten? Frogs legs!
How often (be honest) do you check your stats on your wordpress blog? Hmm, at least once a day, Mon-Fri but not at the weekends.
Where do you do most of your writing and why? At home on my sofa, in front of a crackling fire if it’s chilly because I work best in silence and with just me and my wee dog, it’s the perfect place to write. I come up with ideas whilst out walking or driving and so on, but I’m not one for scribbling away in a bustling coffee shop – too noisy and distracting for me!
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received? Read books! The more you read, the more you absorb and it definitely makes your own writing more natural.
What was the most embarrassing moment of your life? There’s been a few… One though, was when I was on stage singing in front of a packed audience when I was about 12, along with a group of other singers, and I took my cue to move across the stage a little too early… Captured on camera was my very obvious stride to the right, then the hand to mouth as realisation dawned and I shuffled back to where I had been. Mortifying and not easily covered up!
Which country would you most like to visit and why? I’ve already been to Rome but I would love to return to Italy and visit Vienna. It’s on the to do list! Other than that, maybe Russia.
Hope those were ok! I’ll report back on the 11 blogs I’ve chosen to nominate soon.