Writings from the Soul of a Free Spirit

I’ve been nominated by Karina Gioertz, author of Country Girls.

You can find her Liebster Blog post here:http://friedgatortail.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/778/

The purpose of the Liebster Blog Award is to recognize blogs with fewer than 200 followers that deserve a look. My job is to:

(a) List 11 random facts about me;

(b) Answer 11 questions Alice has sent me;

(c) Set 11 questions to ask other authors;

(d) Tag 11 authors who should bask in the Liebster glow.

To my nominated author friends – it means doing the same as I am doing here! ie. Post a blog linking back here, with 11 random facts about you, answer my 11 questions and nominate 11 new bloggers to answer 11 new questions you have set them – they can be about anything! If you want to do it but the thought of finding 11 other bloggers to tag and thinking up questions puts you off, just write 11 random facts about yourself, and answer my questions!

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I make some darn delicious mac & cheese.

2. I love to garden.

3. My top favorite flower I have grown is the Okra flower.

4. The main living room in the house is dedicated to fish tanks, 10 to be exact.

5. During the summer I brew compost tea for my plants.

6. I take my notebook everywhere, some of the best inspirations get written in the shower.

7. I love writing lists (like this one).

8. I deeply enjoy a beautifully brewed beer so much I have started writing haiku about them.

9. My sport in high school was Olympic Precision Rifle Shooting.

10.I grew up a Submarine Navy brat.

11.I have this odd love of wearing my work shoes til they have holes in the soles. They must take me through a grand money making journey before being worthily retired.

Now, the 11 questions Alice asked me:

Here are my 11 questions:
When did you know you wanted to become a writer?   I have wanted to be a writer since I can remember reading books. I’ve always wanted to share my own stories and ideas for others to read.
Other than writing, what do you like to do?  I love to do all sorts of things! I love cultivating my garden, enjoying my fish tanks n’ koi pond and I love to paint things. The my favorite latest addition to the fish tanks is a “fancy starfish”. I named him Prickly Pear which is delightfully suiting.
What kinds of books do you read? I love to read any book that takes hold of me and sucks me into its pages. I do love a good thriller/ who-dun-it, fantasy, sci-fy, and romance. Recently I have reread The Wind in the Door, by Madeline L’Engle, a wonderful fantasy and sci-fy book from my childhood. I held my breath while reading Karina Gioertz’s Blood Bound, her thriller had me sitting on the edge of my chair til the end.
What would be your ideal writing retreat? A week in the mountains. If I could get away with it, a whole month.

Where do your ideas come from?  Nature has been a gigantic source of inspiration in my poetry, even if it is not the focal point it finds its way into everything.

What is your favorite line from one of your books?  “We had lived the life we lived and we had become who we were, because of it. Or maybe, in spite of it.” This is from Karina Gioertz’s book Country Girls. Such a fantastic line.

What are you working on now? I have a poetry book of old school work ready for publishing with just a little editing but I also have a more selectively themed poetry book in the making and a fantasy novel too.

Describe you book in 3 words. the themed poetry book : Aquatically Positive Poetry.

Do you remember when the idea first came to you?  It came about one day while daydreaming in front of the fish tanks.

How do you feel about sharing your work to the world?  I find it nerve racking and exciting at the same time. You never know what people will actually think but I have received consistently great feed back and inspiring critiques.

What are your hopes and dreams for your future in the writing world? I would love to be a successful author. But for me that entails the joy of writing the book and others delightedly reading my work. I would love to make it a financially solid career as well.

Here are the 11 questions I am asking the 11 authors I plan to tag:

1.  Who is an author that has been a deep inspiration for you to become a writer?
2. What is one thing that you hold onto or wear out of memory?
3. What part of nature moves you to write?
4. Name your favorite movie.
5. In one sentence how would you describe your most recent work in progress .
6. What is your favorite beverage to drink while you’re reading?
7. What are some things you do to get past writer’s block?
8. What recent book you have read that was just an awesome adventure?
9. Share some things you delight in doing. (like painting or dancing )
10. Does music help you write? or does silence? If music, what kind?
11. Who is someone close to you that sparks inspiration?

I am tagging the following authors to continue the next chain of the Liebster Blog Award. When/if they agree, I will place links to their blogs, but for the moment their Twitter name is shown. For those who have agreed their blog links will be below as well!

http://poetryebook.com/