Much to my surprise, I found a message today from Katie A Jennings, nominating me for the Inspiring Blog Award! I am delighted and flattered to accept this honour. It is about eighteen months since I started the blog, very self-consciously thinking I had better let people know I’m a writer, but wondering if anyone would ever read it. Then I discovered how to self-publish and things really took off! I would like to thank all those bloggers who have inspired me (and provided much needed advice and tips). I’ll try to include as many of you as possible in my acceptance task. I would also like to thank Kate for selecting me. She has a lovely blog at http://katieajennings.wordpress.com/ and I particularly like her by-line – author, reader, girl! So simple, so descriptive!
There are two acceptance tasks: to write seven unique things about me, and to nominate fifteen other bloggers for the award. My first response was panic – do I know 15 bloggers?? Then of course I realised that of course I did, and it would be a challenge to limit it to fifteen. Apologies if you feel I might have included you but didn’t.
Seven unique things about me, eh? What does unique mean in this context? Well, here goes.
- I owe everything to Fred and George, my first guinea pigs (my first pets, really, and I’ve already reached my half-century). They came into my life on 25th July 2007 when they were six weeks old (it would have been their birthday yesterday). They taught me just about everything I know about care of guinea pigs, but didn’t have time to teach me everything they knew. I miss them like crazy, but they are the whole inspiration behind my books and I wouldn’t be the person I am now without them. They are, of course, the Princelings of the East.
- I’ve been a vegetarian for over 25 years but I eat far too much cheese. I can go without chocolate, but not cheese. I’ve tried.
- I can’t think unless I’m looking out of a window. It doesn’t have to have much of a view – a back yard will do. A brick wall six feet from the window was a challenge, but it’s amazing what patterns you see in a brick wall. I just happen to have a fab view where I work now!
- Although I’m right-handed I do some things left-handed just because I find them easier. I crochet left-handed because I was taught by a left-hander. I haven’t crocheted for years, though! If I’m giving directions I am likely to mix up left and right. I generally have to wave my hands around to get the direction correct.
- I started doing the chapter illustrations for the Princelings books because I thought they ought to have them. I was worried that they wouldn’t be good enough. I think they’re improving with practice. Maybe I should redo some of the first ones. I eventually get ideas for what to do then panic I won’t be able to do them. Getting the first (pencil) line on the paper is the most difficult thing!
- I have a V shaped scar in the middle of the sole of my left foot. It is from when I was nine and all the kids were enjoying jumping into a lake and swimming around. I managed to find a bit of glass that someone had thrown in…
- My best friend lives in New York and is slave to two guinea pigs in her apartment. Mariusz was her first pig and he was the spitting image of Hugo, my third, so much so we used to joke they were the same pig. Which is why Hugo is Lord Mariusz of Hattan in my books.
You can tell I was having trouble thinking of things towards the end there, can’t you!
And now for the fifteen people/blogs I am nominating for the Inspiring Blog Award.
- Ashley Barron http://blog.thepriyas.com/
- Aimee Salter http://www.aimeelsalter.com/
- Tonya Kappes http://tonyakappes.blogspot.com/
- Patricia Paris http://patriciaeparis.com/wordpress/
- Lindsay Buroker http://www.lindsayburoker.com/
- Claude Bouchard http://www.claudebouchardbooks.com/
- Blabbin’s Grammy http://www.rubyndub.blogspot.co.uk/
- Ella’s Edge http://ellasedge.blogspot.co.uk/
- Up On Haliburton Hill http://uponhaliburtonhill.blogspot.co.uk/
- Wistful Nebulae http://mpaxauthor.blogspot.co.uk/
- Geoff’s blogs http://geoffmaritz.blogspot.co.uk/
- Rob-bear http://chrome-on-the-range.blogspot.co.uk/
- Treshnish Farm http://haunnblackhouse.blogspot.co.uk/
- George’s Guinea Pig World http://guineapigging.wordpress.com/
- Uber Random http://www.uberrandom.com/
To the nominees: Now it’s your turn! Please thank me in your acceptance blog, posting my URL. Also, write seven things about yourself! Then choose fifteen more winners and post links to their blogs.
I hope you appreciate a little variety after all the independent author sites (but they have been a real inspiration to me!) and I’d like to thank everyone, especially Katie Jennings, for your support and for following me!
