Ta da!  *applause*

Thank you Jennine at My Life In Books blog for nominating me for this award…it’s very much appreciated!

Here is how the nomination works.  The Liebster Award requires that I have to provide 11 random facts about myself, answer Jennine’s 11 questions she supplied below, nominate other bloggers to receive the award, and present them with 11 questions to answer.

Ready?

Eleven Random Things About Me!  (prepare for boredom – you might want to grab one of those five hour energy thingies)

1.  I have a fear of heights– who doesn’t?  Oh yeah, those crazy ass people base jumping.  Them.
2. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a UFO
3. I once found a dead man on the beach while on vacation
4. I’m sorry to say I’ve known three people who’ve committed suicide
5. I believe our house is haunted(ask me about the blender – and other stuff sometime)
6. I was mugged – then scolded the mugger when it was done
7. I’ve run two marathons
8. I had Guillain-Barre syndrome in 1993
9. I absolutely hate/despise/get really, really, really upset over animal cruelty – but – I don’t belong to PETA (and I love bacon!  And chicken.  And steak.  Does this make me a hypocrite?)
10. I’m a tad OCD (ex:  must empty floor mats in vehicle every time I get in – or out)
11. I have a violin (fiddle!) and I want to learn to play Bluegrass (one day)

Jennine’s Questions – My Answers:
1. What is your favorite season of the year?  Summer, definitely!   But anytime the temperature is mild, and there’s sun, I’m good!  Fortunately in NC, we have a lot of pleasant days.  Summer, if you aren’t born here, is tough for many.  I was born here, so I love it.  Yeah, humidity, love it.
2. What is your favorite genre to read?  This is hard, but currently I’m reading a lot of suspense, and I love it.  But, my close second would be commercial fiction (or books like COLD MOUNTAIN, THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE – shoot.  Can’t Oprah’s Picks be a genre?  LOL!)
3. If you could change your career, would you? To what/why or why not?  Well, I already have.  I worked in IT for about 35 years.  When I ended my time at Nortel (was there for 25 of those 35 years) I decided to pursue writing.  It remains to be seen if it will be a “career” or if I will need to put myself back out there again.
4. Where would your dream vacation take you to?  There are so many places in the U.S. I’ve not yet seen.  I’d have to say I’d love to jump in our RV and just go cross country, see all those sites like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and those giant Sequoia’s in the Northwest.
5. What do you enjoy besides reading/writing?  I run, plant things (hope they live) and bake.  I’ve really become obsessed with baking.  (hence the running)
6. Have you ever lied about reading a book?  Never!  I’d be too afraid someone would ask me a question and I’d look like a fool trying to answer.  Besides, I think of reading like I do road races.  I refuse to wear the shirt unless I’ve run the race.  I have my standards ya know.

7. Do you think reading is antisocial?  Not at all!  Unless you’re at a wild party and have your nose planted in a book.  Or at the dinner table – which I used to be guilty of growing up.  But I view reading as a way to talk about the latest books coming out, and what people think.  It’s a great icebreaker.  “Hey, what’cha reading these days?  Did you like it?  Me too!”
8. Where is your favorite place to read/write?  To read – in bed.  To write – just about anywhere in the house, where it’s quiet.  I have lots of little nooks and crannies (like those muffins) where I can creep off to.
9. Are you signed up for any reading challenges/writing goals this year?  Mainly to finish my latest draft.  I’m so close to THE END.  And then, I’ll have to edit, but that’s the biggest goal right now.
10. Do you have any pets? Names?  Oh yes, my little Yorkie, who’s 4 yrs old and weights about 4 lbs.  HIs name is “Mister.”  But I also call him “Bundle.” 
11. What are you reading now? What will you read next?  I just started NATCHEZ BURNING by Greg Iles, but…I have “WE WERE LIARS,” on it’s way.  Not sure if I’ll stop reading NATCHEZ (which is HUGE – 800 pages) and read LIARS first…, but, seriously?  OMG, I have about 50 books in my “to be read” pile…so it could be anything out of that.  I have yet to get to THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath, CHILD OF GOD, Cormac McCarthy, BLACKBIRD, Chuck Wendig…and on and on.

Great questions Jennine…I hope mine will be as interesting!

My Questions For My Nominee’s:

1. What are your five favorite books?  (see I started out asking what’s your fave book but it’s too hard to pick only one!)
2. What are you most afraid of?
3. If you could pick one, which would it be? A week on an beautiful tropical island by yourself with just the essentials – or – a week in Vegas with ten of your closest friends and anything you want.
4. Your favorite food?
5. When did you know you wanted to….<fill in the blank>
6. If you could have one “do over,” what would it be?
7. There’s a tornado warning and you only have five minutes to get your sh– together.  What do you grab?
8. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever made?
9. You’ve just received “The Call,” from your agent.  What would you do immediately after that call?
10. Tell us your strangest habit.  (hopefully, nothing gross)
11. What is your most embarrassing moment ever?

And….here are my nominations for a Liebster Award.  I’ve come to know all of these nice people via other writing blogs or agent blogs.  Even though we’ve never met, this group of folks are witty, fun, and always have an encouraging word for aspiring writers – like me!  I appreciate them and their friendship.

My Nominee’s

1. Paul Lamb @ Lucky Rabbits Foot
2. Teri Carter @ Teri Carter Library
3. Harryipants (that’s how we know him…Mr. ipants to you)
4. Hank Petersen @ French Sojourn (I’m totally envious of his life in France – except when he has to prune the vineyard in freezing temps!)
5. Peter Wells @ Countingducks

(Apologies in advance if I’ve nominated anyone who’s had this before.)