I have kindly been nominated for the Liebster Award by my blogger-friend, Jeremy Crow; thank you Jeremy, I’m truly honoured! Now don’t get all excited; after a little research, it appears I haven’t hit the big time and unfortunately there isn’t a cash prize. But the Liebster Award is a good way for us bloggers to start discovering new blogs. So as I understand it, one is nominated, one answers the following interview questions (which is ace because I adore talking about myself), and then one nominates other bloggers (I’m going to nominate four but you’ll have to wait until the end for that). So here we go!
Where does your blogging inspiration come from?
Well, the blog came initially from the desire to promote my book. If you like, there’s a page about that on this blog but I’m not going to ram that down your throat. But as soon as I started the blog, I realised that the last thing I actually wanted to talk about was my book or my ‘writers journey’ – although I have discussed it briefly in some posts. But picking to pieces the very minutiae of writing, the act of writing and the thought processes behind it, doesn’t really interest me. In short, I write because I like to. I’d always thought I’d be a dab hand at writing newspaper articles, mainly because of the random thoughts that come into my head. I had previously been putting them into status’ on FaceBook; so right away I knew I wanted to write blogs that were more or less an elongated ‘status’. And the relief at finally admitting your weird thoughts and finding out that others think in the same way is the greatest reward of all.
Is your blogging simply a hobby? What kind of dreams do you have for it?
Right now, yes blogging is just a hobby. This blog is not monetized and I write it purely for the love of it. But like I say, I can see in my minds-eye the things I write about as newspaper articles. Yes, I’ve just decided I want a column of my own, that’s what I want!
What is your support system like and who are your biggest supporters?
Well, of course I have to mention my husband and kids who support what I do and have started to take me more seriously since I haven’t given up blogging after four months! My fourteen year old daughter has also started blogging too so I guess that’s her way of showing she respects what I do. And I can’t forget my friends who have always pushed me when I felt like giving up (you know who you are!). But the most surprising of supporters are my Google + friends who I only became acquainted with earlier this year – it’s great being part of such a supportive blogging community (they know who they are too)!
What are 10 random facts about you? (Eeeek!)
1. As a child, I once rang up a UK radio station and sang ‘California Dreamin’ with my sister. For some reason, the DJ didn’t seem to enjoy our rendition even though our harmonies were spot on!
2. I had one of the tracks I had written and sung listened to by the lead singer of ‘Imagination’. I don’t really remember what he thought of it. Probably not a lot.
3. I have co-written and sung the vocals on a YouTube nursing parody video currently going viral-ish at 34,000 odd views (apologies for the crappy microphone). Busy A Nursing Parody
4. I am related to Edward Brophy who voices the mouse on ‘Dumbo’.
5. I am also related to the man who introduced kites to the west (after discovering them in China). I’m sorry, I can’t be arsed to Google his name but my mother told me that was true so I choose to believe it.
6. I can fit my entire fist in my mouth.
7. I have a book for sale on Amazon (not a very random fact for a author-blogger).
8. I have a phobia about balloons popping and people running their fingers over my lips.
9. I played Mary in my school nativity play and still know all the words to the main song I soloed on.
10. I applied to the Metropolitan Police in London to train as a police woman but didn’t get in (probably because I’m too much of a bad-ass).
What do you enjoy most about blogging?
I enjoy finally releasing the thoughts in my head and putting them down on paper (laptop), but mostly I just like engaging with people. But most of all, I enjoy the feedback – it’s good to talk.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed with too many tasks at once?
First I panic. Then I moan and bitch about how much I have to do. Then I get my head down and do it. It works for me.
What would you do with a large sum of money given to you?
Buy a big house in the country and become a recluse.
What was one of the most moving books or movies you have ever seen?
The most moving movie was probably ‘Schindler’s List’. I always remember going to see it with my friend Jo who stood up at the end and said far too audibly in a crowded yet almost deadly silent cinema, ‘well, that cheered me right up!’.
The most moving book would probably have to be ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. I was travelling abroad at the time of reading it so it was particularly poignant.
Do you have a bucket list? Name 5 things on that.
1. Travel the USA (I’ve really got to get around to that before I die).
2. Own a caravan.
3. Live in the countryside.
4. Write for a living (not necessarily as a best-selling author, but making my living at what I feel I do best).
5. Working from home (in whatever job I’m doing, that is my dream. I really like being at home…).
Where would you like to see yourself in the next couple of years?
Writing more novels in my home-office (at home, obviously).
What is your single best piece of advice for someone starting out in the blogging world?
Always come with your ‘A’ game. Your last piece of writing may very well be your last. Be it on your blog, or on a compatriots blog; write with integrity. Never write something half-arsed. Believe in every little piece you publish.
So the time has come for me to open the golden envelope and nominate three bloggers who I hold dear to my heart:-
1. Nael Noaman Always politically insightful and in two languages (damn him for his cleverness!).
2. Baroness Buttercup Always funny, honest and refreshing – I’d be pleased if I was half as good as she is.
3. Thomas Pickard Thomas Pickard is always thoughtful and probably the nicest man in blogging (if not the world).
4. Ennie How My daughter and completely awesome at being my daughter (and blogging).
Apologies to my other fellow bloggers who I hugely respect but I probably didn’t choose you as you’ve already been nominated. And to the nominees, please feel free to ignore this nomination, you may very well have been nominated before and I just don’t know about it – but I for one would be interested in putting you in the hot-seat!
And now I want to thank my mother, my agent, my pet guinea-pigs, my great uncle Edward… *goes on in the same vein whilst trying not to cry*.
Adele Archer Writes 
Many thanks and much appreciation for your kind nomination. I’m thrilled that anyone even reads my blog, so someone liking it enough to nominate it for an award sends me over the moon. And when the nod is from a blogger I admire and whose writing I enjoy, that’s even better. 🙂
Alas, I was the grateful recipient of this nomination a couple of years back … which in no way diminishes your recognition, but I think correct blogger protocol doesn’t allow for double-dipping in the reward pool.
But I don’t think there are any restrictions around re-recognizing the bloggers I nominated back then, so here’s a link to my Liebster post from the fall of 2013 … http://wp.me/p2FYxm-d4
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Gosh has it been around that long? Mind you, I’m a newbie so I wouldn’t know. It was good though as I saw quite a few clicks on my ‘nominees’ so it’s nice to spread the words about the blogs I enjoy. And I meant every word I said! I’ll check out that link!
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