I was thrilled to discover that Olivia at Wording on A Whim has been awarded her first Liebster Award, absolutely deserved. It is hard to believe that Olivia is in her last year of junior school in Australia. Her classmates have been encouraged to create their own blogs. How amazing is that! Her blog is lovely, and her friendly, welcoming personality really shines through.

Olivia’s blog is a real treasure chest of wonderful photography, information about the student blogging challenge, poems, writing, and so much more. I would definitely encourage you to have a look and support and encourage her in her blogging. : https://wordingonawhim.wordpress.com/2015/05/20/first-liebster-award/

The Liebster is an award that is usually given, as far as I can see, to bloggers with less than 200 followers. Olivia has nominated both new blogs with great potential and slightly more experienced bloggers like me. (Not that I’m an expert, far from it!) I will nominating on the same basis.  My very first award wasn’t a Liebster, it was the One Lovely Blog award, so I am very pleased to accept this award.  Thank you so much Olivia.

 

So let’s share the bloggy love!

 

Here are the rules:

1. Once you are nominated, make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you.

2. Include the Liebster award sticker in the post.

3. Nominate 10 other bloggers who you think are worthy of this award. Let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts.

5. Answer the ten questions asked to you by the person who nominated you.

6. Think of ten questions you would like your nominees to answer.

7. Lastly, copy these rules in the post.

 

Here are my answers to Olivia’s questions:

1. What is your favourite aspect of blogging?

My favourite aspect of blogging is the sheer diversity, one moment you could be doing a book review, writing up an author interview or talk, the next moment you might be posting some photos, then you might be creating some poetry, blogging about cooking, or fashion, or perhaps sharing some quotes, writing travelogues, short stories, and flash fiction. There are so many opportunities for self-expression, and I hope to explore more of these as this blog develops. Blogging allows you to explore and play with new creative endeavours which you might not otherwise have had the courage to do. This particularly applies in my case to writing poetry and sharing my photography, both of which are fairly new interests. As well as this, I really like connecting and making friends with people from all over the world, it is nothing short of miraculous to me that I might be “chatting” to someone  in say Australia, like my new blogger friend Olivia, while I’m sitting here in Cambridge UK. As well as this I intend to use this as a platform to help other people too, to see if in some small way I can provide a resource for other bloggers, and writers, a supportive environment which will hopefully assist others as well as myself to reach those all important goals.

2. What is your best memory that involves photography?

Oh, this is a difficult one. The first that comes to mind are my wedding photographs. I had the best day ever it was the most memorable day of my life. It was late September, yet the sun shone, even though it was an autumnal day in Scotland! Everyone seemed to have a whale of a time, it was the best party ever.

If you’re asking me of my best memory that involves my own cheeky photography I’d probably say some photos I did years ago when the kids were very young and we were eating Spaghetti Bolognese and our chins were all covered in the tomato sauce, and all of us were laughing hysterically, simple moments like that mean so very much.

More recently it would probably be the photo that I did of the Corpus Christi Clock in Cambridge, as the creature trapped within the clock mechanism features in my first novel.  I hope that this novel will at some point be published in some format either as a traditionally published book, or as a self-published novel.

 

3. What are you passionate about? Why?

Ah, I am passionate about writing, reading, and enjoying life to the full. I love the theatre, travel, beautiful things, jewellery!  Life is too short, so I don’t want to waste a single minute. I am passionate about treating everyone in this world with respect regardless of their cultural background, race, religion, or sexual orientation. That is why I have started to feature diverse books on this blog. I am passionate about the importance of family, nurturing your children to do their very best and fulfil their potential as adults.

4. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

An introvert with extrovert tendancies! I’ve become more outgoing with age, but intrinsically I am still shy, and sometimes still find crowded social gatherings awkward, unless I’ve had a few glasses of wine, and then I’m just fine!

5. What do you find inspiring?

People who push through all sorts of difficulties to reach their dreams, and individuals who encourage others to achieve their full potential. Positivity is inspiring.

6. What are 5 words that describe you?

I expect my five words would be: Passionate, Stubborn, Funny, Crazy, Kind, but I do wonder what my family and friends would say!

7. What makes you laugh or cry?

I think laughter is as its best when it just comes out of nowhere. I remember recently I was waiting in a queue to get my copy of The Art of Being Normal signed and I was chatting to my daughters about what we should ask the author Lisa Williamson to write in the book, I suggested to my girls the Mallon family, and somehow it just reminded me of the Addams family, well that was that, lots of giggles!

What makes me cry, well reading sad bits in books really does it for me, sometimes I even end up crying in public on the bus home, or even in supermarket cafes, it gets a bit embarrassing. One time my husband came home, he looked at me quizzically. I think he was wondering if he had upset me in some way! Of course it was another sad ending in a book!  Yes books that stir those kind of deep emotions are in my opinion the very best.

8. What is/has been on your bucket list?

I’d love to go on one of those author retreats, especially if it was somewhere abroad. One year I did go off on my own for a few days just to write, it was such a liberating experience. I stayed in a lovely hotel on the sea front in Brighton and wrote in coffee shops, and libraries. I went to the theatre in the evening, and even ended up at a party one night. I remember one of the partygoers asking me how I knew everyone and I said I didn’t, I just met them that night. I would never have had the courage to do this when I was younger. There are some incredible advantages of getting older! It was such fun, I’d definitely recommend it.

9. If it were your last day on earth, what would you do?

I’d have to spend it with my closest friends and family. Family and friends are very important to me, so yes I’d want to share my last day on earth with them. I love the sea so I’d organise a trip to the seaside, maybe have a beach barbeque, somewhere vibrant like Barcelona, or perhaps a beautiful bay in Portugal. The sun would be shining, music would be playing, and there would be this wonderful party atmosphere, nobody would go home, we’d just enjoy every last precious moment.

10. What is the best book you have ever read?

The best book, oh, I have so many that I love, how can I pick just one?

I loved The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak, yes that’s definitely up there as one of my favourites. It’s fantastic.

My favourite fantasy author is Victoria Schwab, currently reading A Darker Shade of Magic, review to follow soon.

 

 

Now, I have the opportunity of nominating 10 other blogs that I think are worthy of the award:

 

I’ve chosen to focus on some smaller blogs as well as some who perhaps have a larger following, they all have one thing in common, they’re all super awesome and dear to me:

1. First up is some music, where would we be without music? In a sad, silent land I reckon, so without any further ado let me introduce you to, Steve Says music blog: “The music blog that does what it says” Talk About Pop Music: http://talkaboutpopmusic.net/

2. I love to travel, and the Caribbean is very dear to me, as I spent some of my teenage years there so when I came across Rashida’s Jamaican blog, “the Life of a Jamaican girl” I jumped at the chance of following 876 Lover:  https://876lover.wordpress.com/

3. What’s not to love about snacking? Outside the Coffee Cup. “Snacker, dreamer, baker, communicator, just a girl wanting to make a change. ” https://kirstydavies1990.wordpress.com/

4.These two guys Husband and Husband are just so cute, they have a really lovely blog.  They even have their own web comic: “Writers, Artists, Husbands.”  : http://husbandandhusband.net/

5. I love to connect with younger people, I write for the 9-12, YA age group, and I love to day dream and encourage others to do so:  A little Day Dreamer  “Just a creative teen with a blog” : https://alittledaydreamer.wordpress.com/

6. Again another blog reaching out to youngsters: Black Cat my Ramblings. “I am in middle school and love to dance, write, and hang out with my friends.” https://blackcat345.wordpress.com/

7. This Australian blogger seems to appreciate all the things that I love too. TJ Paris. “La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin.”  ” I am an Australian who enjoys photography, art, collecting, poetry, writing and all things French.”A ma vie de Couer Entier. https://amaviedecoeurentier.wordpress.com/

8. A blog about books, well of course this is bound to be one of my recommendations. Jenny’s wonderful blog about books, and lifestyle. Jenny In Neverland. http://jennyinneverland.com/

9. The travel theme again! A very nice blog about an expat family and their wanderlust. Tiny Expats.  “Expat family, moving around, travelling and exploring with our tiny expats”: http://tinyexpats.com/

10. And last but certainly not least food has to get a mention, as I’m a bit of a foodie. So check out Mommy Cook for Me’s great recipes, and paintings too. Just recently I tried out her Easy Chicken Fajita recipe it was delicious, and very healthy too:  https://mommycookforme.wordpress.com/

 

My questions for the nominees:

 

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What is the best food you have ever tasted?

3. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go?

4. Do you enjoy fantasy and sci-fi?

5. What are your tastes in music?

6. Have you a favourite book, TV series, or film?

7. Do you like to cook or bake?

8. What is the most exciting or scary thing that you have ever done?

9. Is family important to you?

10. Which is your favourite holiday destination, beach/ski resort, and why?