Writer Q&A Tag

Looks like you get an extra post this week because James Fahy nominated me for the Writer Q&A Tag. I answer ten questions of his choosing, nominate ten people of my own, and ask them ten questions they answer on their blog.

Without further ado, here are the questions James asked of me.

1. What book first made you cry, and why?

I think it might have been in the little house on the prairie series. Not the Cabin in the Big Woods but when they are moving across the plains. They leave the dog (Jack) behind at a river because it’s too wide for him to swim across and I guess they didn’t feel he should get to ride in the wagon, so they just leave him. I bawled so hard. And then when he gets across somehow and shows up at their campfire that night. Bawled again. I have this thing about dogs. They make me cry like nothing else. Seriously, World War Z, I cried during the dog army section.

2. If you could be any one of your favourite characters (your own or others you’ve read) for one day, who and why?

I can’t imagine narrowing that down to just one. There are lots of characters I wouldn’t mind being for a day but to say any one of them was so awe inspiring that I could just plunk down a name. I’d love to be Lizzy Bennett, Hercule Poirot, Lorelei (good intentions), Galatea(mine), Talon(mine), the narrator in world war z(lol), Harry Potter, Heather Wells…I’ll stop now.

3. What is your favourite opening line from a book?

The only one I could think of off the top of my head was “Tis a truth universally acknowledged that a man of good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

4. Do you have any odd writing rituals (has to be a yellow legal pad and a HB pencil for example)?

Not really. In fact I kind of make a thing about not getting into rituals. Each book is different. And certainly each day is different.

5. Have you drawn on real locations / experiences in your writing?

Absolutely. Everything I write draws heavily on actual historical events and then expands in ways history didn’t go.

6. What story scares you?

Post apocalyptic worlds usually involving a disease. Too close for comfort.

7. If you were told you could only read one book before being executed for your terrible, terrible crimes, what would you choose and why?

Something excessively long. LOL. And I would read it very very slowly. A google search tells me Artemene/Cyrus the Great is the longest book ever at a whopping 13, 095 pages or 2, 100, 000 words. That, I’d read that.

8. Have you ever met any of your literary heroes, and if so, were they amazing, disappointing or just plain awkward?

There’s nothing crueler than making heroes out of ordinary men and women.

9. Which word / phrase do you find yourself always over-using and having to edit out?

lovely. LOL. I over use it in the real world too. LOL

10. Name three people you would have at your ultimate book-club/dinner party. (living or dead…or undead.

Agatha Christie, my grandfather Henry, Jane Austen. (I think this question might have been the hardest. LOL. Three is such a small party. I kept inviting people and then disinviting them.)

So my nominees are as follows:

BQB

Lilyn

Sheri

EDC

Don

Sue

Bill

Karina

Rachel

Danielle

Now your questions:

1. Who’s your favorite character you’ve written? Why?
2. What is your dirty reading pleasure? You know the one you never tell anyone you read?
3. Talking in the fantasy genre, what creatures connotate male? Which connotate female?
4. What irritates you most about self publishing? Traditional Publishing, if that’s been your route?
5. 1st person present? 1st person past? 3rd person present? 3rd person past? Omniscient?
6. Book club. Who do you invite? Dead, alive, etc. No limit. I’m not into constraints.
7. Do you like villains or heroes better? Which are more fun to write?
8. What’s the most unusual place you’ve written? Read?
9. If you had a cocktail named after you, what would it be called and what would be in it? Would you drink it?
10. What character are you from Star Wars? And why? (I’m Han Solo. Totally charming and humorous but will always show up when you need me to save your bacon.)

Answer on your own blog, nominate ten more people, and write ten questions of your own. Have fun with it!

Quick side note: I have a book signing this Saturday at St. James Espresso in Kirkland 2-5P. If you’re local, stop by and say hi.