I'm telling the truth, this time!

In my last post, I listed seven facts.  Six of them were lies and only one of them was true.  I know, I was raised in a good family and taught to always tell the truth, but I made an exception.  I had to follow the rules that came with the blog award I received.  Mmm... What's worse, lying, or not following the rules?  I'll let you decide.

But NOW I'm going to make it right and tell you the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

1.  I've been writing stories since I was in high school.  I've always wanted to be a writer.

WRONG!  I only started writing in my early 30s, when I became a stay-at-home mom for a few years.  I read picture books to my three kids every night.  At some point, I started thinking, "I bet I can write a book."  And I did.  I sat down with a notebook, and a story came pouring out of my pen.  I've been writing ever since.


2.  I've been a big fan of Pink Floyd since college.
WRONG!  This could have been true, though.  I did listen to some Floyd in my college years, but I wasn't a big fan.  It's not until recently when a friend of mine introduced me to some of their more recent songs that I really got into it.  What, it's never too late to become a Pink Floyd fan.  They ARE good!!  My favorite is Coming Back to Life, followed closely by Wish You Were Here and On the Turning Away.


3.  I can't stand rap music.
RIGHT!   I listened to many types of music throughout the years, ranging from soft rock to hard rock to smooth jazz.  There are even a few country-ish songs I like, and one or two opera singers I listened to at some point in time.  But rap?  Never!  Well... there is this one tithe rap song they played at church that I thought was very amusing, but other than that, no rap for me!

4.  I hate cats, but I love dogs.
WRONG!  I love both cats AND dogs.  In fact, I own one of each.  Tiger warms up my spot before bed, and Shadow makes a big fuss every time I come back home, even when I was gone for only five minutes.  It's great to have pets who care.  Well... I don't know if Tiger cares that much, but he does his share of affectionate purring when I rub him under the chin.

5.  I grew up in a city.
WRONG!  WRONG! WRONG!!  I grew up in the most rural area imaginable.  Fields all around, the next neighbor a quarter mile away, dirt road.  Rural.  The village consisted of a school, a convenience store, a church, a covered bridge, and a bunch of houses, far apart from each other.  Oh, and a gas station.  I lived in a town until six and during my teen years, but I don't think a town of 35,000 population in the middle of nowhere can be called a city.  I did go to college in Quebec City, though, but by then I was all grown up.
* Photo from www.panoramio.com.


6.  I don't like being alone.  I need company all the time.
WRONG!  I enjoy having company, but I'm very happy to have some time alone.  In fact, I wish I had more time alone so I could write more.  


7.  My dream is to some day be a celebrity.
WRONG!  I never wanted to be a celebrity.  I like my simple life, away from the crowds.  


Whew!  I'm glad I got it out of my chest.  From now on, I shall tell the truth. : )

Charmaine is the only one who guessed it right.  How did you know??  My sister also guessed it right, but she knows me too well, so that doesn't count.  ;-)

Creative Writer Award

I received this award from three awesome bloggers:   *drum roll*

Cheree at Justified Lunacy
Rachel (Em on WDC) at Startle Me
Harley at Labotomy of a Writer

Thank you!!  Follow the link to read their post about this award.  Don't believe everything they say, though.  They're very good at lying (no offense).

Now I bet they already passed it along to everyone else I know, since I'm so slow at re-posting my awards. Oh, well!

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who tagged me.
2. Copy and Paste the award on my blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated me.
4. Tell up to 6 lies and 1 truth about myself.
5. Tag at least 7 people for this award.
6. Post links to their blogs.
7. Comment on each of their blogs to inform them of the nomination.

Mmm... I'm not so good at lying, but I'll try.  Let's see if you're better at guessing than I am at telling lies.  If you've been reading my blog, you probably know some of the answers already.

 

Here are the lies (Just remember one of them is the truth):

1.  I've been writing stories since I was in high school.  I've always wanted to be a writer.

2.  I've been a big fan of Pink Floyd since college.
3.  I can't stand rap music.
4.  I hate cats, but I love dogs.
5.  I grew up in a city.
6.  I don't like being alone.  I need company all the time.
7.  My dream is to some day be a celebrity.

 

Uh-oh!  I feel my nose getting longer. What's with this award?  Make it stop!!  Guess which one is the truth. Quick!

 

Now I'm passing this award to seven fabulous bloggers.  Check them out!

1. Frankie
2. Ralene
3. Jen
4. Richard
5. Jim
6. Charmaine
7. Wendy

 

(If you never got an award before, click here for detailed instructions.)

Blog Award: From Me to You

I received this blog award a while ago from Mireyah. With this award, I apparently have to tell 7 truths and pass it on to 7 people.

I chose a theme for my seven truths: music!

Truth #1: As a teenager, I once recorded the same song on a whole side of a tape so that I could listen to it over and over again.

I don't remember what the song was. I think it was Heaven, by Bryan Adams. I'm still the same way. If I really like a song, I can listen to it ten times in a row and never get tired of it. It's easier now with CDs. I don't have to rewind, guessing where the beginning of the song is.

Truth #2: All my CDs are from male singers, with a few exceptions.

I don't like listening to female singers, in general. The only tapes I had long ago from female singers were from Pat Benatar and Bonnie Tyler. Oh, and Cyndi Lauper. Yeah, that was long ago. Am I revealing my age?

Truth #3: I don't generally like country music.

One exception: a song called Tennessee Line on Daughtry's latest CD (song #11 if you follow the link). Don't tell my dad; he'll make fun of me. I just really love this song for some reason, even though it sounds country-ish.

*** WOW! I was just listening to the CD online following the link above, and I just found out it has a SIDE B! There are six more songs on the CD I didn't even know I had. ***

Truth #4: Among my very favorites currently: U2, Rob Thomas, Daughtry, and Coldplay.

I like many others, but these are the ones I listen to all the time. My favorite song from each? Hmm... Hard to choose! Okay, Walk On by U2, All That I Am by Rob Thomas, Call Your Name by Daughtry, and Speed of Sound by Coldplay.

Truth #5: I used to be a big fan of Duran Duran as a teen.

I had a huge poster of them on my wall. I got mad when the band dissolved. I didn't like the new bands they formed. My favorite song from them is probably Save a Prayer or New Moon on Monday.

Truth #6: For a very short period of my life, I listened only to smooth jazz.

Kenny G. was my favorite. He can convey so much emotion through his saxophone. I got tired after a while. A song isn't complete without lyrics!

Truth #7: I love songs of the '80s. They were THE BEST!!

Maybe because I was a teen at the time, and music had a great impact on me. My favorite of all times? Don't ask, there are too many. Probably The Final Countdown by Europe.

Okay, now the fun part. Who should I pass this award to?

(For new bloggers, all you have to do is right-click on the award picture, save it on your computer, and upload it on a new blog post. The seven truths don't have to have a theme. I just chose music because I felt like it. Then you post a comment on seven blogs you want to pass it to, with a link back to your blog for them to know what it's about.)

Jim at View from the Cheap Seats: The best flash fiction writer I know!
Rachel at Startle Me: We share a love for Korean food.
Vicky at Notes from an Aspiring Writer: who, like me, seems to have a hard time finding the time to write. At least your next blog post is taken care of. LOL
Richard at MoW's Musings: because he needs something to blog about and he loves to talk about himself. Haha! Sorry, Richard, couldn't resist.
Ralene at Faith, Hope and Suspense: An expecting mother always deserves an award. : )
Harley at Abyss of My Soul: Should I call you Professor, Your Majesty, or just Harley? (inside joke)
Kurt at Genius Bordering Insanity: The best not-yet-published children's writer I know! I know you have many awards to catch up with already, but I just couldn't leave you out.

Honest Scrap Award

I received this award from Mireyah when I first started this blog a few months ago.  I didn't know what I was supposed to do with it, other than forwarding it to five people.  I only learned much later I was supposed to post ten truths about myself, but I never did.  Back then, I didn't know any other bloggers who hadn't already received this award so I never forwarded it either.  I just received this same award again last week, from Harley.  I guess it's time I catch up with my blog awards!  Here they are, my dear followers, ten truths about myself most of you probably don't know.

Truth #1:  I always write my new stories longhand before typing them. 
I seem to have more inspiration using a pen and a cheap notebook than using a keyboard, for some reason.  It's also more portable.  I can write from any location: in my car, at the pool between my daughter's swim events, in the comfort of my own bedroom before sleeping, or at a deli during my lunch hour.  I do my first revision when I type my handwritten notes.

Truth #2:  I studied computer programming in college in the 1980s, but I never worked as a programmer.
My life took a different course than what I had planned, somehow.  Computer languages changed since then, but I find it easier to learn HTML, Excel macros, or other current programming languages because of my background.  The essence is the same.

Truth #3:  I prefer to read (and write) children's novels (MG/YA) than adult novels. 
I'm too sensitive to read dark/horror, and I'm not into romance so much.

Truth #4:  I hardly ever watch TV. 
I'd rather read a good book.  I'm not into sports or politics, although I do watch the Olympics and the presidential elections.  So I can say I watch TV every four years, in average.  Haha!

Truth #5:  I followed the same pattern as my parents, as far as kids are concerned: girl, boy, girl, about the same distance apart. 
I'm the baby!  I hope my kids will be as sweet as I was as a teenager. *angelic face*

Truth #6:  I'm left-handed, and proud of it!
My husband is left-handed too.  Our three kids are right-handed.  Conclusion?  Left-handedness is not hereditary.

Truth #7:  I started writing in 2003, without ever taking a class or a seminar about creative writing. 
I wrote because I had a story in mind that needed to be told.  I blush now when I read my first manuscript.  I learned a lot since then, especially during the last five months I've been part of a review forum.

Truth #8:  My husband hardly ever reads anything I write. 
Fine with me!  He would be too harsh of a critic anyway.  I doubt he even reads my blog.  I guess I'll find out if he leaves a comment or not. ;-)

Truth #9:  I've been married with my husband for many many years, and still going strong. 
Seventeen years, to be exact.  We have ups and downs, but we made a lot of progress in our relationship since we've been together.  We know which buttons not to push.

Truth #10:  My reviewers sometimes comment on awkward expressions in my stories as I didn't grow up in America. 
I'm French Canadian.  I learned a lot since I came to New Jersey fourteen years ago with my very basic English I had learned in high school.  I continue to learn with the help of my reviewers and my kids, correcting me when I say something odd or when I mispronounce a word.  I still feel my vocabulary is not where it should be, and I'm terrified of making mistakes when I post a comment on a blog or in a forum.  I re-read myself several times before finally posting.

Okay, now I'm passing this award on to five awesome writers/bloggers:

Mary at The Entrepreneur's Wife
Kurt at Genius Bordering Insanity
Richard at MoW's Musings
Frankie at Ramblings of Frankie
Cheree at Justified Lunacy

One Word

Little questionnaire that got passed onto me by Kurt Chambers.  Thanks, Kurt!  I was looking for something to post on my blog, and this questionnaire comes in handy.

Rules: Answer the following questions with Single Word answers then pass this along to 5 other bloggers. Make sure you let them know about it.

Your Cell Phone? ancient
Your Hair? need-a-trim (that was only one word, wasn't it?)
Your Mother? positive
Your Father? helpful
Your Favorite Food? Korean
Your Dream Last Night? *blank*
Your Favorite Drink? latte
Your Dream/Goal? published
What Room Are You In? living-room
Your Hobby? writing
Your Fear? unloved
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? hmmm...
Where Were You Last Night? home
Something That You Aren't? judgmental
Muffins? banana
Wish List Item? TIME!!
Where Did You Grow Up? Quebec
Last Thing You Did? e-mail
What Are You Wearing? slippers
Your TV? boring
Your Pets? fuzzy
Friends? worldwide
Your Life? exciting!
Your Mood? pensive
Missing Someone? kinda
Vehicle? Jeep
Something You Aren't Wearing? hats
Your Favorite Store? JCPenney
Your Favorite Color? indigo
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? today
Last Time You Cried? today
Your Best Friend? Shadow  lol!
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? writing.com
Facebook? sometimes
Favorite Place To Eat? Mom's

And I pass this on to... *drumroll*

Hailey because she's new at blogging. Welcome to blogger's world, Hailey!
Harley because she was my teacher on a class I took on WDC. Hi, Professor! *
Richard to entice him to start a "real" blog  LOL**
Dawn because she's one of the moderators of my favorite review forum and a wonderful person to be around
Frankie because she rocks! Oh, and she FOUNDED my favorite review forum.

* Harley has two blogs.  This is her personal blog where she posted her answers.
* *It worked!!  Richard now has a REAL blog.  Haha! I wish I always had that kind of influence.

Circle of Friends Award

Thank you, Ralene Burke, for giving me the Circle of Friends Award!

First, I list five things I love to do:

1. Write a new story from scratch (revising an existing one is a bit less exciting)

2. Read a good "can't put it down" book (especially if it hasn't been published yet and I can give feedback to the writer)

3. Casually chat with writers who are not too famous yet (I'd love to chat with famous writers as well, but they just ignore me. lol!)

4. Travel to another country (although this hasn't happened in quite a while)

5. Sleep late on Saturday morning, and then eat a big breakfast (I won't define what I mean by late; it would be embarrassing!)

And then I pass this award on to five other bloggers:

1. Jay Eckert: MG/YA Fantasy Writer. He lives in my area!  He wrote two complete novels and is working on a third one.

2. Mireyah Wolfe: She's a YA but she writes non-YA novels.  That's the best way to describe her.  She tweets about twenty times a day and she has about three or four blogs. Needless to say, she loves interacting with people, so leave her a comment if you visit her blog.

3. Kurt Chambers:  MG Fantasy Writer. My kids and I are big fans of his Truth Teller series (three complete novels).  He's currently working on two other books.  My daughter keeps asking him for more chapters.  No pressure!  Oh, and he's from England.

4. Tamara Heiner: Soon-to-be-published author!  Her first YA novel, Perilous, is scheduled to be released in the Fall 2010.  Congrats, Tamara!  That's a giant step.  Follow her journey to publication on her blog.

5. Frankie (S.M. Blooding): YA Writer.  She recently wrote 100,000 word novel in a little over a month!! She wrote quite a few books in a series...  I can't keep track, four or five? More??  She actually talks to her characters and has group therapy for them on her website.  Talk about knowing your characters!

What do all these people have in common, including Ralene who gave me the award?  They all belong to the  review forum I joined in September.  Wow, what a diverse group!  Love it!! 

That's my online circle of friends.

Superior Scribbler Award

Wow, I was just reading Jay Eckert's blog post and to my surprise, he mentioned my blog in it.  Thanks, Jay, for giving me the Superior Scribbler Award!  The guy in the picture is just like me.  I still use pen and paper to write my first drafts.

Now I get to pick five of my favorite blogs.   Aw, only five?  There are so many to choose from! 

#1:  http://smblooding.blogspot.com/ by S.M. Blooding, affectionately known as Frankie on the YA review forum she founded several years ago, which I joined in September.  Other writers from the same forum also post on her blog, which I read every day.  Author interviews, funny stories, writing life, and book reviews are common themes on this blog.

#2:  http://geniusborderinginsanity.blogspot.com/ by Kurt Chambers.  Also part of the YA review forum, he's a wonderful children's fantasy writer.  My three kids (8 to 12 years old) instantly became fans of his novels.  One of them, Truth Teller, is ready for publication and I reserved my autographed, hard cover copy already.  Now all he needs is an agent.  *hint hint - future bestseller!*

#3:  http://www.willwriteforchocolate.com/ by Debbie Ohi.  Whenever I need a diversion, I read some of the comics for writers from the archives.  The characters are just too sweet, and each short strip addresses a situation writers may go through.  I recognized myself in quite a few of them.  lol! 

#4:  http://bookinaweek.blogspot.com/ by Maureen Woods.  I joined the book-in-a-week challenge every single month from December 08 to September 09.  I boosted my writing from 10 pages a week to 28 pages a week.  I enjoy reading this blog for the interviews with other participants in the challenge and useful tips about writing.

#5:  http://kmessner.livejournal.com/ by Kate Messner.  Kate is a writer for children living in the New York area and is a member of SCBWI.  I recently discovered this blog through Twitter.  I love the amount of pictures Kate displays in her posts!  Her last post is a list of 2009 books she read and loved, listed by category.  I made a note to myself to come back and jot down some titles for my next trip to the library.