The Liebster Award #2

I was tagged by the fabulous Darque Dreamer Reads for the Liebster Award, and as the questions are always different I thought I’d give it another bash! (Check out my first go here.)

The rules also appear to have changed since June when I did this award, back then there was no list of eleven random facts about me, so at least I won’t be duplicating any of those! Let’s do this…

Liebster award 2 Lyndsey's Book Blog

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.

2. Give 11 random facts about you.

3. Answer the 11 questions they gave you.

4. Nominate 11 blogs.

5. Give them 11 questions to answer.

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Eleven Facts About Me…

  1. I am now the proud fur-mum of two pointers! We adopted Woody a couple of months ago from the GSP Rescue charity, he’s 7 and was originally used as a gun dog in France. He and Bailey (2) are best friends now and keep each other company while we’re out 🙂
  2. I don’t have a middle name, and I’ve always felt like I was missing out. I used to pretend it was Ann when I was a kid – original I know! Probably because my nan’s middle name is Ann…
  3. My dad chose the name Lyndsey, after Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac. He added the extra Y because he thought it would look girlier (Lindsey Buckingham is a bloke). Thanks Dad. Apparently they couldn’t think of anything that went with Lyndsey, hence the lack of middle name.
  4. I’m currently preparing for NaNoWriMo next month, I’m diving back into a project I started in July for Camp Nano before giving up and focusing on Pitch Wars. I’ve just decided to add a secondary timeline and POV character, with absolutely no experience or knowledge of how to do this. Wish me luck! Any tips or links to helpful blogs would be greatly appreciated!
  5. I love the countryside and pretty much hate the city. I can see the benefits of living centrally, for work, shopping, public transport etc. but I just can’t imagine living there long term. I need wide open spaces, greenery and to be able to see the stars at night. I’ve lived in a lot of different places, and I’ve always preferred living in rural areas to urban ones.
  6. I like crafting in my spare time, I find it really therapeutic. I’ve tried loads of different things, Scrabble art, paper cutting, candle making, soap making etc. I always like to have a project on the go, so since I started writing it’s been that, but I still love to try my hand at different crafts.
  7. My favourite colour is turquoise and…
  8. …my favourite animals are dolphins.
  9. I love red lipstick. I wear MAC Ruby Woo at the moment, but I’ve gotten into those matte lip paint things so I might try a red one of those as mine is a nude/taupe colour.
  10. The best holiday I’ve ever been on was for my mum’s wedding in 2014. It was a cruise in the Caribbean, me and my husband flew out a week early so we had some time to ourselves, and then my mum and stepdad stayed a week later so they did too. Both parts were absolutely wonderful, spending time alone together in such a gorgeous setting and then getting to celebrate my mum’s wedding on a beautiful beach in St Thomas. It was heaven.
  11. I’m a fan of bucket lists, I had one for my twenties that I’m currently in the process of achieving the last goal, and right on time as I turned 29 in August! My list for my thirties consists of ten things to learn/do and places to visit. Things like scuba diving and skiing, and places like Hawaii and Vegas. Funnily enough, writing a book was never on my list, I suppose I didn’t think I’d really ever do it so putting a time limit on it (even a whole decade) would have felt like setting myself up for failure. So there you go, not only have I achieved all my ten goals for my twenties, I’ve also written a novel! Go me.pink divider

    Eleven Answers…

    Have you read a book with a perfect ending?

    The only book I can think of with a perfect ending that stayed with me is Harry Potter. I remember feeling really satisfied and content with how J. K. Rowling wrapped up the series and gave us a little glimpse into the future. All was well.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone JK Rowling Lyndsey's Book Blog

  1. Does your favourite movie have a perfect ending?

    I don’t really have a favourite movie, but the ones I love where I can remember the ending are the really ambiguous ones that leave you with questions, like Inception and Shutter Island.

    Why did you start your blog?

    I wanted somewhere I could share my writing journey with fellow writers, maybe build a readership of people who’d like to buy my books when they’re released, and hopefully make some friends. It’s also a nice sort of journal of how far I’ve come in the writing/publishing journey.

    Do you have a follower goal in mind?

    I honestly didn’t expect to gain a single follower, so definitely not. I’d love more, but I’m so happy with the number I have (around 320) and I’m grateful to anyone who finds my rambling interesting enough to read!

    What advice would you give to your beginner blog self?

    Interact with other similar blogs, chat in the comments and take part in blog hops and memes!

    Where is the best place you have visited?

    I’ve been lucky enough to visit so many amazing places. Rome is absolutely stunning, so much history and beauty in one city. Italy on the whole is amazing, Pompeii was fascinating and Venice is obviously gorgeous. If I could only visit one country ever again for the rest of my life it would be Italy. For the food and wine alone!

    Who is the most inspirational person in your life?

    My mum. Is that really lame? She’s the person I look up to most, our paths and ambitions are completely different, but I see how hard she’s worked to get to where she is and I’m really proud of her, and hope I’m just as successful in my own way one day.

    What is your favourite book or movie genre?

    My favourite book genre is fantasy, but I’ve got really eclectic taste in movies. I love sci-fi/fantasy, but I also like suspenseful thrillers and crime, superhero movies, slushy chick flicks and comedies. I’ll watch almost anything if it’s a good story. I’m trying to branch out a bit more with my reading as I know I’m probably missing out by being so selective!

    If you could write yourself in to a book or movie, which one would you be a character in?

    Harry Potter, every day of the week.

     

    Do you like going to concerts?

    I do, I love concerts, I go with my Dad mainly and my younger brother too. I used to always be at small indie gigs, or seeing whoever was playing the Student Union that week. Nowadays I go to some sit down City Hall concerts as well as grungy dive bar gigs.

    What is one food you absolutely hate?

    Artichoke *gags*.

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    Nominations

    I’ve been away for a while so I’m a little (OK, a lot) out of the loop right now, that’s why I’m not going to nominate eleven bloggers, I’m just going to leave this one as an open invitation. I’ll give my eleven questions so anyone who fancies having a go at this award can answer those and just tag me in your post so I can come and see it!

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    Eleven Questions…

    1. Name a blogger you admire and whose blog you love.
    2. If you had to blog about something else, what would your new blog subject be?
    3. Do your family and IRL friends know about your blog, and do they read it?
    4. What was your favourite book as a child?
    5. How do you feel about book to movie/TV adaptations?
    6. What’s your dream job?
    7. Where’s the last place you went on vacation?
    8. What are you hoping for this Christmas?
    9. How did you meet your best friend?
    10. If you could have any superpower what would it be?
    11. What would your superhero name be?

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And there you have it! I can’t wait to read your answers and get to know you all a little better, don’t forget to tag me in your posts 🙂

 

Lyndsey

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The Liebster Award

Hello lovely folks! I had the pleasure of being nominated for the Liebster Award twice, so massive thanks to both Louise @ Dragonspire UK and Julianna @ Blots of Ink and Words for the love! This is going to be another long one (22 questions!) so grab a cup of coffee and get comfy for a while.

Liebster award Lyndsey's Book Blog

The Rules

  • Thank the person(s) who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  • Answer the 11 questions they gave you.
  • Nominate 11 blogs and let them know they’ve been tagged.
  • Give them 11 questions to answer.

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Julianna’s Questions:

Why did you start blogging? I’ve had a couple of blogs over the years, a personal one, a craft business one and now my book blog. I suppose the reason I’m drawn to blogging is to hopefully make some online friends and feel part of a community of people with similar interests. I’ve definitely found that with this blog! I’m also hoping to publish my novels and would love to have a little network of potential readers!

What’s your favourite thing about blogging? I love the support everyone gives each other in the book blog community! When I started I would never have imagined being tagged and nominated for awards by some of the amazing blogs I follow, I just thought I’d sit quietly in a corner of the blogosphere, like at school discos when no one asked me to dance. But you’ve all taken me into the fold and I love you for it 😀

What causes you the most pain (bookish related)? Having to DNF books I’m just not enjoying. I’m trying to struggle through The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine at the moment, forcing myself to read ten pages a day at least, but it’s just not gripping me and I feel like I’m wasting time I could spend reading something I love. I think I’m going to have to give in soon as I’ve got library books that need to be back soon and I know I could tear through them in days as it’s a series I love, whereas TSQ is taking weeks.

The Shadow Queen C. J. Redwine

What are the main reasons you’ll follow a blog? When someone follows my blog or likes/comments I always pop over and have a quick look at their most recent posts to see if I fancy following them. If it’s another book blog with reviews of books I’ve heard of or read, or are pegged as YA or fantasy, I’ll almost always follow as I love discovering new books through people’s reviews. I like blogs that are easy on the eyes, but to be honest I mostly follow via WordPress Reader so the format doesn’t actually matter. I also love following fellow writers, so posts on the craft of writing appeal to me too.

What type of book covers do you like the most? I love really simplistic covers, like Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater and The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

I prefer them to not have people on, but if they do then something like Lauren Kate’s Fallen series, where you don’t see her face, or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson are right up my street.

Fallen by Lauren Kate ACOTAR Kiss of Deception

What’s your favourite genre of books and why? Fantasy. I read more YA than anything else, but I do love MG fantasy too, Harry Potter was the series that got me hooked as a teen, Percy Jackson is a great series too, I haven’t read them all but I hope to. And my current Adult fantasy obsession is the Broken Empires series by Mark Lawrence. I just love the escapism of fantasy, the creativity of the world building, the magic and monsters, and the way that fantasy tackles the really big issues of morality, courage, love and justice without shoving it down your throat.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone J.K. Rowling Lyndsey's Book Blog Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Prince of Thorns Mark Lawrence

Why did you start reading? My dad got me into reading as a kid, I don’t even remember when it started or what my first book was, but I read the entire Animal Ark series by Lucy Daniels, the Ms Wiz books, and anything else I could get my hands on. Book fairs at school were my absolute favourite, and visiting the mobile library when it came to my village. Harry Potter kept me reading throughout my teens, and then I dropped off a little during uni, but as soon as I finished with coursework and dissertations I was back on the bandwagon!

What happened if someone walked up to you and tried to fight you? Good question. Is it a physical fight? Do they have a weapon? I’d probably run away, I’m no athlete, I don’t think I could take someone in a physical fight. If it was just a war of words I might be able to hold my own briefly, but I absolutely hate confrontation so I’d definitely end up telling them where to go and walking away. Quickly.

What would your “happy place” include? A huge bed, lots of blankets, my dog Bailey, unlimited pizza and ice cream, and every book on my Goodreads TBR. Oh and my husband can visit, once a week.

Bailey the GSP

What would you do if you were stranded on an island? See above. Except, probably less blankets and more sun cream.

(Did I hit eleven questions yet?) What makes you bored? (Is it writing questions?) Watching my husband ten pin bowl (he plays competitively and is actually very good, but that doesn’t make it a good sport to watch, unfortunately).

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Louise’s Questions

Fanfiction: Do you approve or disapprove of it? If you write it, should you keep it separate from your original author writing or shout about it? I love fanfics, I used to write them when I was a teen (Harry Potter mostly) but I prefer to write original stuff now and just read other people’s fanfics. I’m not sure whether fanfiction should be kept separate, some big authors started as fanfic writers, like Stephanie Meyer and E. L. James, so it can definitely help you to get discovered. I suppose it depends if your official readers would enjoy the stuff you write for fun, otherwise I guess you could just use a pen name.

Do you have any pets? If yes, what are they, and how do they help/hinder your writing? If no, what would be your ideal pet? Yes! My beautiful German shorthaired pointer Bailey, she’s my best friend, and I wrote two pointers into my WIP The Fair Queen as an ode to her. She does get in the way of me writing when she wants walking right when I’m in the middle of a big scene, but our walks are the times when I think about my story and come up with new scenes and plot twists, so I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Bailey sunbathing

What was the first story that inspired you to write? Why should we read/watch it? Well, I started thinking about the story for my novel The Fair Queen last summer when I was deep in a book hangover post A Court of Mist and Fury, so while my book is nothing like Maas’s I think it was probably that that pushed me to give writing a go – I wanted to create characters someone would love as much as I loved Sarah J. Maas’s. If you like YA fantasy (or adult fantasy, it’s a bit sexy and dark!) and you haven’t read A Court of Thorns and Roses you should definitely give it a read. Book one is OK, but book two is the best book I have ever read, hands down.

A Court of Mist and Fury Sarah J Maas Lyndsey's Book Blog

The thing that inspired me the most was my surroundings, I live right by Sherwood Forest and we got our dog last February so I was walking her every day in the woods by my house and a story just started to come to me.

If you could have or achieve any one thing this year, what would it be? (Writing or otherwise!) I really want to find an agent to sell my first novel this year, I’m taking part in Pitch Wars in August and really hope to get a mentor to help me perfect my pitch for the agent round in November. Fingers crossed I end up with an agent before the end of the year!

Do you have a day job in addition to writing, or is writing your day job? I do have a day job, I’m a marketing manager for a small accounting firm, and I really enjoy it.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Bonus points for pretty pictures 🙂 I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one place, but I  have a bucket list for each decade of my life, I’m almost done with my twenties (I turn 30 next year and only have one thing left to achieve!) and I’ve already picked my ten goals for my thirties. So, in the next twelve years I hope to go to Australia, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. Disneyland is one of my favourite places, I’ve been to Paris and Orlando, so I’d love to go to California. I’m going on a big family holiday in September to Singapore and Thailand which I’m really excited about, it’s a once in a lifetime kind of trip that I never expected to take, and there’s a Universal Studios there so I can’t wait to visit!

Who is your favourite heroic character? What makes them special? This is such a tough question, I tend to fall for secondary characters way more than protagonists. I’m going to go for Aelin Ashryver-Galathynius from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, even though she’s definitely more of an anti-heroine. She went through a really terrible experience, but she came out the other side so strong and is a really selfless and courageous person. Also, I love the sass.

Throne of Glass Sarah J Maas

Do you write every day, ad hoc, or have a different schedule? I write ad hoc mostly, but I’ve found that I do much better with structure, so NaNoWriMo is my best writing time. I couldn’t write every single day, I have too many other things going on, but I’m always thinking about my projects, fleshing out my outline or character profiles, so I might not write every day but I work on my stories every day.

What do you find most challenging about writing? Why? Definitely letting people read my writing, I’ve given a few trusted friends and family members my novel to beta read and I’ve had some great feedback but it’s absolutely terrifying!

Who is your favourite villain? Why are they so nefarious? Can I choose Maleficent? She’s technically a villain, even though I guess the movie makes her out to be more of an anti-heroine… I just think she’s wonderfully evil and clever. And my husband says I’m just like her… 😀

If you could have two fictional characters brought to life, who would you choose and why? Hmm, only two? Let’s go for Hermione Granger – perfect bookish best friend, I think we can agree. And Dorian Havillard, because he loves books and puppies. That’s it. That’s the only reason……….

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Phew, that was fun!! OK, now to choose from all you fabulous bloggers to nominate. If you’ve already done this one or don’t feel like it, no worries! Equally, if I haven’t tagged you but you want to give it a go, have at it.

OK, you lucky people, here are my eleven (seriously? eleven?) questions for you:

  1. If you could live in any fictional world (doesn’t have to be fantasy, just any book world) which would it be?
  2. Which fantasy creature would you love to have as a pet?
  3. If you could control one of the elements (earth, air, water, fire) which would you choose?
  4. Do you prefer tea or coffee? How do you take it?
  5. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
  6. What’s your favourite colour?
  7. Team Edward or Team Jacob?
  8. Go to your Goodreads to read list, what’s the fifth book on your list?
  9. Ketchup or mayonnaise?
  10. Do you prefer paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks?
  11. Who would be your dream book boy/girlfriend?

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So that was definitely my longest blog ever! I hope you guys enjoy getting to know me a little better, congratulations for actually making it to the end! Best of luck with my questions, I can’t wait to see your answers, tag me in your blog so I can find your posts.

 

Lyndsey

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