Sunshine Blogger Award

Awards are always fun, especially when you win them TWICE. I’m not exactly sure where the Sunshine Blogger Award came from or what it means, but it seems like an exceptionally nice award to have with its sunny graphic and cheerful vibes.

The humorous, entertaining, and thought-provoking A.S. Akkalon first nominated me for the award. If you’ve ever wondered which dinosaurs are the best to date, she can help. If you get stuck while writing a fantasy novel, she can help there too, see: The Solution to Fantasy Writer’s Block. Be sure to check out her amazing answers to the questions posed to her as a recipient of the Sunshine Blogger Award too.

Since I’m lazy and like to post once a week (but already had last week), I decided to save my publication of this post until today, the start of a new week. As I was reading through posts  I’ve missed over the last week from people I follow, I saw that the lovely K.A. Botello was also a recent recipient of the Sunshine Blogger Award, and that she nominated ME for it too!

Wow! Double win! You guys are the greatest! I’d nominate you back, so you can know the feeling, but that seems like a cheap trick. So for now I’ll blush and smile, and direct everyone to K.A. Botello and A.S. Akkalon’s Twitter feeds so you can follow them, in all their awesomeness, there.

K.A. Botello is a great person to follow on WordPress too if you want to get great updates on her current progress with editing her manuscript, find gems of writing and editing advice, or better get to know her.

The rules for the Sunshine Blogger Award are as follows:

• Post the award on your blog.
• Thank the person who nominated you. (Thanks again guys!)
• Answer the 11 questions they set you.
• Pick another 11 bloggers.
• Give them 11 questions.

Since I was nominated TWICE, you’re in for a real treat. I’m about to answer TWENTY-TWO questions. Here goes!

Questions from A.S. Akkalon:

1. What do you most wish people thought about you?

That I’m nice is a good generic answer. I’d love for people to think I’m a good writer, excellent baketress (yes, I made that word up), and have cool hair. But seeing as how I’ve only shared my stories with a few people, don’t like to share cupcakes, and hibernate during the winter, thus not seeing many people, I can’t really expect those things. Maybe I should wish that people don’t think I’m stingy (Because apparently, I am. WITH CUPCAKES).

2. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

I tried to think of something hilarious and outlandish all week, but the only thing I could come up with was rinsing my hands with lemonade from a giant Igloo cooler as a summer camp counselor one time. I went back like three times, thinking I was using the water cooler and wondering why my hands kept being sticky.

3. If you were a game show host, what kind of game would it be?

Something nerdy and comedically obnoxious without actually being obnoxious. Trivia and word puzzles are too simple. But throw in some physical challenges (again, nothing obnoxious), and we might have struck gold.

4. Are you more scared of krakens or black death?

Black death. Krakens only kill unnamed minions or maybe the side kick you’ve grown to love. Black death can and WILL, KILL EVERYONE.

5. What do you wish there was more of in books?

Quirkiness. Not in characters, (there are way too many forced ‘quirky’ characters out there). I mean quirkiness in descriptions and content. I always wonder why epic fantasy novels never talk about their adventurers having to pee. Then I wrote such a story, and I understood. But I still enjoy unique tidbits like that where the author thought to put something unusual into their novel. Two examples off the top of my head are Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg, where pee actually is mentioned (because I brought it up and now am thinking about urine). The main character is literally ‘followed by frost,’ causing snow storms and freezing everything she touches. The book mentions her having to pee in quick bursts otherwise the urine freezes. Another example, but a much lamer one, is a book I read recently describing something as having the consistency of pudding. For some reason, that stuck with me even though I don’t remember what the object being described was (it wasn’t food). I guess I don’t see a lot of pudding comparisons in books, because I found it really unique.

6. Where is your favourite place to read a book?

Outside in the sun on a nice day. Curled up on my couch is a great second option and where I actually do most of my reading. Also, anywhere (sitting, standing, comfortable or not) so long as I’m also eating. Yay, food.

7. What is the most “you” thing ever?

*Sigh,* Robin’s egg blue and the song Rockin’ Robin. As much as I’ve tried to run away from these two things throughout my life, they actually have ended up describing me/things I really like incredibly well. P.S. the R in R.Q. Woodward stands for Robin.

8. Cats eating birds: more proud of the cat or sorry for the bird?

Sorry for the bird. I’ve never actually seen a cat eating a bird, but if it’s anything like my dog chasing and killing screaming bunnies, I want no part of it. Poor bunnies. Stupid dog too, she’s always sick afterward.

9. What did high school English do for your love of writing?

Ha! Nothing. Back then I was more interested in the standard art forms of painting, drawing, and 3D design.

10. If you could have a mythical creature as a pet, what would it be, and what trick would you teach it?

Pegasus. Sure, everyone wants a sparkly unicorn, but think about it, wouldn’t you rather FLY? I’d teach it always catch me if ever I fell.

11. If you could have a superpower, what power would you choose?

One of the best questions ever. Since flying is covered, I’ll go with telekinesis. I’m also cheating a little bit by choosing it because my current work-in-progress includes telekinetic mages as the most powerful kind of mage: they can control the weather, heal people, physically control/manipulate other people’s bodies, and of course, do the hum-drum moving of objects with their minds. THAT is the kind of power I’d have 😀

Questions from K.A. Botello:

1. What is one of the books you are currently reading?

Dang it! I’ve been on a writing binge and purposefully haven’t started my next book yet. I love that the question says “one of” too 😀

I plan to re-read The Last Girl by Joe Hart next in preparation for the March 28th release of The First City by him. I reviewed the The Last Girl the first time I read it, if you want to check that out, and talked more about Hart’s skillful writing in this post.

2. If you could enter into the world of any fictional book which world would you choose?

I’m going to go with the world of The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. Don’t mean to be mentioning her twice in this Q&A series, but I think part of the problem with most fantasy novels is that the magic system is exclusive. You have to get invited to Hogwarts. You have to have the have shifter/wizard/witch/mage DNA to even know about magical communities in most fantasy books. Most other books that take place in lands where magic/dragons/all things fantastical and awesome exist, don’t go into great detail with world building. It’s basically earth back in Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest or something. Clearly, I’m generalizing. The point is, Holmberg’s world in the Paper Magician series is amazing because learning magic is like going to trade school. As far as I can tell, anyone can do it, and it’s just another profession. AMAZING. I want to live there in modern times (because the books take place around 1910 I think…in another reality where magic is normal. It takes place in London, but I don’t think her world is supposed mirror Earth’s history per se).

3. What is one of your favorite quotes?

😦 I’m not big on famous quotes. I love highlighting brilliant or hilarious lines in books I read though. One that makes me smile every time I read it is, “He had spent a lot of time thinking about himself, and had come to the conclusion that he was definitely not self-absorbed.” From Scott Meyer’s Off to Be the Wizard. That and dozens of other quotes from books I’ve read are posted on Goodreads.

4. What weather would you consider ideal?

Sunny with a breeze and NOT humid. 25-115 degrees Fahrenheit is fine, snow on the ground or hot asphalt. Just so long as I can breathe easily without inhaling gnats or mosquitos!

5. What is your favorite fairy tale or classic myth?

Ooo! Tough one! I’m going to have to give a few because I think the source matters (she says to herself, knowing full well she’s cheating). When it comes to Disney renditions, I would have to save Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty. When it comes to original fairy tales, actually the answer is super easy. 100% Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans. You can, and should, read it for free here. Seriously, it’s the best fairy tale ever. You should read it. Right now.

6. If you could have any kind of animal real, or imaginary for a pet what would you choose?

A raccoon! I’ve always, always wanted one.

7. What is your favorite time of day?

Generally, meal times because I can eat. Otherwise it depends on if I’m inside or outside, what I’m doing, and what the weather’s like. While this sounds like I’m being picky, what I actually mean to say is that I like ALL of the daytime hours and find it hard to choose.

8. If you could change your natural hair color permanently, what color would you pick?

Hmm, well seeing as how my hair is currently blue, purple, and sea foam green, and has been hot pink, blue, and purple frequently throughout my life, I’d say just brown is fine. I look funny blonde. But burgundy is nice too.

9. What is your least favorite food?

Meat. Sorry carnivores. I’m a brussels spouts, broccoli, kale, and asparagus loving vegan who makes a sad face or scrunches her nose at all things meat.

10. Where would you rather vacation: the desert, the mountains, the forest, or by the sea?

All of the above, please! The year isn’t complete unless I’ve seen a bit of each!

11. What is your favorite animated movie?

Again, I have to cheat and still give too many answers. Computer animation: The Lego Movie and Frozen. Stop-motion animation: The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings. Older animation: The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast ❤️

Nominees and Questions for them:

I’m nominating:

If Mermaids Wore Suspenders because Aubrey’s amazing and always adds a sprinkle of sunshine to her posts.

S.E. Drummond because she’s my writing buddy and duh.

Green Life Blue Water because P.J. Lazos keeps it real and provides a broad range of posts from eco information to book reviews.

Don Lorah because he boldly posts tons of wonderful stories, and I want to see if he’ll actually answer my questions in a ‘get to know me’ style blog post.

and finally Niels Saunders because I know he still exists despite his recent respite from sharing his authorly awesomeness with the world.

My eleven questions for you guys are as follows:

 

1. What’s one of the wackiest dreams you’ve ever had?
2. Name your favorite book, movie, and tv show, and then tell me which of THOSE is your absolute favorite.
3. What is the first favorite color you ever remember having and what is your fav color now?
4. Who is your favorite person in the world?
5. What’s your favorite smell?
6. If you had to choose between living as an insect in the Amazon or as a fish in the ocean for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
7. Coffee,  tea, beer, or wine? (multiple choices are acceptable)
8. How do you like to spend your leisure time?
9. Do you like to hike, bike, or do other types of outdoor recreational activities? (if this answer is a “duh” type of response because of #8, do not pass go, go directly to jail. Also, tell me anything)
10. What is one (or maybe two) question(s) you wish I’d asked?
11. What is the answer to the question you just asked yourself?

Happy answering and sunshine spreading!

To learn more about moi, check out a similar Q&A post I made earlier this year.