Liebster / Sunshine award

I was nominated for the Liebster award this week by Jessica at Tales Between The Pages, and also for the Sunshine award by Erica at Highway-Y.A. I was nominated for the Liebster once before but didn't really do anything with it- it seemed kinda chain letterish and I saw some bloggers doing awards and some not. So I just kinda let it go...It does seem like a way to recognize other bloggers and maybe help them get some traffic, so I'm going to pass the awards on this time. Near as I can tell, the rules are pretty much the same for both, so I nominated a few blogs for each.

Thank you Jessica and Ericka! It's always nice to make new blogger friends and to have this happen twice in one week is kinda cool. I appreciate your nominating me!

So here we go.

The rules are:

1. Link back to the person who nominated you
2. Answer the 10 questions given to you by the nominee before you
3. List 11 facts about yourself
4. Pick 10 bloggers to nominate for the award with less than 200 followers
5. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.

11 facts about me: 

1. I'm a fantasy fan but read surprisingly little fantasy these days. At least not high fantasy.
2. My favorite food is pizza.
3. I love conventions
4. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of my favorite places.
5. My first job was working at a vette shop- started out washing cars then I got to drive Corvettes back from the auto auction. Imagine a 17 yr old kid driving Vettes on the highway. Best job ever?
6. I think Night Fever by The BeeGees is a jam.
7. If it's Billy Idol, I'm crankin it. Just sayin.
8. I love Knights of the Dinner Table. If you read it, you know why.
9. Panera Bread makes me happy.
10. I majored in psych and went to law school for a year, and my career has nothing to do with either of those.
11. I'm a big fan of Michael Whelan's artwork, and am lucky enough to own this piece.

My answers to Jessica's questions: 

1). What's one morning ritual you hate to give up? Coffee and toast

2) If you could go back in time, where/ when would you go? Why'd you choose that place/ time? The birth of Christ. I love Christmas, imagine being there for the real thing. If I could pick another, I'd want to see the age of dinosaurs. As long as I could get out quick!

3) Which book world would you most like to live in? Least like to live in? That's easy- Middle Earth all the way. To see The Tower Hills, the Blue Mountains, Rivendell... and grab a beer at the Green Dragon. Least like? Probably Westeros- way too dangerous! Although being a Tyrell of Highgarden might not be too bad...

4) What are the three best books you've read this year? Vitro by Jessica Khoury is probably my favorite so far this year. Dipping back into last year, I would say Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole and Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke have to be on that list.

5) Which writer inspires you most? Edgar Rice Burroughs was a big inspiration to me growing up. The John Carter books had a big impact on me. For a young reader there was just so much there...

6) What do you do for a living and would you give it all up to become a professional blogger? I'm a benefits administrator at a healthcare company, and love my job- but yeah if I could make a living blogging, you betcha!

7) What's one thing you wish bloggers would do more? Kill the CAPTCHA :)

8) What's your lifelong dream? To be a writer

9) If you could live as one main character from a book, who would it be and why? I'm not sure about this one, actually. Maybe Frodo- I wouldn't want the burden he had, but to sail across the sea with the elves to Valinor would be alright.

10) If you could learn how to do anything, what would it be? Better blog design! :)

My nominations:



1. Second Run Reviews
2. Finley Jayne's Going to the Library



1. Natalie Hearts Books
2. Raining Books and Words

If any of my nominees don't want to do this, I completely understand- I just think they're nice up and coming blogs and wanted to share the love.

Questions for nominees:

1. What is your favorite food?
2. Do you reread favorite books or are you a one and done reader?
3. Do you prefer real books or ebooks?
4. If you could vacation anywhere and $ was no object, where would you go?
5. What is your favorite type of music? Country, rock, jazz, whatever...
6. If you could pick a book or series to be made into a movie, what would it be?
7. What is your favorite movie?
8. Concert you would most like to see?
9. Do you have a favorite restaurant?
10. Share a moment in a book that shocked you- good or bad.

Happy reading!