Sunshine Award

Thanks to Cathy over at Words, World and Wings for this Sunshine Award. A nice surprise that generated smiles. If you get a chance, visit Cathy--writer and former librarian--who lives on the Palouse in the state of Washington. There she blogs on writing, books, and life's travels.

The award is presented with ten questions for the recipient to answer, sharing a bit about themselves and their personal blogging journeys. So...

...here we go!

1. What inspired you to start blogging?
I remember the first time I heard the word 'blog.' What in the world was a blog? But then as I visited a few sites here and there, I began wondering if I could do something like that, and would I want to? I hesitated at first, feared I might not be able to stick with it. But then, because I wanted to 'practice' my writing, set and meet goals, grow in the craft of writing--and build a platform for those books I plan to see published!--I thought, why not? Three-and-a-half years later, here we are still having fun and meeting lots of neat blogging friends.

2. How did you come up with the name of your blog?
I wanted my blog to reflect some of the thoughts, ideas, and quotes one might find recorded in a writer's journal or notebook--words and things of that kind. Thus: Words and Such, a page out of one writer's notebook.

3. What is your favorite blog to read?
I read a variety of blogs in the writing field, from aspiring authors to agents, so I'd be hard-pressed to name a specific favorite. But my 'favorite of the moment' is always the one that shares just the tidbit of information I need or the spark of inspiration that moves me forward.

4. Tell us about your dream job.
I've been privileged to live out my dream jobs. Early on I was a special education teacher. Then a stay-at-home mom. Now a serious writer (once only a hobbyist in the craft)--and a happy grandma to four precious little ones.

5. Is your glass half-full or half-empty?
Half-full and more. My life is blessed with family, friends, and good things to look forward to. And even when I'm feeling a bit stressed or disjointed (yep, we have those days), a nice walk helps.

6. If you could go anywhere for a week's vacation, where would you go?
The ocean...the beach...walking barefoot in the sand! Some of our family's best memories are of places along the panhandle of Florida. But, after having the privilege of visiting Spain last November, walking along the Mediterranean, and touring castles and art museums in various places, I've got the travel bug and know I'd love to spend a week or more in Europe again.

7. What food can you positively not eat?
Liver, chicken or otherwise.

8. Dark chocolate or  milk chocolate?
Dark chocolate. The fact that it's supposed to be healthier is an added benefit.

9. How much time do you spend blogging?
Never really calculated the time but my goal is to post once a week, so whatever it takes--usually two hours or so. It also depends on where I am in revisions and/or plotting that particular week how much time I'll give it. What I do wish is that I had more time to visit others' blogs more often.

10. Do you watch TV and, if so, what are your favorite shows?
HGTV's House Hunters. Love to tour houses even if it's only from my own living room. Once for an anniversary, hubby gave me a book titled Historical Homes of America. Happy to say out of the 60 or so homes featured in the book, we've visited 17, including Paul Revere's house in Boston, the William Randolph Hearst Castle in California, and Laura Ingalls Wilder's home in De Smet, South Dakota.

The idea behind the Sunshine Award is to also pass it along to ten others, linking to their sites and notifying them of said award. To make it easier (!) I narrowed the number down to five. There is no obligation to participate, we're just passing a bit of sunshine along.

Debbie at Writing While the Rice Boils
Jess at Falling Leaflets
Barbara at Barbara Ann Watson
The Kindness Project
Word Serve Water Cooler

Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

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