The Black Cat Blue Sea Award

 

Thanks to the incredibly talented Sheryl, of I Wrote a Book. Now What? fame, for nominating me for the Black Cat Blue Sea Award.  Now I’ll be honest, I have no idea where the name of this award comes from. But Sheryl said she immediately thought of me as an appropriate nominee so, who am I to question her wisdom?

Phil and the Black Cat sailed the Blue Sea,

In a beautiful wooden boat

They had neither money, nor lines that were funny

But all that it took was one vote…

(Sorry, I went to the dentist today and the medication hasn’t worn off)

With my apologies to Edward Lear, I’ll move on to the task at hand.

 

With an award comes responsibility. I have to follow rules. Dammit!   OK here goes:

 

The rules are as follows:

Simple enough huh?  But wait…

First, I have to answer three questions that Sheryl posed for me.

They are as follows:

Q – What has blogging done for you as a writer?

A – WOW, what a question. In short, it’s done multiple things for me. Here are a few:

• It’s given me an audience. Writing is a solitary task and can get rather discouraging without feedback from readers. Blogging provides me with the opportunity to try my ideas out on a large diverse group of folks from all over the planet. How freaking great is that? Any artist thrives on approval, or at least some time of attention from others. That’s why we do what we do.
• It’s given me discipline. Before I became a blogger I was lazy. There was always some excuse to divert my attention from putting words to page. I embrace blogging as a daily activity simply because readers who like my words look forward to reading them (just as I look forward to reading other’s work). It motivates me and, in turn, gives me the discipline I need to write DAILY.
• It’s given me the confidence I once lacked.
• It’s opened the door to a world of fellow writers and given me a sense of belonging.
• It’s opened up a marketplace to promote myself as much or as little as I desire; and
• It’s given me carpal tunnel syndrome.

 

Q – What are your 5 top favorite movies and or books?

A – Movies:

• Gone With The Wind – What can I say? Raised on it. Know every line. There will never be another like it. Makes me cry every time I watch it.
• Forest Gump – Ditto above
• Shawshank Redemption – Never get’s old.
• The Green Mile – Truly magical in every way
• The Godfather – Where my fascination with crime, outlaws, and the blurred line between “good and evil” all began.

Books:

• Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich 
• Ernest Hemingway – The Sun Also Rises 
• Virginia Woolf – To the Lighthouse
• Penny Vincenzi- The Lytton Family Trilogy
• D.H. Lawrence – Sons and Lovers
• James Joyce – A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

 

Q – What/who inspires you to write?

A – In the fifth grade, I had a teacher that told me I should be a writer. That was my first spark of inspiration. Later I was inspired by an English Professor who recognized         something in me that I didn’t at the time. The rest came from within. I’ve never felt I had a choice but to get this shit out of my head and onto a page.

 

OK, on to the nominations:

Insidious Temptation   My favorite read of the day, everyday. WARNING. Adult content. She requests to remain award free however. I’m giving her a plug anyway.

Shail’s Nest  Imaginative and thought-provoking. Always a good read.

Write-Me-Bad I’m a recent follower and have been impressed so far.

Mukul Chand Beautiful photography, informative and interesting content

Angela  Good writer. I like her style and self-expression

Tanya Cliff Award free but what the hell, visit her anyway. She is a gifted writer and poet.

Robyn Great blog site. Well worth a visit. An honest glimpse into the life of a loving family .

 

Whew! I’m almost through. One more thing I have to do. For all my nominees willing to share, her are my three questions for you, if you dare:

1. What inspired you to start blogging?
2. What are the last five books you’ve read?
3. If you were granted three wishes…

 

I’m done now. Thank you Sheryl for thinking of me…and cats…and the deep blue sea.