SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD

I have been nominated by accomplished, award-winning author, Angela Petch, for the SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD. What an uplifting title with a joyful icon. On these last days of winter, who isn’t ready for sunflowers?! Cheers to Mother Earth for bestowing us with these awesome flowers. She has provided us with so much: clean water to drink, pure air to breathe, and non-polluted crops to eat. All She asks in return is that we take care of these gifts and keep it that way.

We are one, all Mother Earth’s children. I still have hope that in my lifetime I will see everyone, despite their race, ethnicity, religion, lack of religion, economic situation, sexual orientation, etc., treated with dignity. How hard is it, really, just to treat people the way you want to be treated?

It would be wonderful if the whole world could be as understanding and supportive as artists and writers are with each other. We don’t care about who lives where and what the politics are of any country. We don’t care about race or religion, or lack of religion. We care about each other as human beings with a shared love of beauty and artistic freedom.

As well as being a fantastically supportive blogger,  Angela Petch is also an author, and her book “ Mavis and Dot : Frolics, foibles and friendships by the seaside”  is one of my favorites. Angela’s cleaver banter, appealing supporting cast, and timely social issues weave a unique and memorable story. I rarely clamor for a sequel, but in the case of Mavis and Dot, I make the exception: I want more.

I am thrilled to say that my WW2 novel Bridge of Sighs and Dreams continues to sell well. My latest novel Ashes to Ashes, Diamonds to Dust will be released within the next few weeks. The two books are polar opposites in theme and tone. I suspect that’s due to my fickle Gemini nature.

Angela sent me 11 questions and here are my answers:

1. When you were little, what did you dream about becoming when you grew up?

I wanted to be an archeologist. I have always been fascinated with the distant past. Although, I don’t like the idea of digging up graves. I’ve often wondered how long a person has to be dead before grave-robbing becomes an archeological dig.

2. What is something you like to do the old-fashioned way?

Write and receive “snail” mail. Nothing takes the place of opening a “real” mailbox to discover a hand-written letter from a friend.

3. What is one of your favorite smells?

Tomato sauce simmering on the stove and bread in the oven.

4. If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?

I would call a childhood friend who is going through a difficult time.

5. What job would you be terrible at?

A high-rise window washer.

If you had a million pounds/dollars, what would you do with them to help the most people?

I would buy food and medical supplies for refugees. Of course, a million dollars would only scratch the surface of what is needed. What we need is for officials and leaders around the world to understand the futility and ugliness of war and discrimination, and to treat others with the dignity they expect for themselves.

6. For one day, you can do whatever you want. What would you do?

Spend the day at the Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia

7. Give me three words to describe yourself.

Sympathetic, creative, optimistic.

What is your favorite food treat?

Pasta.

8. What is your favorite outfit?

Faded Calvin Kline jeans and a black turtleneck.

You have one last wish… go for it!

A new president in 2020.

That was a bit of fun. Thank you,  Angela Petch . And now, I get to nominate 11 more friends to continue this SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD.  (Only if they want to… I know we are all very busy.)

The SUNSHINE BLOGGERS AWARD empowers bloggers to celebrate other bloggers who are creative and bring positivity to the blogging community. So, I nominate:

Jennifer S. Alderson

Eva Pasco

PJ Mann

Kathryn Gauci

Jane Risdon

Linda Lee Greene

Toni Kief

Pat Camalliere

Wayne Turmel

Pamela Jane Rogers

Marina Osipova

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

Oops, that’s 12.  Oh well… che sara, sara`!

There are a few rules to follow:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

Answer the 11 questions that I set below.

List the rules and display the SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD on your own blog post.

Nominate 11 new bloggers and their blogs and ask your nominees 11 NEW QUESTIONS.

Here are my questions to you:

• When you were young, what was your dream career? If it wasn’t to be a writer, what changed your mind?
• What makes you angry? How do you tame the lion?
• Have you ever allowed a “dream-crusher” to cloud your self-worth as a writer? How did you lift that cloud?
• What literary figure, alive or deceased, would you like to interview?
• Do you enjoy the editing process? If so, why? If not, why not?
• If you could be proficient in another language, which would you choose? Why?
• If you believed in reincarnation, what century might you have lived in and who were you?
• If you were a schoolteacher, what class would you teach and why?
• Do you prefer to stay in touch with close friends via texting, messenger, email, or phone call? Why?
• What was one of your best days?
• How would you like to be remembered?