
1. Thank the blogger that nominated you
2. Answer the 11 questions that the blogger gave you
3. Nominate 5-11 bloggers that you think deserve the Liebster Award.
4. Let the bloggers know about their nomination
5. Give them 11 questions they should answer
And now, without further ado, I claim my Liebster with gusto! Here are the questions I received from the lovely and considerate Jewel E. Leonard!
I think "The Crazy School" by Cornelia Read would make a fantastic movie ... I'd need to re-read it to try and make a dream cast, but the writing was very cinematic and dynamic. It's a great story about a woman who finds herself working in a mental institution for teens, and uncovers a lot of dark secrets. It took a turn I wasn't expecting, and I think it'd make a great miniseries.
2. What’s the dream cast for one of your projects? (Bonus points for including pictures!)
I make a point of building Pinterest boards with dream casts for all of my novels! I'll be unveiling the cast of The Proper Bearing to celebrate the completion of its first draft, but for now ... here are the boards for From The Desk of Buster Heywood and my upcoming novel, In The Cards!
3. What line have you written recently that made you laugh out loud?
Nick looked over at the set of bunks opposite his and gave Terry a bleary smile, just as Cris swung his bare feet down in front of his face.
“How they smellin’ this morning, Nick? Can the bath wait ‘til tonight?”
With a slow, deliberate hand, Nick reached up and pushed his friend’s feet out of the way. “I think that stopped being funny about two years ago, Crispin.”
4. Who do you think was the absolute perfect casting in a movie/TV show adaptation of a book? (More bonus points for including pictures!)
Given that it comes out this weekend, I think I'd be a fool for not instantly answering: Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool.
It was years and years ago, now, but: one of my dream cast, Robert Hirschboeck, read a sample of my writing and was gracious enough to say it reminded him of Alice Hoffman. I still have a printout of that e-mail, and intend to treasure it forever.
6. What’s your favorite part of writing?
Um. The WRITING. Duh. ... In all seriousness, though: I love getting so deep down in a scene that the rest of the world falls away. It's like that swept-up feeling of reading, multiplied by so, so much more.
7. What book have you read more than once? (Fess up: how many times? Bonus points for a purchase link!)
"Secret Window, Secret Garden" by Stephen King... I've read the story and watched the movie it inspired countless times. You can read it in the Four Past Midnight collection of stories, along with another favorite of mine, "The Langoliers". Just between you and I, skip "The Library Police", though.
8. How do you handle having written yourself into a corner?
I take out my purple crayon and draw a way out: that is to say, I use my imagination. Eventually, something workable comes of it. (Though it's usually after a couple hours of tea and deliberation with my partner-in-crime, Krista Viar.)
The crafty, clever, sneaky sort. James Moriarty, The Master, Hannibal Lecter, Chancellor Palpatine ... villains who know they're very, very good at being very, very bad, and can still pull the wool over people's eyes about it while having the time of their wicked lives.
10. Which book has been a guilty-pleasure read?
Lately, I feel like any book that I can steal time to read is a guilty pleasure! In the traditional sense, though, I must admit that I found some old Christopher Pike novels at Goodwill, and snapped them up to try and relive my junior high years. One of them was just as good as I remembered: but to my surprise, it wasn't the one I expected to stand the test of time. (It was Monster, for the curious. The other was Witch.)
Time manipulation, of course. How else am I going to get everything done?
- Krista Viar: https://kviar64.wordpress.com/
- Kendrick Von Schiller: https://slythranoirvaere.wordpress.com
- Tae McDaniel: https://shaolindiantales.wordpress.com
- Madeleine Swann: https://madeleineswann.wordpress.com
- Nat Mumpower: http://natmumpower.com/
- Jette Harris: http://jetterfly.wordpress.com
- D.M.G. Byrnes: http://dmgbyrnes.com
1. What was one of your most random, unexpected inspirations?
2. Which book made you realize that you wanted to be an author?
3. Is there a book that you absolutely love that's the exact opposite of your "usual fare"? (Example: I hoard high fantasy, but have read Augusten Burroughs' "Running With Scissors" three times.)
4. Do you ever craft playlists for your writing projects? (Please share some of the songs you've used, if you do!)
5. Which authors do you read when you need to fine-tune your own writing voice?
6. What would your dream workspace look like?
7. Obligatory Writing Beverage of Choice Question! (Bonus points if it isn't actually stereotypically coffee!)
8. CDs or MP3s (or, hey, vinyl or cassette)?
9. What's your favorite Disney movie? (The former aspiring animator in me NEEDS to know.)
10. If you had to model your entire wardrobe after any fictional character, who would it be?
11. Is there a theme which persistently creeps into your work, whether you want it to or not? (Please tell me it's not just me.) If so: what is it? If not: tell me your favorite to read about!
Thank you for joining me this week, folks! I'll see you all next Thursday! Please remember to sign up for my mailing list, where you'll receive all sorts of great things I don't post here, including the occasional free short story!