The Sunshine Blogging Challenge

Sunshine Blogger Award: Writer's Edition!

Sunshine Blogger Award: Writer's Edition!

1. Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your post.

2. Thank the person who nominated you:
   

   The Graveyard Kitchen

   - Thank you for nominating me! This was fun!

3. Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.

4. Answer your nominators’ questions:

🔪 Author Q&A –

Do you like to eat while you write? If so, what is your “go-to” snack?

That really depends on the time of day, I think. I do snack throughout the day. Sometimes popcorn, sometimes a quick PB&J. But I *always* have something to drink. Coffee, water, beer, bourbon… But I do avoid things that leave residue on my fingers… sticky, dirty keyboards are not conducive to a productive workspace…

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What is your favorite dinner of all time, and tell me about the memory attached to it- Who made it, why you love it, etc.

That is a tough one, because I am such a food and experience-focused person. There are several occasions that I can remember where I felt like I never wanted them to end, but it was more about the company and moment than the food itself (although that was amazing, too). One of the most recent experiences was Christmas Eve, 2024. We were in Valencia, Spain, visiting my youngest son, who was there for a semester abroad. He found the restaurant he wanted to take us to and made the reservations. It is called La Diva, and was one of the most wonderful restaurant experiences I have ever had.

My boys.

Another time was when I prepared a breakfast for my family while we were caravaning in Germany, also for Christmas. It was simple: thick cut bacon chopped into pieces and fried until crisp. Bagels sliced and then fried in the bacon fat. The bagels were then topped with a chive cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers. It was so easy and quick, but against the backdrop of the Bavarian countryside, it was spectacular.

What genre do you write, and why did you choose it?

I suppose I could give the standard response of “I didn’t choose the genre, the genre chose me”, but that would be trite and silly. I think the straight answer is: I write what speaks to me. That’s why I have three totally different stories going at once (Shadows Under the Palms, Stolen History, and Portete, if you are interested…) So that is mystery noir, action/adventure, and historical fiction… but then I have a fantasy novel, a cozy mystery, and a sci-fi epic also in the wings. I am all over the place. I even wrote a blog post about it once upon a time…

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What is one thing that you want your readers to know about you?

No idea, really. I guess that I am a writer, like any other. I have a non-stop need to create. Sometimes it comes easy, and sometimes it is a knock-down-drag-out fight to get the words to flow. I have lived a life. I’ve travelled to a lot of places, learned a lot of things, and try to write what I know. And if I don’t know it, I want to learn. I think we need to always be learning.

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What are you most proud of with your writing?

Right now, it is the consistency that I have been keeping over the past few months. And that is for me. I’m thrilled that people are engaged and that my stories are interesting to others, but mostly, I am proud of myself for keeping up with my self-imposed goals and targets. Also kinda proud of this line:

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What was the first concert you ever went to?

So, the first one I ever went to on my own was Duran Duran in 1984 at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles. And it was amazing. I attended a *lot* of concerts after that, but it was my first big one.

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5. Nominate some authors:

   Joshua Kay
   ,
   C Alan Morgan
   ,
   Autumn Kindelspire
   ,
   Devyn T Moore
   ,
   Asteria Geisterblum
   
   - If you’ve already done this, and you would like to answer my questions, I would love that. However, if you’re not feeling it.. It’s ok to decline.

6. Give them your own questions for them to answer:

   Here are mine:

   1) Go-to cocktail (if you drink) or beer. If you don't drink, what is your preferred beverage in social situations?

   2) Top destination for a vacation that you have never visited, if money were no object.

   3) Book or author that inspired you to write

   4) If you were to cast any of your characters (choose one), who would you choose (living or dead)?

   5) Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what is your default? If not, why not?

   6) Favorite comfort food.

This feels a bit chain-letter-y, but it’s not. It is a good way to learn about your favorite writers and ask them questions.