11 questions from a fellow blogger

A friend of mine from the wonderful Almond Valley blog sent me 11 questions to answer! A little like those five questions earlier. This is fun!

1. Why did you start blogging?

I had been thinking about it for quite some time – I even had the blog named and ready to launch for a couple of years, but never did anything about it. Then Fantastic Books Publishing, the publisher of the Elite: Dangerous anthology 'Tales from the Frontier' that featured my story, 'Blood is Thicker', advised all anthology authors to start blogging. It was not compulsory or anything, but I guess it was the push I needed.

2. Where do you find ideas for blog posts?

I decided that this blog should be about things that I find fascinating, and chocolate and books/reading/stories were obvious choices. Since they are something I love, ideas are pretty much everywhere. I'm not making any promises to limit the topics to those things, however, so you never know what's coming!

3. What's your favourite treat?

Do you need to ask? ;) Chocolate, obviously! But what most people don't know is that I love ice-cream just as much as I love chocolate!

4. What dream would you want to realise?

From the wording of this question, I assume this means the kind of dream I can actually do something about – something where I can act to make it happen. Hmm. It seems that there's very little I can do about most of my hopes and dreams, but let me think... Visiting Constantinople (yes, the present day Istanbul since I guess a time machine would be too much to ask) is one of my dreams. Another trip to Scotland would also be lovely!

5. Do you live in a dream home?

Well, my dream home sits by a lake and it has a library that looks a little like this "English Library" from Flickr or the next one, a library from The Bookriot:

So, no. :D And our house is definitely not one of those picture perfect homes. Now and then I fantasise about redecorating: buying new furniture and other things, painting, all that (so many things I'd want to do!), but there never seems to be enough money or time. Or I never do it because it doesn't really matter: we feel very much at home in our house, such as it is. There may be a bit of a chaos most of the time (let's just call it a bohemian lifestyle, shall we? :P) but there's also plenty of love and warmth. Home is where the heart is, isn't that what they say?

6. What does your family think about you blogging?

My husband also writes a blog, so he understands perfectly... and my daughter is too young to know (or care) what it is I do.

7. Do you find it difficult to come up with ideas for blog posts?

Not really, no. I find it difficult to find time to write those posts!

8. Have you ever participated in a bloggers' meeting?

No, I haven't.

9. What's your favourite blog?

I'm afraid I don't read very many blogs... Naturally, I'm partial to my DH's blog, Wolfwood's Corner, where you can find plenty of book reviews and all sorts of things about the 17th Century. And then there's the beautiful Almond Valley that I already mentioned.
  

My sister-in-law writes a blog Drawings by Dell, and it's always exciting to visit and take a look at her latest artistic endeavours. I've known her since she was a little girl, and I've had the pleasure of watching her grow up and become a talented artist. I love her style; there's something about that combination of fragility and strength that mesmerises me.

10. Do you advertise your blog?

I sometimes post about a new blog text in Facebook, but other than that, no.

11. What's the most beautiful thing you saw today?

The flowers that my daughter picked for me. I had no idea they were already blooming! Spring is coming, after all. :)