March 7, 2013

The Liebster Award

Thanks to Kelley from Another Novel Read for nominating me!

Okay, so apparently the rules for the Liebster Award are as follows:

1. I have to say 11 things about myself.

2. I have to answer the 11 questions posed to me.

3. I have to make up 11 more questions.

4. Finally, I have to nominate 11 other bloggers who will answer my 11 questions. (And let them know, obviously.)

Apparently the Liebster Award is for up and coming bloggers with a following of less than 200. At 251 followers at the time of writing this post, I’m over-qualified, but I’ll do the award anyway to highlight some of the great bloggers out there with less than 200 followers.

11 Facts About Me

1. I really dislike my first name (Carrie), but wouldn’t really consider changing it.

2. I once considered doing a spin-off blog called The Mad Photographer to showcase my photography.

3. I make delicious barbecued ribs, if I do say so myself.

4. Silver jewelry looks better on me than gold.

5. The most challenging thing about blogging for me is actually finding time to write my reviews.

6. I visit Cracked.com every day and would consider writing for them if I was actually funny.

7. Even with a whole year of blogging under my belt, I still check my stats more obsessively than I should.

8. I used to be terrified of zombies in fiction and movies, but now they don’t bother me at all.

9. I am procrastinating at curing my procrastination habit.

10. I want to grow my hair out long enough so that I can sit on it.

11. My favourite song is Vissi d’arte from Puccini’s Tosca.

Kelley’s 11 Questions and My Answers

1. Who’s your favorite non-human character in a book?
Hm…that would have to be Bonnington the cat from Chris D’Lacey’s Dragon Chronicles. Obviously Chris D’Lacey has had cats because Bonnington certainly has a large personality, just like my cat. Did I mention I’m a crazy cat lady?

2. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate. No debate.

3. How many books do you read in a typical month?
Well, in February I read 14 books, but some months I don’t read nearly as many. I’d have to say anywhere from 10-20 books a month, usually falling somewhere in between.

4. Coffee or tea?
Tea. I really, really hate coffee. I don’t drink a lot of tea, but I do enjoy it occasionally.

5. What’s your favorite movie based on a book?
That would have to be Dr. Zhivago. Mostly because I couldn’t get past page 20 in the book. From the tiny excerpt I read, I could tell the movie is so much better than the book.

6. Beer, wine, cocktails, other?
Um, none? I don’t drink. At all. Seriously, I’ve only had alcohol twice in my life: a sip of wine at Thanksgiving when I was 5 (hated it) and just recently accidentally sipping a pina colada with rum when I ordered it alcohol-free. I guess you could say I’m not a big drinker.

7. Favorite genre to read?
That’s a tough question. In general, I’d have to say historical fiction. I love learning about past peoples, cultures and the events that shaped our world. History is fascinating and historical fiction brings it to life.

8. Does it snow where you live? If yes, how do you feel about it?
Yes, it definitely snows in Saskatchewan. And yes, I definitely hate it with every fibre of my being. I hate the cold and I really, really, really hate the snow.

9. How do you feel about naps?
I love them! I couldn’t function without my nap after work. People should nap more.

10. Favorite book cover from the past year?
I read 270 books last year alone and you’re asking me to pick just one favourite cover, Kelley? Oh my. I’d have to go with Feed by Mira Grant. So simple, yet it summarizes the entire book.

11. Favorite TV series?
Well, BBC’s Merlin is being cancelled, so I’d have to say AMC’s The Walking Dead. No, I’ve never read the comics. No, I’m not going to either. I just want to enjoy my mindless, melodramatic guilty pleasure without constantly comparing it to the apparently much better comics. Even book reviewers need to switch off their brains occasionally.

My Questions for the Nominees

1. Which post do you feel is your best blog post and why?

2. What made you start blogging?

3. Skittles: Do you eat the red ones last?

4. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

5. What do you love the most about blogging and why?

6. If you had to pick one book that defined your childhood, which one would it be and why?

7. Coca-Cola or Pepsi?

8. What’s your favourite song and why?

9. What’s your current favourite TV series?

10. What do you think of blog awards? (Like ’em or loathe ’em?)

11. Does bad grammar bother you?