Armchair BEA ~ 5 Question Introduction
If you are just now visiting, and unsure of what I am talking about, scroll down for information on my involvement in the Armchair BEA event.
On the Armchair BEA blog, the number of bloggers sharing a bit about themselves (with giveaways too!) is massive with 265 blogs linked up, and rising!
Today’s agenda topics are two-fold, so I am going to split them up into two posts. For this one, participants were asked to choose five of the eleven introduction questions to answer. Number One was to tell a bit about yourself, but since visitors to this website can read all about me, my novels, and my publishing journey on the About Sharon, Novels Page, and The Library at Pemberley, I am not going to count that one!
1. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. The answer to this question goes along with another that asks, “Where in the world are you blogging from?” The reason I say that is because currently I am blogging from my home in the Central Valley of California, my small town near Fresno and located at the feet of the Sierra Nevada mountain range where Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks are nestled. I have lived in CA for the bulk of my life, and can honestly say there are very few places within the State, or the west for that matter, that I haven’t traveled to. What some may not know is that my husband is retiring at the end of June, and as soon as we can sell our house we will be leaving our native California to become residents of Kentucky! The reasons are myriad – cheaper lifestyle, more conservative atmosphere, fresher air, less taxes – but why we settled on Kentucky versus other States that met our retirement qualifications is because my daughter Emily’s husband Neil is from Kentucky. Odds are nearly 100% that they will eventually settle in the Elizabethtown area once Neil is out of the Navy. Being close to my daughter, and the grand-babies that will inevitably arrive in due course, is an absolute must!
2. Name your favorite blog and explain why it is your favorite. Naturally I have to say Austen Authors! Even if I wasn’t the co-creator of the only group blog for Austenesque literary writers, I would list it among my favorites. We have a fantastic group of novelists, fabulous daily blogs, incredible monthly giveaways, and over a hundred stellar novels between us. What isn’t to love?
3. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? There are many I could choose, so this is rather tough. However, for me it always comes down to one name: J.R.R. Tolkien. As a long-time fan of everything Middle Earth – as in, since I first read The Hobbit when 12 years old – I simply can’t imagine anyone in the literary world, alive or dead, that would thrill me more. And, if Aragorn or Legolas or Frodo and Sam could join us to….
4. What literary location would you most like to visit? Considering my answer to the above question, it probably comes as no surprise I would choose a place in Middle Earth! Rivendell comes to mind first, followed by the Hobbit home of Bilbo Baggins in Hobbiton of The Shire. I wouldn’t turn down an invitation to Minas Tirith in Gondor or Meduseld in Edoras either. Lothlorien I just might decline, sad to say, but I am a wee bit afraid of heights so climbing those trees and sitting on open platforms hundreds of feet above ground isn’t appealing!
Rivendell, from The Lord of the Rings movies
5. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? My favorite part is mentioned within the question: Community. The vast majority of those who run book blogs do so with nothing but the love-of-novels as their impetus. As a reader, being able to learn about new books, or even older books I may have missed, from those who have no agenda but the honest desire to share their thoughts on a book, is invaluable. As an author, those who review books and open their blogs for me to talk about my novels are a blessing and priceless tool for my success.
Now, scroll on down for the next part of the Armchair BEA Day #1 event……
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I would answer question 3 with: Sharon Lathan! Because she is a fantastic writer, a great lady and a wonderful friend!
Here in Austria people hardly move around. I´ve always imagined seeing you one day in California, now I am changing my mind to Kentucky. I don´t know very much about these state, but I´ve seen some pictures and these have been great. I hope your new home will be all you wish!
Lots of love,
Susanne
😳 Aah! That is so sweet, Susanne! I wish you could get to my part of the world, wherever that may be. LOL! Meeting you and hanging out for a while would be a tremendous thrill for me as well. I am keeping my fingers crossed!!
Though I’m not a die hard fan of the Hobbbit and Lord of The Rings, I would choose Middle Earth as a place to go see, too! It’s beyond beautiful and magical (:
Can you imagine how amazing it would be to share a meal or a conversation with Tolkien?? Sigh 🙂
I hope you’re having a great ABEA!
I always say I would choose Tolkien, but the truth is I would probably sit there and stutter the whole time so it would be a monumental waste! LOL!! Best to bring my husband along because he can talk to a tree and get it to talk back. 😆
Kentucky? We’ll be neighbors. I live in WV but work in KY. 🙂 However, E-town is about 4 hours away.
Tolkien and Middle Earth, Excellent choices! Love Day 1 of ABEA!
That is huge news and change for you!
I’m sure you will enjoy all that lies ahead…
I have big news as well and dinner with CS Lewis!
I say lets join all the Inklings for dinner! Since Tolkien was instrumental in bringing CS Lewis to Christ, it would be a wonderful conversation! 😉
Nice to meet you! Hope you find a nice new house to live in and don’t get too stressed about moving!
Enjoy Armchair BEA!
Thanks Michelle. Moving is always stressful, but we are trying to focus on the delights of when it is all done rather than the craziness of getting there. Hopefully that will work!
Thanks for coming by. 😀