The Mystery Blogger Award

/ saraletourneau

Goodness, this has been sitting in my Drafts box for a while…. (*blushes*)

So Jessica @ Elldimensional graciously nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award back in January. It’s taken me a while, and for various reasons, but I’ve finally made time to accept and answer her questions. Thank you, Jessica! 🙂 And since I haven’t done an award or blog tag in some time, this should be a fun change of pace.

Some quick details about the Mystery Blogger Award, as described by its creator Okoto Enigma: “The Mystery Blogger Award is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.”

I’ll save the guidelines for the end of the post. Let’s get to the good stuff first. 😉

Three Facts About Me

  1. I was scared frightened TERRIFIED of bees, wasps, and other stinger-bearing insects for years. Even now I’m skittish around them. But what helped me get over my fear was when I babysat my brother during summer breaks from school, and bees would sometimes get into the house. And I’d have to kill them because Brother would refuse to go into a room where they were flying around. (He was more scared of them than I was, I think. *wink*)
  2. Growing up, I hated the color pink. I don’t remember why now, but during my pre-teen and early teen years, I preferred that my clothes, accessories, shoes – pretty much everything I owned – weren’t pink. It’s still not my favorite color, but I have a much “healthier” relationship with pink now. 😉
  3. Reading this post at Eli’s Coach Daddy blog last week reminded me of some of the toys I played with when I was 4 or 5 years old (mid-to-late 1980s, if you’re curious). I kept any and all Happy Meal souvenirs from McDonalds, especially if they were Disney characters. I also had some of the expected girls’ toys like My Little Pony, Barbie, Polly Pocket, and Quints… and some unexpected ones, like Ghostbuster and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figurines!

Jessica’s Questions for Me

Question #1: Are you afraid of the dark?

I was when I was little. In fact, I REFUSED to go to sleep without a nightlight in my room. Now I have no problem with the dark, though I still have a nightlight in the hallway to help me find the bathroom – or else, knowing me, I’d walk straight into a wall. XD

Question #2: What is your favorite genre to write? Or, what genre do you wish you could write?

Faaaaantasyyyyy. That might not surprise most of you, though. 😉 If you’d like to know more about my love of fantasy lit, check out this post on the first five fantasy authors I read.

Question #3: What are your thoughts on vampires? As in, do you find them corny, overdone, classic, entertaining, or something else?

Eh… Vampires don’t really do much for me. They appealed to me more when I was younger; I began (but never finished) a novel with a vampiric twist on Beauty and the Beast when I was 13, and I read the first two Twilight novels (then quit the series). But as an adult, I don’t care to read about them, since they creep me out more than other supernatural or fantastical creatures do.

Question #4: What is your favorite movie, along with your favorite actor / actress?

I… don’t think I can answer the second part of that question. I like a number of actors (Richard Armitage, Johnny Depp, Hugh Jackman) and actresses (Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johanson, Keira Knightley) because they’re great at what they do. Or, in some cases, because they’re (*ahem*) easy on the eyes, like Chris Hemsworth or Chris Evans. 😉 But I don’t have any real favorites. The story told in the film matters more to me, I guess.

I do have a favorite movie of all time, though. And it is… (*drum roll please*)….

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.” I’ve lost track of how many times this film has made me laugh out loud and cry. :’)

Question #5: What was the last book you read?

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas. It’s a YA fantasy about a female elemental magician and her homeland’s prince as they team up to prepare for an eventual battle against a tyrannical mage known as the Bane. And, well… I DNFed it with 70 pages to go. :/ I’ve had off-and-on luck with YA fantasy this year, and The Burning Sky ended up on the “off” side. Since I didn’t write a Goodreads review, I’ll say this: I liked the characters and the Victorian England setting, but the magic system wasn’t all that original (it reminded me a lot of Harry Potter / Hogwarts) and the trope-filled plot lost my interest (though the middle chapters were exciting enough to renew my interest for a while).

My Best Posts, Statistically and Personally

Technically, we’re only supposed to list one “best post.” But to me, you could interpret that as either your most visited post or the post you’re proudest of. So I’m doing what Jessica did on her Mystery Blog Award and list my best posts in terms of statistics and overall satisfaction:

My Nominees for the Mystery Blogger Award, My Questions for Them, and the Rules

Here are my five nominees for the Mystery Blogger Award:

  1. E.E. Rawls
  2. Eli Pacheco @ Coach Daddy (highlighted in Fact #3)
  3. Nandini @ Pages That Rustle
  4. Sarah J. Higbee
  5. YOU! Yes, anyone else who’d like to take on the Mystery Blogger Award is more than welcome to do so. 🙂

And here are my questions for them, should they choose to accept this award:

  1. What was the last movie you watched?
  2. During what time of day (morning, afternoon, night, etc.) are you most productive?
  3. Are you a flexible / adventurous eater? Or are you more picky / finicky and less willing to try new foods?
  4. What is one thing or person that you’re grateful for today?
  5. Silly question! If you could you own any fantastical animal or creature for a pet, what would it be? Why? (Oh, and what would you name it?)

Finally, if you decide to participate, here are the rules for the Mystery Blogger Award:

  1. Display the award logo on your blog.
  2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  3. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link.
  4. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  5. Answer 5 questions from the nominee.
  6. Nominate 10 – 20 bloggers. (Or fewer, if you’d prefer. I opted for 5.)
  7. Notify your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog.
  8. Ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice, including 1 weird or funny question.
  9. Share the link to your best post.

How would you answer Jessica’s questions? What are your thoughts about vampires? Were you afraid of the dark, bees, or other things when you were little? And, what was the last book you read?

27 thoughts on “The Mystery Blogger Award”

  1. I LOVE vampires and have since the fateful day I read Interview with the Vampire when I was 12 or 13. And although there have been some duds along the way, I love how vampire novels have evolved. I’ve read some amazing ones in the past year:-)

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    • Cool. 🙂 Like I said, vampires and vampire stories don’t really appeal to me. So I don’t go out of my way to read them… and if they pop up in a novel I’m reading, their portrayal can either make or break the story for me. Keri Arthur had a neat interpretation of vampires in her recent book “City of Light,” though. It’s an urban fantasy with some sci-fi and post-apocalyptic elements to it, and also features shapeshifters and ghosts in ways I hadn’t ever read about before. I think Mogsy might have read it, too, for Bibiosanctum…?

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  2. We really got nostalgic on the toys, didn’t we Sara? I’m honored to accept this challenge. It’s my second nomination, so I definitely need to get to it. And that description for who gets the award – if that doesn’t get you wanting to write your best, I don’t know what will!

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  3. Congrats on your award!
    I hated pink too when I was little. I much preferred blue. These days I love turquoise and purple.
    I’m not crazy about vampires either. Buuttt… I am hooked on The Strain (TV show and book) which is basically about a vampire-zombie apocalypse (so it seems to me).
    And ooohh yeeaa. The Chris(es). They certainly are easy on the eyes. 🙂

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    • Thanks, Zezee! 🙂

      Ha ha, so you didn’t care for pink when you were younger, either? I think my favorite color then was green. And turquoise and purple are among my favorites now, too.

      “And ooohh yeeaa. The Chris(es). They certainly are easy on the eyes.”

      🙂 I actually saw Chris Evans’ new movie Gifted last weekend. Such a good, heartstring-tugging movie. And it was nice to see him in a dramatic role instead of Captain America (though he’s awesome as the Cap, too).

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      • Hmm…I wonder if I can watch him in a different movie without thinking of him as a superhero. Sometimes it’s hard to see actors as a character different from what I’m used to.
        Like actors who are always villains seem so odd to me in movies where they’re the good guy.

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      • His character in Gifted is very different from Cap. A relatively good guy, but more philosophical and focused on caring for his niece as opposed to saving the world. 😉

        But I know what you mean about seeing actors play a character we’re not used to seeing them as, though. I swore I had thought of an example… but I’ve forgotten it. XD

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  4. I like this tag! I may steal it. 😉 I also hate wasps. XD Bees I’m okay with but wasps nope. And I’ve also had a bad relationship with pink, though I still don’t like it lol.

    storitorigrace.blogspot.com

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    • Go right ahead! That’s why I left the last nomination open. 😉

      Wasps are vicious, aren’t they? One particularly warm spring a couple years ago, I had trouble with them getting into my bathroom. I think they must have crawled into the condo building’s HVAC system and through the bathroom’s ceiling vent. That wasn’t fun – and good thing I haven’t had that trouble since then.

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  5. Love (and still love) MLP! And Polly Pocket, ohmygosh, they were another favorite of mine, too!

    That’s so curious that you find vampires creepy! I find them the least scary of the supernatural human aberrations… except for Nosferatu. Now that one initially gave me the creeps. But now I think it’s funny. Oh, and Salem’s Lot. Those vamps were not cool at all. But I suppose that’s King for you! And what I find the most petrifying: zombies. So that leads me to ask you this: do you find zombies scary? Or do you belong to that peculiar class of humans that find them entertaining..?? D:

    And true, it’s too hard to name just one favorite actor/actress! Kiera Knightley is certainly a brilliant and talented actress, she’s definitely a favorite of mine, too. Is Deathly Hallows your favorite HP book as well? (yes, I’m asking THAT question!) That gif was the best part of the movie! Mrs. Weasley is the best!!

    And I love your questions, I’m just going to take a quick go at it! 😀

    1. Does the tv series Poirot count? Last movie was The Hobbit with my girls for the third time in a row!
    2. Definitely most productive at night. Because peace!
    3. I’ll try any food, if just to taste!
    4. Definitely grateful that the rain let up during my commute today!
    5. This is hard! I do so love griffons. And I shall call him… Sonny 😀

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    • Yeah, I don’t know. Vampires just never did anything for me. And neither do zombies. I know “The Walking Dead” is a popular show, but… no thanks. I’m not interested. I guess I don’t care for the spooky or sinister types of supernatural / fantastical creatures.

      YES. Deathly Hallows is indeed my favorite HP book. And I agree, that bit with Mrs. Weasley is one of the best parts of the book and the movie.

      Awwwww. Now I’m curious: Why Sonny for the griffon’s name?

      Thanks again for nominating me, btw! 🙂

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  6. Thank you so much for nominating me, Sara! This looks really fun! I’ll get to it this month.
    Wasps and yellow jackets are the worst insects to exist, IMO. And they are everywhere around my parents’ old house. :/ Eek
    Pink…yeah. I only like pink if it’s mixed with purple or red, otherwise not a fan.
    I saved all of my McDonalds toys too. My cousins would throw theirs away, but I always loved the Disney characters. 🙂

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    • You’re welcome, E.! I have another tag to do in the future, but seeing as you’d recently done it (#FirstBlogRevisited), I figured you’d be a good candidate for Mystery instead. 😉

      You know what’s funny about my old Happy Meal toys? I remember the very first ones I got, and they were Bambi figurines with movable limbs, so Thumper could actually “thump” his foot. *lol* I don’t remember most of the others, though. But that WAS a while ago!

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      • Aww, I never got the Bambi ones, they sound so cute! I might have been in Italy when they came out, I’m not sure. I think my first was the Pocahontas grandmother willow tree. I loved trees, so I thought it was cool to use for story settings as I played. 🙂

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  7. I’m glad you got around to posting this award as I’ve read it with interest. The first thing that struck me was when you mention the 80’s and McDonald’s – for a second there, I was confused, stuck in my own childhood 😀 (the first McDonald’s in Poland opened in 1992) – such a different perspective.
    I didn’t like pink either when I was a kid, and I avoid it now as well.
    I can relate to your insects-reactions, though I’m fine with the flying ones. Spiders are another matter: I wasn’t a fan of them (to put it lightly) – though when I moved to Ireland (spiders are harmless, but HUGE in comparison to Poland) I’ve learned quickly that for my own good (and low stress levels) I need to kill them rather than wait for someone else to catch them.

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    • “The first thing that struck me was when you mention the 80’s and McDonald’s – for a second there, I was confused, stuck in my own childhood 😀 (the first McDonald’s in Poland opened in 1992) – such a different perspective.”

      And I found that bit of your answer really interesting. McDonalds was HUGE when I was young (and it still is now, I think? I don’t eat there anymore). And as an adult now, I know some American eatery chains have gone international, but it’s always surprising to hear which ones opened in which parts of the world and when.

      When I was in Iceland last month, the very first meal I had there was a egg & cheese bagel sandwich from Dunkin Donuts, which you can find EVERYWHERE in Massachusetts. Granted that this DD was at the airport, so its location and main purpose (catering to arriving tourists who are waiting for bus transportation out of the terminal) made sense. But the fact that my first meal in Iceland was American food was both strange and amusing to me.

      I’m actually OK with spiders. They never bothered me for some reason. But bees and hornets and wasps… *shudders* I had a problem one very warm spring with wasps getting into my bathroom. They must have crawled in through the condo building’s HVAC system and entered the bathroom via the ceiling vent. And quite often they would start flying around while I was… well, showering. :S

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  8. These are great Sara! I love your answers. What are the chances of you sharing the vampiric Beauty and the Beast 😉

    Sorry to hear you’ve been having trouble with YA Fantasies this year. I haven’t read so many yet, but I did just finish reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone which was AMAZING!!! And I can’t believe I haven’t read Laini Taylor yet and now that I’ve discovered her amazingness I am in love ❤

    I have a rational fear of bees I think… And I've also come to have a better relationship with pink — I think the problem growing up was the pink is for girls, blue is for boys, which I went through a big phase of rejecting wherein I refused everything pink and wanted everything blue! I still love blue, and definitely have better respect for pink 🙂

    Stay well 🙂

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    • You’re welcome, Faith! 🙂

      “What are the chances of you sharing the vampiric Beauty and the Beast?”

      None. XD I never finished it. I think I got about 5 or 6 chapters through it, and then my 13-year-old self decided that novel-writing was too difficult. *lol*

      YAAAAAY! I adored Daughter of Smoke & Bone, too, and Laini Taylor is one of my all-time favorite writers. Isn’t the ending of DoSaB haunting, btw?

      That’s probably why I disliked pink so much, now that I think about it. It’s the stereotypical color for girls, and, well, I guess I wasn’t interested in stereotypes. *lol* But it’s not such a bad color, I think. Though I like more of the variant shades like fuchsia and magenta more than true pink.

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      • So haunting! And I really wish I had the rest of the series to binge read but I just ordered book two and three so I’ll be able to wrap it up next month 🙂 Can’t believe it too me so long to read her!

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  9. Congratulation, Sara, and well-deserved 😉
    I’d take it up, because I really like your questions, but I’ve just posted about the Mystery Blogger Award, I was nominated too 😉

    You know, vampires don’t really do much to me either, which is kind of weirst, since I love shape-shifters instead. In spite of their popularity and in spite of some awesome stories abotu them, I can’t say I prefer this fantasy characters over other, wouldn’t say why.

    Congratulation again!

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    • Sarah! 😀 You know, I saw the email notification about your own Mystery Blogger post, and I meant to read it… And then life got busy, so I forgot. *blushes* I’ll make a point to visit you again there soon.

      I actually don’t mind shapeshifters that much, either, now that I think about it. Though werewolves are so common that I prefer it when characters change into other creatures instead…

      Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

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