Today’s post is a special one. I’m linking up with writing friend and fellow DIY MFA staff writer Leanne Sowul for her monthly “What Makes Me Happy” series. (Click here to go directly to her December post.) Plus, as you might have noticed from the post’s title, this will be my last blog post for 2016. And with Christmas and the New Year around the corner, it’s a good time to celebrate the little things that make you happy, right? 🙂
Since it’s still the holiday season, I’ll start with…
The poll results are in – and the “Interview with Sara” option won by a landslide! So, for this year’s blogoversary, YOU the readers have the chance to grill ME with questions. How does that sound? 😉
Today’s post is a call for questions for the interview, which will post on Saturday, July 9th (the official blogoversary date). You can ask me anything about writing, books and authors I’ve read, tea, music, something else – it’s up to you! But first, in case you need help thinking of questions…
Back in September (which seems like forever ago now), Rona at Tea with Polly was kind enough to nominate me for my fourth Liebster Award. (Thank you, Rona!) It’s taken me a while to get to it because of the holiday craziness offline and the end-of-year posts I wanted to get out. But now, I finally have time to start catching up on awards again. (Yes, I still have others to do. It’s a little embarrassing…)
Btw, if you’re a fellow tea lover, I highly recommend you follow Tea with Polly. I’ve been part of Rona’s readership for a while, and have found some delectable-sounding teas and herbal tisanes I want to try as a result. 😉
Here are the rules for this round of the Liebster Award:
Let’s get started, shall we?
Yes, I’m still in the midst of catching up with blog awards from over the summer. But this next one is very, very cool. Why? Because it involves DRAGONS. 😀
The Dragon’s Loyalty Award comes courtesy of Sarah J. Higbee, a fellow speculative fiction writing who lives in the UK. Sarah’s currently putting the finishing touches on her debut novel Running Out of Space, the first installment of a self-published space opera trilogy. If you haven’t checked out her blog, now’s a great time so you can stay on top of any updates regarding Running Out of Space. Plus, Sarah reviews books and shares her poetry and other personal bits there. 🙂
Here are the rules for accepting the Dragon’s Loyalty Award:
Since #1 is all set now, it’s time for #2, and seven random facts about myself.
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga’s Reviews that shares the books (both physical and virtual) that you recently purchased, borrowed from a fellow reader or the library, won from a giveaway, or received as gifts. Stacking The Shelves will post on Saturdays as new books are added to my shelves.
I’m starting to think I have a book-buying problem. Any time I go into a bookstore, I see something that’s on my wishlist, and I must buy it then and there. For example, I went with a friend to Barnes & Noble recently because she was looking for a particular book. Guess who left with the larger purchase? *points to herself*
This edition of Stacking The Shelves contains the books I bought at B&N, plus a recent giveaway win (yay!) and some perks from a self-published author’s Kickstarter campaign. Take a look!
If I could use one word to describe the music of 2014 for me, it would be “weird.” Firstly, it was a year of transition and rediscovery music-wise. In May, I left my music-reviewing post at Sonic Cathedral after 5½ years so I could concentrate on novel-writing and other creative pursuits. Suddenly I had more freedom – and time! – to listen to genres besides female-fronted rock and metal. That explains why this year’s Top 10 list features the most variety I’ve ever had in my end-of-year countdowns. Yay! 🙂
Secondly, the quality of 2014’s music took me on a bumpy rollercoaster ride. There were awesome surprises, huge disappointments, and an unusually high number of “in-betweens” that I needed to replay several times before knowing how I felt about them. And in some ways, my #1 pick summarizes my year of music: It tips its hat to my “head-banging” past while shocking the hell out of me – in the best way possible. In fact, I don’t think my SC colleagues would have seen this one coming (except for one – she knows who she is, because it’s all her fault *winks*).
Buckled in? Then let’s go! Continue reading
Sara Letourneau 