Versatile Blogger Award

Many thanks to Fel Wetzig at The Peasants Revolt! (http://www.scotzig.com) for my first Versatile Blogger Award – totally amazed and very grateful.  The Award is really surprising as I struggle to blog as often as Fel and many others.

Anyway the rules are to nominate 15 more bloggers that I either follow or have recently discovered and find excellent. Then to give 7 facts about myself. (Further info on the Virtual Blogger Awards: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/about/)

My 15 nominations in no particular order are:

• http://dariospeaks.wordpress.com/                (Dario Ciriello)
• http://elfwriter.com/                                       (Alon Shalev)
• http://jadevarden.blogspot.co.uk/                  (Jade Varden)
• http://colinfalconer.wordpress.com/              (Colin Falconer)
• http://inthedemonshead.blogspot.co.uk/        (Kyle Robinson)
• http://blog.janicehardy.com/                          (Janice Hardy)
• http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/      (group of writers)
• http://sarahnego.blogspot.co.uk/                    (Sarah Nego)
• http://www.rachellegardner.com/                  (Rachelle Gardner)
• http://www.amypaulussen.com/                    (Amy Paulussen)
• http://www.thecreativepenn.com/                  (Joanna Penn)
• http://writerunboxed.com/                             (group of writers)
• http://www.cindycarroll.com/                         (Cindy Carroll)
• http://www.sarahsalway.net/                          (Sarah Salway)
• http://www.livewritethrive.com                    (C. S. Lakin)

Finally, 7 things about myself (which aren’t in my Bio or obvious):

1. First Award: when I was about twelve I entered an essay competition that came with a model aircraft kit. My entry – A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot – was among the winners. We all won three days with the Royal Navy visiting submarine base, fleet air arm and sailing on a destroyer in English channel.
   

   HMS Dolphin

    

2. J.R.R.Tolkien: Tolkien was the major influence on me as a reader and writer. I first discovered the Professor when I was age 16 in 1969. While exploring library for Anglo-Saxon and Old English literature, I found Tolkien’s seminal Beowulf: the Monsters & the Critics. Lord of the Rings followed in one long weekend without rest and I still have the books. I read anything else of his that I could find. After years of re-reading the films were as I imagined the epic and I currently escape to Middle Earth (see 7.).
   

   The Monsters and the Critics (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Beaver River Expedition: while at college in Canada – early 1970s – I went on white water expedition with teachers, a marine, rugby players, and various other friends.  It was the first recorded descent of the Beaver River – although sure native Canadians beat us to it by a few hundred years.  
4. Magazine editing: Other than mowing lawns, my first job was as a sub-editor on The Field. But this wasn’t my only magazine editing experience as at college I created a Sci-Fi-Fantasy fanzine, in mid 1980s edited a green-socialist journal (New Ground), and before retired edited & assembled a carriage driving newsletter.
   

   http://www.thefield.co.uk

    

5. Organic Food: In late 1970s set up Celandine Foods, one of the earliest wholesale organic fruit & vegetable companies in the UK and we tried to co-ordinate organic & bio-dynamic production in area of South East England. It proved better if growers and outlets traded direct, but one of the shops re-established business with my ex-partner who still continues to wholesale as well as retail bio-dynamic & organic produce. 
6. Clothworkers: As a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers I at one time believed that I could take my sheep across London Bridge.  Sadly this is no longer true – for obvious reasons – but it’s a great fantasy even if the Congestion Charge would be hefty.  (See http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/sheep-across-london-bridge-the-freedom-of-the-city-of-london for further details including amusing anecdote about Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams).
   
7.  Perfect World: I met my wife Juanita in Perfect World (http://www.perfectworld.com/), an MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game aka mainly men online role playing girls) set in a fantasy world. Even though divided by five thousand miles we met in real life and now are happily together and still gaming although in Lord of the Rings Online – http://www.lotro.com/ ). Some of course is ‘serious research’ but rest is welcome escape – when the kittens aren’t on the keyboard ‘helping’. Dogs are so much easier to train but what choice do two dog lovers have in a No Dog park home estate.

Once again thank you Fel Wetzig at The Peasants Revolt! (http://www.scotzig.com) for my first Versatile Blogger Award.

WIP Update

Spiral of Hooves:       I’m still keeping my options open as I had queries on the draft contract from Spectacle.  I’m waiting to see what they say in their clarifications before I shut other doors or avenues.  My primary intent has always been to get published but not be trapped into a tight deal or a drawn-out process.

Wyrm Bait:    I’ve done the first read-through/red-pen revision and have thousands of red scribbles, slash marks, and notes on the manuscript. But I have a much better idea of where the novel is going, how to improve the plot and how to bring my characters more to life.  Now for the rewrite which I aim to finish during October before NaNoWriMo starts.

Wyrm Blood: This is my intended writing target for NaNoWriMo 2012 (http://www.nanowrimo.org) and I already have the scribbled outline and character sketches to guide my journey.

So until the next time I find time to Blog, this is the Silver Scribbler wishing everyone Good Writing & Good health.