What a lovely surprise I received today by the lovely Suchita Senthil Kumar @suchita_senthil! Suchita is a 17-year-old blogger from India and, according to her Twitter handle, an “artist creating chaos,” which I absolutely love. Suchita is currently blogging about her life during Covid and how she works to find balance in a crazy world @voicesofyouth and https://suchitasenthilkumar.wixsite.com/.
I think the Golden Bloggerz Award is a wonderful idea, so thank you to its creators. This is a fun way to get to know other other writers and bloggers and to share a little bit about myself.
Three Things About Me:
I love mythology—all mythology. Although I am the most comfortable with the Ancient Greeks, I have recently been studying the Ancient Egyptians and the Norse myths. I have also dabbled in Celtic and Japanese folklore and enjoy learning the various characters, monsters, and legends associated with each.
If I could travel anywhere in the world, it would be to Greece. I think it is one of the loveliest countries in the world, rich in mythology and culture. I think it would be fantastic to visit the Parthenon in Athens, the Palace of Knossos on Crete, and the gorgeous white city of Santorini.
I am the Cat Lady. Seriously, I love cats. I cannot say no to a cat. At one time, I had twelve (all outside though!). I currently have five, all with quite distinct personalities. They run the gamut from adventurous to cuddly to chatty to laid-back to downright sassy. I really do love cats.
My Answers to Suchita’s Questions:
- When did you first start writing? I started writing when I was thirteen. In fact, my Secret Keeper series was born out of ideas I had and worked on as a teenager. I still have most of the writings I did at this early age. I’m relieved to say I have most definitely improved over time! 😉
- What was the last book you read, and did you like it? The last book I completed was The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I very much enjoyed this story of survival in the great Alaskan wilderness. Despite its length (576 pages), I really had a hard time walking away from it. The first person narrator, who was I believe 13 or 14 when the story began, worked because she learned as the reader learned. This book was definitely a worthwhile read. (On a side note, I am currently reading Still Hungry…After All These Years by Richard Simmons because he’s my current BFF crush. I love Sweatin’ to the Oldies!)
- What is the best thing that has happened to you this year? I would have to say
- If you met your school-going-self, what is the one advice you would tell yourself? I would tell myself not to give up the piano. I took lessons for about three years when I was younger, and then I stopped. I didn’t like playing recitals in front of others. I simply wanted to play for me, but I quit instead of seeking other avenues. I suppose it was a good lesson learned, but still…
- What kind of stories do you like reading/listening to/watching? I like all kinds of stories so long as there are intriguing characters. I enjoy a good fantasy or adventure story, and I like stories where people overcome great odds. I don’t always need a happy ending, but I do like to feel that there is closure.
My Best Posts:
Wardrobes, Alleys, and Attics: this is one of the first blogs I wrote about one of my favorite places in the world, my grandma’s attic.
Know Thy Character – Scott: this blog has received the most attention so far. In it, I talk about the inspiration for one of my favorite characters in my YA fantasy series, The Secret Keeper.
George: this post is about my childhood imaginary friend, a ghost named George. Whether it’s one of the best posts or not, it is fun.
And now for the Nominations:
Samantha Bryant at samanthabryant.com – a writer/teacher/mom who blogs about striking a balance in her life. Her post “Six Years In: My Writing Career” is a great one to start with if you are not familiar with her work.
Kiloan at kasploo.medium.com – her blog “Living in the Pleasant” is a good reminder to writers to make sure we strike a balance between pain and pleasure in our stories.
Heartachepoet at theheartachepoet.wordpress.com – poetry focused on love and loss, heartbreak and healing
Carla at stringoflights.net – another poetry site that’s fun and heartfelt. “Fraikas” and “No Bones” are two of my personal favorites.
Julianne at juliannemunich.weebly.com – “A Fantasy Book Castle” is one of my favorites because (a) it includes a snippet from her second book The Enchantment Unveiled, and (b) who doesn’t love castles?
EJ Norris at authorejnorris.com – a fantasy fiction writer whose blog “Writing About Writing: Be the Pie” focuses on how to let negative experiences flavor your writing
Diana at inspiringpositively.com – Her blog is all about positivity, and let’s face it–after 2020, who couldn’t use more of that?!? I really like the “50 Self-Love Affirmations for Self-Empowerment” blog. Having a positivity jar is a great idea moving forward!
Bel at belkindconnections.wixsite.com – a website full of blogs, short stories, and tips and advice on how to stay happy and healthy spiritually, mentally, and emotionally
Phil and Maude at philandmaude.com – blogs and articles devoted to having peaceful relationships with those in your life. Of special interest – “How to Work Through Disagreements to Reach a Mutual Solution”
Debbie at lifeofdebbieingeorgia.blogspot.com – posts about coming to writing later in life and surviving spiritually and emotionally in the time of Covid
My Questions to the Nominees:
- From what do you draw your inspiration?
- Name one item from you childhood for which you still hold sentimental feelings.
- The most magical place in the world to you is…
- What is the best piece of writing advice you have received or heard/read?
- Who is your favorite author (or book), and why?
The Rules
- Place the award logo on your blog.
- Mention the rules.
- Thank whom ever nominated you and place a link to their website.
- Mention the awards creator and add a link to that too.
- Tell your audience three things about you.
- Answer your nominator’s questions.
- Nominate 10-20 people who deserve this award.
- Let the nominees know by messaging/commenting on their social media or their blog.
- Ask your nominees any five questions that you want.
- Share 2-3 links to your best posts
And that’s it for this post. Once again, I would like to sincerely thank Suchita and the creators of the Bloggerz Award for this incredible opportunity. Be sure to spread the word about other awesome writers and bloggers!