Alison Morton, author of the Roma Nova series and fellow B.R.A.G. Medallion honoree, named me a versatile blogger. How cool is that? What a great way to be introduced to readers of Alison’s blog and to recognize other writers. Check out the other individuals she nominated. (I would’ve added at least 2 of them here if she hadn’t nabbed them!)
I’m charged with several tasks. I must:
1. Display the versatile blogger logo – done.
2. Write a post and link back to the blogger who nominated me – linked above.
3. Post 7 interesting things about myself – see below.
4. Nominate up to 15 other bloggers and explain why I’ve nominated them – see below.
5. Inform them of their nomination – will do.
So here goes…
Seven things about me:
1. At one point in high school, I wanted to attend Georgetown University to study foreign languages and go into the foreign service. I got bored with school and decided to join the Navy instead after I learned they had language schools. My recruiter thought I’d be going to school in Florida, but I ended up in Monterey, California for an entire year. What luck!
2. I trained as a communications technician/interpretive (CTI) in the Navy. In 5 years, I spent all of 9 weeks on a Navy base. Fresh out of boot camp, I spent 12 months on an army base for language school and 4 months on an Air Force base to learn about radio telecommunications. Then I was booted back to an army base at Ft. Meade, Maryland. Can’t talk about the work in any detail. It felt like something out of science fiction. Go read a Tom Clancy novel. I’m in there…
3. Favorite television show as a kid: I think that would be Star Trek. (RIP, Mr. Spock). Favorite Star Wars movie: Episode 5, The Empire Strikes Back.
Favorite book: Heir to the Empire. It renewed my interest in Star Wars, and led me to writing and publishing my first short story.
4. Currently watching: Game of Thrones (season 4), Agent Carter, and Downton Abbey. Currently reading: The Blood of the Fifth Knight, A Game of Thrones, and I just finished Knight of Jerusalem (4.5 stars)
5. I got rid of cable tv about 5 years ago, and I get no reception from stations nearby. I love my Roku box. I get my fixes through Netflix, Amazon, and streaming from the networks (for the few current shows I watch).
6. My day job includes coordinating data collection and library publishing activities. Who knew librarians did such cool things! I’m a tenured professor, which means I was privileged to go on sabbatical for 5 months in 2010. I spent 9 weeks in the United Kingdom visiting university libraries and learning about their technical services operations. My Brit colleagues said I’d seen more of the country than many of them had. And lucky me – I lived in Nottingham for 3 of the 9 weeks. Sadly, I didn’t know that the short story Battle Scars I’d penned in 2009 would be the beginning, er, the ending of a novel when I lived there. At the time, Men of the Cross wasn’t even in my sights.
7. I bought my first personal computer in 1993. I discovered AOL chat rooms in 1994, and attended the first online chat of a group of female Star Wars fans. The group became Club Jade. Thirty of us met in Las Vegas in 1997 to watch the special editions, and the group continues to meet annually. I attend when I can (which isn’t often enough) and keep in touch via social media. Many of us have worked at Celebration conventions for the remarkable Mary Franklin of Lucasfilm. I wish I could be in Anaheim next month, but it’s just not possible this year. I’m hoping to attend the 20th reunion in 2016. 🙁 Enough about me.
Now on to the nomination of other wonderful, versatile bloggers:
1. E.M. Powell – Her agent calls her books “car chases with chainmail.” Historical fiction, action/adventure. I loved her 1st book, and just started her 2nd.
2. Catherine Hedge – a retired educator who gives some of the best critiques in the world. She is an amazing and gifted writer.
3. Raji Singh – Move over 1001 Nights. Raji’s characters are full of whimsy and will captivate you.
4. Jen Fitzgerald – Jen and I met online through our love of Robin Hood. She’s a writer of romance novels, and actively involved with the Texas chapter of the RWA.
5. Helena P. Schrader – Helena writes historical novels rich with detail, but it won’t bog you down.
6. Derek Birks – Derek’s about page says he writes historical fiction with attitude! Historical action-adventure, War of the Roses. His novels are on my to-read list.
All right. Off to tap these folks for their assignments.
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