…Or at least my fellow blogger, Rose Red, a wonderful writer with an amazing voice who nominated me for this great honor. And it is, indeed, an honor to be acknowledged by other writers whose work you truly admire.

To be fair, blogging awards like the Liebster are as much about PR and promoting interest in new blogs as they are about recognizing writing talent. But that’s what this whole blogging thing is about!

So I’ve decided to accept and ‘pay it forward’ as the award rules specify.

1. Each nominee must link back the person who nominated them.
2. Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
3. Nominate 10 other bloggers for this award who have less than 200 followers.
4. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
5. Let the nominees know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them.

I’ll start by answering the 10 questions provided by Rose, then do the rest in my next post.

1) When and where do you find time and space to blog?
I do most of my (non-work) writing in that magic hour early in the day, after breakfast and before getting out of bed. Yes, that means I have breakfast in bed.

2) What is the worst job you have ever had/done?
Teaching English to the French. I was an awful teacher and they were not very good students.

3) If you could try any job for a day, what would you do?
I’d love to be an actor in my favorite TV soap, EastEnders.

4) What are you reading at the moment?
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. A brilliant memoir that may just give me the inspiration to write my own (although there’s nothing remotely as exciting about my journey).

5) Can you remember your favorite childhood book, and what was it?
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. Can you guess which one was my hero?

6) Do you listen to music while writing, and what do you like to listen to if so?
Absolutely not. I find it too difficult to think over music or any other background noise (except the dull roar of the train, my second-favorite place to write).

7) What, if any, is your favorite song lyric?
“Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel.” From Both Sides Now, by my fellow Canadian, musician and artist, Joni Mitchell.

8) What is your idea of the perfect holiday?
The idea of a perfect holiday. Thinking then planning is the most perfect moment of any holiday. The reality inevitably falls short.

9) What would you choose as your last meal?
Something magical that would give me eternal life. And/or French fries.

10) What are you most likely to say if you drop something heavy on your toe?
Fuck. Or possibly ‘putain.’ But no swear word in French gives as much satisfaction as the f-word.

Thank you Rose, for the giving me the chance to participate!