20 Interesting, Odd or Unusual Things about Me

1. I like dragons (and fairies)!

2. The first blog I ever read was by Kristi Holl through my ICL Children's Writers eNews.

3. My first pony's name was Lefty. He cost $100. My brother and I each paid $50. After a couple of days he decided he wanted his money back.

4. The first podcast I listened to was #85 How to Support Your Local Indie on Katie Davis' website (March 2nd, 2012) and then I listened to 3 more the next day.

5. I created my own writing work space with a desk, comfortable computer chair, supplies, etc. but I rarely use it because the room is too dark.

6. When my mom owned her own greenhouse business, I decided that I would never spend time watering plants every day. Now that I have my own gardens, my usual rule of thumb is that if a plant can't survive on its own it is going to die. (But sometimes I cheat and water my potted plants).

7. I love to read fantasy!

8. Some of the books I read as a teenager: Black Stallion series; Sweet Valley High series; Nancy Drew; Hardy Boys; (hardcover) Elsie books that belonged to my grandmother; The Belgariand, The Malloreon, and The Elenium (series); The Secret Circle Trilogy; The Rowan; Dragonsdawn and other Pern Books; (started) The Wheel of Time series; Elvenbane; The Last Herald Mage trilogy; A Man of His Word series; Split Infinity and other books in the Adept series; and any apple books from Scholastic that were about horses, mysteries, and magic (oh, and junior romance).

9. What were my favourite authors as a teenager? I loved and searched for books by: Walter Farley, Anne McCaffrey, L.J Smith, Robert Jordan, Mercedes Lackey, Christopher Pike, Piers Anthony, David Eddings, and Dave Duncan.

10. I don't like the feel of sand on my feet!

11. I don't believe in buying pets. There are plenty of animals that need a home. My dog and two cats were rescues.

12. My husband and I have a pet bantam rooster named Harold. (He adopted us!)

13. I got my idea for this list from Julie Hedlund's 100 Random Things.

14. I am very accident prone!!!

15. My new favourite colour is red. It used to be blue.

16. Lilies are my favourite flower, especially if they are red or orange. And I have a mild obsession with Echinacea plants.

17. Unusual names are intriguing: Braum and Genta, Mayan and Kherington

18. I attended the first, second, third, and fourth annual Shelburne Writers Festival with my own specially-designated Writer's Conference notebook in hand and jotted down notes about writing. I did my first reading in front of an audience (first annual) and the next year E. Alex Pierce remembered me because of my notebook! I met, poet and singer-songwriter, Tanya Davis (fourth annual) and after hearing some of my reading she commented that she guessed I wasn't so nervous after all.

19. Every year, my husband and I hang Christmas stockings that I crocheted.

20. As a teenager, I took oil painting lessons from a friend of my grandmother's. I gave one to each of my aunts and uncles, grandparents, brothers, and I have some in my home. I only have one painting of a horse. (And I will probably never make another).