11 x 4 Questions Finally Answered

Current NaNo Word Count: 8,509 words (full post on Monday)

Something we all know is that I always take forever at getting around to accepting awards and answering tags, that sort of thing. An example? I got two awards at the end of 2011. I got around to posting about them in May 2012. This procrastination is the reason I'm just now getting around to answering the questions I got tagged with during the Fourth Writers' Platform Building Campaign. And boy, are there a lot of them.

Carrie-Anne was the first to tag me. She left me with these eleven questions:

1. What is your dream car? It could be either a current car or a classic or antique car. I don't exactly have a specific dream car, but I would like a rather large vehicle with a bench seat.
2. Are you interested in illustrating your own books? Have you ever drawn pictures of your characters? I wish I could illustrate my own books, if just the chapter headers. While I can draw, I unfortunately lack the ability to visualize things. This makes it hard to draw things like my characters and settings.
3. What is your favorite flavor of jelly? Grape.
4. What animal would you most like to be? A brightly-colored poisonous butterfly.
5. What foreign country would you like to live in? Ireland. It's where the leprechauns live.
6. Do you prefer the countryside or the city? It depends. What am I doing there and who am I doing it with?
7. What is your favorite ice-cream flavor? Chocolate almond.
8. What character from mythology (any mythology) would you most like to meet? Pandora. Imagine her face when a 5'2" blonde girl comes up and slaps her.
9. Do you have a favorite or well-liked name you haven’t used on a character yet? Rhine. Mostly because it's the name of the main character in the Chemical Garden Trilogy. Also because I think it would be a nice name if I ever have a daughter.
10. What is your favorite amusement park ride? Any rollercoaster!
11. Would you prefer to live on the beach, in the forest, in the mountains, or in the desert? On the beach.

Susan then gave me the next eleven questions.

1. What is the name of the book you are currently reading? CLOCKWORK ANGEL.
2. What type of music do you prefer? Favourite song? Country is my top choice, though I've been getting into more indie YouTube artists lately. No favourite song. I'm usually pretty bad at having favourites.
3. If you could go anywhere in this world or a fictitious one, where would you go? I know it's clique, but who never wanted to go to Hogwarts?
4. Do you currently have any pets? Yes. One dog and one cat that is missing. :(
5. When do you usually set aside time to write? I'm definitely an evening/night writer though, if I have to, I will write anytime.
6. What is the most interesting way in which you (or some other author) has killed off a character? Crushed by an elevator.
7. Have you ever written a piece of fan fiction? If so, for which show/movie? No.
8. Do you have a specific place in which you do most of your writing? At my desk. I know, exciting, huh?
9. What is your favourite meal? What am I in the mood for?
10. Do you have any non-writing hobbies? Does reading count even though it's considered very important for a writer?
11. If you had a time machine, when would you go? To the library of Alexandria before it burned.

Ella made it a total of thirty-three questions.

1. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? The power to copy other people's superpowers. I can't be the only one who has one right?
2. You are walking in a forest and you come across two different paths. As the poem by Robert Frost goes, the first path is one that appears to be worn and familiar. The other path appears new and unused. Which path do you take? It depends. Where am I headed? And am I in the mood for people, no people, new discovery, or calming routine?
3. What is your opinion on love triangles? They don't bug me in stories like they do some people, but I dislike it when it's too predictable and you know who the person is going to pick. Love squares are more fun.
4. What is your opinion on vampires, faeries, and werewolves being used in YA fiction? Love faeries. And I don't dislike vampires and werewolves. But maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing if we all cut back a little bit on them.
5. What are some amazing books you have read this year (so far)? -pulls up Goodreads- THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, ENTWINED, THE HATING GAME, FEVER, CINDER, and KING OF THE SCREWUPS.
6. Which is more important in a novel: the plot or the characters? The plot with just a dash of character because while the plot entraps you and keeps you reading, those motions don't mean anything without the character's reactions to them.
7. If you went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which of the four houses do you think you would be sorted into? Probably Ravenclaw. Though I would hope Hufflepuff. Pottermore tells me I'm a Slytherin. -.-
8. What is one book and one movie you are looking forward to reading/seeing in 2012? Book: THE LAST GUARDIAN Movie: Gone.
9. One book you would most definitely read again, and one book you would never read again? Would: PRINCESS ACADEMY Wouldn't: LEFT BEHIND
10. What is your favorite comfort food? Cheddar pretzels. Maybe. Refer to set two's number two.
11. If you'd been on the Titanic, would you have been: a) one of the first people to jump into the ocean, b) a person who waited and ended up in a small lifeboat, or c) someone who sunk nobly along with the ship? B.

Finally, Kadie was kind enough to leave me with a total of forty-four questions.

1. What’s your favorite childhood memory? From the ages of about three to five, I lived in a trailer park in Alabama. My best friend lived one down from me. When we moved I had no way to keep in contact with her. We took a trip to Disneyworld when I was about eight or so. In order to get there, we had to pass through that Alabama town. We even stopped and ate dinner in it. And she was at that restaurant! That has always been so mind-blowing to me.
2. If you could teleport from any Wal-Mart in the country to another Wal-Mart in the country, where would you go and why? (My husband and I have a great idea to place teleporters in every Wal-Mart in America and then charge people to transfer to another one… Now we just have to invent a teleporter. One day…) To the Wal-Mart in Buffalo, Missouri because it's so small it probably will never install the teleporter and then I would be stuck in limbo where I would have eternity to write all the books I'm scared I'll never have time to write.
3. How many times do you brush your teeth in a day? One or two. Depending on how tired I am at night.
4. What’s your biggest fear? The horrible possibilities of what people can do.
5. How many times have you dyed your hair? Zero.
6. What’s the absolute WORST book you’ve ever read? I don't think I have one. I have books I really liked, books I just normal liked, and books I didn't really care for at all. But I don't have a worst book.
7. Where do you find inspiration? Various things. Usually, by chain reaction, thinking about one thing will lead me to an idea.
8. Have you ever broken a bone? Which one and how? No.
9. Chocolate or Caramel? I only like certain varieties of both. With caramel, it usually has to be hard. And with chocolate, it usually has to be paired with something else (like caramel). So I'll pretend this is a syrup question. Chocolate.
10. Guyliner? Hot or not? (Besides on Johnny Depp, that’s a given.) Neither.
11. What’s your birthstone? Amethyst.

Since this tag was created to get to know people during the Fourth Writer's Platform Building Campaign, I'm not going to be coming up with eleven more questions or tagging eleven more people. However, if you want to answer any of these questions in the comments, I would love to hear your answers!

I Guess This is What I Get for Calling Seven a Clique Number

I'm a firm believer that seven (and three too) is a clique number. It doesn't matter that Harry Potter is amazing or that in THINKING OF YOU each team has seven people. Seven is clique. End of story.

Which is probably the reason this meme uses seven as it's center point. -sigh-

However, I do consider the meme itself to be unique. And I've been tagged by Tara Tyler, Christopher S. Ledbetter, and Kate Coursey. Plus just everyone is doing it. So I'm going to participate.

The Rules (and at least there aren't seven of them)

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines – sentences or paragraphs – and post them as they’re written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 authors.
5. Let them know.

Since I've been tagged three times, I'm going to post three excerpts. Lucky you. (Yes, you're very punny, Brooke.)

looked like it was an effort for him not to frown. Their features were distinctly different, only their hair and eye color proved they were siblings.
           “I never knew there were so many people with violet eyes in the world,” he whispered and handed it back.
           He could sense Acorn’s hesitation before she spoke. “William, have you considered that these people might be your parents? I mean, they share your name. And how many people have eyes like that? You know, not many.”

-from THE LULLABY

going to make that happen.
           I managed to press the keypad through the denim of my pants and get inside the car. I quickly reached over and locked all the doors. Erinn was still crowing after me, yelling things that might have been curses or might have been the sweetest nursery rhyme, the words completely primal and unrecognizable.
           I should have gotten the keys out while I was still standing. It was harder to maneuver in the car, around the wheel and the console and the broken arm.

-from SHADOWMAN

light peaking through, reaching down to almost my feet. My feet shuffled across the carpet, only eight steps usually but now just one eternal one. My right hand reached out, white with fingers splayed, kind of looked like a skeleton hand. It pushed against Mom’s door, ever so slightly. In gave in easy, with just the littlest creak.
           The last time I had been in here searching for something, it was for information about Lillian, Dad’s first and only real love. And I had found what I was looking for. But I hadn’t liked it. Why did dead people always lead to me snooping through my parents’ personal stuff?

-from GHOST SISTER

So there you go. Exactly seven lines from each of my last three (so many cliques!) rough drafts completely unedited. Don't be too harsh.

And, if you're not too tired of sevens yet, here are the seven I'm passing it on to.

1. Angela Brown - I know she has more WIPs to show us and I've been enjoying her pieces for the A-Z Challenge.
2. Steph Sinkhorn - Her current manuscript is amazing. And if she can't show it to us (she has an agent!) she'll probably have something else just as amazing up her sleeve.
3. Rachel Morgan - I'm hoping to get a sneak peak at Creepy Hollow #3. ;)
4. Teralyn Pilgrim - She's an amazing blogger and I want to see a bit of one of her WIPs. Her writing has both an exciting and a soothing effect on me.
5. Ella - I want to see what her writing is like. She is slowly posting one of her stories on a nonblog website, but I haven't had time to check it out.
6. Madeline Bartos - I have the feeling she needs post topics and I want to see what she's working on. (The girl gets a lot of ideas.)
7. Nick Hight - He's a new blogging buddy and what better way to get to know a person than through their writing?

There Is A Perfectly Reasonable Explanation For This

1. Glee is my new favorite TV show.

No! Don't run away! That's what not this whole post is about, I swear! Just give me a minute to explain. Please! -throws self at feet- You'll stay? Great! -stands up and brushes self off-

On my First Campaigner Challenge post, I received a comment that went something like this:

Jen said...
Great job! Love the idea.

By the way...You've been tagged! Share 10 random things about yourself!

See, better now isn't it? I told you there was a reasonable explanation. And now that the most terrifying fact of the ten is out of the way, how's about nine more? Fabulous.

2. I rub my eyebrows when I think.
3. I have fairy doors on the wall in my room. Close to the ground, of course.
4. I hate people who walk slow in school hallways.
5. My feet are barely bigger than my nine year old sister's.
6. I got my first ARC recently! It's called All Different Kinds of Free.
7. Sometimes I make random noises for no reason at all.
8. I <3 Kaleb Nation.
9. I was conceived before Lizzie, even if she is older.
10. And the color of the day is blue more often than not.

Making Something Simple Into A Game of Expert Level Minesweeper

I have always had a tendency to 'over think'. It's why I thought an ice box was a freezer. It's why I thought there would be a special way to wrap a pork chop in aluminum foil. It's also why I took something as simple as a meme and turned it into a game of expert level minesweeper.

Huntress (aka CD Coffelt) passed on a meme to me sometime in July. She could not have known what that would do to my 'over thinking' brain. The term 'meme' is what threw me off. Was it like a tag? Was I supposed to answer her questions or make my own up? What was I supposed to do?

My conclusion? Whatever the hell I want, as long as I answer some questions and pass it on.

So, the following is a mix of Huntress's questions (which she made up herself) and the meme that got passed on to her.

Are you a rutabaga?

Am I a brassicaceous plant having yellow- or white-fleshed, edible tuber? No. (definition from Dictionary.com)

Who is your current crush?

I thought Crush was a drink. :)

Upload a heartwarming picture of something that makes you smile.

Last time you ate a vine-ripened tomato?

I don't know if it was vine-ripened, but I ate a tomato (or two) with my lunch a few days ago.

Name one habit that makes other people plot your demise.

I tend to rub paper when I read. The noise seems to drive everyone crazy.

What is the weirdest/most disgusting job you’ve ever had to do?

Since I've never had a real job, I'll go with the time I cleaned out Lizzie's oven. After I scrubbed for a bit, the burnt crispies looked like a face!

Where da muffin top at?

Am I even old enough to have one of those?

What author introduced you to your genre?

Seeing as I barely know what my genre is, I couldn't tell you. When I was little, I would read whatever I felt like (whether that involved lost ponies or kids with special powers) until one day I just decided to sit down and write a story about a dragon.

Describe yourself using obscure Latin words.

Nescio quid latine.

And they tell me I can tag as many people as I want!

1. Teralyn Rose Pilgrim
2. Michelle Fayard
3. Madeline Bartos
4. Michael Offutt
5. Theresa Milstein
6. Trisha
7. Angela Scott

Tag Tip: Spider Webs Are Useful When You're 'It'

Initially, when I think of the game of tag, I think of animals. In elementary school, a few of my friends and I made up our own version of tag. We each picked animals whose "powers" we could use in the game. For example, we could use the spider's ability to weave webs to snare someone we were trying to tag. Once, we got so caught up in playing that everyone went inside and we didn't even notice!

What do you think of when you the hear the word tag?

Enough reminiscing (for me anyway, I really would like y'all to answer the above question). There is a more immediate matter at hand. Trisha, at W O R D + S T U F F, has tagged me with this set of questions.

Do you think you're hot?

I don't just think so, I know so. After all, it's over 100 degrees outside.

Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.

Madeline made this for me. I intended to put it on my YouTube page, but apparently you can't do that. As of such, I use it as a background.

When was the last time you ate chicken meat?

Today actually. Lizzie, her mom, Jess, and I were at the mall and I just couldn't resist eating the last few bites of Jess's chicken sandwich  from Chick-fil-A. It was probably the best thing I've smelled all day.

The song(s) you listened to recently.

I can't remember specifically. Country songs for sure as that was the station playing in the car. I know I sung to them, but sometimes, when it's a song I know, I sing to the lyrics without thinking about the words.

What were you thinking as you were doing this?

Why the hell does it keep telling me an error occurred while saving?

Do you have nicknames? What are they?

Basically just Brooke as my full name is Brooklynn. Some call me Brookie and my NaNa calls me Brookie Cookie (and my sister is Skye Pie). Oh, and my reading teacher has taken to calling me Brooklynn with an N ever since I complained to her how everyone misspells my name.

Tag 8 blogger friends...

1. Madeline
2. Izzy
3. Angela Scott
4. Michael Offutt
5. Bess Weatherby
6. Teralyn Ross Pilgrim
7. Misha
8. Michelle Merrill

Who's listed as No. 1?

Madeline. We've been friends for over a year now. I'm keeping where we met a secret. I bet you'll never guess.

Say something about No. 5

Something about No. 5.

XD Seriously, though, Bess's blog is a great, uplifting place to visit for laughs and a nanny's inside scoop on NYC. 

How did you get to know No. 3?

I met her through the Second Writers Platform Building Crusade. I consume her blog on a regular basis; it's like the perfect cake, light but filling.

How about No. 4.

I met Michael through the Crusade as well. I knew he must be awesomesauce. I mean, after all, his avatar is a Pokemon.

Leave a message for No. 6.



I'm waiting for the beep. I think you need a new answering machine, Teralyn, this one's broken. Be sure to find time for one amidst all your conference preparation. 

Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.

Dearest Izzy,

I do hope to find you in good health. I am writing to express my undying friendship. My heart might stop if you don't reply. So please, if you valuable my life at all, leave a comment.

Love,
Brooke

Do No. 7 and No. 8 have any similarities?

Both their names start with M? Oh, and they're both female. Okay, here's a good one. They both have very unique blogging styles and both have a special feature on Fridays.

-shoots spider web- Tag, you're it!