Leibster Award Tag!

Kel at A Teen's Life nominated me for the Leibster Award! Thanks Kel!

Here are the rules for the award.

1. What is your favorite book and why?

Like most readers, I have a few! I always think this is an unfair question for a reader/writer because I have so many and for different reasons, moods and occasions. One is Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie; I reread it probably once a year, and even though I know the mystery by heart, I still love it. Another would definitely be Graceling by Kristen Cashore. 

2. What was your favorite book when you were a little kid?

My mum used to read Enid Blyton's Folk of the Faraway Tree to me, and I loved them.

3. Who are a few of your favorite characters and which books are they from?

Why is it when I have to answer questions like this I go blank? I've always loved Katsa from Graceling. I think she was one of the first characters I kind of consciously viewed as a 'strong' heroine in YA and I love that story a lot. But I genuinely have so many, I couldn't name them all. 

4. Where did you find the original inspiration for the last story you wrote or your WIP (work in progress)?

I get a lot of inspiration from dreams, which sounds corny but it's true. We were reading The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes in class, and I dreamed about a fox girl who said she was a kitsune. That portion of the dream lasted all of a few seconds, but I woke up, wrote it down and went on with my life. I kept thinking about kitsunes though and ended up researching them, which lead to the story I'm now working on. I am also working on a story with my really good friend Dana and I don't really know how the inspiration for that came about other than we both said we love boarding school stories and I said, let's do it. So we did.

5. In books, do you usually like the villain better than the protagonist, or the protagonist better than the villain?

I always like the villain best, especially if they're a villain who becomes a protagonist. There always just seems to be more potential for growth and development. Why did they take this path? What redeems them? People are more interesting if they're flawed. I also love the chance to see them redeem themselves, but it's also really interesting if they don't.

6. What is one of your favorite memories? 

A lot of them are with my family, holding brothers and sisters for the first time. Maybe rocking my brother Benny to sleep, because he'd only settle for me. Or the day my mum wrenched open a train door, because I was trapped inside and she was on the platform. She threw hot chocolate all over us and we had to buy new clothes. Pretty funny!

7. If you met a stranger on the street and they handed you a heavy black briefcase and whispered “You know what to do,” how would you react? 

I'd like to think that'd be super cool, but I'd probably be responsible and take it to a police station. I'd definitely take a look inside first though, because I am way too curious. 

8. What are a few of your favorite songs at the moment?

I'm just gonna go with the entire Walk The Moon Talking Is Hard album. And The Civil Wars.

9. Would you be the one pulling the prank, or the one getting pranked? 

I am the Prank Queen.

10. In your group of friends, which friend are you (the quiet one, the outgoing one, the crazy one, the smart one, the friendly one, etc…)

I'm not sure. I guess I've always been either the smart one or the one that mothers everyone, with a good dash of the funny one tossed in. 

11. What is your favorite season and why?

Winter. My birthday, Christmas, long evenings, warm fires, hot drinks, curling up with a book, snow...bring on December!

Now I have to give you 11 facts about myself, which is always the hardest part:

• I was named after my mum's best friend when she was a kid.
• My favourite biscuits are digestives or any kind or Oreos.
• I am a junior editor at indie publisher Patchwork Press. 
• I'm the oldest of eight kids. For real. EIGHT.
• I'm obsessed with detectives. I will watch any detective show. I will read any detective book. I sometimes kind of actually want to be a detective more than I want to work in publishing.
• I'm a Capricorn. *makes goat noises*
• I love cooking and baking an insane amount. I'm always in the kitchen. And if you haven't met me in person, you can guarantee that I will try to win your friendship with baked goods. Ask any of my IRL friends. They only want me for my cookies. 
• I would like to marry Tom Hiddleston. If that's okay with him of course.
• I might be British but I actually don't drink tea. Mostly because when you can't have milk, you have to have almond milk or soya and they make tea taste like cack so I just avoid it all together. I usually drink peppermint or some other herbal/fruit tea.
• My top three animated Disney movies (in NPO) are Basil the Great Mouse Detective, Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Aaaaand because I got stuck and asked for help, Dana suggested I put that I love her as my final fact. Since it's true, I will.

I'm supposed to ask eleven questions for the bloggers I nominate, but truth is I really don't know anyone with a blog that has less than 200 followers (that Kel didn't already nominate that is). So I'll put eleven questions and if you have a small blog following then please feel free to do this and consider yourself tagged!

1. Do you have any irrational fears?
2. Who is your biggest celebrity crush?
3. Do you like stationery? If not, we cannot be friends.
4. Pick a fictional detective to partner.
5. You're stuck in a book - which one?
6. I have transformed you into a food item. What are you?
7. What is one of your best qualities?
8. I've just hired you to work at my super awesome multi-billion dollar company. What position have you filled?
9. Quote me some Shakespeare that you like.
10. What one Disney movie will you absolutely insist your kids watch?
11. Do you love Dana?

Best of luck!