Revealing all?

Some more questions I’ve answered, revealing my innermost secrets(??), as a result of being tagged by Sylvia Ney. Thanks, Sylvia!

What is the one book you couldn’t live without?
At one time, I would have said it was probably my thesaurus (which finally fell apart through over-use). Now, with all the resources available on the internet, I rarely pick up a ‘real’ research book. Apart from that, there’s no ‘one’ book although I have plenty of favourites.

What can you see out of your window at the moment?
My back garden, with the first spring daffodils in bloom. Correction - one daffodil. Bought several dozen bulbs, and one came up with a flower! Did I plant them upside down or something?  But daffodils are my favourite flower, as they signal the fact that spring really is on its way.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
That has to be octopus. I chewed my way through a small piece of leg – slightly fishy, though more like rubber, and I was okay until my friend said, ‘That’s one, there’s seven more to go’, and I immediately had a vision of long octopus legs waving around. That was it - I couldn’t eat any more!

What fictional character would you most like to marry?
My immediate reaction is Mr Darcy, of course, but only in the hope that he’d be somewhat less – hmm - restrained once we’re married! Oh, and he has to look like Colin Firth, too.

If ever a fictional villain was going to win, who would you want it to be?
Probably Captain Hook – he’s a far more interesting character than silly Peter Pan!

How many types of cheese can you name off the top of your head?
Probably about a dozen or so, but I’m one of those people who doesn’t like cheese. Right from being very young, I gagged when eating raw cheese (and probably still would if I tried it). Not sure why, as I actually like cooked cheese on things like pizza, lasagne etc, as long as it’s not too strong.

If you didn’t want to be a writer, what would you want to be?
I’d love to have been an actress/singer like Elaine Paige (shades of Susan Boyle there?). I can act (a little) but unfortunately can’t sing to save my life, or dance either. So I had to confine my love of musical theatre to directing shows with those people who could sing and dance.

Can you play a musical instrument?
I learnt to play the piano when I was a child, but had absolutely no talent for it! I can also play a recorder, and a few years ago learnt to play the ocarina which, as someone once described it, is ‘like a recorder but round and plump’!

Do you own a Kindle or any sort of e-reader?
Last year I couldn’t make up my mind whether or not to buy a Kindle, but the decision was made for me when my daughter bought me one for my birthday last August. I love it for several reasons: (a) it’s much easier to read than trying to read a downloaded book on the computer – you can get sore elbows doing that!, (b) I’ve read far more books since I got it and (c) it’s great to take away on holiday. I load it up and am never short of anything to read.

If so, how many books do you have on it?
Had a quick count – currently about 45 TBR books, with nearly as many archived.

You just got published. In a glowing review, someone calls you the next (insert name of famous author). Which author has to watch their back now you’re on the scene?
Well, it could never happen, because I know I could never write or do the detailed historical research that my favourite author does, but I would love to be compared Sharon Kay Penman, who writes the most amazing novels set in Medieval England and Wales.

 There - answered them all. Look forward to your comments, as always!

 And now I'm tagging the following bloggers with the challenge to answer the same questions:

Jennifer Wilck

Rosemary Gemmell

Celia Yeary

K.E. Saxon

Katheryn Lane