Annie Gets Awards!

I’ve gotten a lot of nominations for awards lately and I thought I’d combine them all into one awkwardly long post of awards!  Without further ado, let’s get this party started.

I was nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award by Rayne @ Rayne at the Bus Stop, and Ally @ Ally Writes Things, so thanks so much to Rayne and Ally!  Their blogs are fabulous and they are just the sweetest, so be sure to head on over to their sites and check them out!

Rules:

1. Thank the person(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or on your blog.

Rayne’s Questions:

1. What motivated you to start blogging?
I started blogging because I wanted to build a platform where I could market myself as an aspiring author while connecting with other writers and readers.  Of course my other motivation was to work on my writing 🙂

2. Do you have a favorite story to tell people? (Hint: That’s a queue to tell US that story.)
When I was about 2 or 3, I gave myself a “makeover” with kiddie scissors and toothpaste for hair gel.  Yeah, I’ve never had a future in cosmetology.

3. Who is your favorite author?
Marina Keegan–she wrote the stories and essays in The Opposite of Loneliness, which was published posthumously.

4. In what ways did this author inspire you in your own writing?
Keegan inspired me to tell the unpopular story.  She taught me that the ugly side of life makes a better tale.

5. What’s the greatest thing about your best friend?
Other than the fact that she’s just wonderful?  I love that we can spend months apart and then come back together like no time has passed.

6. Camp or stay at a hotel?
Either: I love camping but I wouldn’t say “no” to a stay at the Ritz.

7. Fantasy or contemporary?
Contemporary without a doubt.

8. If you could meet any fictional character, which would it be?
I feel like I would get along fabulously with Louisa from Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

9. Do you have a special “spot” for reading?
Not particularly–I like to be comfortable when I read, but I also read a lot at night so I guess on my bed?

10. Do you ever binge-read?
Not as much as I wish I could.

11. Does music distract you while you’re reading or do you prefer it?
I prefer listening to music if I’m reading for enjoyment because it creates a lovely ambience, but when I’m reading for school or trying to read fast I like silence.

Ally’s Questions:

1. What are your favorite flowers?
Daisies, tulips, and hydrangeas are my favorites.

2. If you could guest write any TV show, what would it be?
Ugh I don’t know!  I’ve yet to try screenwriting and I’m not sure if I’d be any good at it, but either Riverdale (which I’m obsessed with at the moment) or Downton Abbey.  I love Jane the Virgin as well, but I don’t think I’m witty enough to write a show like that.

3. Which author would you like to have read over a piece of your work?
John Green without a doubt.  They actually filmed part of “Paper Towns” in my neighborhood, so I got to see the set and all.  As I was walking by one day, John Green was driving away in a van, so I waved at him and he waved back.  I also got to meet Nat Wolff and had him sign my copy of Paper Towns.  Long story short, John Green.

4. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.  Always chocolate.

5. Best book of 2017?
Must I pick?  Either The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood or Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.

6. What was your favourite book you had to read for school?
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.  This book is as close to poetry as prose gets.

7. Favourite sports team?
The Tar Heels!  No one in my family graduated from University of North Carolina, but I love them nonetheless.  We kind of won the championship in basketball this year (just saying).

8. What is your biggest pet peeve in books?
I hate static characters.  Characters deserve better than to stay the same.

9. Are there any clichés you never get tired of?
I love princess stories.  They’re horribly overdone, but I love them anyways.

10. If you could attend any fictional wedding, which would it be?
This question was way harder than it should have been, but I’ll say Mary and Matthew’s wedding from “Downton Abbey.”

11. What do you do in your spare time other than book or blog-related things?
I’m a competitive dancer as well, so I pretty much do that when I’m not writing or reading.  My team was selected to go to nationals in New York, so I’m pretty busy training for that.

My Nominees for the Sunshine Blogger Award:

Brooke @ Brooke Jade Writes
Elise @ Roaming Reader
Clara Bennett @ The Book Goddess
Sophie Li @ Sophie’s Corner
Veronica @ Veronica Marie
Dippy-Dotty Girl @ The Traveling Diary of a Dippy-Dotty Girl
Misty @ Misty’s Book Space
Vrinda @ A Bookish Human
Maggie @ Maggie Derrick
Pamela @ Starring Pamela
Mikaela @ The Well-Thumbed Reader

My Questions:

1. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
2. Have you ever had a nickname?  If so, what is it and how did you get it?
3. What is one thing about you that someone would be surprised to know?
4. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
5. What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
6. What are your favorite and least favorite colors?
7. If you starred in a reality TV show about your life, what would it be called?
8. When was the last time that you were truly, genuinely happy?
9. What quote do you live by?
10. Do you prefer to write in pen or pencil?
11. What smell reminds you of home?

I was nominated for The Liebster Award by Jo-Ann @ Inspiration Pie, so lots of thanks to Jo-Ann!

Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the 11 questions they gave you.
3. Nominate 11 blogs.
4. Give them 11 questions to answer.

Jo-Ann’s Questions:

1. What’s your favorite genre to read?
I like to say that my favorite genre is good books, but I enjoy young adult contemporary.

2. What other hobbies do you like to do besides reading and blogging?
As aforementioned, I dance but I also love to bake!  I’m pretty dedicated to baking chocolate chip cookies in my spare time.

3. What is your ideal vacation?
At this point in time, either New York City with my best friend or San Francisco with my mom.

4. Do you have any pets?
I do!  I have a dog named Daisy.  We’re not sure what breed she is since she’s a rescue, but we think she’s a black lab-beagle mix.

5. What is the last movie you saw?  Did you like it?
Beauty and the Beast!  I don’t go to the theater often, but I loved this movie so much that I bought it on iTunes for some ridiculous price the day it came out.

6. How long have you been blogging?
A little over six months, but I started to dedicate serious time to blogging at the beginning of June after my high school graduation.

7. What is the best book you’ve read in 2017?  What is the worst?
I also answered this question above, but I loved rereading Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

8. What book character is your twin?
Cammie Morgan from Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls Series.  Well, she’s way smarter than me, but I’d like to think we have something in common.

9. Do you prefer to swim in a pool or the ocean?
Pool–I teach swim lessons at my local Y, so I’m in the pool pretty much every day.

10. What is your favorite genre of music?  Favorite musician/band?
My taste in music mirrors my taste in books: I like good music.  I’ve always loved John Mayer (who I’m going to see in concert!), Lorde, Vance Joy, and James Bay though.

11. Do you prefer the country or the city?
City!  I’d love to move to New York one day.

My Nominees:

1. Allie @ Awesome Allie Blog
2. Vijayalakshmi@ The Reading Desk
3. Jordon @ Simply Adrift
4. Kate @ Uncovering Stories
5. Justine @ I Should Read That
6. Ally @ Ally Writes Things
7. Enni @ Hooves and Pens
8. Emma @ A Dreamer’s Library
9. Dani @ Perspective of a Writer
10. Amanda @ Amanda Writes
11. Chloe @ Chloe Akemi

My Questions:
For simplicity’s sake, I’ll stick with the same questions as above.  Here they are again:

1. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
2. Have you ever had a nickname?  If so, what is it and how did you get it?
3. What is one thing about you that someone would be surprised to know?
4. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
5. What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
6. What are your favorite and least favorite colors?
7. If you starred in a reality TV show about your life, what would it be called?
8. When was the last time that you were truly, genuinely happy?
9. What quote do you live by?
10. Do you prefer to write in pen or pencil?
11. What smell reminds you of home?

I was also nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Priyasha @ BOOKS & CO. and Sophie @ Sophie’s Corner; thanks, Priyasha and Sophie!

Rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and share their link.
2. Nominate up to 10 bloggers for the award and provide links to their blogs.
3. Also, inform them about the nomination.
4. Reveal 7 facts about yourself that we your readers may not know.

Seven (Word-Related) Facts About Me:

1. I’m only taking five books with me to college.  My dorm room is going to be so tiny and books take up so much space, so I’m drawing the line for myself at five.  I’ve already started to pick with ones I’m going to take and it’s kind of killing me that I can’t take them all.  However, I’ve worked out a sort of library system with my mom so that she can mail me the books I want to read while I’m away.
2. I prefer to go to bookstores, but I actually buy most of my books online.  You just can’t beat those ThriftBooks and Book Depository prices.
3. When I write by hand, I prefer to use blue pen.  I think that this habit formed when I started writing timed essays in high school because I preferred reading essays written in blue pen.  I’m kind of a freak about when I use certain pens and blue always does it for me when I write longhand.
4. When it comes to paperback or hardcover, I don’t have a preference.  As long as it has pages, I’m game.
5. I totally judge books by their cover.  Sorry not sorry.
6. I format my writing in different ways based on whether I’m writing or editing.  Okay the difference isn’t as dramatic as it sounds, but I have to write in Google Docs with single-space 12-pt. Times New Roman font, bold chapter headings, and the beginnings of new chapters/sections justified to the left margin.  However, I prefer printing out my manuscript and reading in double-space when I edit.
7. The best Christmas present I ever received was a stack of books.  A few years ago, my mom went through my Pinterest, Goodreads, and bookshelf to see what books I wanted to read next…and then she bought them.  Like, all of them.  It was such a heartfelt present and I still love rereading those books because they remind me of that day and how much my family loves me.  (That was also the year I received a copy of Paper Towns that was signed by John Green, so needless to say that was a pretty good Christmas),

My Nominees:

1. Zoe @ Stories on Stage
2. Laura @ SerendipiDIY
3. Poulami @ Daydreaming Books
4. Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books

I was nominated for my second Mystery Blogger Award by Helene @ AngelSpartaness, so thanks so much to Helene!

This award was created by Okoto Enigma

Rules:

1. Put the award logo or image on your blog.
2. Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog in your post.
3. Name the creator of the award and link their blog.
4. List the rules.
5. Answer your nominator’s questions.
6. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
7. Nominate 10-20 people.
8. Ask your nominees 5 original questions of your choice.
9. Share link to your best blog posts.
10. Notify each of your nominees by commenting on their blog.

Helene’s Questions:

1. Do you have any pets? What kind of animals are they, what are their names, and why did you choose them/where did you get them from?
I have a dog named Daisy and we rescued her about seven years ago!  We picked her because she’s all black but has white feet, so it looks like she’s wearing socks.

2. If you could exist in any fictional world for only one year before coming back to reality, where would you live and why?
I would live at Hogwarts (sorry, I’m basic) because after a year, I think I’d have enough of the world of magic.

3. What are 3 things that you are most thankful for each and every day?
I’m thankful for my family, my friends, and the fact that the Lord decided to wake me up that morning.

4. Would you rather: Have the power to read minds, or have it so that everyone believed everything you told them, no matter what?
I would rather have the power to read minds because I would hate going through life feeling like I was manipulating everyone around me.

5. If you could go back in time and tell your 7-year-old self anything at all, what would you tell your child self?
Your first B in school is not as big a deal as you think it is.

Three (Non Word-Related) Facts About Me:

• I’m obsessed with Chance the Rapper’s album “Coloring Book.”  I thought of this fact because I’m listening to Chance the Rapper while writing this, but this album is so good!  I love the mix of styles and…just everything.  You can check out what I’m listening to on Spotify here.
• I was a four-year varsity swimmer in high school.  My school was small, which was great for improving my odds of getting on the team!  We had practices every day before school and, as a night person, that was pretty tough.  Nevertheless, I loved going to practice and forming close relationships with my teammates.  I’m hoping to swim club or intramural in college, so we’ll see.
• I love replying to your comments.  Okay, I lied–this one is word, or blog, related.  Seeing that y’all comment on my posts makes my heart smile, so I do my best to get back to everyone because it’s what I want other bloggers to do for me.  So please let me know what you think of my posts, whether you agree, disagree, or just want to chat.  I’ll read it all 🙂

My Nominees:

1. Garima @ Garima Shares
2. Anna @ My Bookish Dream
3. Kate @ All the Trinkets
4. Rimpy @ Rimpy’s Reads
5. Kelly @ The Bookmarker
6. Ashley and Sabrina @ 5171 Miles Book Blog
7. Eden @ Everything Eden
8. Fay @ Bibliophile Soprano
9. Fyza @ Culture Eighteen
10. Julianna @ Blots of Ink & Words

My Questions:
For the sake of simplicity (and my sanity), I’ll just take the first five questions from above and repost them here.  You’d think for a creative writer I could come up with some better questions, but I’m all about streamlining this process.  Here they are again:

1. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
2. Have you ever had a nickname?  If so, what is it and how did you get it?
3. What is one thing about you that someone would be surprised to know?
4. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
5. What piece of advice would you give your younger self?

Here are some links to my favorite posts:
Annie’s Unpopular Opinions, in which I share some, get this, unpopular opinions.
Annie’s Writing Survival Kit, in which I list all of my writing essentials.
Annie Answers Questions: A Celebratory Q&A, in which I answer your questions.

Finally, I was tagged by Ivy & Em @ Two Girls, Two Mountains for the Book Blogger Test.

1. Thank the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog.
2. Answer the ten questions asked on this post.
3. Nominate at least five people to do it also.
4. Let your nominees know you nominated them.

My Answers:

1. What are your top three book pet hates?  (Are these like pet peeves?)
I hate static characters, books that are alphabetized incorrectly on my bookshelf, and people who borrow my books but never return them.

2. What is the perfect reading spot?
I love reading in comfy pajamas, turning up the AC so my room gets really cold, and burying myself under thick blankets on my bed.

3. Share three book confessions.
Okay, get your pitchforks ready: I dog-ear library book pages, I annotate every book I read, and I’m not afraid of water damage.

4. What was the last book that made you cry?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, which I read a million and a half years ago.  It takes the works to get me to cry at a book.

5. How many books are on your bedside table?
27.  Yes, you read that right.  I keep all the books I’ve yet to read on my bedside table so I can separate “read” from “to-be-read.”

6. What is your favorite reading snack?
Goldfish.

7. Name 3 books you’d recommend to anyone.
The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger.  I feel like there are so many things to be learned from these books.

8. Share some pictures of your bookshelf.

Here it is in all its mishmash glory (plus a bonus picture of the 27 books on my bedside table).

9. Describe how much books mean to you in three words.
Every damn thing.

10. What is your biggest reading secret?
This isn’t a secret, but when I was little, I would take a book with me everywhere.  Not much has changed since then, but my mom would have to take books away from me and make me go play with the other kids.  Social interaction was literally my punishment as a child.

My Tag…

1. Inge @ The Belgian Reviewer
2. Flexi @ Flexi Reads
3. Taylor @ Taylor Reads Books
4. Books, Books, and More Books
5. Anny @ The Mystique Reader

That’s all, folks!  Thanks for sticking with me to the end of this unbelievably long post and thank you to Rayne, Ally, Jo-Ann, Priyasha, Sophie, Helene, and Ivy & Em for nominating me for these awards.  I’m honored more than you know.  Be sure to check out their blogs and the blogs of my nominees!  I chose some of my more recent followers and people with whom I recently connected, so go show some blog love and give everyone a page view or two.

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