Real Neat Blog Award and Liebster Award

Real Neat Blog Award and Liebster Award

I’ve been nominated by Darque Dreamer @Darquedreamerreads.

She’s combined two awards and sent 11 questions I can answer. That’s pretty useful: 11 questions worth for both awards. Sooo my kind of fun LOL

So for the newbies (I was one not so long ago) blogger awards are created by the community. It’s a way for other bloggers to connect with each other and show their shared admiration and respect for one another. If you’ve been nominated it means the blogger nominating you wants to show his/her admiration for your work. You don’t have to participate, just if you have the time and wants the fun of course!

So thank you Darque Dreamer as it means you’re liking my blog and my work! I’m so humbled and happy.

Here we go about each award individually:

The Real Neat Blog Award was created by Dear Kitty. Some Blog.

The rules for this one are:

1. Put the award logo on your blog.
2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
3. Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.
4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.
5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.) (pingback)

The Liebster Award now.  Liebster is “German for dearest, darling, liked or loved above all others.”

The rules for this award are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Answer 11 questions about yourself.
3. Give 11 interesting facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 other bloggers.

Now for Darque Dreamer’s questions to me:

1.Why did you start your blog?

First two of my friends kept pushing me to create something of my own. A place where I could express my love for books and chat with others.

Second: the challenge. I was a real klutz. I only was on Goodreads (love that place!) and Facebook but I wanted to know more about the “geeky” parts of blogging. I was amazed by all these beautiful blogs and I wanted to try.  As I did not want to put big money into this from the beginning I had to build everything myself using a free theme. I made mistakes and I learned. The mistakes made me realize the blogging community is an extraordinary community filled with people ready to help you. That’s the best part of blogging for me: the tight knit community.

2.How do you spread the word about your blog?

Well not very efficiently. I don’t have many followers but I must confess I don’t put enough energy into this. I know the basis is to follow and comment on other’s blogs too. I love commenting and all but I just don’t have enough time to do it as I should. I work four days a week, managing two teams and I’m a mom plus a dog owner.

Add to this long commuting time (nearly four hours a day) and I have a very tight time frame to blog and interact during the week. It’s so frustrating as I keep seeing so many interesting posts. I try to catch up on weekends but that’s not quite enough I think.

So I organize giveaways to make myself known. I get to spread some love too as I can gift other book lovers their dream book.

3.Who is your inspiration?

As a writer it would be Amy Harmon.

As a blogger I would say Megan at Bookslayerreads. She is VERY active, especially on Instagram and has an extraordinary gift to communicate and make others comment and play. She is also very enthusiastic and has a lovely blog. I will never be as successful as she is but she is inspiring.

4.Do you have a particular talent?

I have a very vivid imagination and can find slogans very easily (you give me an idea or a concept and I’ll give you ten slogans in five minutes). I can also imagine tons of stories just based on a title (some years ago my daughter had 10 titles for imaginary books and she had to create summaries. I did every one in less than 15 minutes). I’m also very creative and can bake of cook nearly anything from scratch, creating dishes you’ve never eaten before (all edible and even goods). Or create anything with some pieces of tissues, paper, pencils, etc.

5.What is your favorite food?

Fruits, dairy and cereals. I fell in love with granola with fresh berries and yogurt while visiting the US two years ago and I could eat it all day!

6.Do you have a career outside of blogging?

Yes, see above with me managing two teams.

7.Are you an animal lover?

Yes. I love animals in general and dogs in particular. I’m also an animal magnet as they all flock to me. I always cry in movie when an animal gets hurt! When I was a kid, I owned a cat and when he “offered” me mice he chased I healed them, fed them and released the poor mice.

8.What kind of music do you like?

Classic rock mostly, country music, blues. My favorite bands are Nickelback, Linkin Park, 3 Doors Down, One republic, Brantley Gilbert, Daughtry and Skillet.

1. What is your favorite book?

Making Faces by Amy Harmon

1. What is your favorite movie?

The Harry Potter series! I loved the books and I think this is one of very few books that have been made into movies respecting the book universe, the characters and the story.

If you want only one movie I would say The Devil Wears Prada (also inspired by a book).

1. Where is your favorite vacation spot?

Yellowstone National Park! I went only once but I was amazed by the beauty of nature. Geysers, warm basins and the wild animals. The majestic mountains. Everything. I felt so small, humble and free.

1. Do you play video games?

No, I suck at it! I tried Viva Pinata with the kids and it was a disaster for me as I’m hopeless 😀 

And finally, my questions for those tagged (I’ll keep some of Darque Dreamer as they were very good ones):

1. Why did you start your blog?
2. How do you spread the word about your blog?
3. Who is your inspiration?
4. Name some favorite quotes?
5. What are 3 of your favorite singers/bands?
6. Do you have a career outside of blogging?
7. Which country would you love visiting?
8. When and how was your first kiss?
9. What are your five favorite books?
10. Which celebrity do you dream meeting?
11. What is your favorite color?
12. Do you plan on writing books one day or short novels?

I nominate:

Chatterbooks  http://chatterbooksbookblog.blogspot.be/ ,

Susan @Susandyer1962
Megan @ bookslayerReads
Talia @Redhotink
Mel @Meltotheany
Corina @Happilyeverafterromancebookreviews
Tijuana @Tijuana
Kyrsti @KrystiYAandWine

Poulami@Daydreaming Books

Nicole @aDanceBeteweenPages

Shanah @Bionicbookworm

Erica Robyn @Ericarobynreads