I’ve been sitting down and working it all out – and I am not sure how I am going to afford it. I am going to have to give things up – here and there. I’m fed up. There is nothing I want to give up, but there are hard decisions ahead to avoid the bank taking away my credit card.
Then I step out of the door, and there it is…there it is again…the proof I need that life is for living, that life is precious, that I am rich beyond words. I have seen sunsets before. I have seen magnificent sunsets before. But it is one of those sunsets that stabs joy into my core and leaves me staggered.
I live on the most extraordinary and the most abundant planet in all the universe. I am wealthy beyond all measure. Somebody gave this to me and forgot to send the invoice. All they asked was “take care of it”.
Why wouldn’t I be willing to give things up, to make sacrifices to look after this? So what if I cannot afford the things the marketing dudes tell me I cannot live without? Humans survived thousands of years without those things.
I can’t afford a new phone. It’s as simple as that, cannot afford it. But I can afford to make banana cookies. So I am going to sit out on the front step and watch the sunset and eat one and remember I am blessed beyond all measure. I am in awe!
I have seen other bloggers publish posts to share that they have passed an anniversary on WordPress, so now it’s my turn. One year ago, 1st January 2021, I started this site.
I am proud of my site, and the different features I included for many months. During the National Lockdown I managed to write a lot. Since things have been opening up since the summer, I have been busy. Work has been intense and I want to see family and friends and make up for lost time.
But the one year anniversary notice from WordPress is a great reason to make a resolution to be more regular with writing.
Thanks for all the awesome bloggers who make WordPress welcoming.
I have missed my blog. I am hoping to spend more time during the autumn and winter nights ahead working on new posts. Of all the regular features I have built into my website, it’s The WEDNESDAY WRITER Series that I loved the most. Every Wednesday I was publishing an interview with a brilliant WordPress blogger. It’s been a great honour to be able to feature so many great bloggers.
Well last weekend, I had some time to chill and catch up on some of the posts I had in my drafts folder. The one I really wanted to concentrate on was an interview with the fabulous Val Portelli, writer and creator of the website Voinks.
Val sent me her answers to the WEDNESDAY WRITER interview questions ages ago, just as I was taking a break from my blog because work was exhausting and I needed to spend some time catching up with family after the Pandemic lockdowns. So this post is long overdue!
HI VAL. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW WITH YOU? I’ll start with black coffee, no sugar, please, but if we’re still chatting later this evening, a whisky and lemonade would be nice. No ice. Thanks.
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR BLOGGING NAME AND THE NAME OF YOUR SITE PLEASE. I’ve actually got two blogs. The main one was originally under the pen name ‘Voinks’ which I used for my books, but I changed it recently to ‘Val’s Tales,’ to tie in with my audio project.
The other one has been rather neglected, but ‘Quirky Unicorn Books’ was set up as the publishing site for my own books, and to showcase the works of other Indie authors.
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING? When my first book was published in 2013, my niece insisted I needed a social media presence so I set up a Facebook account, and then a blog. Initially it was intended as a site to shout ‘Buy my books’ but morphed into a place to post my short stories. From there it became somewhere to discuss writing and the joys and tribulations of being an author, and ended up as a mish-mash of whatever grabs my attention.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE? I have absolutely no idea. 😀
I’m sure there’s a way to find the stats, but since WordPress changed everything to blocks, I find it much more difficult to navigate. It’s not helped by the fact that since the changeover it’s developed a glitch which suddenly decides I’m not authorised to post. There’s no apparent reason, and half an hour later the gremlins will let me carry on again. Every response is valued but if I did find which was the most popular, I’d probably be quite surprised.
I looked over your posts Val, and based on “likes” alone, this one seemed to be the most popular post so far:
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BLOGGING? Reading other people’s blogs, and receiving lovely comments on my own.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE? Chocolate…
Val, I am going to slide your whisky and lemonade over along with the chocolates.
…a party table full of nibbles waiting to be shared….
…in fact anything except eggs, (unless they’re the Easter variety.)
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FORLETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? I love all flowers with perhaps a particular fondness for roses, carnations and lilies.
Sunflowers make me smile and wild flowers or tiny rockery plants are delightful, even cyber flowers are lovely. I saw on one of your other interviews the reason for this question, and have a feeling the shop you mentioned might be fairly close to where I live. Now my interest is piqued to know if I’m right.
I live in South London Val – and I work around fifteen minutes from where I live. Sometimes I have to go to other branches of our pharmacy chain when they are short-staffed. Whichever route I go, I get to pass my favourite florists, and they always make me smile.
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
It would depend on my mood. Late night music might be ‘Tomorrow is a long time’ by Elvis, one of his less well-known ones but thought-provoking lyrics.
I love Rock and Roll, and it might be a cliché but Happy by Pharrell Williams always starts me smiling.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE? It’s good to have a plan but life can throw curve balls to completely change the destination. This was brought home to me about nine years ago after a freak accident, so for now I’m content to follow the yellow brick road and see where I end up.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD? There are so many interesting people in blogland, and even if you never meet them, strong, supportive relationships can be built. Storytelling is universal, whatever your life style, culture, age group, ethnicity or background.
As Spike Milligan so aptly said ‘Smiling is infectious, you catch it like the flu’. When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.’ I guess my message could be summed up by ‘Read, respond, smile and share.’
Thanks, Jacob. I’ve really enjoyed being your guest and answering your unusual questions.
_______________
Thank you Val! I loved your answers to the interview questions. Sorry you had to wait so long for me to get back to my blog. It’s been such a privilege to feature you.
I don’t know where time has gone over the past few months. Well, yeah I do. Since things have been opening up, we have been going here and there, doing this and that. Life has been busy man. Work is bust – now we have the flu season ahead so it is going to be hectic.
When I started this blog on 1st January 2021, I had an idea, a vision. I was pleased with what I was doing, but it became important to see friends and family, and to go places, have holidays and weekends in different parts of England and Wales.
I have no regrets. Life is for living. But I do have a lot I want to create – I want to get back to the blog. I reckon during the autumn and winter I will be indoors more and keen to put posts together. Meanwhile, I am still putting all my ideas into drafts, so I can come back to them and work on them later.
…and as well as her brilliant site, you can also read more of Paula’s writing in The Caster & Fleet Mysteries:
WHEN DID YOU START BLOGGING?
December 2015
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
I wanted somewhere that I could post short bits of writing. They were mostly short stories or flash fiction to begin with.
After a while, I started to add random thoughts and since I’ve started publishing books and got to know other authors, I write about the writing process and also do author interviews from time to time. I wanted a place where I suppose I could share a little of myself with people who might be feeling the same way whether funny or sad or serious.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE?
Apart from the tab which lists the books I’ve written, the most visited post is ‘Everything At Once‘ which is about my son’s ADHD….
….closely followed by ‘Lost Sometimes‘ which is a piece of prose written last year (see below)…
I love it when stories or random thoughts resonate with other people. When they comment to say they recognise the situation or feeling or that it gave them reassurance that they’re not alone, it makes me hope that I’ve helped in some way. It’s good that I can add helplines if applicable.
And then if I write something hopefully humorous – usually poking fun at myself – it’s great when someone says it made them laugh. It is also really cathartic.
Like most people I found the impact of Covid 19 very hard to cope with and for me, lockdown came just after my mother had nearly died and was recovering and just before I found myself facing a serious illness of my own which came completely out of the blue. Being able to write down all the tangled emotions and work on turning them into prose rather than simply self-pity helped straighten them out in my head to a great extent. ‘Lost Sometimes’ is one of those pieces.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE?
Good question! Any sort of food with good friends is wonderful and one of those things I’ve been missing during lockdown. I can never be sure which cuisine I like best because it’ll depend on the weather or my mood but I do like a little spice.
Last night we had lamb tagine but today, we’re going to have pork slow cooked in cider, finished off with cream and served with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
I collect cookbooks including ones from different eras as I like to work out what characters in my books might have eaten. Last summer I (successfully) cooked some Roman recipes from a translation of a cookbook by Apicius with some help from the Tavola Mediterranea website.
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Freesias or oriental lilies please! Pretty and fragrant.
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
No because it depends on my mood and what’s going on generally. But in general, I love the positivity and hope of ‘One Day like this’ by Elbow:
‘Put Your Records On’ by Corinne Bailey Rae:
‘Songbird’ by Fleetwood Mac (especially sung by Eva Cassidy):
Great list of songs – I love all of them!
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE?
Life is full of the unexpected and it’s easy to make plans and have them fall apart as happened for most of us in the last year. I want to be able to write more books and enjoy time with my friends and family, but I’m trying to keep learning how to go with the flow and enjoy each precious moment for its own sake. (I’d also like to sort the attic out, but I’m beginning to think that’ll never happen. I swear the stuff up there multiplies on its own.)
Our attic has the same problem with stuff that multiplies – it could be another mystery for Caper & Fleet Paula!
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD?
That it’s all right to be you. That when things go wrong or you feel lost or broken, it doesn’t need to be like that forever and that it’s ok to ask for help. That joy and humour and love can be found in unexpected places. That everyone can find release in creativity like children do – without worrying about the end result. That it’s never too late to follow your dreams and maybe in fact the time when you can follow them was always going to be the right time after all.
_____________
It’s been such a joy to get to know you better Paula! Thank you so much for answering the interview questions and being such an amazing WEDNESDAY WRITER!
Paula Harmon writes chiefly (but not only) historical mystery books. She was born in North London to parents of English, Scottish and Irish descent. Perhaps feeling the need to add a Welsh connection, her father relocated the family every two years from country town to country town moving slowly westwards until they settled in South Wales when Paula was eight. She later graduated from Chichester University before making her home in Gloucestershire and then Dorset where she has lived since 2005. She is a civil servant, married with two adult children. Paula has several writing projects underway and wonders where the housework fairies are, because the house is a mess and she can’t think why.
Last week I mentioned that I have made some changes to my blog, including two new pages. One of them is INTERVIEWS. You can check it out by looking at the primary menu on my site or by clicking here:
It has been my honour over the past few months to interview some of the amazing bloggers out there on WordPress. It is the highlight of every week to see their interview go live on my site.
If you would like to be featured as a WEDNESDAY WRITER, please leave a comment on any of my posts or email me at jacobnyamake@gmail.com so that I can send the interview questions over to you.
These are the WWEDNESDAY WRITER interviews that are already live on my site. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did:
We have an amazing writer to inspire you this week. Not only are her posts amazing but the blogger behind “The Rambling Sloth” is also inspirational. I am thrilled to present her as this week’s WEDNESDAY WRITER!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVEW WITH YOU?
A lovely hot cup of coffee please!
Julie – I am also going to add a milk/cream jug and a sugar bowl as I don’t know how you take your coffee.
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR BLOGGING NAME AND THE NAME OF YOUR SITE PLEASE.
Roughly 8 days in to The first UK Covid-19 lockdown end of March 2020.
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
Our local historic society asked for people to keep a diary of what life was like in lockdown for future generations.
Having suffered with mental health, anxiety and depression, I wanted to get the word out that it was ok not to be ok. I’ve always been a bright and bubbly people pleaser until I fell apart on September 2018 and had to go off sick from my Senior Management manufacturing position. I wanted people to see how I managed through that during a global pandemic.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE?
I honestly don’t know….. 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
I did a quick scan over your posts Julie, and it looked to me as if the post with the most likes (but I have no idea how many views it received) was this one:
If I can help one person to realise they are not alone then it will have all been worth it.
It also helps me clear my head and make sense of my own thoughts.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE?
Hmmmmm probably pizza… every time
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Wildflowers…. my hubby calls them weeds!!
Something romantic about them though!
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
Dear Me by Eric Hutchison
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE?
Honestly not really. I just know that is gonna be a lovely place to be and I am going to be happy with the direction.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD?
That is ok not to be ok.
That people are not always what they seem and everyone has difficulties to deal with no matter how good it might look on the outside.
_________________
Wasn’t that great! I love Julie’s posts. I love her story. I love her motivation. The message you have to share with the world is something we all need to remember in these stressful times. Thank you for writing and thank you Julie for replying to the interview questions I sent you and being such an awesome WEDNESDAY WRITER.
Today, it is my privilege to welcome the awesomely talented writer and poet Kayla E. Green to the interview seat.
HI KAYLA,WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW WITH YOU?
Hi Jacob, thank you so much for having me! I’m not a big drinker, so I’ll take a glass of milk, please. 🙂
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR BLOGGING NAME AND THE NAME OF YOUR SITE PLEASE.
My site is The Unicorn Writer, and my blogging name is @theunicornwriter93 – which is also my Instagram handle.
I love unicorns, and a former co-worker actually nicknamed me “Unicorn” because of my positive, bubbly nature. I decided the name was fitting and used it for my author platform and blog.
WHEN DID YOU START BLOGGING?
I started my blog in October of 2019.
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
I wanted a space to explore my writing and love of reading as well as to share some of my poetry.
Over time, the blog evolved. I now focus on book reviews, author interviews, bookish shop features, and some self-promotion of my books.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE?
There are two blog posts currently tied as most popular: My first shared poem entitled “Purpose” and my interview with Indie author Sydney Hawthorn. My bookish shop features on Nerdy Book Box and Under the Sea Crochet are close behind in terms of popularity.
Readers that enjoy my poems like “Purpose” can read my entire collection, Metamorphosis, which is now available on Amazon.
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BLOGGING?
I enjoy the interactions I have with others. Was it not for my blog, I would not have met some awesome people, like you, Jacob. I also would not have been able to interact with some of my favorite authors including M. H. Elrich and Maggie Platt.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE?
If I have had a really bad day, my husband will sometimes stop and get me a crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich from McDonald’s – it always makes me smile. Ba da ba ba ba I’m lovin’ it!
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Sunflowers are my absolute favorite!
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
In high school I was tasked with picking and playing a song for my Teacher Cadet class that encompassed my personality. I picked the Star Wars theme song as I am nerdy, quirky, and awesome 😀
Though I am still a self-proclaimed nerd, I would have to say the song Evidence by Josh Baldwin has really been my “theme” for 2021 – I am blessed, and I am actively trying to appreciate God’s goodness more so everyday.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE?
I am currently under contract with Ambassador International to publish my first novella. My current WIP (writing in progress) is one I have been working on for years – The Goodness of Unicorns – and it is my dream to have it published as well.
I would love to be a career author, but I have to wait and see what God’s plan is for me in the long-run! I do know that it is something I will work for every day moving forward.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD?
I want my blog to connect both readers and writers in the name of good books. I want aspiring authors to feel like they can accomplish their writing goals and I want them to listen to the story God writes on their hearts.
Thank you so much, Jacob, for taking the time to interview me! I have had so much fun. 🙂
***
It was an absolute pleasure to interview you Kayla. I loved the energy and positivity that came across in your answers. It is so fantastic that you have been able to forge links with other writers. I wish you every success in your writing journey! It sounds real exciting!
And forgive me but I have to say the McDonald’s crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich is exactly what would bring a huge smile to my face too!
It is my honour to interview the lady who knows the way to my heart – chicken dishes. The awesome Lady A is in the house (not literally because of the lockdown) and sharing her deep interview answers.
I’M SO EXCITED TO BE INTERVIEWING YOU LADY A –WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW WITH YOU?
As it is early in the morning, I think I would like a coffee please Jacob – a cappuccino would be perfect.
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR BLOGGING NAME AND THE NAME OF YOUR SITE PLEASE.
I have to admit I made a right pickle of setting up my site. I tried a whole bunch of names that were already taken in the setting up phase. Eventually I ended up calling myself “Lady A” – my name is Annette.
I called the blog “LADY LEWIS” with the tag line “…what Lady A thinks about it…”
I knew I would want food and recipes to be a big part of my blog, but I also knew I would perhaps have things to say on lots of subjects. Since I began blogging I have also had a few attempts at writing short fictional pieces. That is something I would like to do more of.
But the basic concept of my site is that I am inviting guests to come and sit around our dinner table – enjoy the food and drink and the conversation over dinner.
WHEN DID YOU START BLOGGING?
My first post was 22nd October 2020. So I have managed to keep it up with almost daily posts for around four months now.
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
Well…two reasons. One of my good friends had shared with us that she had been blogging for over two years and had related how enjoyable she found it. A lot of us were finding the first National Lockdown hard last year and were looking to the internet to find things to read. I saw people’s blogs and thought little of them at first.
But when I saw Melody’s site, I found it very joyful. I was surprised she had not shared it with us earlier. It seemed like an enjoyable hobby during these lockdowns when we have had to be content with staying indoors much more than usual.
My second reason was purely out of concern for another dear friend of mine who had started her own blog. It has become a nice way for us to keep in regular contact. I am always a little cautious with regards the internet, but blogging along with friends feels safer.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE?
I had no idea until I checked just now. I am very surprised to find that I have a post with 46 “LIKES”:
So far I have enjoyed looking through past recipes that I know that we and our guests have loved and featuring them on my blog. But I am also having fun searching out new recipes to try for the blog.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE?
Something that is going to bring a smile to everyone around the dinner table. There are a lot of dishes that I know my husband and other relatives and friends have enjoyed, but without fail the one meal that makes everyone smile is a roast dinner.
I am passionate about perfectly crisp roast potatoes, delicious vegetable accompaniments and a good quality organic meat. I like adding little twists to the table – a new type of stuffing, different sauces and of course the much loved Yorkshire puddings have to be spot on.
I smile when I can see everyone at the dinner table enjoying their food.
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
I love this question Jacob. I think for me it would have to be some yellow roses.
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
Years ago, in our early years together, Robert was involved in a traffic incident. I think that changed my outlook on life and appreciation for him massively. Nearly losing someone you love makes you reassess everything and puts everything into perspective. I cannot listen to this song too often as if really moves me, especially the video, but it encapsulates so much of what I felt when Robert was in hospital recovering from his injuries.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE?
Right now, I am planning to go to Waitrose, after that I will return home.
Where am I going in life? I do believe life is in some respects a journey, but most of that journey is within. Sometimes, the journey is simply a longing for home.
I grew up in a fabulous family which shaped the person I am. Meeting Robert on a holiday with friends was a significant moment in my life. We got on so well. When we eventually got together, I think it was obvious to everyone we were a true match. It’s not always easy for people to find someone they are ideal for.
A lot of people end up compromising who they are just for the sake of being with someone. I never felt I had to compromise who I was, and I would hope Robert never felt that way. Yes, there are times when we have both had to compromise on very minor matters, but we do agree on everything that matters.
The sense of HOME that I found with Robert and I had the feeling that whatever life or the world threw at us, we were the ideal duo to deal with challenges together. That has proved to be the case.
So where am I going in life now? I found HOME many years ago so ever since then we have been inviting people into our home as our dinner guests. I do look forward to this virus no longer being a threat so we can share many more joyful evenings with all the people we love.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD?
I guess it would be to APPRECIATE the people in your life now. APPRECIATE what you have, don’t worry about what you do not have. Make the most of what you can do rather than becoming upset about what you can not do.
I am not sure my blog really conveys that message. My blog is more about food, wine, music, and conversation – which are all things I have a deep appreciation for. I am finding a way to share my enjoyment of those through my blog.
But it is sometimes those little quiet moments when you are alone when you finally gain insights into life and existence. Appreciate peace and quiet and the chance to think deeply without the commercial or entertainment industry telling you what to think.
I read my most popular post again, and I suppose that contained a succinct pithy message:
I have learnt that life is no fairytale. It’s not always a bed of roses. There is a jungle of weeds to fight through. However, persistent efforts can make life a delight. The work never stops but life can be made beautiful.
Wow! Lady A – that was amazing. Thank you for sharing your answers to the interview questions.You shared so much wisdom and it just blew my mind getting to know more about you and your husband. Maybe when the pandemic is over, I will get to sit at your dinner table (please make roast chicken) and see more of the love that your blog and your homeradiate.
Today, I am pleased to welcome the pinklicious Jenna to tell us about herself and her blog.
OK PINKETTE, TAKE A SEAT AND RELAX, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW WITH YOU?
Thanks Jacob. Well, it is pretty late here. I can’t sleep, so it would be nice to have a drink that could send me to sleep.
How about a large glass of red wine? If I sip that slowly and answer your interview questions hopefully I will be sleepy enough to go back to bed.
My partner Ben loves fine wines, and although I am not a connoisseur, I like my wine deep, rich and complex – just like my man is. Ben always knows what I like. I can never remember the names of the wines I have tried and liked.
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR BLOGGING NAME AND THE NAME OF YOUR SITE PLEASE.
So I am Jenna Kirkpatrick and my site is RASPBERRY RIPPLES. It is about love, erotica, romance, and seduction.
If you ever see a pair of pink lips have LIKED your post post, it might be me.
WHEN DID YOU START BLOGGING?
We set up the blog on 1st August 2020, so it is just over six months that we have been on WordPress.
WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?
We had just published two novellas on Amazon. One of our friends suggested setting up the blog so that we could market our books.
But what has actually happened is that I have ended up writing lots and lots of posts including fiction, poetry, personal accounts and just fun features to liven up the blog.
Blogging has turned out to be unexpectedly enjoyable hobby. I find much of the writing I am doing cathartic. However, I do want to get back to working on fiction. Sometimes the personal accounts can be tiring.
...AND YOUR BOOKS ARE?
Wonderful??? We have published three of them so far. There is more in the pipeline, but I need to set aside time to edit them.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON YOUR SITE?
Surprisingly, it is a recent post called “My Teenage Years” in which I essentially recommend to teenagers that they wait before they have sex. You would not expect that from an erotica blog, would you?
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BLOGGING?
The best thing about blogging is other bloggers. I have loved reading their posts and getting to know them.
There is a lot of support and encouragement, especially from the bloggers that run memes. I think that Marie, May and Brigit (and others) have all encouraged me to dig deeper and I have been inspired by their writing prompts.
I also love that I have drawn close to other bloggers. Gentleman Dave is someone I have found I have really clicked with. He is a gorgeous person.
FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SMILE?
The ultimate comfort food for me is a cheese toastie.
When I was little, I used to stay with my relatives in England a lot. They used to make these amazing cheese toasties. Sometimes they would add onion or baked beans, but normally it was just plain melty cheese. Happy days.
There is something wonderful about melty cheese.
IF I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU FLOWERS AS A THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTERVIEW, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Ah Jacob – so sweet! So long as they are pink (and no lilies please) I would be thrilled. I love flowers that have a pretty fragrance.
DO YOU HAVE A SONG? ONE THAT FITS YOU AS A PERSON OR YOUR LIFE?
So, yeah, I guess there are a couple of songs that really register with me as “the story of my life”. They are not my favourite songs by any means – I love dance music and anything from Taylor Swift. But these two songs do touch me to my inner core. They are both kind sad. I won’t include the lyrics here, but if you google them you might have a better idea of why they are very poignant.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE?
Wow – that’s a deep question. For the most part, I am glad I made it this far. I feel deeply blessed that somehow life brought Ben to me. Now I want to keep tight hold of his hand as we work together to build our future.
I think that most of us want the same thing – a home, a family, friends, interesting work and good health. We want to fill our life with wonderful experiences and amass precious memories.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT YOUR BLOG TO TELL THE WORLD?
When I started blogging I was not thinking of sharing a message with the world. But I guess now, six months down the road, I have a clearer view of the kind of erotica blog I want RASPBERRY RIPPLES to be.
I don’t want it to be trashy, cheap, meaningless sex. I feel that sex is a beautiful gift and should be treated like a precious prize that two people who love each other can impart. Sometimes, I have seen to much content cheapening sex and making it empty. So, I want to elevate love, romance, and intimacy.
At the same time, the truth is that love and relationships can bring challenges and pain. I don’t want to pretend that love is always easy. But I believe in love – I believe primarily in unselfish genuine love that I think is not only the basis for any relationship, but also, should form the foundation of an international human family that truly cares. I think unselfish love is the way to world peace. Maybe deep down that is the message I want to share with the world.
***
Thanks Pinkette for being my first Wednesday Writer – that was real cool. I learnt a lot about you there. I am going to disagree with you on only one question Jenna. I think the songs you picked were too sad. So I am going to pick a song that fits you better.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 