The Liebester Award

What's up with this photo?

     Now I know what you're thinking. If someone nominated me for the Liebester Award, that means that I must lie "bester" than anyone else. Well, sorry. No lies here. Actually, the Liebester Award (as it was explained to me by Regi McClain, the friend responsible for my nomination) is like the chain letter of the blogosphere. I'm touched, Regi. Really, I am.

     Anyway, my job is to answer the eleven questions posed to me on Regi's blog, then come up with eleven more questions to pass on to other bloggers that I know. This will not be easy, by the way. If you haven't noticed, Lightly Salted is a brand-new blog. I don't have many followers yet (hint, hint) and I don't have two many personal blogging friends who would truly appreciate the honor of getting tagged as a Liebester recipient. (You see that sidebar to the left, by the way? The Networked Blogs one? It needs a few more nice smiley pictures, don't you think? Any takers?)

     And speaking of pictures, are you curious about the headshots I place on my blog? Check out the story behind the headshots.

     But on to more important matters ... my responses. True to form, Regi came up with some real doozies. I actually had to fast before answering one of them. I wanted to make sure that my reply could convey the depths of my feelings as poignantly as possible. Only time (and the number of new followers I gain from this post) will tell if I succeeded. 

1. If you could rewrite a “classic” book, which would it be? I’m a fool for Russian literature and I usually enjoy detective stories as well. Therefore, my first classic rewrite would involve Hercule Poirot pursuing Raskolnikov from “Crime and Punishment” all around St. Petersburg. I also hate sucky endings, so one day I plan to rewrite “Little Women” and have Jo and Laurie get hitched at the end. We all know that’s what they really should have done, right?

2. Of all the book-to-movie adaptations you’ve seen, which is the worst? “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Disney shouldn’t have touched it in the first place. My sympathies go out to Mr. Hugo. And I would like it to go on record that I wouldn't have even sat through such dribble if I hadn't been doing my sick college dorm-mate a favor. It was her favorite movie. You'll notice her picture does not appear on that cute little side bar to the left.

3. Is there a book you’d like to see as a movie that is not yet a movie (that you know of)? If you’re asking about books besides the ones I've written, I think Larry Correia’s “Monster Hunters International” has some great Blockbuster potential. Unfortunately, the movie would be way too gory for me to watch without wasting the $7 I'd spend on popcorn.

4. Beatrice Potter or Dr. Seuss? I’m more into memorable rhymes and bold pictures and silly words. Not as much into water-colored talking animals going on insignificant quasi-adventures. Sorry.

5. How do you choose names for your characters? Choosing a character’s name is even harder for me than choosing names for my own kids. So what I do is put on some Bollywood music, wrap my muskox-hair scarf over my eyes, open my phone book and sprinkle a jumbo Pixie Dust candy stick on the first page I come to. I then observe which name has the most unique design of glitter around it, and thus my character is christened.

6. What was the worst book you had to read for school? “The Great Gatsby.” To this day, I still don’t know what it was about. Someone named Daisy and a hit-and-run?

7. Who is your favorite cartoon character? Doug. Who else can wear a belt on his head and underwear over his shorts and still be that cool?

8. Heroes or villains? Aren’t all villains just misunderstood heroes?

9. If you could pick a destination anywhere in the world for a 30 day, total-seclusion writing retreat, where would you go? PLEASE  don’t send me on a 30 day, total-seclusion writing retreat. (But I would take an extended weekend at a cabin in the mountains near a creek. But three days is my max. Then I’m coming home to my family! And I’m taking my kill-now-and-ask-questions-never guard dog with me.)

10. What is the current state of the inside of your sock drawer? Mismatched, with an unmentionable or two that shall remain - true to their essence - unmentioned.

11. If you had no other options, would you choose Earth-bound immortality or death before your next birthday? I love my life, but have no desire to outlive my kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids, etc. I also happen to love a lot of people currently residing in heaven, including my Savior Jesus Christ, and there’s no way I’m passing up never-ending bliss with them for an eternity stuck here. If I'm allowed to make requests, I'll take a quick a painless death over a prolonged, scary one.

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     So now that you've read all my answers (and clicked that cute little Follow button on the left side of your screen) it's my turn to ask a few questions of my own. Feel free to cut and paste the questions into your own blog, or just leave your response in the comments section below.

1. Which Lord of the Rings character do you resemble most?

2. Who was your first celebrity crush?

3. What is the one job or chore you like the least, either at home or at work?

4. The most annoying kids' show in existence is ______________________.

5. If you were in need of rescuing, which Avenger would you want to show up?

6. If you could relive just one day of your life, not because you want to change something but because it was just so perfect, what would it be?

7. What is a hidden talent you have that very few people know about?

8. Tell us about a great first date (real or imaginary).

9. If you could instantaneously (and effortlessly) acquire a new skill, what would it be?

10. You are preparing to spend a month entirely secluded from civilization and get to pack one suitcase. What is in it?

11. If you could make any one character come alive from a book, who would it be?