Let’s Talk: 20 Things You May Not Know About Me

My dear friend and critique partner, Jackie Layton, tagged me in this fun game between bloggers, so I’m duty-bound to oblige. 🙂  In case you’re curious, Jackie’s answers can be found here.

So without further ado, 20 things you may not know about me!

1. How tall are you?
5’9″ in my bare feet. I was always the tallest among anyone my own age, often even the boys! But that wasn’t such a bad thing…

2. Do you have a hidden talent?
Probably not so much! I grew up riding horses, started my first year of college as a piano major, and make a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies.

3. What is your biggest blogger pet peeve?
I like a blog post to have substance! Not just ramble on paragraph after paragraph until I want to shake my iPad and say “Get to the point!”

Which is probably what you’re doing as you read this blog post. 🙂

4. What is your biggest non-blogger pet peeve?
Probably bad manners. I’m from the South, after all…

5.What is your favorite song?
Ooh, that’s a hard one. (Did I tell you I was a music major in college? That means I love music!) Currently, one of my favorite songs is Blessings by Laura Story. What a powerful way of looking at life!

6. What’s your favorite Etsy shop that isn’t yours?
I wish I could answer this. Truly. But I’m afraid I haven’t been to Etsy.com since the site was first created, how many years ago?

7. What is your favorite way to spend time when you are alone?
Write, write, write!

8. What is your favorite junk food?
Oh my. Anything sweet, especially chocolate.

9. Do you have pets?
Let me count the ways! Two dogs, two cats, and three horses for now. I’m firmly resisting my husband’s constant pleas for another dog. 🙂

10. What are you #1 favorite fiction and non-fiction books?
Non-fiction would have to be the Bible.

Fiction…there are too many great books to choose from. Some of my favorite authors include Deeanne Gist, Karen Witemeyer, and Lisa Wingate.

11. What is your favorite beauty product?
Concealer.

12. When were you last embarrassed? What happened?
Do I have to go there?

13. If you could drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Coffee!

14. What is your favorite movie?
The movie of all movies: Pride and Prejudice. Depending on what mood I’m in, I’ll watch either the 1995 version staring Jennifer Ehle, or the 2005 version staring Keira Knightley.  There are pros and cons to both!

15. What were you in high school: prom queen, nerd, cheerleader, jock, valedictorian, band geek, loner, artist, prep?
Well, I was homeschooled, so…

16. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I would want to live around family, and I love South Carolina. I’d love to have a second home somewhere out West, though. Maybe Montana?

17. PC or Mac?
PC

18. Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?
Now that it’s cold, my husband has begun carrying my work bags to the car every morning and starting the engine so it can warm up. Wow! 🙂

19. Favorite celebrity?
Country artist Gary Allan.

20. What blogger do you secretly want to be friends with?
Well…it would most likely be one of my favorite authors. Yes, I have a bit of the fan syndrome. 🙂

So now, Dear Reader, I want to know about you!

Pick one of these questions and answer it by leaving a comment. Please!  🙂

Choose your favorite opening paragraph!

I need your help! I’m writing my latest work-in-progress and can’t make up my mind on the opening paragraph. Will you please tell me which you like best?

My working title is A Pony Express Romance and this first section takes place on November 30, 1860, in Ellwood, Kansas.

Option #1:

     The prick of his horse’s ears was Josiah English’s only warning of impending danger.
     His muscles tensed as his eyes scanned the roadside for whatever had the horse on edge. A rabbit about to dart from the bushes? A snake in the grass? Or a mountain lion about to strike?
     From nowhere, a rope settled around his shoulders. What? Josiah reached to pull it off, but before he could get a hand up, it jerked tight, strapping his arms to his sides. With a violent lurch, he was pulled from his horse, landing hard on the ground. The breath fled from his lungs and he pushed hard, fighting the weight that threatened to smother him.

Or…

Option # 2:

     “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot yer toes off one by one.”
      Josiah English froze.
     The rope that had settled over his shoulders tightened, strapping his arms to his sides and cinching up his chest. With a violent jerk, he was pulled from his horse, landing hard on the ground. The breath fled from his lungs and he pushed hard, fighting the weight that threatened to smother him.

 

 Or maybe you like a combination of these openings? Feel free to piece together your favorite intro, and leave it in the comments below. Thanks for your vote!