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A Good Day

Today has been a good day! First of all, I was delighted to receive 4 stars for Shade of Evil, from Wende Sheets of Julie’s Book Review blog. You can read Wende’s review at Julie’s Book Review: Review of Shade of Evil By Steve K Smy. On top of that, as you may have read on my general blog, Ramblings & Rumblings, yesterday I received my very first paperback of on of my own works – the very same novelette – Shade of Evil! It was an incredible feeling, holding it in my hand. I’ve dreamt of that moment for decades! Believe me, it was even better in real life.

The Versatile Blogger Award!

Another very happy piece of news is the fact that I have been given the Versatile Blogger Award! This award was kindly given by Jo Robinson. I am deeply honoured by the award, but I have a bit of a problem. One of the rules of the award is that you nominate a further 15 bloggers you believe are deserving of it. Now, I read many blogs, and there are definitely plenty who deserve an award. The problem is the time required to choose just 15, and list them, and selecting so few from so many! I will, however, do my best.

Rules of The Verstile Blogger Award, should you choose to accept it. You don’t have to if you don’t want to:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Thank and link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State seven things about yourself.
4. Nominate fifteen bloggers for this award.
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination by linking to one of their specific posts so they get notified by pingback.

So, here we go…

Seven Things About Myself

1. I have an unbreakable fear of needles! I suspect it comes from being subjected, rather forcefully, to a lumbar puncture when I was 4 years old, and suffering from polio. These days, it has become even more extreme than ever and I actually pass out when I have any needle-based encounter, such as having to give blood for tests. My wife understands how to bring me back round and, so far, I’ve only met one person who has been ‘difficult’ about it. Oddly enough, it was a few days ago, for blood tests. A phlebotomist who was (apparently) supervising a trainee kept trying to insist that I should move from my wheelchair to the reclining seat they use. We refused, despite her stubborn insistence. In the end, we won. The trainee, unconcerned by our wishes, not only carried out the procedure, she actually listened to what we said and did it as quickly as possible. I still passed out, but that was no big deal.

2. I’ve been married since the end of June 1980. Considering how such things go these days, I think that’s a major achievement. It’s thanks to the fact that we’re both stubborn enough, and love each other enough, to actually work our way through difficult times!

3. I love Nature, thanks to my Dad, who taught me a great deal about it. In my youth, I spent many days, particularly Sundays, literally wandering over field and hill, through woodlands and exploring all the hidden places.

4. I never had much success with shooting until a fairground stall holder suggested using my left instead of my right. Amazingly, I instantly became a crack shot with a rifle! I have never, and would never, shot at a live target – especially any animal! I shot only at targets.

5. Due to a slight limp that I didn’t even know I had (a consequence of polio), I was hopeless at sports at school. In adulthood, however, I discovered the fine old sport of lawn bowls! I was very happy to find that I had a natural ability at the sport, and frequently did well in competitions. I also discovered some ability in table tennis, though not to competition standard. Aside from those two sports, the only other thing I could do was bowl in cricket. Sadly, I was not a good fielder or batsman, which was rather limiting.

6. I started going gray when I was 13. The process continued steadily throughout my life from then on.

7. I normally sport a beard! From time to time, however, I do shave it off – which pleases my wife considerably, as she thinks it knocks years off how old I look.

Nominated Bloggers

1. Chris McMullen

2. Trish Marie Dawson

3. Tracee Ford

4. Patrick O’Scheen

5. C. Giovanni

6. Luci’s Log

7. Patrick & Sandy Jones

8. Catherine Ryan Howard

9. Ella Medler

10. Susan Finlay

11. Silver Wolf