Answers To Reader Questions

Back in late February for my 900+ Followers post, I got a few questions from readers. And since I've been lagging (too far) behind on the blogosphere these days, here--finally--are my answers!

What are you working on right now in terms of writing? from Marsha Sigman
Does brainstorming count? Having discovered that a recent project lost its attraction and energy after the plotting ended and actual writing began, I've been trying to figure out what I'm passionate about that could translate into a book. I'm thinking something to do with birds and/or flying . . .

If you had to choose between writing and ballet, which would you choose? from Janet Johnson
Um . . . you know, that's a difficult question. I'm inclined to say writing, but only because you didn't exclude the possibility I could do other kinds of dance instead of ballet. :)

Have you changed the way you blog from when you first started? from Lynda R Young
Yes, I have, though most of that involves the way I structure my posting. When I started out I'd post every day, on absolutely anything (sometimes it was just a boring "I'm trying to think of something to post about!" or the equivalent), occasionally multiple times. Also, I'm much more focused on writing than I was before.

What's the best and worst part of your hometown? from Deniz Bevan
The worst part is its location, since it's 20 miles or more from anything significant, i.e. where there are places to shop besides a dollar store, gas station, and local grocery store which could do with some sprucing up. (A very, very close second is the town's motto that's emblazoned across the welcome sign right off the highway, which to me seems more than a tad derogatory.) The best part is the library; and the fact my mom started working there in 2011 also helps.


-----The Golden Eagle

Answers To Reader Questions: Post No. 4

***My Halloween Bloghop post is below, in case you're looking for it!***

Following up on my answer HERE about college, some bloggers wanted to know more, so here we go:

Sarah Pearson asked:

What do you think you might study in college?

Science. Physics, biology, something along those lines . . . though I've thought about a lot of different possibilities. Architecture/engineering still sounds like fun.

Alex J. Cavanaugh asked:

Any colleges catch your eye yet?

Er, I haven't really looked at many--I know, I know--but as far as things look right now, I'll probably end up going to a local college.

Misha asked:

Are you planning on studying further once you're done with school?

After high school, definitely. And I'd certainly like to get a degree.

Shelly asked:

Do you believe homeschooling has made you tighter with your parents?

Parent, actually. I was adopted (don't know who my birth parents were) and my mom never married, so it's just me and her (or is it her and me?), and I do think it's made us tighter. Though I'm certain we'd be tight regardless of homeschooling. :)

**********

And some other catch-up things: Several people have awarded me in the past couple of weeks--just so you don't think I've forgotten, I'll be posting about them sometime early in November!

I also got a couple Google friend requests in the past month. The problem is, they only showed up once when I followed a blog, and I can't find them again; usually they come up whenever I "join" a site, visit my Follower dashboard, or check site settings. So, to the people who sent requests: I'm not ignoring you, just can't figure out how to accept! Sorry about that . . .

**********

Hope you're having a great weekend!


-----The Golden Eagle

Answers To Reader Questions: Post No. 3

I was actually supposed to do this a week ago, but I forgot and only remembered after I'd posted last Saturday. Sorry, everyone!

Emily Rose asked:

Do you plan to home school until college? Are you taking college courses at the moment?


Yes, and no. I do plan on being homeschooled until college, unless we move to a district with really good schools or something like that, which is highly unlikely. And I'm not taking any college courses at the moment, though I have done (and am currently doing) some programs at Learner.org.

(SOURCE)

Got any other questions, bloggers?


(I really do like answering them. :) And it gives me material to post about on Saturdays for NaBloWriMo.)


-----The Golden Eagle

More Answers To Reader Questions . . .

Jake Henegan, after the last Q&A post, wanted to know more of the specifics about the answers I gave to his first set of questions. So, here's the second set:

Care to elaborate on what qualities of your novel's character makes her/him like you?
And name a few books on your bookshelf?

Question 1: The MC of my current WIP and I share a similar sense of dislike toward hypocrisy, absolute power, and we're both solitary in nature--to a point. She seems to take on much of my darker, more cynical side; one of her characteristics is her tendency to come up with snarky, sometimes cutting remarks, aimed at whoever happens to be speaking to her at that moment. Which I sometimes do when I'm irritated, angry, or frustrated.


Question 2: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher, Deeper by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, the First and Second Omni books, And Another Thing . . . by Eoin Colfer, and The Sword of Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks are a few of them.

**********

Is there anything else you readers would like to know? :)


-----The Golden Eagle

The Answers To Reader Questions!

Last week I celebrated 800 Followers by announcing a Q&A session. Well, here are the questions I got, with my answers!

Bethany Elizabeth asked: Which book - not necessarily your favorite - have you read that you would say is the best well-written? and If you had to pick a published author whose style you feel is close to yours, who would it be?


Question 1: That's a tough question! I had to think about it for a while, but I would say that The Kite Runner has some excellent writing, as does its companion, A Thousand Splendid Suns.


Question 2: Well, according to I Write Like, my style is close to Kurt Vonnegut and Arthur C. Clarke's. And though I don't consider myself to be anywhere near the genius of Arthur C. Clarke, just based on the books I've read by him, my style isn't so many light-years apart from his as some authors. Like Kurt Vonnegut. There is no way I write like him . . . although that isn't to say he wasn't a good writer.


Old Kitty asked: If you weren't a Golden Eagle and apart from Condors (yay!) what other creature would your alter ego be? and Einstein's theory of special relativity in the light (ahem) of the Cern experiment. Excited?!?!?


Question 1: A Bateleur? Okay, it's a raptor too, so I guess that's cheating . . . how about a narwhal?

(SOURCE)

Question 2: Yes! I hope it turns out that the neutrinos actually went faster than the speed of light. That would be an amazing scientific breakthrough.


Alex J. Cavanaugh asked: What books do you want to read next? Or movies. Or both!


There are a ton of books I want to read, and a few movies I'd like to see. But high up on my list of books are Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (I want to know what happens!), Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (it's still being written, but I love anything she writes), Spiral by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams (one of the most awesome series ever), the other books in Discworld (I've only read 6 so far, out of 37--soon to be 38), and others--including CassaStar. :)


Movies: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (no, I haven't seen it yet), The Hobbit (it sounds like it's going to be good) and, um, others which I can't think of right now . . .


Alleged Author asked: What is your favorite genre to write?


Science Fiction!


Anonymous asked: Where do you see yourself in ten years?


Doing scientific research, hopefully--at the moment I can't decide whether there's greater attraction in biology or physics.


Susan Gourley/Kelley asked: I believe you are homeschooled, right? What literature reads would you recommend to all students?


I am indeed homeschooled. As for literature reads, hmm . . . War and Peace, at least one play by Shakespeare, Grendel (I really, really like this book), Beowulf, Things Fall Apart, Moby-Dick, Les Miserables. Those would be some works I'd recommend, though I could come up with others as well.

Lynda R Young asked: If you could go anywhere, where would be the perfect place to live?


I'd say my own novel, but that world is pretty rough, and I wouldn't really be living under ideal circumstances (otherwise it would be a pretty boring story). So I'm just going to cite my results after playing around with the OECD's Better Life Index: Canada, Australia, or Sweden.


MyTricksterGod asked: What is your personal name?
What is your opinion on american culture? 
On your day-to-day interaction with its ethnicities?
And if you happen to be in a decision-making position of power, what would you do to make America what it "should be?"
And how different is your experience from the first time you interacted with this trans-atlantic nation?
My questions orient from the small(interaction with ethnicities) to the large(interactions with the national way of life).

Or you can simply answer the first Q and tell us your name. :)


I'm going to do this the hard way and answer all the questions, because I don't want to tell you my name. Just to stay completely anonymous and all that. :)

Question 1: It could be better. There are many positive things about the USA, but there are also a lot of negatives. America can be arrogant, make some pretty bad decisions, and the people aren't the nicest, most open-minded in the world. There is a strong current of complete independence and freedom from any authority in this country, which works both in its favor and, in some cases, against it.

Question 2: The town I live in is mostly white, and people have lived here for generations, so there isn't a whole lot of diversity locally (I'm one of only a few Asians in its 1000> population, and I might belong to only a couple minorities or so). But the city nearby is pretty diverse--there are people with many different ethnic backgrounds.

Question 3: So, if I suddenly became a Senator or the President (that's highly unlikely--I can run for President due to a retroactive bill passed on adoptions, but I was still born in China and I doubt a majority of voters would be okay with that) I would a.) Put a lot more emphasis on education and getting this country to the top of lists like this one b.) Ease this country off of oil, gas, and other fossil fuels and onto solar, wind, hydro, hydrogen, and other sources of renewable energy c.) Try to improve relations with other countries and not go to war in yet another one and d.) Do what is possible to help ease the gaping economic inequality.

Question 4: I'm not sure if anything has really changed--I was only 16 months when my mom adopted me, so I don't remember much. :P

Jake Henegan asked: First, which character, in any book, is the most like you? (and why) Second, what object on/in your desk/shelf/room defines you most as a person?


Question 1: I'm not sure about characters. There are few who really reach out and mirror my own opinions--the good and the bad. There are characters I'd like to think of myself as, but who really are like me? Maybe the main character from my novel. I know I project some of myself onto the people I create.


(Sorry, you probably wanted a character from a book you could pick up and read!)


Question 2: My bookshelf. That counts as a single object, right? ;)

(SOURCE. And no, that isn't mine. Sigh.)

Deborah Walker asked: How much time do you spend blogging. It must be a lot, I reckon. Whatever a 'lot' is. What keeps you motivated?


Question 1: I usually spend 2-4 hours blogging. I'm not sure what a "lot" is, either--though I did a poll on how much time people blogged once, and the majority was 1-2 hours, so I guess you could call it a lot.


Question 2: I've continued blogging because I learn a lot from it, and I get to "meet" all kinds of people I wouldn't be able to if I didn't.


BornStoryteller asked: Since you have so many followers...if you had us all in one location and you were our Queen (in reality), what type of Queen would you be and what would be your first Royal Command of us?


I would hope to be a kind Queen who only gives Royal Commands when absolutely necessary--first order of business would be to announce a huge party in the palace (I get a palace, right? LOL) and invite people to come and have some fun.

(SOURCE)

Clarissa Draper asked: What's the most amazing natural site/sight you've ever seen? (For example, Northern Lights or Niagara Falls, or a polar bear...)


There are bald eagles living around here. I'm always amazed to see them fly overhead or down by the river that runs by. :)


....Petty Witter said: I'd like to know if you had to name one campaign you feel strongly about what would it be - animal rights, child abuse, racism etc.


Environmental issues. I really wish we'd stop spewing toxic fumes into the air and destroying the ozone layer and bulldozing forests and so forth, when there alternatives that are renewable or don't pollute. Humans dump so many poisons into the air and water that have horrible effects on the environment.


Susan Fields asked: What is the most important piece of writing advice you've ever received?


Shut up and write--there are less-productive spells, and I do think writer's block exists and I've experienced it, but sometimes you just have to write.


Deniz Bevan asked: If you could have dinner with an author from any time in history, who would it be?


It would be amazing to have dinner with Isaac Asimov.


Madeleine asked: How do you spend a typical week day?


Morning: breakfast, schoolwork, writing, schoolwork, lunch.
Afternoon: walk (if the weather's okay), schoolwork, assorted stuff depending on what's going on, blogging.
Evening: dinner, go for another walk, reading or blogging, watch the Nightly Business Report and the PBS NewsHour, and then watch whatever's next on PBS, provided it interests me. NOVA, Nature, or any good science or history program, certainly.


Krispy asked: What's your favorite food?


Chinese food. :) Lo mein noodles, sesame chicken, egg/spring rolls, dumplings, stir fry, shish kebabs . . . mmmm.


The Dandy Lioness/Sofia asked: Do you have a favorite fantasy story setting/country? (As in, Middle Earth, Discworld, etc.)


While I love a whole lot of Fantasy worlds, one of my favorites is the world from the Eon and Eona books, by Alison Goodman.


Whew. Those were some great questions! Thank you for submitting them for me to answer. I had a lot of fun.


Anything else you would like to know?


***And finally, I'm being interviewed over at Angelina C. Hansen's blog! Hope you can stop by.***




-----The Golden Eagle

A Celebration-Worthy 800+ FOLLOWERS!

I have reached 804 Followers!

I'd like to give you all a big THANK YOU for following The Eagle's Aerial Perspective and supporting its blog author--and that, of course, also goes for everyone who reads my posts, comments, and interacts here on this site.

As older readers of this blog know, I always link to the most recent people to follow, so here we go:

Amy Jarecki
Emma Pass
Angela Orlowski Peart
Eve.E
CathyVon
Rebecca Emin
Rai29
Lisie Silva
Cat von Hassel-Davies
Lenny Lee
Amplified Art
inluvwithwords
Tekaran Lady
Shanona Ryder
Melissa Dean
Daina Rustin
Shiraz Akhtar
Julie Coulter Bellon
Shirley Wells
Gaia
Terry Tibke
Mary
K. T. Hanna
Suz Korb
Cortney
Niiganab
Cat
MyTricksterGod
Claire Lachance
Juliemybird
Francesca Zappia
Michael Haynes
Connie Keller
Tara Tyler
Holly Vance
Lola X
Tanyakschua
Gail Shepherd
Leigh Ann
Jeigh
Saba
Holly L'Oiseau
Randy Lindsay
Cynthia Lee
WB Terrien
Catherine A. Winn
Jennifer Groepl
Ryann Kerekes
Heather Arundel
Lindy
K. M. Walton
Avery Marsh
Jessica
Lindsay Currie
Shelley Koon
Jenny Morris
Giles Hash
Elschneid
Julie Fedderson
Brianna
Casey Morris
Lady Gwen
D. Ann Graham
Bluestocking
MG Higgins
Roger Eschbacher
Kathleen
Jen
Amanda Leigh Cowley
Raquel Byrnes
Katie Gates
M.C.
Cassandra
Jake Henegan
Doralynn Kennedy
D.A Pitts
Julie Tuovi Hansen
Anita Grace Howard
Angie Paxton
Claudia Del Balso
Carrie Butler
Chris Allinotte
Nina-Pelletier Powers
Stephanie Jefferson
Avais Moriwa
Yvonne Osborne
C D Meetens
Marlena Cassidy
Hilary Wagner
Andy
Ricardo Roehe
Lexie
Brenda Sills
SP Sipal
Cristina
Sarah Pearson

And you can view everyone else by clicking HERE for followers 600-700, HERE for 500-600, and HERE for 1-500.

***If I got your name wrong, if you'd prefer I linked to something else, or if I don't have your link, please comment to let me know.***

**********

Now, you're probably wondering what I meant by celebration. I'm afraid I can't offer anything like giveaways, and I already do buttons/headers for free for anyone who asks, so I decided to open up a little Q&A session. I never really "introduced" myself to Campaigners, and for Campaigners and non-Campaigners alike, I thought some of you might like to know a bit more about me, or The Eagle's Aerial Perspective. I did this for 400 Followers and it seemed to work out well.


So for the rest of the week until next Monday I will be taking questions. I will answer them one week from today.

(SOURCE)

They can be about anything. Feel free to be random, ask what's right off the top of your head, bring up something you'd wondered in the back of your mind. And you can always come back during any time this week if something occurs to you later.

Have fun coming up with questions! I look forward to answering them. :)

(I know. Not a spectacular celebration, exactly. However, it's something I can do at the moment.)

**********

And once again, thank you for reading this blog.


-----The Golden Eagle

I've Been Tagged No Less Than Twice

Tags seem to be making the rounds these days. I've been tagged by Misha at My First Book and RaShelle at A No. 2 Pencil, Stat!

I just love filling these out. :)

This tag comes from Misha:


If you could go back in time and relive a moment, what would it be?


I have no idea.


If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?


See above. Oh, wait--there is that one time . . .


What Movie/TV character do you most resemble in personality?


I can give you literary examples, but I don't watch enough TV/movies to have found someone a lot like me in personality. (Got any suggestions, readers?)


If you could push one person off a cliff and get away with it, who would it be?


Donald Trump.

Well, okay, he's not the worst person in the world. He's just obnoxious. So if not him, then someone guilty of crimes against humanity.


Name one habit that you want to change in yourself.


I'll often sit in positions that make my legs fall asleep, which consequently makes them ache and scream at me when I move. Got to stop doing that.


Describe yourself in one word.


Asian.


Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.


Writerly.

(In the best sense, of course.)


Why do you blog? Answer in one sentence.


Because I like posting about stuff and reading what other people have to say.


Name at least three people to send this meme to. And inform them.


Ack, I'm horrible at this sort of thing, but okay . . .

Emily Rose
Hannah Kincade
The Words Crafter




This tag comes from RaShelle:


Do you think you're hot?

Not especially.


Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.

This is my desktop background--which I change often because I get bored with having one image there for too long.


When was the last time you ate chicken meat?


The day before yesterday. I can see the positive side to vegetarianism, but seeing as I'm allergic to milk (I can still eat dairy products like cheese and yogurt) I have to get my protein from somewhere . . . and I like meat. To an extent. Slimy, germy, raw meat is disgusting any way you look at it. (Can you believe my browser is telling me "germy" isn't a word?)


The song(s) you listened to recently.


I don't listen to songs. Well, not often, anyway.


What were you thinking as you were doing this?


That it's very dark and gloomy outside. It's raining--again. There hasn't been a full day of sun in a while--again. But while the river's high, it's nothing like what's happening in the South/Midwest.


Do you have nicknames? What are they?


With regards to my real name, no, not really. People don't call me anything except my full name. But Blogger is a different story--I get called by all sorts of variations on The Golden Eagle. Golden. Eagle. TGE. GE. G'Eagle. Eags.

I rather like it.


Tag 8 blogger friends . . .


I guess I really have to put together a list this time, don't I? Since the questions relate to them . . .

Alleged Author
Clarissa Draper
Simon Kewin
Trisha
Talei
Ali Cross
Michael Di Gesu
Madeleine


Who's listed as No. 1?


Alleged Author. Because of the cool posts, wonderful comments, and I just love her profile picture.


Say something about No. 5


I really enjoy reading Talei's posts!


How did you get to know No. 3?


I believe I found him through some sort of blogfest--I've forgotten by now. Anyway, Simon has a great SF/F blog, and he just keeps getting published! :)


How about No. 4.


I found her before the Crusades, and I love her blog, which also has a great title: WORD + STUFF.


Leave a message for No. 6.

Ninjas rock. Therefore, Ali's ninja-themed writing challenges are awesome.


Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.


Please tell me why writing a lovey dovey message will help anything. Because Clarissa's just a great blogger!


Do No.7 and No. 8 have any similarities?


They both write excellent flash fiction stories. Also, their names start with "M".

Not that that fact is particularly important.

*********

If you want to do either or both of these tags, and I didn't mention you, feel free to snag them! I won't mind. Just be sure to tell me so I know to swing by and read your answers!


-----The Golden Eagle

Book Review: Matched (And The Answers To More Of Your Questions)

Last week, I got a few more questions on the post that was part of my blogoversary:

Petty Witter asked:


What is the one thing guaranteed to put you off a book?

A bad plot. I cannot stand weak plots, ones with holes, or endings that can be seen from afar. I love twists, turns, turnarounds, and anything else you can throw at me.

N. R. Williams asked:


How do you choose the books you read? Do you have an e-reader?

First: blurb. Second: any reviews that are on the cover/jacket. Third: author. Fourth: cover. And, in some cases, if I've heard of the book before. I don't usually care about genre--if I've read a good review, or if something about the book intrigues me, I'll pick it up. :)

Nope. And, at the moment, I prefer it that way. I like reading paper and ink rather than an electric screen.


*****

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books

Genre: Dystopian

Page Count: 366

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Cover Rating: 4 out of 5. I like the green, and I like the way they put the girl in the orb. Plus, the font is very Dystopian-ish.

Inside flap:

In The Society, the Officlas decide. 

Who you love. Where you work. When you die. 

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend is appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knowsn with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow--between perfection and passion.

My expectations: Mixed. I had read positive reviews saying "This is a great book!" and meh reviews saying "This book was a take-off of [insert title here]" and negative reviews saying "This book isn't very good".

About the book: One thing I read several times is that this book is a lot like The Giver by Lois Lowry.


My opinion? This book really was not like The Giver. Mainly because Cassia, the main character, was very different from Jonas, as were the others the book focused on. The Society is similar in many ways, but it never made it into my head that "Yes! This book is like The Giver!"


The writing style I just couldn't get attached to. I felt like the author was trying to keep some distance between the reader and the character, which I don't usually mind, but in this case I found kind of flat. The scenes were not particularly detailed--I would get information on one thing, but not other factors that I really would have preferred to know about. It wasn't a bad style, but it isn't my favorite.

• Plot:

I could guess what happened. In what's probably every single YA book I've read the character goes after--taking from the blurb--"passion". Heck with "perfection". It's always passion, and this was no exception. Some details of the plot kept me going, like what the Society Officials were doing and if there would be revolution. I do love a good revolution.

• Characters:

Let me say this now: I did not like Cassia. At all, really. She was okay at first--I felt as if she was a little annoying but might turn out to have some real potential when I read the opening scene--but I just couldn't get attached to her. Another contrast with The Giver: Jonas cares about the people and citizens of his city and their well-being. Cassia, it seemed to me, does not. It's all KY. And goodness, don't get in her way when it comes to Ky.

Ky himself was interesting. Again, I just couldn't get attached to him. He had his secrets, and it was intriguing that he knew how to write like that, but he wasn't the most spectacular love interest. I liked him better than Cassia, however. He knew what the Society was really like, and what they did to people.

(I felt there were too few emotional obstacles between them. It was just the Officials in their way--and come on, relationships aren't like that. There's conflict between people.)

Xander was normal. He had his faults, but he cared about Cassia and he seemed less willing to just believe than Cassia did. I hope he comes back in the sequel, because I get the feeling he could really have his day.

• Setting/Elements:

The Society intrigued me. Their rules, regulations, laws, restrictions, what's not to find interesting and appalling about a government who destroys art, poetry, writing, everything except 100 works in each section of human expression?

Other: This book is relatively clean for a YA novel. In fact, I wouldn't say that Matched is significantly more violent/etc. than The Giver. It just has a romantic theme.

Do I recommend this book? Not really. I wouldn't say "Don't ever read this book!" but it's not on my list of must-reads.


-----The Golden Eagle

The Answers To Your Questions

Last week was my blogoversary, and I decided to celebrate by having readers ask me questions--so here are my answers!

*****

Jemi Fraser:

What's the best book you've read this year?


I have a lot of trouble picking favorites . . . especially when it comes to books. But one really good Young Adult Science Fiction novel I read was Cherry Heaven by L. J. Adlington. The plot, setting, and characters were fantastic.

The Words Crafter:

How in the world do you make it around to comment on so many blogs every day?

I don't use Google Reader, that's for sure. Despite all the support it's been getting recently with all the Crusading, (Rachael Harrie wrote a very helpful post on it--I was completely befuddled before and now I know how it works) I really don't like it. Most of the time I look through posts on the Dashboard, working my way through a certain number of hours or skimming to see if certain bloggers have posted. Or I just use my blogroll.

Deniz Bevan:

Did you see that post TH Mafi did the other day of her daily schedule? What's your schedule like?


No, I didn't see the post--but as for my schedule, it's get up, eat breakfast, schoolwork, writing, schoolwork, maybe some more writing if there's time, lunch, the homeschooling equivalent of P.E., blogging, writing, and I've got dance on Wednesdays. Also, the schedule changes a lot as new things crop up.


(By schoolwork I mean all the subjects I cover in homeschooling. Math, science, history/social studies, language, English, etc. . . .)

Edith F.:

What is your favorite flavor of toothpaste?

Well, it's not mint. (I hate mint.) Most of the time I'm forced to use it simply because it's one of the few flavors that's out there, but if I could choose my favorite is probably cherry. (Hey, it tastes good at the dentist's.)

Ali:

What do you like best about blogging?

Posting and reading comments. :)


And/or What is your favorite lesson you've learned through blogging?

Think before you speak!

Janet Johnson:

What has helped you the most with writing?


Besides a keyboard and word processor, one of the things that has helped me the most is discovering all the information out there online. Before I started reading about writing, I had no idea what a character arc was, how to write a first chapter, the difference between showing and telling, things about publishers and agents and the whole getting-the-book-onto-the-shelf business--a lot of the details that can make a huge amount of difference.

Nicki Elson:

What have you learned about blogging that you wish you would've known in the first month?


People actually read what you're posting, even if your blog is relatively small. (As mine was for a while after I started blogging.) I probably wouldn't have said some of the things I said if I had thought about that . . . I don't object to some controversy, but I get the impulse to delete some of my previous posts whenever I look back and read them.

Sangu:

What's been the most challenging part about blogging for you?


Networking! It takes a lot of time and some energy to get around to all those blogs. But it's also fun. :)

Alison:

Has reading all these blogs and author interviews/guest posts, etc made you want to try your hand at writing?


Nope! I was writing even when I didn't know people blogged about it--probably because I hadn't read the horror stories at that point. LOL.


Just kidding about the horror stories (although I have read some unfortunate occurrences with the publishing process especially) but I have been churning out words for a while.

Have you had a blogging slump? If so, how did you push past it.


Writing, and getting outside. Exercise helps me think a lot of time.

Arlee Bird:

Now that you know about establishing a platform with your blog do you feel like you are doing that?


Yes, I do. I feel like I've got a substantial platform (400+ is a whole lot more than I ever expected) and I try to increase it with the Crusades and other events like that--including the A-Z Blogging Challenge. Still trying to get around to all the bloggers participating!


Oh! And also, Old Kitty and L'Aussie both wondered what the "cbox" I mentioned in my post is. It's the green chatbox-thing on my right sidebar, beneath my button and the Crusader mention. Across from the "Need A Button?" text. People can leave messages and chat in it, if there are other bloggers on at the same time. (Which you can tell by the little black-and-red icon above.)

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Thank you all for asking questions! It was a lot of fun answering them, and I hope you enjoyed the post.

Is there anything else you bloggers would like to know about me? :)

-----The Golden Eagle

One Year Ago I Started This Blog

And then things took off.

Or, more like, I started a site which was basically just another blip in endless cyberspace.

I called it The Eagle's Aerial Perspective. I called myself The Golden Eagle. I put in a black-and-rainbow Pyzam template which I thought looked pretty schnazzy. I wrote up a cheesy "Welcome To My Blog!" post which you really don't want to go back and read.

My reasons? I didn't start a blog to create a writing platform (I didn't know people did that) and I didn't start a blog to network (I didn't know much about following and commenting) and I didn't start a blog just to be able to say I did (I don't do things for those kinds of reasons).

I started a blog because (once I learned what the heck a blog was) the fact anyone could go to Blogger or Wordpress or whatever and set one up appealed to me--a lot. So I jumped into the world of blogging, and I learned that having the ability to post on any subject, whenever I wanted to, was a lot of fun.

So I posted and I followed and I commented and now I am able to say that I've been doing it for an entire year.

But let's go back to the beginning, shall we?

One month in. The Eagle's Aerial Perspective has few connections, only 5 or 6 followers, (some notables would be Kenzy, Icewolf, Shimmer, and Jayden Black--I can't forget you guys!) and a Pyzam template which doesn't look very good along with several mismatched backgrounds from a whole host of sites. It also has a cool, eagle-oriented button.

3 months in. More followers now, ever-changing backgrounds, and now the blog author has learned the finer art of adding images, videos, multimedia, and other such stuff to her posts. Plus, she has gotten somewhat established with new followers popping up in the widget on the sidebar and more comments on posts.

6 months in. The blog and her author have been at it for a while now, and she has suddenly been exposed to the world of writing blogs, something she hasn't heard of before--and the next month is The Great Blogging Experiment hosted by Elana Johnson, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Jen Daiker, which she signs up for although she doubts anyone will actually read her post on How To Creating Compelling Characters. (The post subsequently gets over 50 comments).

10 months in. LOTS of followers now, and plenty more than the blog author ever expected. Posts continue, but now there are ones specifically directed toward humor, writing, book reviews, tags/awards, and Teaser Tuesday is going strong. Comment counts somehow manage to grow large, and for that the author is extremely appreciative.

12 months in. The blog author is struggling to keep up with what's called The Writer's Platform-Building Crusade, is preparing to launch the blog into the A-Z April Blogging Challenge, has something vaguely resembling a blogging schedule, and is amazed by the number of followers she has.

She also decides writing in the third person about herself feels odd but is fun.

Whew.

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And yes, I am planning to do something for my blogoversary. You know how I celebrated my 400th post, where I gave you all the chance to ask me questions? A lot of you seemed to enjoy the post and some of you even said you hoped I'd do the question thing again.

So--guess what--I'm doing it again. :)

It's the same as before. On this post, or on any other post up until next Sunday, you can ask me questions (as long as they're relevant/reasonable) which I will answer on March 6th. Put them in the comments, email, cbox, whatever. And if something occurs to you feel free to come back again and ask that, too. You've got a week!

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And, finally, I'd like to thank you all. For following. For commenting. For sticking with me and this blog through months and months, visiting my blog, reading my posts, and knowing that what I'm saying isn't just more blips in cyberspace. It means a lot to me!


-----The Golden Eagle

I've Been Tagged!

It's been a long time since I've done a tag! Yat-Yee Chong at the blog of the same name tagged me with this, so here I go!

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1) If you have pets, do you see them as animals, or are they members of the family?

Hendersen is a member of the family! (Even if he didn't truly appreciate being dragged around in a cat carrier while we were moving . . . it was either that or leaving him in the backyard, which we certainly weren't doing.)

2) If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?


To contribute something to the world, in any form, whether it's large or small, and has positive effects.

3) What is the one thing most hated by you?

Stereotypes. Especially since I'm homeschooled--I keep running into the fact homeschoolers are often thought of as being "weird" "dorky", blind when it comes to social situations, etc. 

4) What would you do with a billion dollars?

A billion dollars?! That's a lot of money. But first things first--make sure the people around me are safe and secure, and then donate a percentage to organizations that help people all over the world. Invest what's remaining and use the interest to continue supporting the people mentioned above.

5) What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Writing. Playing a musical instrument. Reading a favorite book. Running.

6) Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?

Loving someone. Although it is nice to be loved in return. :) 

7) What is your bedtime routine?

Take care of teeth, take out contacts, put away the stuff I was using earlier. Bathroom, too. (You aren't pulling the chair trick on me! ;D)

8) If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?


Ask me that again in a decade.

9) If you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?


I can vouch for a writer's process--it's probably the closest of most processes to a spectator sport, LOL--but it would be interesting to watch a musician compose something.

10) What kinds of books do you read?

Everything. Well, I have my favorites--all sorts of SF, Fantasy, Realistic/Contemporary Fiction--but if there's a genre I haven't tried I'll chase after it and if it's well-written and a good story then I'm not picky.

11) How would you see yourself in ten years time?

Doing scientific research. And writing a fascinating book about it. Okay, that's just how I'd like to see myself. 

12) What's your fear?

This tag really doesn't hold anything back, does it? I don't have a single biggest fear--at least, I can't think of any at the moment--but I can tell you that despite all my thoughts on writing and etc., the most important things on my plate aren't getting published. If I don't get published . . . *sigh*.


But. I can still write anyway, right?

13) Would you give up all the junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit space?

As in, actually get the chance to be in a shuttle and go to the International Space Station? ABSOLUTELY. (Besides, I don't eat that much junk food.) 

14) Would you rather be single and rich, or married and poor?



Make that happily married and poor.

15) What's the first thing you do when you wake up?



Shut off the alarm and go to the kitchen to eat breakfast.

16) If you could change one thing about your spouse/partner, what would it be?



Please see answer 8.

17) If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?



I like my name. Both here on Blogger and in life, although few people spell/pronounce it right the first time . . . and with an American accent it's hard to get my Chinese name right.

18) Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?



It depends on who the "special someone" is. And what they did. But considering very bad things? No. I might not give them the cold shoulder for the rest of their life (or mine) depending on who it is because I don't like holding a grudge, but I wouldn't be able to let some things slide, and certainly not forget them.


19) If you could only eat one thing for the next six months, what would it be?


Er, soup? It's fluid, and you can put all kinds of things into it . . . so I would think I'd be able to stay a little healthier than if I ate something like chocolate the whole time.

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And there we are! Feel free to take this tag and fill it out yourself if you want to. :)


-----The Golden Eagle

You Asked--And Here Are My Answers!

Last week--for my 400th post--I sent out a call for questions, and here are what people asked:

Summer Ross asked: Do you believe in love at first sight?

Depends on what you mean by love. If you mean attraction, then sure. How else would humans get on in this world if they weren't attracted to each other? But if you mean a deep, soulful connection in which two people share an instant bond . . . no.

Which do you believe came first the chicken or the egg?

The egg. My theory is that if an animal that looked vaguely like a chicken produced something that looked even more like a chicken, the egg would be the source of the chicken because it was closer down the evolutionary lines.

Brian asked: Your profile says you are also a musician, so what music do you play?

I play the violin and piano, and it's mostly classical. Beethoven. Bach. Accolay. Vivaldi. Clementi. Those people. :)

~Nicole Duclerior~ asked: Are you known to carry around a notebook for jotting down story or character ideas as they come to you?

No. Notebooks, I find, are too hard to get organized. I have to flip through pages and search for things. (I like electronics--CTRL+F is so easy) But I do have a small box where I keep a stack of notes with things that  struck me at some point and that might inspire/help later on in my writing.

What's your favorite way to capture such inspiration if you don't have a notebook handy?

Memory, and if that fails, scribbling it onto the back of my hand.

(So okay, maybe I've never been forced to go to such desperate lengths. But I would be willing to try it.)

Malcolm asked: How do you fit all these posts into the rest of your life?

Thanks to being homeschooled, it's fairly easy to find at least some time to blog every day.

Do you blog and comment on a schedule, randomly or whenever you need a break from everything else?

I try to stick to a schedule (or at least something that passes for one) but sometimes I'll blog just because I feel like it, usually when my writing isn't going so well or I need a break from other things I'm doing.

Robyn asked: Coffee or tea?

Tea, since it smells a lot better to me than coffee (I've never had coffee).

Dark chocolate or white chocolate?

I don't like chocolate.

And the most important question, I know you write science fiction. Have you always written it? Or have you written other stuff as well? Do tell!

I started writing SF because I finished reading a novel where I absolutely LOVED the world the author had built. I didn't really like the characters, and I didn't really like the plot (despite the fact I wrote an essay on the book) but the world really cinched it for me--and then I thought "Hey! Maybe I could try writing something like that!"

As for other genres, I've written Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, YA, MG, and Historical Fiction.

Mist of the blossom rain asked: Do you ever go back and look at your earlier posts?

If I'm in the mood for cringing, laughing, and shaking my head at myself. I can't believe some of my earlier posts. :P

Amanda the Aspiring asked: Why the Eagle's Aerie/what prompted this name?

I wanted something that said ME, and I wanted it to be unique, so no one would confuse it with another name. I considered "The Dragon Scroll" (I love dragons) and "An Eagle's Clifftop View" (close, but not quite) and eventually settled on "The Eagle's Aerial Perspective". (I also considered many possible pseudonyms, like The Golden Dragon, The Sea Eagle, names like that.)

What's your favorite book of all time?

My favorite book of all time? THAT IS AN EVIL QUESTION. But if pressed . . . my favorite book of all time is the dictionary. It's very helpful. And I can find out so much by just opening to a single page.

Edith F. asked:

What is your favorite font for working on stories with?

Right now that would be Eurostile. Here is an example of the oh-so-awesome Eurostile:

After being close to unconscious for over a month, Crew C3 watched him closely to make sure nothing drastic occurred.

   His eyes opened, and he stared at the white ceiling for a long time, getting his bearings. He shifted and flexed his hands, paying attention to every movement. 

(And before you ask . . . yes, that is actually part of my WIP.)

Single-space or double-space when you're drafting?

Single-space. I despise double-space.

Old Kitty asked: Who is/are your favourite author or authors? (top 5!)

Only 5?! *sigh*

Frank Beddor

Eoin Colfer

Khaled Hosseini

Catherine Jinks

Trenton Lee Stewart

(I could bring up so many more, but that’s what I could think of at the moment.)

Jules asked: 2 favorites, song and quote?

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever"--Mahatma Ghandi.

OR:

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read"--Groucho Marx.

I don't listen to that many songs, really. Most of the music I listen to is instrumental. But how about "Windy"?

Liz Pezzuto asked: What's the one book (that is, already written by another author) that you wished you had written?

Oh, good question! I suppose Harry Potter would be the obvious answer here, but I wouldn't really want to be known for writing that book, much as I love it.

I really wish I had written The Kite Runner. (The writing is amazing, the plot has the ever-shocking twist, and the characters are wonderful. It made me sniffle a bit at the end, too.)

N. R. Williams, Sharon K. Mayhew, and Carol Kilgore all wanted to know what my first name is.

I suppose I neglected to tell you that I'm under surveillance by the FBI and an undercover agent to boot, so I can't divulge that information.

(AKA I'd rather keep my identity private. Not that I think you're all out to get me, but you never know online . . . and even though a first name doesn't tell you much compared to a last name, I'm going to continue to make sure I’m known as just The Golden Eagle.)

Alex J. Cavanaugh asked: I remember reading that you are not over 18. Really?

Really, dude.

Mason Canyon asked: What part of the U.S. do you live in?

I live above the 30-degree latitude and below the 50-degree latitude.

Jai Joshi asked: If you were a tree then what tree would you be?

Mangrove.

Laughingwolf asked: What is your fave recipe [you like preparing]?

I don't do much cooking, actually. But I love making bread, and there are these rolls with rice flour/honey topping that my mom came up with, and they are excellent.

Milo James Fowler asked: From one homeschool-survivor to another: How do you socialize in the real world?

(Another homeschooler! Awesome.)


Dance, basically. I've been doing it for over 8 years now.

The Words Crafter asked: I know you love science shows like Discovery Channel (me, too) and NOVA. Is there a tv show that you watch that has no redeeming value other than you simply enjoy it? Or a movie? Or a book?

The movie of The Princess Diaries has no redeeming value, right? I love watching that move . . .

Brave Chickens asked: Which Harry Potter ability would you love to have?

Besides being magical? :D

Hermione or Luna? Which character do you like more?

I love Luna even more in the movies (at least from what I've seen) than I do in the book, but Hermione's amazing in her own way . . . ack. Neither, I guess!

Shaynie asked: You are a girl ;), and you seem to enjoy a lot of stuff that many girls do not enjoy, such as science and math (stereotypical, I know, but that is just how it seems to be!). So, my question is, do you also like to do girly stuff? Like clothes, shopping, makeup, jewelry, etc.?

I love dancing--and, in particular, ballet. What gets girlier than pink satin shoes and ribbons and skirts and tutus? (Yes, I have worn tutus.)


I also love knitting, weaving, and latch hook, and beading can be fun.

Joanna asked: I was going to ask if you are a girl or a boy but most bloggers seem to have you pegged as a girl, so are you a girl?


Yup!

How do you find time to blog and comment?


I do it in rotation, mostly--I'll post one day, visit a few blogs, then not post the next and try to get through all the backlog on the Dashboard. (I don't use Google Reader, since I always found it difficult.)

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Well, there you have it, everyone! *whew* Thanks for asking, everyone! It was fun coming up with answers.


Anything else? :)


-----The Golden Eagle