Why then am I chuffed at having been presented, by Trish Nicholson, a New Zealander writer friend, with a Versatile Blogger Award, when part of the obligation that goes with that award is to nominate several other bloggers?
I'm no mathematician, but I do remember the old story of the blacksmith and the horseshoe nails which illustrates the power of compounding. So presumably my blog can't be that good or statistically I should have received dozens of VBAs by now, and so should you and every other half-competent blogger if each recipient had in fact nominated several others.
Clearly the Versatile Blogger Award is a form of chain. That said, receiving mine did give me genuine pleasure; it came from a friend and was intended I'm sure as a compliment. Because of that I have no problem with passing on the award to a few others out of many whose blogs I genuinely value. I simply hope that my nominees will accept their Versatile Blogger Awards in that same spirit.
Meanwhile, bloggers everywhere, I suggest you prepare a suitably emotional acceptance speech because - statistically speaking - you should receive your VBA any day now.
The Versatile Blogger rules, with which I trust the below named recipients will also comply, appear to be * that I should state seven things about myself that might not be generally known. So here goes:
• My maternal grandparents were railway crossing keepers on an electric railway – their cottage had no electricity, running water or main drainage.
• I support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution whenever I can – my father, then a trawler fisherman, was lost at sea.
• I went to the same school as Christopher Craig and Derek Bentley (Google their names or the phrase: 'Let him have it'). That was no easy place or time for a soft Cheshire lad.
• I almost blew up my two sons and myself with a German grenade, when metal detecting on a French beach (I was clearly an unfit parent).
• Two versions of my first completed novel, Tamar, had readings at HarperCollins – their final rejection letter was dated September 11th 2001.
• I almost buried my two sons and myself whilst dump digging, collecting antique bottles (Clearly I was an exceedingly unfit parent - but boy did we have fun).
• I once held Albert Einstein's brain in my hand (well, actually it was a soft plastic cast taken direct from the real tissue) – a very eerie experience.
Here then are some of the blogs that I find particularly informative and entertaining.
http://morenewsfromvg.blogspot.com/
http://helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com/
http://www.jonathanpinnock.com/
http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/
http://titaniawrites.blogspot.com/
http://nikperring.blogspot.com/
http://www.claire-king.com/
Finally, I pass the metaphorical baton to my own 'awardees' above and reiterate my sincere thanks to Trisha Nicholson for including my blog in her list of winners.
* The origins of the VBA seem already to be lost in the mists of urban myth and misinformation. Who started it and when? If you believe you know the answer, please let me know.
Ooo-er. I m not sure I know seven things about me - if they are not generally known then I may not know them either... but thank you Oscar.
ReplyDelete(Goes away to have a mull...)
that's very kind of you, Oscar! I'm away for the next few weeks with no Internet, but will try and get to this when I get back, although like V, if I haven't revealed these 7 things so far, there's a reason!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Vanessa and Tania, for your comments. I'm sure you must each have a secret factoid or seven that you could be persuaded to reveal... If not, you could always make a few up. Apparently, we writers are supposed to do that. @Vanessa: that mull you're off to, do be careful I believe it Kintyre you *groan* @Tania: No Internet? Could be a shock to the system. Withdrawal symptoms even. Are you going to cold Turkey? *double groan* Okay, okay, I'm just leaving. :)
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm honoured to be in such esteemed company, thanks, Oscar!
ReplyDeleteTHEY've taken my internet too, at least for this week, but it gives me time to make up seven believable lies :)
I love your seven facts. Dripping with irony and injustice but delivered with a wry smile.
ReplyDeleteWe can only wonder how you're grandparents felt when they lit their gas lamps and the trains whizzed past.
I used to rummage in a bottle dump when I was a kid. Did you get those blue ones with a marble stopper for a lid? I had a collection in our back garden but no idea what happened to them. Hey ho.
Thanks for this, Oscar - much appreciated! I like the relationship you have with your sons! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Claire, Wendus, and Nick.
ReplyDelete@claire: Don't know who THEY are in your case - The Borrowers, perhaps? :) Hope you get your Internet back soon (otherwise I'm talking to myself - again)
@wendus: In fact my grandparents had no gas supply either. Nothing but oil lamps and a kitchen range. I remember everything being very dark (soot-stained probably) but warm. I did have bottles with the 'marble' stopper, my elder son has an amazing collection to this day. They're called Codd bottles - from Hiram Codd, the inventor - and were designed to hold carbonated drinks rather than the usual flat beer or 'wallop', hence 'codswallop'.
@nick: You're very welcome, mate. Yes, my sons and I do get on well. They both followed me into the electrical trade (my old day job), much to my surprise and joy. They now run their own contracting business - together. :) There's a pic of us together outside our old premises in one of my FB albums, BTW.
Best to all.
It's done and up and embarrassing. Curses on you, man!
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding, Claire. What an interesting life you've had for one so young.
ReplyDeleteTa, too, for your lovely curse, which I have a feeling may yet rebound in the form of interest in your 'spot the porkie' comp. ;0)
Very best of luck with sales of your book.