I’ve been tagged by Emily over at Lefty in My Write Mind to fill this out. And of course, I can’t pass up the opportunity to do a meme!
Seven Degrees of Separation
- I’ve been a storyteller since before I could write. My mom used to transcribe stories for me that I would dictate for her and I would illustrate it (I still have my first one in a folder: The Story of the Tulip, written at age 4 :P). I wrote a whole bunch of stories when I was young–even had one that I did a “book on tape” version for (though sadly, the tape is lost).
- Along the same lines as #1, I wrote my first “novel” between ten and eleven. It ended up being nearly 180 pages (90 sheets of paper, front and back). I wrote the bulk of it by hand, in pencil. It’s nearly impossible to read now because the pencil is starting to fade, and at 12 I attempted to do some edits, which make it a bit difficult to read.
- I can remember the very moment when I wanted to be a historical fiction writer. I was reading an American Girl book, “Meet Kirsten” and was so intrigued by the story and the history that I knew I had to write something like that. That’s one of the main reasons I started writing the first novel mentioned back in #2. And I’m still a historical fiction writer 🙂
- I am deathly afraid of the water. I refuse to go deeper than my waist, unless there is something or someone to hold on to (even then, I have a hard time maintaining my calm). I had a traumatic experience with nearly drowning at a friend’s pool party back in third grade. No one saw me struggle and somehow I managed to get to the edge of the pool and pull myself out, sputtering and coughing up water. The “lifeguard” didn’t even look up from her magazine. In high school, everyone had to take a mandatory course of swimming. I purporsely didn’t “pass” on to the deep end of the pool because I was too terrified.
- I am a chocolate addict. Not exaggerating here 😛 I literally have to have some form of chocolate every day; if I don’t, I begin having cravings for it. I try to always keep some form of chocolate in the house, whether it’s hot chocolate or the little Hershey Bliss candies.
- I have a really high metabolism and have a hard time gaining weight. Yes, I know that makes me the envy of many women, but there are times I wish I could add another ten pounds so I can actually find clothes not in the junior’s section (seriously, it is incredibly difficult to find a 3-4 in women’s, at least where I go). Perhaps all this will change after I have kids and then I’ll actually be normal 😛
- I have been blessed with an amazing family–by blood and by marriage. I have supportive parents; a younger sister who’s one of my best friends (next to my husband, of course) and my in-laws couldn’t be any better 🙂
There you go! Now I tag the following six blogs (I couldn’t decide on only five :P):
Anna Scott Graham at her blog
Jessica Nelson at BookingIt
Cassie Hart at In Sunlight and Shade
Lynda Schab at On the Write Track
Patti Nielson at her blog
Courtney Vail at ~Creative Burst~
Tales from the Writing Front 
Comments on: "Meme: Seven Degrees of Separation" (5)
Ooh, thanks for tagging me! I’m so sorry to hear about your fear of the deep end. 😦
Otherwise it sounds like we’re a lot alike. I also eat some form of chocolate everyday. I tried to stop. Only made it 24 hours. I just love it. And, like you, I have a fast metabolism. So I’ve been a little skinny my whole life, though when I’m on birth control I tend to go up a size, which actually makes me feel better ’cause I don’t feel so gangly (I’m 5’10).
And I also wrote a book with pencil that is starting to fade. LOL
Your #1 is so cute! What a great mom you have. 🙂
ta love! wrote it up this AM… my procrastinating… 🙂
oh, yeah, I’d love your metabolism… but I imagine it’s probably is a pain for you… one of those grass is always greener things…
my youngest girl has developed a fear of water after being caught in a current last summer in NC. it’s a hard thing to sort…
yeah for families! they are a blessing… 🙂
Hey Dara,
I also wrote my first novel around that age. A total ripoff of Little Women.
Afraid of water? Raises hand. I love the ocean, but won’t go in too far. And I must be able to keep my feet on on the bottom.
You should post that story you wrote when you were four. I’m sure it’s really adorable. 🙂
I also love chocolate
I hate water
I have the best family ever
And have written stories for as long as I can remember.
We have quite a bit in common, well except the whole high metabolism and size 3 thing but I won’t hold that against you.
That is too sweet, the story you wrote at age four. And your mom is wonderful, too.
As you and Tasha know from my Meme, I wrote my first novel around that age, too. : )
Water, the ocean, I stay on the edge. I freak out around leeches (lakes) and when it comes to the ocean, I’m not afraid of the water, but what’s IN the water, especially sharks.
I, too, am a chocoholic, : ) and I, too, won’t hold the size three thing against you, lol.
Great Meme, I had fun reading it.
Em