Oh my word, my blog has been nominated for a second award! The delightful and hugely talented Kristina Pui has nominated Jumping From Cliffs for the Beautiful Blogger Award. “At last,” I thought, “someone who recognises that Clooney and I were separated at birth.” Then I realised it’s the blog which is regarded as beautiful, but that in no way lessened my joy and gratitude (not too much anyway.) I know many people are skeptical about awards, but I believe they’re a valuable means of showing appreciation to people who add something to your day and I truly appreciate it.

Now I have to nominate 5 other bloggers (easy) and tell you 5 beautiful/interesting things about myself (not so easy). I’ll give you my 5 fave bloggers first and then, down the bottom there, try and scrape together 5 facts that those with far too much time on their hands may find vaguely interesting/entertaining.

If I had to rank these ladies and gents in order of preference, they’d all be at Number One, but blog layout and physics won’t permit that, so here, in no particular order, are the Top 5:

Reader, I Wrote a Novel
This is my ‘must-read’ blog; a new post from the fabulous Holly Robinson always stops me in my tracks. Dry, self-deprecating humour from an extremely talented writer attempting to pen a novel in a year, whilst simultaneously having a life. Constantly entertaining, inspiring and wonderful. Get yourselves over there now for a peek. Thank you.

The Illustrious Peacock
The Illustrious Peacock has the self-styled mission of “bringing a touch of beautiful into everyday life.” And boy oh boy, does she succeed! Outstanding photography and high-concept design from an extraordinarily creative mind. This blog will brighten your day every time.

Catherine, Caffeinated
Living, breathing proof that you can get your work published. Catherine shares her insights, advice and expertise in a non-lecturing, massively readable style. And she knows exactly what she’s talking about. An invaluable stopping-off point (prepare to be stopped there for some time.)

Andrew Toynbee’s Very Own Blog
I’m nominating Andrew because he’s another writer who squeezes writing in during the spare moments inbetween the general madness of a hectic life. I think of these as “moments of beauty” in my day and I admire the way Andrew manages to find so many of them and keep focused.

K. J. Colt
Kylie Colt has a “restlessness in her heart” that drives her to write and I for one understand precisely how that feels. Short posts that crackle with energy and get straight to the point, re-affirming that you’re not the only aspiring scribe who sometimes struggles. More power to your pen K.J.

Now to the bit I’ve been dreading. I don’t write about me because I don’t like writing about me. I write about how I write and what I’ve learned and what inspires me. Anyone who’s interested in what I had for breakfast proooooobably isn’t someone I’d want to be following my blog… Anyhow, in deference to the nomination, here goes.

Thing 1: In previous phases of my life, I have been a juggler, a guitarist, a showjumper, a cross-country rider, an actor and a linguist. I still am some of these things, but haven’t been any of them professionally. The one thing I’ve always been in addition to all of these is a writer – even when I’ve not been practicing the craft. It is what I genuinely feel I was made to do and that I believe one day, somehow, I will do for a living. If not, I will retire to a hillside cottage in Sicily and live off the land whilst writing for fun. Truth.

Thing 2: I am Spiderman. As a kid, I was a humungous Spiderman fan. A couple of years ago, at the age of far-too-mature-to-be-reading-comics, I re-discovered the joy of the webslinger. Now, when faced with a challenge I don’t think I’m up to, or something I really dread doing, I remind myself that I’m Spiderman, knuckle down and get on with it. I’m nowhere near as geeky as that makes me sound.

Thing 3: I love rugby, cats and The Clash. And pirates. You have to love pirates.

Thing 4: Since my Dad developed Alzheimer’s a couple of years ago, I’ve vowed never to put off anything I want to do until ‘one day.’ All-too-often, one day never comes.

Thing 5: My novel (which I’m increasingly considering re-naming Jumping From Cliffs, instead of Dark Energies) is based on the true story of how I met my fiancée. Truth may not be stranger than fiction but it comes in a pretty close second.

So there you have it, 5 things about me. I’m chuffed to bits by the nomination and look forward to posting further writerly musings as soon as life returns to anything mildly approaching normal.