Let’s Play A Game

April 6, 2012 by Marcy Kennedy • Marcy's Blog • Tags: Amazons, Coleen Patrick, Debra Kristi, Emma Burcart, Karen Rought, Marcy Kennedy, Scythians • 24 Comments

I’ve been tagged in two fun games, so I decided to smush them together into one post.

The first is called Eleven Questions, where you get to know weird facts about your friendly neighborhood writer.

The Rules:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions, then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3.  Tag eleven people and link to them.

Since I was tagged by both Coleen Patrick and Karen Rought, and 22 questions is too many, I’m going to take some questions from each.

1. What 3 books would you take with you into your zombie apocalypse/alien invasion bunker?

Only three is cruel, just cruel. I’d have to take the Bible, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The first is to help keep my moral compass on track and to not lose hope while zombies are eating brains out there, the second is to remind me of the usefulness of creativity and teamwork if the zombies find us, and the third is just because I love Jane Austen’s subtle humor and I’m sure I’ll need a laugh and a look back at a zombie-free time.

2. What was your first job?

I worked at a riding stable, mucking stalls and exercising the horses. It’s not nearly as glamorous as it sounds in books.

3. If you were stuck on a deserted island, name three objects and three people you would want with you.

The items are pretty easy to choose. I’d want a solar-powered Star Trek replicator, a fully stocked Kindle with a solar-powered battery and internet access, and a homing beacon that transmits “This Is the Song that Doesn’t End” in the houses of the five most powerful people in the world until one of them rescues us.

For people, I’d obviously want my husband. I’d also take my friend Meighan because she likes camping, we can talk for hours, and she and Chris get along well. For my final person, even though I have a lot of other loved ones I could take with me, I’d like to have Survivorman Les Stroud just in case my brilliant plan of the replicator and homing beacon fails.

4. If you could be any animal, what would you be?

My cats have a pretty good life—eat when they want, play when they want, sleep when they want. They have someone to clean up after them and cuddle them. I don’t think it’d be a bad life to be a cat in my house.

5. If you could get on a plane right now to a foreign country, where would you go (all expenses paid)?

Italy. I went once when I was 19, but I didn’t get to see the Blue Grotto, Tivoli, or the catacombs in Rome, so I’ve always wanted to go back. And yes, I do know it’s a touch morbid that one of the places I’m dying to see (no pun intended–okay, maybe a little) is basically an underground cemetery.

6. If you decided not to be a writer, what would your other dream job be?

I’ve always thought it would be fun to be a zookeeper, but I’m not sure I’d like it as much the first time one of the baby animals died or had to be moved to a new zoo.

7. What song is stuck in your head right now?

“King of Anything” by Sara Bareilles

8. What is one talent that you’re hopeless at, but you wish you had?

I’d love to be able to paint with oils. Or create glass mosaics. And juggle. Not all at the same time.

9. If you could go back in time for one day, what time would you revisit and why?

I’d like to go back to my wedding day so I could enjoy it a little more. We had amazing food that I barely got to eat, and by the time we did the cake cutting and first dance, I was asleep on my feet. Plus, I’ll never get to wear a dress like that again in my life.

10. What is one trait or physical characteristic that you are proud of/love about yourself?

I really like that I have green eyes, which is strange because when I was a kid, I desperately wanted blue eyes.

11. What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done in your life?

I did a high ropes course (going close to 66 feet above the ground) outside of Brisbane, Australia, and I’m absolutely petrified of heights.

I was also tagged in the Lucky 7 Meme by Debra Kristi, Emma Burcart, Nova Lovette, and Melinda Collins. Even though I normally have a policy against posting unpublished work online, this game seems like a lot of fun so I’m going to play along 🙂

The Rules:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag 7 authors.

My co-writer already posted a snippet from page 77 at Girls With Pens, so I’m posting from page 7. Each year the Amazons and Scythians meet for the sole purpose of producing warrior offspring (an ancient version of a one night stand except that they actually want to get pregnant). The Amazons keep any girls, and they’re supposed to return any boys to the Scythes, but they claim no boys have been born in years. Kaduis, heir to the Scythian King Over All, has been commanded by his father the attend the Rites…

“Forgive me, my lord,” Jadon said, “but I do not understand why this causes you such unrest. Surely the Amazons will not kill your child if they know they risk war with Scythia.” 

“The Amazons love war as much as Scythia, but their numbers are few now. They will not risk war.” Kaduis tipped up his cup and drank. “But what would your Adonai say of our Amazon Rites?”

“Adonai forbids sexual relations outside of marriage.” Jadon’s words were quiet yet firm.

“I believe your god is the Most High God, more powerful than all others. I believe that your god can preserve my people, and yet my father commands me to defy your god’s laws. Do you understand my dilemma now?”

So I get to tag others who might like to play. Your choice whether to play both games, one, or neither. (If I haven’t tagged you but you want to play, consider yourself tagged and I’ll stop by to check out your answers/snippet if you link to me so I know.)

Rebecca Enzor

Jess Witkins

Lena Corazon

Liz Schulte

Reeta Raitanen

Samantha Warren

Jennette Marie Powell

Jennifer Jensen

Here are your questions:

1. If you could have one magical power, what would it be?

2. You have to give up one of your five senses. Which one would you choose and why?

3. What’s your super-secret Hunger Games survival skill?

4. If it wasn’t illegal and/or cruel, what exotic, wild animal would you want as a pet? (If Lena answers these, I bet she chooses sloths. You should see the adorable videos on her site.)

5. You’re given a chance to co-write a book with any author (living or dead). Who do you choose and why?

6. An asteroid is barreling toward the earth. There’s nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it, and it’s large enough that it will pulverize the planet so that no one survives. It strikes tomorrow. How do you spend your final day?

7. We all have one way that we’re terrified of dying. My husband is afraid of drowning, and I’m afraid of being burned alive. What’s yours?

8. You can only have one dessert (including candy and all salty snacks) for the rest of your life. What’s the one you have to have?

9. If you could bring one fiction character to life, who would you want to meet?

10. Favorite kind of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

11. And because I loved this question–what are the three things and three people you’d want stranded on the deserted island with you?

(Is it weird I want to answer my own questions?)