Get to Know Me Uncomfortably Well #Blogger

Okay peeps, I’m going to be painfully honest here. I won’t be working on the third book in the Death by Cupcake series for a while. In fact, I won’t be writing at all for at least a month. Except for blogs. (Please note: I reserve the right as a woman to change my mind as just writing this has caused me to have a minor panic attack.) Let me explain. I am – finally – leaving Istanbul and heading to my new home in The Hague on August 1^st. Did I mention finally?

But surely I can write in the meantime? Um, no, not I. When I write a novel, I like to dig in. I try to write every day and bang out at least a chapter a day. I don’t know how writers who have a million other obligations manage to get any writing done. If I skip just one day, I usually spend the following writing day re-reading everything I’ve already written and trying to find my groove again. To save myself from sorrow and extreme frustration, I’ve decided to spend the month of July working on marketing, networking, book reviewing, and blogging. That’s when I’m not trying to get all the administrative junk that comes with an international move out of the way. Let’s not even talk about the fact that I have to buy all new furniture, a car, etc. and figure out how to have my books shipped to be in The Hague.

While concentrating on the ‘networking’ portion of my duties this morning, I ran across this fun post prompt – Get To Know Me Uncomfortably Well. This sounds like all kinds of fun and not too taxing for my over-stressed mind (although I’ll be skipping any questions about age). So here we go:

1. What is your middle name?

Elaine. It’s my mother’s middle name as well. My first name – Dena – is the female version of my dad’s middle name – Dean.

2. Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have a dog named Hunter who is a bit of a wimp, which is totally embarrassing when walking him. We love him anyway.

3. Where are you from?

Technically, I was born and raised in Southern Wisconsin, but if anyone asks the question in person, I normally lie and say Holland. Not that I’m embarrassed about where I was born or anything, I did spend five years in the U.S. Army defending the country after all, it’s just that I feel more ‘European’ than American at this stage of my life.

4. How tall are you?

5’6” which is totally normal in the U.S. but short in Holland. I spend half my time in Holland rubbing my sore neck from having to look up at everyone.

5. Have you ever gotten into trouble with the law?

Of course. Have you really lived if you haven’t spent the night in jail?

6. What color socks are you wearing?

It’s summer in Istanbul, Turkey and that means it’s way too hot for socks – or shoes for that matter. I’ve got one of my three pairs of Birkenstocks on. Yes, three.

7. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

Nope. But this one’s on my bucket list.

8. Have you ever fired a gun?

You betcha. It’s kind of hard to be in the army and be a military police officer without firing a weapon. I’ve fired pretty much everything the military hit me with from machine guns to shotguns to every type of pistol the army would let me try.

9. Have you ever tried archery?

Yep. Total. Disaster. I’d love to try again but, considering how bad a shot I am when firing a weapon, I’m unsure if this is a good idea.

10. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

I’m not really sure, but I can tell you this. I’m deathly afraid of snakes. I can’t even see them on television without freaking out. When I was on exercise in the army, I was so freaking tired that I laid my cheek on the butt of my weapon and totally zoned out. At some point, a snake slithered over me and I didn’t even bat an eyelash. Yeah, I was that tired.

11. What is your personality type?

Is loud mouth at personality type?

12. How long does it take for you to get ready?

I’m a throw-my-hair-in-a-bun and brush my teeth kind of person. So no, it doesn’t take me long to get ready. That’s army training for you, baby.

13. Do you talk to yourself?

Doesn’t everyone?

14. Do you sing to yourself?

Again, doesn’t everyone?

15. Do you like long or short hair?

Short hair doesn’t work with a bun or ponytail. I’d probably have to actually brush my hair and style it if I had short hair.

16. Have you ever been scuba diving?

Nope. I’d love to, but I have claustrophobia. In fact, in the army we have to a protective mask (that’s gas mask for you civilians) and train with it at least twice a year. I totally and completely freaked out the first time I put that thing on. After that, I deliberately got a mask a size too big for me so that it wouldn’t seal. Scuba diving is not a possibility for me. I stick to snorkeling, which I can just handle. I may have a bit of panic attack the first time I put the nose guard on.

17. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

Yes, but I’m trying really, really hard to fix this as people apparently think you’re a bitch if you correct their grammar and other factual mistakes. Who knew?

18. Have you ever drank underage?

*Rolls eyes* Of course. But I also spent my senior year of high school in Germany where being a 17-year-old was not underage. Yes!

19. How many piercings do you have?

None. I have allergies and my ear piercings – which were done decades ago – still won’t close and sometimes still get infected even though I don’t wear earrings.