Sunny Days are Here Again

Big thanks to Deborah Bussewitz over at Show...Not Tell, who nominated Live Your Poem for a Sunshine Award! It totally made my day, especially as I learned about a billion things Deb and I have in common... including opinions about sunny blogs! Her nominees are ones I would also like to acknowledge today. And I have some nominees of my own! 
Here are the rules:Acknowledge the nominating bloggersShare 11 random facts about yourselfAnswer the 11 questions the nominating blogger creates for youList 11 bloggersPost 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they've been nominated.  (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.)11 Random Facts:I love to rearrange furniture. It's really important to me to have a clean floor. I'm double-jointed. And left-handed. A middle child.Love rainy days. Love to walk in my neighborhood in the early mornings (except when it's super-cold). I go on a yearly scrapbooking weekend with the women in my family. I'm getting good at foosball. I'm working on being less judgmental.
11 Questions from Deb:1.  What is something that has changed you for the better?Writing books that scare me.2.  What makes you smile?Letters from students! Here's one I got recently:
Dear Mrs. Latham, I would like to see Phil and Hugo meet again. And maybe Whit can get a new brother! Maybe the sequel could be about Whit's like in Middle School. From Robert3.  What food is unique to the city you now live? Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe! Of course any good southern cook has a recipe for these up her sleeve... I love the sour flavor of green tomatoes so like only a light batter, so I coat mine with Aunt Jemima's corn meal mix mixed with grated parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Mmmmm....4.  What book has had an impact on your life?The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. When I read this book, I knew I wanted to write middle grade fiction.5.  Who is your hero/heroine?My father, a 5 year cancer survivor.6.  Fire or water? Water. My new book very well could have been called The Ocean Between Us... lots of water images and themes! 7.  Do you have a secret that you can share?Secrets and secret-keeping happens to be the theme of my wip! 8.  What are you reading currently?Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I loveloveloved Eleanor & Park, and am really enjoying this one as well.9.  How did you KNOW you were a writer?Each time something in my writing life beats me to a pulp, and I still get up the next day to get after it again, I know I'm a writer.10.  How did your home of origin shape you?The fact that we moved so often that there is no one "home" I use to answer this question is very much a shaping factor in my life... I have a restless, vagabond spirit, and adore traveling.... yet I also adore my home (where we've lived for 16 years) and love coming home best of all.11.  What is your fantasy vacation?This moment I've got the Mediterranean on my mind...
Bloggers I'd like to beam with skies and skies of sunshine:
Pat at Writer on a HorseDoraine at Dori ReadsJanet at Through the WardrobeCaroline at Caroline by lineMiranda at Miranda PaulVicky at History with a TwistSheri at  Sheri DoyleSylvia at Poetry for ChildrenLinda at Write TimeTerry at Terry Lynn JohnsonRuth at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
11 Questions:
Favorite food to bring to a potluck event?
What do you do to relieve stress?
Favorite quote?
What is the story behind your name?
Chore you abhor?
Cinderella or Snow White?
Do you plan blog posts ahead of time, or real-time posts only?
Other social media you enjoy?
Introverted or extroverted?
Title of the last book you gave as a gift?
Happiness is..... (you fill in the blank!)

Thank you, again, Deb, for including me!