Oh hell, I'm going to have to explain this... Great opening question...
My friend made this for me and I have it set as my laptop background. I know, it is weird to have danisnotonfire as my background, and believe me when I say I know just how weird it is. What is weirder, and something I cannot explain, is that it works. It really does motivate me, and I want to know why; it worries me that it does motivate me, and just how much it does. Thanks for knowing what it is on my laptop screen, you weird stalker. I will be changing it though, to something that doesn't make me feel like a stalker-fangirl hybrid.
In answer to your question, no, I don't, because that would be too weird for my liking. I'm writing about brutal murders, obsession, insanity, and thinking about YouTubers that I like is just a bit too weird. In fact, thinking about any living human being when writing that is just too weird. Despite what you may think, I do have a limit to how weird my mind gets before I want to walk away from it.
2. How much time do you spend writing each day?
Not as long as I would like to, if I'm honest. Sometimes it is just a few minutes, other days it can be upwards of six hours. I like to aim for a minimum of a sentence every day, but sometimes my muse likes to give me a million ideas that all need to be written right this very moment. Those days are interesting.
3. What made you want to become a writer?
I haven't become a writer at any stage of my life. I have always written stories and poems, and it is just something I do. At no point have I said "I'm going to be a writer!" because I was born a writer. Literature is my passion. When bored, some people will doodle; I write poetry.
4. What do you think about yourself as a writer? Do you think that you're pretty good or ah-maz-ing?
Neither. I think that some of my work has been written by a stereotypical fourteen year old, stroppy little arse... and that is probably because it was. I have my babies, like Daughter of Death and Cherry which can both be found in Rose on Fire but in all honesty, I don't think much of myself as a writer. I'm not that good. I have a few pieces, or a few sentences and I'll think "Yeah, not bad" but I'm really not that good. I still get moments when I wonder just how I got Rose on Fire to be a best selling poetry book. It just does not make sense; I'm not good enough for that to happen.
5. What are five facts about yourself?
1. I fangirl a lot more than I would ever admit to; TV shows include Doctor Who, Sherlock, and several others.
2. I love making things - crochet, knooking, jewellery, embroidery - and I want to make more things.
3. I got on a bus that was going in the wrong direction. After realising this, I stayed on the bus for a few more stops before getting off. This has happened more times than I would ever care to count.
4. I'm learning German again just because I can. I was good at it in school, but I want to get better at it.
5. I like reading books that have caused controversy just to find out if they are actually controversial - think books by the Marquis de Sade - and half of the time I have no idea where the controversy came from.
6. What is your favourite type of pie?
I'm not a lover of pie, but I adore chocolate torte. I'm going to have to say that.
7. Do you want a hug?
I love hugs, but I have no idea who you are. I'll say yes I would love a hug, but please give me warning before you hug me. I fall over easily.
8. Are you going to write something special for New Years Day?
Probably not, because I have so much university work to do. I'm sorry I answered this two weeks after NYD as well, but I had things to do... like new Senate of Blood chapters.
9. What type of music do you listen to when you write/think of what to write?
I tend to have music on constantly anyway. I posted in my last Q&A what music I like, and it is that basically. I will sometimes have a YouTube playlist on in the background instead of actual music on my laptop if I'm really struggling for ideas. I mainly like rock and metal, but I love musicals and 1930s-1950s. Senate of Blood had the Andrews Sisters, Marilyn Manson, and Green Day as its main background noise; I think that mixture helped with the insanity.
10. What's the hardest thing for you to write about?
Love and romance are always difficult. I can write endlessly about the dark side of human nature, but when it comes to love and romance I just can't seem to write anything original. Everything I write in that genre is already written, and it feels so clichéd. I still write it though because that is what my muse tells me to write. Even when I'm trying to tell someone what I feel, I always think that it isn't quite right.
This is another that needs explaining. My lovely admin Jen entertains me at strange hours with the autocorrect on her phone. My name autocorrects to LeBlanc Rose Thornton-Windows.
No, I will not be changing my name to LeBlanc, and I have a nagging feeling I'm going to regret this post in a few years from now.
12. Have you got another list ready?
I gather the questions together as I receive them, but I don't answer them until the night before the blog post goes live. I then edit and make sure I won't make too much of an idiot out of myself, then publish.
13. What would you do at midnight if you didn't play with my [Jen's] phone?
I probably would get a lot more work done.
Actually, I'd be procrastinating! I read around that time, or avoid university work. From about 1am I start to wind down by watching Netflix (currently watching Californication if anyone is interested) then a quick check of YouTube at about 2.30am then sleep. I still do all that even when I'm having a conversation with someone. If I'm still working on something by 3am it means I am too busy to breathe.
14. Do penguins have knees?
A look on Google tells me that yes, penguins do indeed have knees. I really do answer everything.
Wasn't that fun? My ask box is open for more questions for the next Ask Ellana, so you can start getting them in whenever you want. When I have a few, I'll do another blog. You really can ask me anything, and I really do answer every single question I get.
See you next week!
E
Books I've read this week...
Only a short list, I'm afraid, I had a university assignment to work on... oh, and a Rose in Ice story to write.
Wildfire Steampunk Megapack by various authors
I did also read a bit of A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, but it wasn't cover to cover.