The Liebster Award

A million thank you’s Brandon for nominating me for this award. To know you regard my blog worthy of consideration means a hell of a lot, and it also gives me a bit of affirmation that I’m not wasting my time with this writing lark.

Please go and explore Brandon’s website. He’s the definition of creativity. You’ll find artwork, cartoons, short stories, blog posts, bits about dinosaurs… the list is lengthy. He’s someone who really loves what he does, and it’s always a treat knowing people who pursue their passions with unwaivering enthusiasm. Thanks again, Brandon.

As part of the nomination, Brandon’s put five questions to me to answer with an honest heart. (Is there such a thing?) You’ll find the answers below. I’ve also nominated five people to receive the award too, as per the rules. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn these individuals have all received this award before. I also apologise in advance if any of those nominated have more than 200 followers. It’s hard to determine on WordPress with it including followers on other platforms. At the least, please accept it as a compliment.

For more information on this award, check out this site which sets out the score.

My answers

What motivates you to write or blog about your topics of choice?

Writing makes me happy. It gives me purpose. When I’m writing, whatever it may be, I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile with my time.

After finishing The Riftwar Saga the desire to pen my own epic story sparked within me. Once the right idea for a story came, I’ve never stopped to consider whether I should be doing something else with my life. Of course, in times of doubt I ask the question, but I’ve never stopped.

I write fantasy because I love the escapism, the endless possibilities, and I also enjoy the challenge. Fantasy writers, in my not at all biased opinion, have it harder than writers of say thrillers. They have to create an entire world from scratch, building layer upon layer of detail to anchor the reader in a new realm. The genre doesn’t deserve the scorn it gets from some. If anything, fantasy stories are what we humans like most of all. What’s the top selling book of all time again?

What experiences or upbringing influenced your view of the world (e.g. political ideology, religious beliefs or lack thereof, other opinions, etc.)?

I come from and live in a pretty poor part of Liverpool. For those unfamiliar with the place, it was once a thriving industrial town with a port famous the world over. But industry died and a cloud of poverty consumed the city. In the past decade it’s seen a revival with funding from the European Union, and now it’s become a hub for culture and innovation.

I do not intend to write from the perspectives of the worse off, the underdog, but my stories tend to go that way.

How has your view of the world changed over the last decade?

You could say I’ve become a little cynical, but I’d say I’ve just become more aware of the realities. Still, I remain an optimist. I cling to the hope that the disasters and injustices occurring around the world on a daily basis can be reversed and righted.

What would you say your favorite movie, book, game, or entertainment of any other medium would be?

I love books and I love computer games. I enjoy films, but they’re too much of a time commitment for me, and I’ve seen too many shit ones to take a chance. The same goes for TV shows. Anything longer than say 40-50 minutes is eating up too much of my time.   Anyway, computer games. This is how I unwind. A couple hours of shooting alien bastards on Destiny usually sorts me out.

What do you consider to be best in life?

A tricky one to answer. Smoking.

My Nominees

JM Williams

George L Thomas

Owls Reads

Alice Gristle

Jason H Abbott

My Questions

1. Desert Island: You can pick 3 books to read on your desert island. What would you pick and why?
2. Come Dine With Me: Which three characters from novels/stories would you choose to spend a night of dining with?
3. What advice would you give to any new blogger?
4. Where’s your favourite place to write?
5. An easy, or maybe a hard one to end with. Describe your current work in progress in three words.

Rules for nominees

• Write about the nomination on your blog, thank whomever nominated you, and write about their blog too.
• Display the image of the award on your blog post.
• Answer the questions the nominator asks you.
• Nominate 5-10 blogs you think deserve the award, or at least some recognition.
• Let the nominees know about their nomination.

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richiebilling

Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft.

Most nights you can find him up into the wee hours scribbling away or watching the NBA.

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