Liebster Award - Part Trois

I'm humbled that any of my stories were nominated at all, so to find out someone else nominated Listening for this is just. . .Wow! Thank you all so much who have nominated this story and also to anyone that reads this or any of my stories!  This particular nomination came from hellohannah who currently writes Dustland Farytale and has a completed story called Doors (which was one of the first sim stories I was addicted to.) I highly recommend both (obviously since I nominated both for this same award.) :) ! Thank you hellohannah!

The Liebster Award is a way of bloggers supporting other bloggers. The rules for receiving this award are to:

• Post the award on your blog.
• Thank the blogger who presented the award and link back to their blog.
• Nominate 5-11 bloggers whom you feel deserve this award and have fewer than or equal to 3,000 followers.
• Answer 11 questions posted by the nominator, and ask your nominees 11 questions. 

Nominations: These are the stories I originally nominated. I'm sharing them again since I love all of them! I've already asked them questions so I won't be posing additional ones.

blythelyre for The Torres Legacy
MrsOogieBoogie for The Insane Dubois Legacy
LateKnightSimmer for Echoes of Eternity
Marsar for A Pair of Brown Eyes
hellohannah for Dustland Fairytale and Doors
lilyparkersims for Jill's 100 Baby Challenge
RebornMonster for Life is an Odyssey
itsjulie for Through Colour Blind Eyes
lovesstorms for Ramsey Wishacy


hellohannah's Questions
1: Can you remember the first story/legacy you ever wrote for The Sims? (Published or unpublished, it doesn’t matter) What was it about?
It's actually this one. Listening to My Heart is the first thing I've ever written for The Sims. I picked a legacy since that's how I play The Sims; I create a family and then play many generations. So for me, it just made sense to pick a story format that fit with how I play.

2: You are locked in a room with one of your characters for 24 hours. Who is it and how do you pass the time?
Just one. . .? Well, Trev would want me to pick him. . .Lol! I think I would pick Steph, though. She would be a fun person to get stuck in a room with. We would talk about running and food, fix each others hair, maybe do each others nails. Dang! Why can't characters be real? I'd love to do that with her!

3: Some words we love the sound of and others make us cringe. What are some of your favourite and least favourite words?
I love to say awesome. I don't know why. Lol! It's my go to word. I also like the word wunderbar (German for wonderful). And I love to say Dude! especially to my son.  Words that I can't stand are any that are disrespectful to others and are meant to hurt people. Unfortunately, too many to list.


4: Did you start playing The Sims when it first came out or was your first game on Sims 2 or 3? (or 4!)
 I've played it since the beginning and have loved every minute of it and have probably spent a small fortune on them. :D

5: Who is the last Sim that you created? Did you just make them for fun or are they a part of your story?
Coach Nick Haines. He's Pamela's Dad in Trev's story; a very important character who I've grown pretty fond of. 

6: Who is your favourite published author and what is your favourite book?
 Oh Lord! Hard question. . .(can you smell the smoke as I try to think). . .Honestly, right now, and this is so cliche, but it's Jane Austen. I only read Pride and Prejudice in the last year and a half (I don't know why it took me so long) and ever since then I can't stop reading her books and also sequels that other authors have written based on her books.

7: How do you feel about criticism? Would you rather people kept honest opinions about your writing to themselves & avoid feeling hurt, or for them to be brutally honest with you about what can be improved?
I am one of those people that believes in telling the truth, but in a nice way. I love when readers ask questions when something doesn't make sense. It provides a way for me to look at how I wrote something and then figure out how I can write it better the next time. So I do appreciate it when readers engage in a discussion about elements of a story, but like anyone else, it's nice to hear that the story is appreciated.


8: Are any of your characters similar to you? Which ones? In what way?
Of all the characters that I write, the one that is most like myself is Star, and she is the hardest for me to write for. She's very much an introvert, likes her privacy, stands off to the sides and doesn't like to be the center of attention, which is why it's hard to write for her. At the same time, she is very passionate about those she loves and will step out of her comfort zone if it means that they benefit from her doing so. 

9: If you had to be on a reality TV show, which would you choose to be on?
I don't watch reality shows. I know, I'm strange, but I watch very little TV. There's only 2 shows that I can't live without and it's Castle and Once Upon a Time. I will cry when both of them end. But if I was on Castle, I'd want to be the killer and have Nathan Fillion run after me, tackle, and then cuff me. I'm serious. . .can someone make that happen? If I was on Once Upon a Time, I'd want to be part of some plot line where Captain Hook falls madly in love with me and I sail away with him on the Jolly Roger. Again, if anyone reading this could make that happen, I would greatly appreciate it. :)

10: Think of a couple in your story, if they had never met, are there other characters that you think they would have ended up dating instead?
I think Amanda might have ended up with Johnny if Chuck hadn't been in the picture. Bridge. . .I just can't picture her without Carson. And George had given up on love until he met Steph so I can't really picture him with anyone else either. Maybe it's harder with the later generations since their partner has been an integral part of their stories since the beginning.

11: What’s the hardest/most uncomfortable thing you’ve ever had to write?
Honestly, it's sex scenes because I feel like I'm witnessing something that is, for the most part, a private act. And while the subject isn't embarrassing for me, I wouldn't personally sit in a room and take detailed notes about others engaging in such activities. And that's what it feels like for me since the characters are very real to me. So I have to go into a zone and just write what happens. But like all writing challenges, it gets easier each time so the most recent scene that I wrote between Jeff and Star (spoiler alert if you haven't reached that point in their story), was much easier than Bridge and Carson's, which was the first one I wrote.

Liebster Award - Part Deux

Listening to My Heart was nominated again for this award by two other bloggers, itsjulie who writes Through Colour Blind Eyes and by Daijah V who writes Beauty as well as many other stories. Thank you both so much for the nominations! 

The Liebster Award is a way of bloggers supporting other bloggers. The rules for receiving this award are to:

• Post the award on your blog.
• Thank the blogger who presented the award and link back to their blog.
• Nominate 5-11 bloggers whom you feel deserve this award and have fewer than or equal to 3,000 followers.
• Answer 11 questions posted by the nominator, and ask your nominees 11 questions. 

Nominations: (Since it's been less than 24 hours since I nominated these stories and I really like them, I'm giving them another shout out but with no questions to answer.)

blythelyre for The Torres Legacy
MrsOogieBoogie for The Insane Dubois Legacy
LateKnightSimmer for Echoes of Eternity
Marsar for A Pair of Brown Eyes
hellohannah for Dustland Fairytale and Doors
lilyparkersims for Jill's 100 Baby Challenge
RebornMonster for Life is an Odyssey
itsjulie for Through Colour Blind Eyes
lovesstorms for Ramsey Wishacy



itsjulie's Questions:
 1.  If you were stranded on a desert island with one of the sim characters from your story - which one would you like it to be?
Oh wow. . .ummmm. . .who am I kidding! It would have to be Trev. Nice to look at, great sense of humor. . .Sign me up!!! Lol!

2.  How long have you been playing the sims for and what got you started?
I've been playing the Sims since the first year the first game came out. So for a long time. I can't even remember what got me started playing but I was hooked pretty quickly. I've never played any game as long as it and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Well worth the bazillion dollars spent on base games, expansion and stuff packs. :)

3.  What other hobbies do you have outside of simming, blogging and writing.
I crosstitch and sing not as much as I used to but I still enjoy doing both.

4.  What is your favourite sim trait and why?
Athletic, only because it allows me the chance to watch Trev and others flex their muscles. (I really have no shame when it comes to Trev.)

5.  Do you think there is an age limit to when you should be playing sims, or an age when it is not acceptable anymore?
I think the rating EA gives the game is good. I figure there's a reason for it. However, I don't think there's an age where it is unacceptable to play anymore. If I'm still playing at 50 or 60, so be it. :)

6.  Where do you get the inspiration from for your writing?
From reading other Sims stories and just reading in general. I've been on a massive Jane Austen kick for the last six months so if you see anything that looks like a nod to her works, it's probably not a coincidence.

7.  What do you love most about the Sims game.  What keeps you playing it?
I think it's the fact that the story is always different. Since the Sims can have any combination of traits and careers, it keeps it interesting. Plus, it's kind of fun to tell a Sim what to do and where to go. 

8.  How seriously do you take your writing?  Is it just for fun or would you like to make a living out of it one day?
I don't think I'm anywhere close to being talented enough to make a living out of writing; but if I was, I'd do it. I do try to make a conscious effort to improve on my writing and I'm a perfectionist so I won't publish something unless I'm happy with it. So in that respect, I take my writing seriously.

9.  Which are your favourite world, expansion pack and premade sim?
Favorite world would have to be Appaloosa. Favorite expansion pack would be Seasons. Favorite premade sim is hands down Carson Davila.

10.  Five sim traits that describe you.
Family Oriented, Friendly, Hopeless Romantic, Perfectionist, Virtuoso

11.  Tell me a random fact about yourself.
I have almost no sense of smell. Always been that way and I have no idea why, but it comes in handy when there are things that aren't worth smelling. :)


DaijahV's Questions: 
1. When did you start writing?
I have no idea, I remember writing a story in third grade and my teacher asked me to share it with the class. I think that's when the writing bug first bit me. But I honestly can't think back to a time when I didn't write something.

2. Are any of your characters or situations based on real people or events?

Yes. . .lol! Hmm, well, Amanda, Carson, and Star are all based loosely on real people. And Amanda moving to the country from the city is based on some of my own experiences (like the way people treated her like an outsider). 

3. What inspires you to write?

Other writers inspire me to write. Reading great stories and sharing in the experiences of the characters from those stories inspires me to want to share my own character's experiences.

4. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Trev. He's my sugar. I love him way too much and he knows it. He's very good about monopolizing my time and getting me to write stuff for him and take pictures of him.

5. Who is your favorite author?

I can't pick a favorite author for Sims stories, but my favorite author has to be Jane Austen. I don't know what it is about her stories, but I could read all of them over and over and over again.

6. What kind of books do you read?

Books about people in history, mostly British and American. Right now I'm reading a book about Victoria and Albert and a book about Abraham Lincoln. My favorite type of book to read is historical romance. I'm a sucker for them and have a hard time putting them down.

7. If you could use the Sims Time Machine, where would you go and why?

I have some weird fascination with living in the 1800s so probably then. I'm drawn to that time period for some reason.

8. You're stranded on a deserted island with 4 characters from your story(ies). Who are they and what do you think would happen?

Trev, George, Steph, Carson

Steph: Maybe we should get a fire going. . .

George: Good idea! Why don't we split up and look for firewood. Steph and I can search over there and Dad and Trev, you can search over there.

Trev: Why do you get to choose where to look?

George: Why not?

Trev: Maybe I wanted to check over there.

Carson (in a calm voice): Knock it off guys.

George and Trev: Yes sir. . .

  

9. If you could be any character from a book or movie, who would you be and why?

Elizabeth Bennet, I like her spunk and she gets to be with Mr. Darcy. lol!

10. If you could marry the man/woman of your dreams, who would you choose and why?

I already married him about 14 1/2 years ago. :)

11. Sims have a lot of quirky and fun inventions and objects not found in real life. If you could choose one thing (for example, spellbook, time machine, Bonehilda) what would it be and why? (Feel free to choose from any of the amazing custom creations as well e.g. Pose Player, Pregnancy controller, lighting tweaks, etc.)

I would choose the Book of Talent that treeag created. It would be so nice to be able to master any skill.

Liebster Award

Thank you to the amazingly talented blythelyre author of The Torres Legacy for nominating me for this award. You are too kind! 


The Liebster Award is a way of bloggers supporting other bloggers.
The rules for receiving this award are to:

• Post the award on your blog.
• Thank the blogger who presented the award and link back to their blog.
• Nominate 5-11 bloggers whom you feel deserve this award and have fewer than or equal to 3,000 followers.
• Answer 11 questions posted by the nominator, and ask your nominees 11 questions.

Nominations: (I know some of you have been nominated before, but I love your stories and want to make everyone aware of your amazing stories! Don't feel like you have to answer the questions though.) :)

blythelyre for The Torres Legacy
MrsOogieBoogie for The Insane Dubois Legacy
LateKnightSimmer for Echoes of Eternity
Marsar for A Pair of Brown Eyes
hellohannah for Dustland Fairytale and Doors
lilyparkersims for Jill's 100 Baby Challenge
RebornMonster for Life is an Odyssey
itsjulie for Through Colour Blind Eyes
lovesstorms for Ramsey Wishacy

Blythelyre's Questions:
1) The scene you love the most from your story and why it's your favorite.
I'd have to say the scene where Trev has his heart attack and sees Carson.  It affirms that Carson's been around for the kids when previously it's been hinted at. And at that point in his life, that's who Trev really needs a push from. The others really miss him and their lives would be completely different if he was still alive, but Trev is the one who really needed Carson. I just really love how that scene shows all of that and sets up for the direction of the remaining chapters for the third generation.

2) A character you wish you never created.
Hmm. . .I can honestly say that I've never felt that way about a character. There are some that are harder to write for (not for Listening though, more so for Jeff's story). I truly believe that all the characters I've had in Listening have served a specific purpose and for that reason alone, I've never wished that I hadn't created a character.

3) How did your story come to pass? Did you write it on purpose or was it a happy accident?
Both? lol! I played the Sims since it first came out and after years of playing all three versions (four hadn't come out yet), I realized that I had made up stories about the families I played. Then I stumbled upon the Sims 3 forums and saw that other lovers of the game did write stories. So I made Amanda, chose Appaloosa as a town, and started to write a story based on her in game adventures. Little did I know that it would evolve into the story that it has.

4) Would you ever think about publishing your story?
Nah. I'm good with it being in blog format. I like taking the pictures and even though I love to read books without pictures, one of the reasons I enjoy stories based off of the Sims games is that they contain pictures. 

5) How does your writing process begin? Do you have a routine, a schedule or does it just flow whenever?
All of my stories are character driven so my writing process begins with a short story or wish that a character wants to share. For instance, George really wanted to analyze Steph at the beginning of their story. But he needed a way to do that and I just kept seeing him standing against a wall at a party and her giving him a hard time about it. That's how the chapter "A Challenging Puzzle" began to form. 

I don't have a writing schedule but I do tend to write in spurts which means I usually have several chapters written that are waiting for pictures.

6) What is the weirdest plot idea you've ever had?
How about a woman faking being pregnant to get a guy to marry her and then faking a miscarriage after they're married, and then getting the guy (her husband) drunk so he'd sleep with her so she could actually get pregnant to then try to shoot at the woman he's actually in love with. . .? By far the weirdest one. :D

7) Does your family/friends support your writing?
Support - yes. Understand - not really. But Hubby's a smart man and he knows that if the wife isn't happy then no one's happy. And writing makes me happy. :)

8) Did you always want to write?
It's one of those things that I've always enjoyed doing whether it was writing in a journal, on a blog, or even writing reports. It's not something that I think I could do as a job, but do for the enjoyment of it.  I'm not sure I answered the question. Hahaha! 

9) Happily-ever-after or no?
Yes and no. I love happy endings but sometimes they're not meant to be. But I do believe that good can come from even the worst situations so even though a happy ending may seem impossible, I believe that it can still be found. Maybe not in the way that was originally thought and with a few more twists and turns. :)

10) Name a character from another story you would like to make an appearance in your own.
Just one?!!! I can't pick one. I don't believe in limiting myself. Lol! Tony and Riley from The Torres Legacy. I would love for George and Steph to have them over for dinner. Also Gibson and Gareth Dubois from The Insane Dubois Legacy. Just because I love them but I think the Davilas might be a little concerned about their safety.

11) If you had to start all over again, would you change anything about your story? If so, what?
I wouldn't change the story but I would rewrite some of the earlier chapters. From the beginning to at least mid way through Generation 2. 



My Questions:
1. Do any writers inspire you? Blog writers or novel writers?
2. When you have writers block, do you plow through it and keep writing or do you take a step back and take a break?
3. Are there other types of stories you're interested in writing? Some other genre that you'd like to try writing for?
4. Do you do any character development before you start writing for a character or do you figure the character out as you write for them?
5. How much editing do you do for your story? Is it an ongoing process? Do you have many drafts for your chapters?
6. Where is the weirdest place you've ever gotten inspiration for a scene for your story? 
7. If you could live with any one of your characters who would you choose, where would you live, and why?
8. What was the thing that sparked your interest and pushed you to start writing your story?
9. If you write a legacy, which is your favorite generation and why? If you write a story that isn't a legacy, what is your favorite chapter and why?
10. What is your favorite line in your story? Why?
11. What is one thing that has surprised you about your story? Has it taken a different direction than you thought? Have readers reacted different than you imagined?

 

The return of Listening, Ray, and Back to Life

After taking an unscheduled and unexpected hiatus, I'm finally able to return to posting chapters for all of the Hobble/Davila stories. So sorry for the long delay! I had every intention of posting Jeff's chapters when I got bombarded by my duties at school. Then we went on vacation and I took that time to look over the chapters I had written and there were several of Jeff's that I wasn't entirely happy with. So I tweaked them and then looked at Trev's. . .the same thing happened with his next two chapters. And as much as I wanted to publish something, I don't want to rush the chapters and post something that I'm not happy with.

So in my spare time, I've been tweaking the chapters and getting pictures for each of them. Unfortunately, I haven't had much spare time, so it's taken much longer than expected. The good news is that the kids are only in school for 13 and a half more days (not counting weekends) and my duties at the school will taper off after that; which means chapter postings will become more frequent.

Thank you so much for supporting this and the other stories I write! I hope that when the next chapters are published, they'll have been worth the wait. :)