Inspiring Blog Award








I was really delighted to be nominated for this award by Barb at Leaves and Pages, because it is one of my favourite blogs. It’s a lovely combination of brilliant book reviews, occasional snippets of personal life, and beautiful photographs of the countryside around her in Canada. We share a lot of literary tastes, so any recommendations are likely to have me out looking for her obscure choices from second hand dealers. And, Barb is the only person I think is actually a bigger Margery Sharp fan than I am, and that’s saying something. (Sample Sharp on my blog, and on Leaves and Pages.)

So: Here are the rules of the award:


  • Thank and link to the person who nominated you. 
  • List the rules and display the award. 
  • Share seven facts about yourself. 
  • Nominate other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they have been nominated (originally specified 15 blogs, but I think it’s better to leave it to the blogger) 
  • Optional: display the award logo on your blog and follow the blogger who nominated you


Seven Facts about me: 
1) I am very fond of coffee and chocolate.

2) I lived in America for 6 years, just outside Seattle, but now am back in England. 


3) One of my favourite places in the world is Agatha
boathouse at Greenway
Christie’s holiday home at Greenway in Devon – I have stayed there five times, and hope to do so many times more. And not just because I love her books.

 
4) In 2000 I started working on the comments section of a website: at that time no-one understood what my job was or what comments were or what blogs were, I had to explain it to people one by one, item by item. 

5) I love all kinds of music, and always have something playing while I work, usually a mixed playlist of music from the past 30 years probably including some Bob Dylan, but also… 

6) ….the great delight of my later years is opera, and I go to see opera about once a month. 

Eugene Onegin at the Royal Opera House


7) As a child, my biggest ambitions were to see the Grand Canyon, 


and to drive through a redwood tree.



At the time they seemed as unlikely as flying to the moon, but I am happy to say I have achieved both these things.



Nominating other blogs - hard to choose, but here we go:

Margot Kinberg Confessions of a Mystery Novelist – I know she has already been awarded this at least twice, and she really doesn’t need it again, but I can’t miss her out because she is the most generous and inspiring blogger I know: always encouraging others and tirelessly commenting and visiting and making bloggers feel that little bit better about their day, with perfect blog etiquette. And I have never seen her write a mean word, ever. Margot: my gift to you is that you shouldn’t have to feel you have to do this again, I just wanted to recognize what you contribute to the blogosphere.

Sarah Ward Crimepieces

Christine Poulson A reading Life

TracyK Bitter Tea and Mystery


- my 3 best criminal lady blogging friends, whom I’ve particularly enjoyed getting to know over the past few years blogging

Col’s Criminal Library – sometimes our tastes seem an ocean apart, but we always have something to say to each other, and then will suddenly find we have a book in common.

Lucy Fisher’s The Art of Words – we have a lot of shared interests. I discovered Lucy via one of her splendid Amazon reviews - as I explained in this post. Lucy does lovely funny blogposts with sharp observations on what’s going on in the world.

Rich Westwood’s Past Offences – so knowledgeable about crime fiction, and so funny and clever. 

Bernadette’s Reactions to Readings Real insight, fascinating honest reviews – you think ‘yes, that was my reaction too, but I couldn’t have put it as well as she did.’

Karyn at A Penguin a Week Such a brilliant concept, so simple and so riveting, and her background picture is so beautiful. And, I can reduce my book mountain by sending her any vintage Penguins from my shelves.

Comments

  1. Moira - That's so very kind of you *deep blush.* You've made my week - you really have. And congratulations on a richly-deserved award. Your blog is truly inspirational for me. And anyone who loves chocolate, coffee and Greenway is my kinda person :-)

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    1. I'm glad you are pleased - you so deserve it, and you really are an inspiration.

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  2. Many congratulations, Moira! A most deserving award. I'd like to think of Clothes in Books as the blog equivalent of a famous clothingline, in fact, several of them. I hope you have a great blogging year ahead.

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    1. Thank you Prashant, what kind words! I love the idea of being a clothing line. I shall think of myself as a Top Designer Label!

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  3. Brilliant set of choices on your own "most inspiring" list, Moira. Some I was already aware of, some are new-to-me. What a good way to be introduced to yet more excellent bloggers. :-)

    Loved the "about me" vignettes, too. I see we share an interest in the Grand Canyon, as well as opera. (And Bob Dylan!) And of course the incomparable Margery.

    Long may you (and all of *your* excellent blogger nominees) keep the internet entertained, informed, and - yes - inspired!

    ~Barb

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    1. Thanks so much Barb - and as I said on your page, if it wasn't me who nominated me, you would certainly have featured as one of my most inspiring bloggers...

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  4. Congratulations for such a well-deserved b;pg writer. I now not only pay more attention to clothes in books, but enjoy the wide-ranging discussions here and learn of new books all of the time.
    Also, in regard to your 7 points, I not only also enjoy coffee and chocolate, but tea and chocolate has kept me going well into the wee hours when I have to get something done. And though my music taste goes back to early rhythm and blues and then the Motown era, Bob Dylan's songs have been with me ever since I heard them, especially those written and song in his early years. And although I've liked other artists performing his songs, as my sibling says, "there's nothing like Dylan's raspy voice."

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    1. I don't know what it is about Bob D, but he has the authentic magic for me, and I don't suppose my opinion's going to change after all this time. Thanks for the kind words and continued support Kathy.

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  5. Thanks very much for nominating me, Moira. It has been fun and educational to read your blog and get to know you. I pay attention to clothes in novels now, unless I am very riveted by the action. I think to myself, "OH, Moira would like that section." And you have introduced me to non-mystery authors and books that I would not have tried before. (And you have a charming Guest Blogger.)

    Thanks for the fun facts; I did not know you liked opera. I will visit the other blogs you have mentioned that I am not familiar with.

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    1. Thank you for those kind words, Tracy. As I said above, I have so enjoyed getting to know you over recent times, and you have introduced me to plenty of new books too - plus, I now really look out for skeletons on covers!

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    2. Assuming I'm the Charming Guest Blogger: thank you. I always enjoy our supplementary chats.

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  6. Moira, thank you for the nomination. I find it more fun that our tastes are quite disparate, than having every book in common. It's such a beautiful moment when we collide! Haha! (I must rid you of your Mitford obsession though!)

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    1. Thanks Col, yes it's true that it's strangely satisfying when the moment comes - watch out, Red Hand... And I have certainly read more noir-ish books since reading your blog. Perhaps I will have to write my own hard-boiled book featuring the Mitfords.

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  7. My only additional thought is that I spend so much time reading wonderful blogs (and more are listed here, yikes!) that I'm way behind in my reading of books.

    I don't know how you all keep up with blogs and books at such a rapid pace.

    Oh, and my sister sings opera. I grew up with it in our house. It's not my genre of choice, as I am pulled more by old rhythm and blues, jazz, folk, but I appreciate it sometimes. And I certainly appreciate my sister's singing. (I may even post a You Tube video of her if I can find it.)

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    1. As I've said before Kathy, we're looking to you to start your own blog - though I agree, there aren't enough hours in the day as it is. Would love to see a video of your sister singing.

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  8. P.S. I love the dress, hat and beads. I'm trying to figure out if my new cotton T-shirt dress can be fixed up with a felt hat and beads to resemble this look. (How do I clean a felt hat is my question?)

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    1. Watch out - I've only ever come across hat cleaners in Agatha Christie, and there they were poisonous, someone replaced medicine with the hat stuff....

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  9. Thank you for the nomination, Moria and the kind words x

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    1. Thanks Sarah - I have really enjoyed getting to know you via blogging...

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  10. Something to be grateful for: good blogs and discussion.

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  11. Very touched to be nominated, Moira. I'm away from home at the moment with intermittent internet access and have only just seen this. It might be a while before I can do my part - but I will, I promise. Pity though that I can't nominate you! Or can I?

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    1. That's very kind but probably not! And don't worry about doing your bit - I wanted to nominate people to spread the word, no urgency about anything else.... though I will look forward to hearing some facts about you, I love people's lists of those.

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  12. A very late thank you for the nomination Moira, and congratulations for getting me to read about clothes a few times a week. I find myself mentally noting outfits in books all the time now.

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    1. Thanks Rich - it's nice to think of us all influencing each other. You keep making me buy books for example!

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  13. Moira, cheers again for the nomination, http://col2910.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/inspiring-blog-award.html

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