C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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IWSG-I Was Searching for Gary-And Then He Found Me Hopping

By

Thanks Alex.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG will be Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

Never turn your back on the first Wednesday of the month. 

Seriously. 

That’s when it pounces and has you for dinner. Maybe lunch. I was writing-do not snigger-and then July 6 popped up on my calendar with “ALERT. HOP TO IT.” 

Hop? Really? 

Gary will go bonkers and Penny might even withhold her affection if I start hopping again. However, I’m basically intrepid and pressing on. 



Quietly. 

So. I’m tiptoeing into this TMI Blog Hop with some IWSG twists and turns. Here’s my post. I hope you’ll take the dare in spite of Gary or because of him. He is really a good guy who would never pounce, unlike the first Wednesday of each month seems to.

Thank you,  Debbie and Guilie  for the #AtoZ TMI Blog hop. So this is the “This is me, from A to Z. 

Sorry. I’m a fairly boring subject, so feel free to skim and scan. But before you start my #AtoZ, here’s the answer to this month’s IWSG question. 

The best thing anyone ever said about my writing was in a blurb Francisco Stork wrote about The Princess of Las Pulgas: “. . .a beautifully written, meaningful, young adult novel. Carlie Edmund will jump off the page and pull you into a poignant and timely story of loss and ultimate gain. She’ll take you into a world where stereotypes are shattered and truth is discovered deep beneath the surface.”




And now . . .
A: Age
Rocks are younger than I am, but heavier. So I’m good.
B: Biggest fear
Gary will read this post and he’ll tell Penny.
C: Current Time
Summer. What could be better, except perhaps winter or spring or fall?
D: Drink you last had
It was either Chardonnay or Pinot. The only other things I drink are coffee or water, so those are possible last things, too.
E: Every day starts with

A walk. Simple, right? I live in a place that beckons. Have to take walks.

F: Favorite Song
My last favorite song was Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Raitt. I still replay that one in my head.
G: Ghosts, are they real?
This question is too close to my bones to answer. I have to write about this one day because she’s back and making my life edgy.
H: Hometown
I don’t have one. Not kidding. I was born on the move.
I: In love with
Penny. Who else? She’s my heroine. And she might put a good word in for me with Gary if I say this.
J: Jealous of?
Nothing and nobody. I gave that up after high school. Waste of time.
K: Killed someone?
Not yet. But I have had targets in mind.
L: Last time you cried?
When my two close friends died within a month of each other. I’m still crying, but you can’t see it.

M: Middle name
Lee
N: Number of siblings
One.
O: One wish
To not regret my choices.
P: Person you last called?
My husband. “Dinner’s ready. Where are you?”
Q: Question you’re always asked
And you are…?
R: Reason to smile
I’m breathing.
S: Sounds that annoy you
Very high pitched voices send me over the wall. Or they would if there was a wall available.
T: Time you woke up
4:30. I’m writing. (Please stop the sniggering.)
U: Underwear color
Let me check. . . Oh yes, white. I’m back to basics, so my undies are either black or white.
V: Vacation destination
I travel a lot, so my deck is often my best vacation.
W: Worst habit
Giving impatient looks. I must learn not to do that.
X: X-Rays you’ve had
Those airport X-Rays! What a horror. Some totally weird, strange person with a badge is looking at my innards. Creepy.
Y: Your favorite food
If it doesn’t involve goat, it’s my favorite. There’s a story behind this. The answer involves a bazaar in Istanbul.
Z: Zodiac sign
Aquarius, if you go with the western zodiac. One of those obnoxious Tigers if you go with the Chinese zodiac.
Did you have fun? (not you Gary) 
The blog-fest is on through July 13th. 
Just add your name and post your answers.
Happy First and Insecure Wednesday Everyone. 

I may be late in getting around to those I usually visit because we have a new baby in our family as of June, and I’m off to meet the little guy tomorrow. Hope he likes me.

Comments

  4. LOL, this post was awesome! Your answers are hilarious.

    So sorry about your friends' deaths. That must've been awful. Prayers and best wishes. <3

    I can't decide whether I want to hear the bazaar in Istanbul story or not…

    Alexa
    thessalexa.blogspot.com
    verbosityreviews.com

  6. I loved that blurb about your book. Congratulations and keep going. I also hope to take my readers into a world where stereotypes are shattered. 🙂

  7. Hi Lee,

    Oops, here I am and I note the date of your post which was one day after my birthday. Of course, my birthday, July 5, is a national holiday in the UK.

    And thus, I discover that you, yes you, Lee, superstar author, has succumbed to the cult-like weirdness that is so prevalent in the wacky world of blog hippety hoppety hopping and blog festing and because I want to do a run-on, Steven King type sentence, I almost commend you for attempting some bloggy hoppy thing named, "TMI", which is, I guess, stands for, "Too Much Information"!

    Hey, Penny the pawblisher thinks your writing is pawesome for a human. The A to Z of your good self certainly leaves me pondering, or pawndering, as Penny states. Penny likes what you said for the letter, "I". A very clever 1 to 26 and we shall overlook you spelling in American English!

    Seriously, that was a very nice blurb. Yep, "blurb", some might think is some sort of indigestion.

    Thank you for being part of "IWSG" aka, "I Was Seeking Gary." And one final yep, yep, I thoroughly skimmed through your pawst, um, post.

    As paw, sorry, as per usual, I'm your starstruckest fan. Penny is your loving, doggy, pawblisher hero.

    Penny's fictional character, Gary!

    • Ah ha! You arrived. And Penny, too. Blurb does always sound like it requires a Bromo Seltzer. Wonder where that term came from? Anyway, yes, TMI about me. But you of all people (or fictional characters) know how much fans require of your personal life. We just have to go with their demands.

      I had no idea the Queen set aside July 5 for your birthday celebration. Talk about celebrity! I'm in total awe.

  8. That review is SUPER! No wonder you're proud of it! You're an intrepid walker to begin so early in the morning. I can barely walk from bedroom to bathroom when I first get up. (There have been times I didn't quite make it. Don't ask.) All your answers were so funny! I'm not surprised you're an Aquarius. They're very kind-hearted. 🙂

  9. Your 26 things quiz made me smile. Loved your cute and frank answers. We are all different and yet alike which is what makes it so fun!

  11. Hi, C. Lee!

    Thanks again for coming to see me at SDMM. I love your enthusiasm and your witty answers. You and I have a few things in common. We both drink coffee and water. (Gosh, we overcame tremendous odds to match on those two! 🙂 But seriously, on the question regarding the last time you cried, I can relate. Last year, within a one month span, two of my best high school friends died and so did my aunt. What made it a truly remarkable coincidence was the fact that all three lived within a couple of blocks of each other. I agree that if you are breathing it is reason enough to smile. 🙂

    It's a pleasure to meet you, C. Lee, and I hope this marks the official start of our friendship. Let's stay in touch. Have a great weekend!

    • I loved your site, so I'll be back. So sorry about your loss, and I agree, that is quite a coincidence. It must have sent a lot of people reeling to lose all those neighbors. See you again. I usually try to visit on Mondays, but sometimes I can't do all in a day.

  12. Fun post! And even more fun to get to know you better. I am positive the new little guy will adore you. How could he not? Have a good weekend! 🙂

    • Hi Karen. I'm glad you liked the post. It was fun to do. The people who put it together had a great idea. And, yes, I think we bonded, that new guy and me. 🙂

  18. That's really high praise from a reader. Well done!

    Loved reading your TMI's-I'm in love with Penny too. I'm sure you'll get some pawsitive points from Gary on that one.

  21. This was way fun Lee. I loved your answers to the blog hop. I'm sure Penny will forgive you this long post; she deals in pawsitive thoughts ya know.

    Thanks for making my evening entertaining 🙂

  22. To not regret my choices. That should be everyone's wish. I've just joined the IWSG group and have been following your blog. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself. All the best to you.

  23. I love this, even if it is a hop. And your secret is safe with us: we won't tell Gary. You can tell him it was a security questionnaire you had to fill out. I think my favorite answer was that rocks are younger than you, but they're heavier. You've got that going for you. 🙂

  24. I loved this one line reviews, the best!!
    I'm glad that you're breathing, Lee. And not to regret choices would be great, I already have regrets…

    What a fantastic write up about your book!!!

  26. Gotta love that Gary and Superstar Penny! You had me laughing all the way, Lee. I am working on my own answers now. I love Bonnie's raspy voice in Total Eclipse of the Voice! Hugs!

  31. Hi there Lee! I've been looking around for your TMI blog hop and now I've found it! Love how you included Gary and Penny! I'd love to read about Istanbul and goat! And I hope the little guy likes you! Have a fun month with lots of coffee and love!

    • It took me a while to find a place to fit everything in. Sorry for the delay, but I got here. I'll have to put something down about that Istanbul experience one day. It's still a fresh memory.

  34. Always lovely to see tributes to Gary and Penny.
    That was an amazing thing to read about your work. Did you glow with pride?
    I beat you up this morning. Sigh.

  39. That was a fun read! ☺ We have a few things in common, like our Zodiac signs and love of dogs. Jack Russells are adorable and so smart. Thanks for participating in the blogfest. Cheers!

  41. Love that compliment!!! That's one to post on the wall and frame 🙂

    Love the answers (and Penny too!) - That song is a beauty and often gets stuck in my head too 🙂

    • Mr. Stork is one excellent writer, so I truly appreciated it when he read my book and blurbed it. He's a wonderful person, too. Here's to Total Eclipse of the Heart. I must download that and play it again.

  43. That's a really nice compliment, Lee. I hope Penny doesn't bite you on the ankle, or me. I'm going to join that hop. It's too fun to let slip by. (Maybe she's trying to tell you something.)

  45. I'm sure the worst Penny will do is come pee on your lawn lol I may not give impatient looks but I roll my eyes at some too much.

    • If I had a lawn, she'd be welcome to pee on it. We need all the water we can get around this place. I've been know to roll my eyes, too, but I do work at not doing that.

  48. LOL that Gary will always find you. I love that you're in love with Penny. Who isn't??? The cutest Internet Superstar around. 😀

    That's quite a blurb for your book!! Congratulations!

  50. I started giggling at the 'hop to it' Lee. And didn't stop throughout the post. Thanks for brightening my day 🙂 Have a great week!

  52. Oh, I do that too, the impatient look. Bad, bad, me! Hmm… wonder if there is a cure?
    Love the TMI share, thanks for participating! Such fun to learn the cool stuff! Can't wait to learn more about your ghost!
    The writing compliment comes as no surprise! You're an amazing author!

  54. I love the nicest thing anyone said about your writing. …and I loved the TMI blog hop…

    …another military junior (Navy) with no hometown.

  55. Thanks for the entertainment.
    I loved your TMI Blog Hop answers.
    Got me wondering about the bazaar in Istanbul story. And also the ghosts making your life edgy…
    Maybe these topics will be future blogposts…or maybe you've already shared these stories? Intriguing.
    Happy IWSG Day!
    Writer In Transit

  58. I enjoyed reading you TMI. Nice. Especially the one with giving impatient look. I can't seem to stop it. If you find a cure, let me know. My hubby tells me he can always tell when I am bored with someone or they are getting on my last nerve.
    And oh, the one about jealousy. I too learned a long time ago, that jealousy is hazardous. The pie is big enough for everyone to get a large piece and there will still be some left over.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia