Not that anyone has forced me to be part of this "Introduce the hosts" series...but I thought I must make some changes in my attitude towards talking about myself, so here goes! My responses are going to be...brief.
Name: Damyanti Biswas
Blog: Amlokiblogs
Twitter :@damyantig
Publications: Various Stories
GETTING TO KNOW YOU QUESTIONS
1. What is the most daring thing you've ever done?
Gone white water rafting when I couldn't swim.
2. What is your favorite article of clothing?
My denims
3. What is your favorite monster?
Hannibal Lecter
4. If you had to dress up as your favorite literary character, who would it be?
Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm way too old though.
5. What is your favorite fairy tale, urban legend or nursery rhyme?
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star--those were my first words in English.
6. What is a cause near and dear to your heart?
Taking care of our environment.
7. What's the strangest item you've used as a bookmark?
A toothbrush
8. Name one habit you want to change in yourself:
Procrastination
SOME A-to-Z QUESTIONS
1. What was your favorite A-to-Z post from 2011?
This was on of the first posts I visited, and haven't forgotten it--the author got married on that day:
A is for April 1st
2. What brought you to the A-to-Z originally? Tell us about your first A-to-Z
I signed up at random last year, without much thought. I was the 15th participant. I forgot all about it till I heard some A to Z buzz at the end of March. By then it was too late to withdraw, so I just jumped in.
3. Are you doing a theme?
I wrote flash fiction last year, which I then collected into an e-book, A to Z Stories of Life and Death . This year, I'm doing fiction again, based on prompts from readers.
Please drop me some prompts in the comments on this post (am desperate, cos I need a whole bunch to choose from!). Of course, when I post each prompt during April, I'll link to you and explain why I chose it. You may also mail me the pictures and story prompts at atozstories at gmail dot com.You need not be participating in the A to Z Challenge to challenge me with either a story starter, or a picture, or both. The more the merrier!
Here's an example of the sort of stories I intend to do: You must not use scissors to cut out hearts
4. Are you writing & scheduling posts in advance?
As co-host, I intend to visit as many blogs as possible this year, so yes, I'll be scheduling at least some of the posts.
5. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet, and why? What letter do you like least?
I like A a whole lot. It talks of beginnings. I hate X-- I can never relate to it, and it seems like a big cross-out, a negation of everything.
A toothbrush for a bookmark, that's genius I'm gona try that!
ReplyDeleteUniversal Gibberish
I'm surprised you remember your first words in English. And don't worry, I'm struggling with my answers as well.
ReplyDeleteA toothbrush for a bookmark is hilarious! I think the "weirdest" thing I used as a bookmark was a pen or pencil. Sooo not weird at all. I'm boring!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for an A-Z theme, Damyanti! Have you seen my Wednesday posts? I post 3-4 writing prompts every Wednesday! They're titled "Wednesday's Writing Workout" so check out my blog archives for past prompts. There's a year and a half of prompts on Wednesdays!
Scout. LOVE that you picked her. Fave. Book. EVER!!!!! Fave movie too.
ReplyDeletei think i was going for jem from to kill a mockingbird, then i changed it for i thought people would think i am a weird one. you and i think a like....
ReplyDelete:)
A wonderful post to read.
ReplyDeleteThe first post I did on the very first A to Z was a poem called "Acceptance"
Funny how I should remeber that.
Yvonne.
You handled that well. A good example of a short post that should be our goals in April.
ReplyDeleteLee
To Kill A Mockingbird - what a great story! Classic!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Good luck with the collecting of prompts.
I don't like the letter X either. But in Goggling it for the A to Z Challenge, I've found some really cool names. Like, Xander: American, diminutive form of Alexander. Defender of the people. Who knew there were such cool names that begin with X?
ReplyDeleteNice, brief, enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI'm short on most of my interview answers too, but way too long when writing ;)
Thank you Damyanti - it's great getting to know you a little better through this brief, but insightful Q&A post. (I'm a big fan of "brief" too)
ReplyDeleteProcrastination is right up there with my "impatience" habit! But I'm just a wee bit more impatient so it won the toss!
Jenny :)
Pearson Report
Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
For someone who joined A to Z at random and then forgot about it in 2011, you did a great job of interpreting the prompts and making it through the entire challenge.
ReplyDeleteProcrastination seems to be a theme among many of the A to Z participants and co-hosts...maybe that would make for an interesting theme for someone to blog about in April.
I'm considering backing out of an invitation to go White Water Rafting with one of my friends later this Summer. A few friends of mine have been trying to get me into that activity for about a year or so and I too cannot swim very well at the moment, so the whole rafting thing is definitely not up there on my to-do list. If I want adventure, I'll stick five dollars in an Atlantic City slot machine and see what pops up! lol
The Madlab Post
Can't say I've ever used a toothbrush in a book before.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you stepped out of your comfort zone and told us about yourself. You seem to have the gift of brevity, which as everyone found out yesterday, I do NOT :-) Yet you still gave me a very clear picture of who you are.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, we co-hosts are not only burning the candle at both ends but the whole damn thing is on fire! I'd love to get a copy of your stories from last year. Would you mind dropping me a link sometime? I don't have the time to mine your blog...I'm barely keeping up with comments and questions, but one thing I do have for you is a prompt. I'm so glad you're asking for those. I plan to leave you with one often in March. Don't know how to get a picture into comments...so I'll email that to you!
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge
Nothing like jumping in head first! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Hannibal Lecter is my favorite monster also!! :)
OOOH that's a lot of comments on my post..
ReplyDeleteAnna, toothbrush is sometimes the only thing available when you read in the bathroom, or while camping.
Alex, English is my second language. I started learning it at age 5. My second set of words were "May I come in?" cos back in my school, we had to ask permission from the teacher to enter our KG class.
Laura, will go check them out, and will credit them all to you if I choose them!
JoJo, I wish to be reincarnated into someone like her. And I've read that book every time I've felt distressed in life.
Jeremy, am so glad we do! Now if only that would give me your digital pizzazz!
Yvonne, I remember all my posts from A to Z cos they went into a book, so I chose a post by someone else here, which I still remember after an year.
Lee, well, I didn't have much material to go on with ;)
MiSH, I'm desperate for prompts cos I've begun to write the stories!
Jenn, the problem is, I need phrases, not just names. Great way to make my own life difficult, eh?
Marta, mine were brief, and I'm surprised folks found them enjoyable. :)
Jenny, thanks! Impatience is one of mine too. But procrastination has to be the biggest character flaw I have.
Nicole, as I discovered later, you don't need swimming skills for white water rafting. If you go under, swimming won't save you, your life jacket will. Once you're under you have water whirling you down with incredible pressure--- even the best swimmers can't survive without a life jacket, and someone fishing them out back into the raft.
Diane, necessity is the mother of innovation.
Tina I shall be your slave if you leave me prompts. Promise.
DL, yes, Lecter is my ideal moster--the sensitive, artistic killer who feeds people their own brain before killing them.
Thanks for opening up to us. My mom also could not swim but she was a travel agent and many summers went whitewater rafting with us. It taught me to never hold back. A great life lesson!
ReplyDeleteHi Damyanti,
ReplyDeleteDelighted to learn all this info about your good self.
Here's wishing you another fun-filled April with that gosh darn exciting challenge that brings further awareness of the alphabet!
Of course, shy, humble and oh so unassuming me, did a series of satirical, tongue-in-cheek postings on the whole um 'Alphabet Challenge', last year. I'm looking forward to the letter 'Zed' or 'Zee' if you're American. Then I know that normal services have resumed and all my blogging friends who moaned about wondering whether they could get through the month, shall finally return.
Seriously, have fun and good luck. And now I wait for those zillions of bloggers, who will write, 'A is for Apple'.
With respect and a smile, your way, Gary at his very unknown, even after five years, but doesn't really care because it's all about the positive interaction I share at the blog featured on BBC radio on a show named 'Pods and Blogs', but reckons it's no big deal.
A toothbrush! Interesting. My son's first nursery rhyme was Twinkle, Twinkle too. Can't wait to see what you have in store for us this year. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid of white water and I know how to swim. You're very brave or quite crazy.
ReplyDeleteSeems like procrastination is a problem lots of writers share. I am guilty and I have really good time management skills. Great to know you a little bit better!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to go white water rafting some day! It's shocking that I haven't, considering how many places you can do it around here.
ReplyDeleteI was going to tell you about my procrastination, but I'll put that off until later... ;-p
I think you were very daring to go white water rafting when you didn't know how to swim.
ReplyDeleteI loved getting to know you better!