It’s been pretty frigid here the past couple of weeks, and I spent a lot of time embracing Twitter and Facebook moreso than I had in the past. Part of that “social media” hug was to keep up on the tools since I’ve been using them for work. The other part to that online touchy-feel goodness, was because I needed a boost in this post-holiday slump.

Since there’s so many new people that I’ve come into contact with through various channels, I thought I’d offer ten things you may not know about me, as a way of “breaking the ice.” (So to speak.) Without further ado, here they are in no particular order:

1. I don’t have a favorite color. Meh. So many to pick from, why choose just one?
2. My cats are named after ancient Mesopotamian gods. Zakar (god of dreams) was a rescue cat. He’s a manx, orange tabby with lots of toes, very sweet and VERY spoiled. They were going to put him to sleep because he “wasn’t perfect.” Needless to say, he’s got a great life now. Rimmon (god of storms) is just like his namesake. He talks pretty much non-stop and enjoys following Zak around, causing trouble. They both like jalapenos, though. Go figure.
3. Typically, I only read a book once. I read pretty fast, to the point where I inhale books. If the book is fairly complex, I may pick it up again to ensure I didn’t miss anything. Otherwise, I just read it the one time.
4. Growing up, I wanted to be the female version of Indiana Jones. World-wide travel? That massive compendium of knowledge about ancient cultures? And a cool hat?
5. I don’t believe in astrology. As part of my writing, I’ve researched a lot of different unusual topics that range from ghost hunting to astrology. I know some people really believe in it, but it’s not something that really resonates with me.
6. Haven’t run a mile in years. *sob* Yeah, so I’m on a program right now. It’s called the “couch potato to 5k” program. Just when I was getting started, I had to get new running shoes. Then? I made the mistake of working through my lunches instead of taking that invaluable “off” time. So getting back on the wagon and hope to change this shortly.
7. I’m actually quite shy around people I don’t know. Hard to believe, eh? I practiced like crazy for my last interview and — whenever possible — I’d prefer to know people at a “new” face-to-face outing. Kind of glad a few conventions are coming up; since I spend a lot of time writing and with my loved ones, it gets harder and harder to be outgoing and bubbly every year. ‘Course, this frigid icy winter might have something to do with that.
8. I have a background in music. Played piano, choir and flute for a number of years with a strong focus on classical. My favorite composer was/is Mozart; I used to memorize (on average) 15 pieces every quarter for performances, contests and such.
9. I don’t really like roses. Roses are not my preferred flower of choice. I like really brightly-colored, sweet-smelling flowers like carnations and wildflowers.
10. The first horror writer I read was Edgar Allen Poe. Most people might respond with “Stephen King,” but not me. I remember “The Telltale Heart” very vividly. Oddly enough, I didn’t read Lovecraft or understand his influence until about five years ago. Strange how pulp and literary worlds don’t collide, but should.

What about you? Have anything to share?