Rocking Around the Holidays with RockStarLit.com Authors
Rocking Around the Holidays with RockStarLit.com Authors
Hi everyone – welcome to our very first Rocking Around the Holidays. From now until December 23rd, we’re we’re giving you the inside scoop and behind the scenes info on Rock Star Authors.
AND…
To celebrate the holiday season there’s a HUGE contest to go along with it – which includes 2 ipad Minis, Signed books by all of the authors, gift cards galore and much, much more!
Behind the Scenes with Margaret Bingley
The study where I write was purpose-built, added on as an extension when the family grew tired of me taking up the kitchen table with my old typewriter! When writing I’m surrounded by photos, books, ornaments that have been gifts from friends over the years and of course my massive and untidy desk and computer. It’s split into sections. One window sill is covered in weird figures carved out of wood and stone that I love but no one else likes. I’m fascinated by strange ornaments, wondering where the maker got the idea from. By contrast I have a Zen corner, and when I’m stressed I can turn and look at that, reminding myself of the importance of meditation, which I do practice although not as often as I should. Outside the window behind my monitor is a large bird feeding station, as I love to watch the birds feeding, especially in the Spring when they descend in huge numbers trying to feed their hungry young. On the walls I have some sketches of opera singers Jose Carreras and Ruggero Raimondi, the latter is a one-off that the artist did for me in exchange for a copy of BETRAYAL. The photo shows the large unit that is on the wall to the left of my desk. Photos of the dogs I’ve owned over the years jostle for space with family pictures, copies of some of my early books, and a tatty lion bought in the King’s Road in the 1960s! My collection of ugly trolls is also there, plus my tarot cards, but most valued of all are the clock and the Hummel figures. These were inherited from my mother, who died at the age of 49. Whenever I look at them I think of her, and wonder what she would have made of my writing career. I love my study, because I feel surrounded by people and things that mean a lot to me.
A Look Inside Margaret’s Office Photo is attached for you.
Holiday Cheer with Margaret Bingley (pick your own questions!)
Favorite Holiday memory as an adult – surfing in Cornwall
Favorite Holiday memory as a child – searching for sea horses in pools on beach near Hythe in Kent
Worst gift you’ve ever received – tea towels
Do you have a silly holiday tradition – have to play Charades
Favorite holiday food – cold gammon with pickles and jacket potatoes
How do you get ready to start the holidays (listen to music, put up a wreath) – put up the tree while listening to selection of traditional carols
Favorite holiday song – The Little Drummer Boy
Holiday dislikes (music all the time on radio, etc) – Lorry coming round with fake Father Christmas on top and tinned carols playing.
Favorite holiday book – Anything by PhilippGregory
Favorite holiday movie – A Christmas Carol
Favorite holiday dessert – Raspberry pavlova
What’s the best gift you ever gave someone – The Death Star from Star Wars. I’ve never seen anyone nearly pass out from excitement before!
Favorite holiday drink (drink of choice at a holiday cocktail party) – Australian chardonnay
Do you dress your pets up for the holidays? No!
If you could change one holiday what would it be? A ban on having to be festive between Boxing Day (26th December) and New Year’s Eve. We don’t have Thanksgiving in the UK. My ability to remain festive is quite limited!
What are you doing for the holidays? – Staying at home playing silly games and pulling endless Christmas crackers as I am addicted to them!
Do you prefer a snowy or vacationing (tropical island) holiday? Snowy
Traditional holiday experience that you’ve never done or don’t understand (eggnog is gross, what in the world is a yuletide?) –I have no idea why we have to wear the paper hats from the Christmas crackers, as they look awful and keep falling off.
Do you decorate for the holidays? Yes, start first weekend in December.
What’s your new year’s resolution – To keep important documents in a safe place than I then manage to remember.
What’s your favorite wintery activity? – Going for a walk on a crisp, frosty sunny day then coming home for tea and cake. (I like that in the summer too, but then it’s a warm sunny day!)
Follow Along with Rocking the Holidays tomorrow, December 4th where author Andrea Davis Pinkney will be featured on the sites listed below, plus there will be ways to enter the contest daily!
About Margaret Bingley
Margaret Bingley was born in Sutton, Surrey and educated at Sutton High School for Girls GPDST, where she won the school English prize, and then at Rickard’s Lodge Secretarial College in Wimbledon. After that she went to work at the BBC in London, and later moved to work for The Heinemann Group of Publishers at Lower Kingswood in Surrey, where she met her future husband, Alan.
In 1974, Margaret and Alan moved to Grantham in Lincolnshire and In 1976 their son, Alex, was born. One day, after reading a particularly boring book, she decided to try and write one herself and eventually, after many trials and tribulations, her first book THE DEVIL’S CHILD was published. Much of the book was based on those early, halcyon days of motherhood.
She continued writing steadily from 1983 onwards, and in February 2000 she also started writing a weekly column of 400 words for the local paper, The Grantham Journal, entitled ‘The Way I See It’.
Apart from her work, Margaret enjoys reading, opera, dry white wine, Foyle’s War (or anything else with Michael Kitchen in it!) and gardening.
She does not like reality TV shows, ‘alternative’ comedians or Political Correctness.
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