In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’! 

Please welcome, author, Zee Monodee!

1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!) 

The Other Side. It was my first ever story, the tale that prompted me to plunge into writing. My original plan was to write this story and be done with writing, so if I had to bring it down to one, this would win. 🙂

2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):

Punctual. Good listener. Neat.  Graceful. Generous. Cheerful. 

Cheerful

3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):

Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.

Slob (just ask the dust bunnies in my house, lol)

4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?

*secret* All of them. 🙂 I cannot conceive of writing a hero if I’m not crushing/half in love with him already. And they’re not called heroes for nothing; I mean, if you’re not falling for them, how can you expect your reader to root for these guys?

5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?

Act, no. But I daydream all my scenes, kinda like a director imagining the perfect unrolling of every element. I have, however, acted out a few fight scenes from my espionage books, just to know if the actions I’m writing about are plausible or not.

6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?

Out loud? No. But I’m always having discussions with myself in my head. My husband says he can figure out exactly when I’m in my ‘bubble’ because of the ‘look’ I get on my face.

7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?

I see someone like Glee’s Lea Michelle. We’re of the same height/build, have the same darkish physical looks (and she could pass for Indian-origin, like me), pretty much the same age, and I tend to break into song at odd moments (especially in my kitchen). She also has that innocent or mischievous/troublemaker look that my husband says echoes mine, too. My life’s also been filled with drama (a divorce and then two brushes with cancer before I was 28) and Lea can do comedy as well as drama/emotion very well.

8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?

Serena Van der Woodsen or Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. New York/Upper East Side, endless shopping, walk-in wardrobes, designer clothes, fabulous jewellery, more shoes than you can ever hope to wear, glamorous parties, chic residences, not to mention the hunks that gravitate in their world. Yes, I’d love to be this vain and carefree for a day (and get to shop without a care about money/savings). 🙂

9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?

a) A pen and notepad that never runs out

b) An unlimited supply of books

c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)

d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference

B. An endless supply of books. I’ll always have my imagination to come up with stories, and also with that ‘ideal’ man. *grin*

10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes, what would you say?

Hmmm, toughest one, this…. Always try to follow your heart, because the voice there (whether you call it your conscience, inner soul/being, God, or something else) will never lead you astray. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will believe in you.

Thanks for taking part, Zee, you have been awarded Ultra Brave Author on the Braveometer!

Visit Zee online at her blog, facebook, and twitter.

>>WIN! Be a character in one of Zee’s books in her small-town series set in Surrey or Yorkshire (England), simply by leaving a comment below! Open worldwide, winner drawn 25th October.