A conversation with a new Hub member

Last year I started writing my own hubs on conversations or interviews I have with other Hubbers.

Similar to what Hubpages Weekly Newsletters and or do in their newsletters.. I thought it would be a great way for me personally to get to know a few of my favourite hubbers and also my audience to do so at the same time. This is the fifth I have posted so far the first time was with CatherineR and the second time with.Luciendasky. The third time posted a week or so later was 'Not Just another Hubber ' with Lawyer and mother anjalichugh

Then I introduced to you to a hubber whose pen name is GramaryeI note she now has a Hubscore of 100. Excellent hubbing!

A few weeks ago I introduced you to a well known huber prettydarkhorse

This is proof I am not always sexist I introduce Merlin Fraser

You have recently been a member of Hub Pages. What prompted you to join and what experience do you intend to share on hub pages?

One of my friends suggested I take a look at HubPages, he knew I was a wannabe writer looking for like minded people to share thought and ideas with and hopefully move my new career along a bit.
Once I got into HubPages I realised it was a whole lot more than just another Blog site. Plus it was a lot more than just a place for writers the place was full of people all with something to say and a fantastic willingness to share their thoughts, ideas, dreams and a lot more besides.
OK I started off talking about me and my stories, which a few kind Hubbers acknowledged but things here have a strange way of growing, someone’s Hub stirs a memory and you respond, or there’s a question you can answer that might help someone out . It’s more like a community than a web site.
I have a wide range of interests and hopefully over time I will be able to develop these with others here. Already I have discovered some new friends and brought some old ones to the party.

What drew you to join and what do you think now, compared to when you started out?
Originally I thought this might be a good place to promote myself and introduce my books, I now know it isn’t. I can see HubPages could be used as a place for a one sided Ego trip but I think Hubbers are smarter than that and would soon get tired of attention seekers.
Now I think of HubPages as a place to come and share experience and knowledge friend to friend. If there is a subject you wish to explore then you will find on here a wealth of people who have probably been there, done it and got a drawer full of ‘T’ shirts to prove it just able and willing to teach you.
What sort of things are you writing about? What would you like to write about?
I’m still trying to discover my niche, so far I’ve written about me and some of my interests. I’ve had a few swipes at the huge learning curve of trying to make it as a writer of novels and the ocean full of sharks out there most with their hands out for money. I’ve explored one or two entries into the Self Publishing World and had my fingers badly burnt.
Again, if had found HubPages sooner I would have been a lot smarter and quite possibly financially better off. Through these pages I have gained knowledge and met a few people who have offered their assistance and advice.
I would hope through my experiences I can prevent everybody else from making the same dumb mistakes and think twice about why it’s called “Vanity Publishing.”

What about your family and other pastimes? Where are you from?
Happily divorced with no close family anywhere near me so I am free to pretty much please myself. I enjoy writing and would love to be able to make a living at it but this is becoming a fading dream, I am at least a realist. Other pastimes include rediscovering the beauty of the British countryside, something that I have ignored for far too long. I have a great love of food so I enjoy eating in or out, hopefully in good company. I love good music of the classical variety and prefer Classic FM to most other stations.
I enjoy TV with CSI, NCIS and JAG up there close to the top of the list. I prefer old movies, many in black & white, with a story rather than the overblown special effects of the modern genre.
Originally I’m from Aberdeen, and proud of my Scottish heritage but I spent most of my early years in the Cotswold Hills of Gloucestershire. Travelled the world for nearly forty years before working out that what I was looking for was right here all along, so I’m back in the Cotswolds again.

Question: "If there were five people I could invite to dinner, they'd be...? "

If I was planning my perfect dinner party for six, my guests, for balance would have to be two gentlemen and thee ladies.
Also for balance and harmony the mix should have a pleasant mix of intellect and humour.
I think for the two gentlemen I would chose Sir David Attenborough, world famous broadcaster and naturalist who in my opinion has done more to educate the population about the world around us and the animals we share it with.
However, while I’m sure Sir David could keep the entire dinner party enthralled by himself I think I should give him a little competition by inviting Jeremy Clarkson, TV’s Top Gear presenter and nominated as ‘Motor Mouth’ on more occasions than he would like to admit. But for sheer entertainment value, that and the fact that we seem to share the same irreverent sense of humour I would have to include him.
Now to the ladies, Wow; they would need to be strong to hold their own and get a word in edge ways with the three males of the party. I want the party to flow with a mixture of good humour and pleasant conversation so I think the first lady had better be Sandi Toksvig, a Danish born but now famous English comedienne, author and radio and TV presenter, who is not only brilliantly funny she would make the perfect foil to keep Jeremy in his place.
My second choice isn’t so much a lady as a Princess, although I’m sure she is a lady as well, would be Princess Anne, she is someone I greatly admire as the silent face of the Royal family. While the rest of her family have their ups and downs she just seems to quietly get on with things. I read somewhere that she carries out more Royal duties than any other Royal.
Last, but most definitely not least, is a lady who I only know through Hub Pages, Nellieanna Hay. A lady of advancing years, I feel sure she won’t mind me mentioning the fact, she seems to have packed more into her life than a dozen of us lesser mortals. An extremely talented poet, writer and painter with just the tip of the iceberg appearing on Hubs and I must admit a great source of encouragement to me.
I met Nellieanna on another social web site and suggested she come and join us on Hub Pages, I knew instinctively it was a place she would come to enjoy. I am pleased to note that many other Hubbers agree with me and have taken this dear lady to their hearts.
I would like her to join my other dinner guests as my guest of honour along with four other people I would dearly love to meet and dine with.
I just hope the food and wine will be as good as the company.

Is there is somewhere you really want to visit?
Indeed yes there’s still a few places on my personal ‘Bucket List.’ I really fancy a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada and quite fancy travelling right across that country one day. Same goes for New Zealand, friends who have been there tell me it’s like this country used to be forty years ago... I could stand that.
I wouldn’t mind going into orbit just to see this planet from space.

Is there something you really want to accomplish before you die?
I don’t necessarily want fame or fortune from my writing but I would like to leave something behind me, something that said, “I was Here !”
I have no idea if my work is any good or not, most of the people who have read my stories have been kind enough to say they enjoyed them. A couple of reviewers even went as far as to say in the right hands they might make a movie or a TV mini- series. Who can say ? I might die as the most famous author no one has ever heard of.