One of my favorite bloggers is Amy Palko. I forgot to put in the title that she’s an incredible writer as well (and lives in Scotland!). Glad to have her on my blogroll! She was a finalist in the recent contest I judged and so as promised, here is my interview with Amy! Enjoy her words, I sure do!
Hello there! You were one of the 3 finalists in Shelly’s recent writing contest: Scared Silly. How did you get the inspiration to write Scared Silly by the Faeries ?
It’s actually a post from a wee while ago, and relates back to a trip my husband and I took 11 years ago. We visited a truly magical place during the day, and decided to return under the cover of darkness, only to be scared silly by something I’ve never been able to explain. I think it’s one of those few times in life when the mystery is so complete, that there are no answers, only questions. A wonderful antidote to the absolute reality our 21st century lives are grounded in.
Tell us about your blog: How long has it been around and what is it about?
Lives Less Ordinary has been around for 7 months now. To celebrate its 6 month blogiversary, I ran a prize draw for Scottish/Lives Less Ordinary goodies, which was a lot of fun! As for what the blog is about - I wrote in a post recently that ‘If there’s one thing that you can take away… from Lives Less Ordinary in general, it’s that everyone - and that includes you! - is a special, unique individual with the potential to create, to engage and to inspire.’ It’s a personal blog which aspires to encourage others to appreciate that their life is one less ordinary.
So what do you do for a living, will we find any of your life in your blog?
Life outside the blog for me consists of a juggling act of home educating my three kids, writing up my phd research and teaching English literature for my university. I don’t necessarily engage directly with any of these, but they’re all a part of my life and consequently they colour my perspective. Many of my trips with the kids to historical sites, museums, and nature trails become photo stories. The writing ... on my own blog, but also in the 2 guest posts that I’ve written for Confident Writing and Write To Done). My teaching of literature is present through my sharing of my favourite poetry, and the occasional mention of some of my favourite authors.
What is your philosophy on blogging?
For me, blogging is all about conversation. It’s about sharing, engagement and communication. I am not writing a blog to shout my views at you. I am writing to share my experience of life, and to give a space for you to share yours in response. I like to view my blog as a meeting place; a talking circle where everyone’s views are valid, equal and welcomed.
Well thank you for talking to us today, is there anything else you’d like to add?
I suppose I’d just like to say thank you to Shelly for running the contest, and to yourself for acting as judge, and for choosing my post as a finalist. I’d like to end with one of my favourite quotes from literature, which prefaced a recent post of mine on the power of blogs to provide connections, as I strongly believe that it is contests like Shelley’s, and your much appreciated efforts to promote other blogs, that brings bloggers together - that help us to connect.
“Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.”
- E.M. Forster
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I'm Damien Riley, author and teacher. Here you'll find "think outside the box" posts on psychology and inspiration. 
