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Saturday 19 December 2009

The Sunday Roast

Meredith's Teagarden Party and The Things She Carried

I am highly honoured to invite to The Sunday Roast
a very popular and talented writer whom I am priviledged
to know as a good blogging friend.
Bloggers around the world love her and follow her work ardently.

This week's interview is with Meredith Teagarden
who writes the blog
The Things We Carried.

Thank you Meredith for appearing on the show.

A very warm welcome to you and to all your followers.

Here's the first of the standard questions. Why do you blog?

I blog because I love to write and blogging allows me to be part of the global community. I enjoy traveling and hope to one day meet many of the folks I blog with.

What's the story behind your blog name?

I hoped to connect to men and women who were writers, artists, and photographers. I needed a name to reach a broad readership. The title The Things We Carried came to mind as I was thinking about life and all the joy and sorrow each person carries through life.

Much to my embarrassment I found out later there is a very famous book with a similar name to my blog. I seriously considered changing the name again, but decided to keep The Things We Carried because it is what my blog is about. Had I known about the book when I came up with my blog name I would have chosen something different!

What is the best thing about being a blogger?

Hands down the sense of community around the world, the amazing people I have "met" here, and the discipline of writing that blogging makes me keep.

What key advice would you give to a newbie blogger?

Visit other blogs. Return visits to those who visit you! This becomes much more difficult to do when you have more comments, but make an effort to do it. Leave encouraging comments. This goes a long way for people. We all appreciate kindness! Never put words on your blog, or anyone else's, that you might later mind the whole world reading! Leaving comments at other blogs also allows other people commenting to find their way to your blog. many people have found my blog through my comments at another blog. Be yourself at your blog.

What is the most significant blog post you've ever read?

I have read more posts than I could ever count. I can't name the most significant post, but I am always sure to be inspired at Brian Miller's WaystationOne, made to laugh at Skunkfeathers or Suldog's, tempted to grab my camera and a plane (okay, he just makes me want to travel, though he is New York based) at Gary Heller's, craving even half of the talent with words at Half Moons and Maiden Names, or From the Desk of Bee Drunken .

What is the most significant blog post you've ever written?

Trees

If you were to suggest two blogs for roasting who would you pick, and why?

From the Desk of Bee Drunken because she is quietly brilliant, and Gary Heller because he is an artistic genius. I want to know more about both of these under noted bloggers and I have no doubt others will appreciate discovering them!

(Thanks, Meredith, I will be contacting them shortly to invite them onto the show)

That concludes the formal aspect of the interview but it would be nice to get to know you a little better while you are slowly turning on the roasting spit. So while you are screaming in agony above the open fire here are a few more questions for you.

Pick three things you can't live without (no you cannot have ice cubes to cool you down).

Travel
Loved Ones
Books

If we were to make a movie about blogland, what would it be and who would you cast from the blogging community in the leading roles?


Eddie, you simply must be there, Hilary from The Smitten Image, Frank from Baron It All, Debbie from Suburb Sanity, Rikki J from One Big Love, Shadow from 1 Door Away from Heaven, and of course The Girl from Cherry Blossom Street, oh, and Erin from Woman in a Window! They all interest me with their stories, their talent, and I would love to have dinner with them. A reality show is what might work!

Gosh Meredith! I am extremely honoured to be included amongst these greats and it would indeed be marvellous to have dinner with you.

If you were an ice cream cone, which flavour would you prefer and who would you most want to lick you?

If I were an ice cream cone, I would have to be chocolate of some sort. . . . . Eddie, you know I can't answer a question like this! But I am not surprised to see you have cleverly, casually slipped this in!

(LOL What a naughty boy I am! - I have rapped my own knuckles and fired the typist!!)

Describe in one sentence your perfect day.

I would wake up near the ocean (somewhere in the Mediterranean), the sky would be a cloudless blue, some of those I love would be there and we would laugh for hours as people who who love one another, and know each other well, sometimes do!

If you were a fictional writer which one would you be and why?

Oh dear, often writers have tragic lives! I think I would have to be me :) ! I have never been one to want someone else's life, or talent, as I believe most authors have things, hard things, that make them capable of truly good writing. They reach deep into another person's soul (their reader's) because they have been to the darkest places of their own.

And finally, since you have answered all these questions I invite you to ask me one in return - it's the least I can do, so fire away!

Eddie, what has come as the biggest surprise to you about blogging?

Great question Meredith, and a welcome one too. I mention this in my roast in more detail but my biggest surprise since I started blogging is meeting so many wonderful people who have all these great qualities, and many more besides:

Talent, openness, warmth, helpfulness, kindness, good senses of humour (thank God) and lots of other amazing attributes. I have made some very close personal friends, some better than in real life, and I would never have thought this possible before I started blogging.


Thank you for roasting me Eddie!

I am honored and delighted to be invited to your place.
It is a lovely thing to be noted by my fellow bloggers and I mean it sincerely!


We all look forward to reading a lot more or your inspired work in the future - I for one am delighted you are keeping this blog. Thank you again, Meredith

____________________________________________________

Today's Sunday Roast with Meredith is the 95th in a weekly
series of interviews with bloggers from around the world _______________________________________________

This interview will feature in The Roll of Honour
for all published Roasts. To view press
HERE
_______________________________________________

Next week's interview is with Scriptor Senex

32 comments:

  1. Thank you Eddie for a wonderful interview with Meredith. She is a delight and I must go visit her right away. I will also stop by those she pointed out as her favs.
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. A great Roast, and I'm so glad you added some different ingredients to the mix, Eddie!

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  3. Meredith has long been a favourite of mine. She writes like a dream, doesn't she? Thanks for another great roast, you two.

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  4. I have loved Meredith for quite some time now. There isn't a better writer on here. Her honesty and intellect come through in each post. And yes, I'd love to have dinner with all of you. What fun we would have!

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  5. Meredith is a firm favourite of mine and I am so pleased to see her being roasted. I often have tears in my eyes when reading her posts as they are really moving...... even the happy ones. Very descriptive and talented writer.
    I really enjoyed the interview and thought you both did very well.

    Nuts in May

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  6. She sounds perfectly delightful!

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  7. A wonderful interview, Eddie, with a truly, lovely lady...her blog is beautiful, and her writing always poignant, wonderfully crafted, and extraordinarily touching. She writes from the heart, and tugs at mine. A terrific choice for your roast, Eddie! No one can read Meredith's writing, and walk away unchanged. Love to you both~ Janine

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  8. Wonderful..off to check out her blog! So excited to read the blog of another writer! And I agree with her about Chuck at Half Moons...I have his first book and it's amazing!

    Breeze

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  9. Great roast Meredith! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  10. Great to see one of my favourite bloggers here being roasted and toasted!!!

    congratulations Meredith!!!

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  11. Meredith is such a talented writer. So glad she got roasted. Love this interview. I like how she got around your "extra" questions!

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  12. Meredith is a wonderful writer, Eddie. I was a fan of her work from the very first time someone told me about her blog.

    Great to see so many familiar faces here.

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  13. Eddie..I have a small circle of followers and friends...and I am not familiar with Meridith, but I always look forward to your roasts to be able to visit blogs that you and/or your readers recommend. You are doing a very good job, Eddie. Thank you for the time it takes to roast...and I especially like the additional questions (and answers...or non-answers :)) ) that are given to your new ones.
    Thank you for the friendship that you share with me. I send you a very special wish for a lovely holiday. Give Selina a warm hug from me, and tell her for me that she has the most lovely voice...very beautiful and talented girl, she is.
    I know you are proud of her. I'll go to Meridith's blog now and read. Until later, my friend, I send you many hugs and more smiles. Love to you from Jackie

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  14. I love me some Meredith Teagarden. In fact, I mentioned her as a blog of note in my own roast only to find out she had already been tagged. So well deserved. Such raw and beautiful claim to a language that leaves most of us lacking. Meredith is a rare treasure and someone I wish I could call up for coffee. Better yet... solving the world's problems over a bottle of wine. Maybe someday, world traveler... maybe someday...

     ♥ Casa Hice loves The Things We Carried

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  15. A wonderful interview and roast! With so many of my friends here, praising Meredith's writing, I just have to pay her a visit. I loved the new additions and especially liked the way she called you on that one question, Eddie! You are so kah-nigh cher!

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  16. Great collection of comments from many good friends of mine and Meredith's.
    Apologies to you Meredith for posting this when it is rather a slack period in Blogland due to Christmas festivities approaching. I will feature it again when we are all back to normal Blogland activity.

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  17. Bravo!Wonderful interview!Congratulations Eddie!
    Congratulations sweet Meredith and thanks so much for your brilliant blog!
    We love you Meredith!Hugs from Luxembourg
    God bless you!
    purrs and love
    Luna and mommy Léia

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  18. how very cool...one of my favorites being roasted here today eddie! thanks for the shout out as well meredith...always great to stop by for my inspiration at your place. smiles.

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  19. Great interview, you two. I like how you sprinkled in some extra questions, Eddie. And now I'm off to check out some more of Meredith's blog!

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  20. Meredith is a lovely person and a marvelous writer. And she obviously has great taste since she mentioned ME in there somewhere.

    Great job, as usual, Eddie!

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  21. I'm late to the party Eddie. Sorry, I've been out of town.

    This is another great interview. Thanks to you and Meredith. And thanks for the tips on the other blogs to check out--- I'm off to read some.

    Merry Christmas Eddie!!!
    xo
    jj

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  22. Hi Eddie,
    Thanks for choosing to interview Meredith. She is one of my favorites.

    Thanks for keeping this up, for honoring people out there who have soul and talent.
    Have a Blessed Holiday.

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  23. Hi Eddie,

    I am so sorry I have not been able to comment on the roast sooner! I had a family emergency and have not had internet access until now. Thank you ever so much for doing this!

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  24. Do you know that we can roast her all day and I won't get tired listening to her stories?
    She is truly gifted!

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  25. Merideth is such a blessing! I could read her blog all day and all night. Thank you for roasting her! Thank you for this lovely weekly thing you do. How kind of you to introduce so many to wonderful writers.

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  26. I am truly grateful for all these wonderful comments on two counts.
    First - Meredith is an exceptional blogger with fantastic talent and it was my pleasure to roast her. She truly deserves all your accolades.
    Second - I am very honoured to receive your comments with reference to your confidence in my ability to keep this show on the road. I just want to say it is a tremendous pleasure and privilege to do this job for us - I really do love it, although it does take quite a chunk of time to organise it all, but well worth it.
    I have some great roasts in the oven. Watch this space.

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  27. Thank you both, Meredith and Eddie,
    for a wonderful roast!

    May your Christmas be filled with joy and love!

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  28. This is not a "roast" by any means. Roasts are where you poke fun at a person, in good humor, based off of things that you know about them. These are interviews. Interviews with subjects who make up thier own realities in Blogland. Please change the name of your Sunday activity to something that more accurately reflects what is actually taking place.

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  29. I'd like to know what actually takes place inside the mean-spirited mind of a troll who leaves such nit-picking comments (like the one above) - seemingly bold in nature but who cowardly hides behind the veil of Anonymity.

    Eddie, you're doing a great job with your Sunday Roasts. Keep up the good work.

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  30. A word for "Anomymous" and your mysterious comment.
    The format for the feature stays as it is, including the title. The Sunday Roast was devised by a wonderful blogger, David McMahon, who handed the project to me when he retired from blogging. I am proud to continue it as he devised it with some extras added by me. People like it and if don't then you do not have to come here to read it.
    It would be rather nice had you displayed some courage to reveal your identity!
    You are free to start your own feature if you wish but kindly leave mine alone.

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  31. I adore Meredith! Excellent choice!

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  32. Eddie, I can't believe I missed this Roast! I even checked to make sure I was on Blogger at the time, and I was! I blame the snow!
    Fabulous Roast, I always loved Meredith's blog, her writing is fantastic, draws the reader in so well, very descriptive, gets right inside the head of her characters.

    Your response to anonymous, cowardly comments is perfect!

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