Summer Workshops & The Lovely Blog Award

I've been busily preparing to teach a creative writing workshop in Greece. More precisely on an island there. I'll be taking the ferry out on their day of elections. Yikes, I hope that the election doesn't turn into a riot. Great timing, eh? But I'm excited to teach this group of very smart Missouri U students, and I've picked out some cool stories, including one from Ray Bradbury.
Yes, I'll be hooked into the Net, and will be reading and posting on blogs as usual. Perhaps by the azure ocean. It's a hard life.

On another note, I am flattered and delighted that Lucy Adams gave me a Lovely Blog Award. The rules state that I should link back to hers, so take a look and maybe follow her! Then, I reveal seven facts about myself, and award a few other blogs the Lovely Award. So here goes:

1. I have a phobia about flooding so I could never, ever watch the film Titanic.
2. I used to design watch faces, children's fabrics and solar-heated swimming pool covers!
3. Logic puzzles are cool, and that's why I love plotting.
4. If I weren't an author, I might be a psychiatrist. I am fascinated with aberrant behavior and how that can be used to create interesting villains in fiction.
5. I like my fictional leading men to be quirky and even a bit tortured. No vanilla hotties for me.
6. Ever since reading Bradbury's Martian Chronicles, I've been obsessed with Mars.
7. I love to travel to non-euro places. So far, I've been to China, Russia & India. Tashkent, Astana and Marrekesh, here we come.

Okay, now to grant the Lovely Award to three well-deserving blogs:
Lexa Cain and her mystical, Egyptian blog
Elizabeth Twist, Writer, Plague Enthusiast
Helen Mallon's WritingNurture

What are you up to this summer for vacation? Any inspired vacation writing spots?