Saturday meme, or too many heroines to name just one

So DesLily over at Here, There and Everywhere tagged me for a meme. It's been a long time since I've done one, and I thought I would take this snowy Saturday and do it.  I'm home with a sick child - ear infection, also, a result of the virus we have all had in this house over the past two weeks.  I've been sick enough that I haven't been able to come on here and post even though I have been reading some fabulous books.  Tomorrow, perhaps, if my son is feeling better......

In the meantime, Deslily's Meme:
 
1. What are your most favorite books that you have read more than once (name at least two): Yikes!  Surprisingly easy to answer though: Persuasion by Jane Austen, and Bellwether by Connie Willis. 
2. Who is your favorite male character from a book? It should have been easy, Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.  But then I began thinking about my favourite mysteries.....how can you make me choose between Erlendur (Reykjavik series), Martin Beck (Sweden), John Rebus (Scotland), and my current amour, Harry Hole (Norway)?  What about Aragorn (LotR), Hamish McBeth (anyone else want to move to Loch Dubh?), or Jon Snow (A Game of Thrones)?  Captain Wentworth from Persuasion?  Deep, deep down, he came back to see what had become of Anne, because he could not forget her.  *rapturous sigh*
3. Who is your favorite female character from a book? It would have to be Elizabeth Bennett.nbsp; I would love to chat with her, and she has such a good sense of humour, and good spirit about her, and loves so intensely.  Plus she's thoughtful. But then I thought of Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables series), whom I have loved since I was a child. Irrepressible, even though she had such a hard beginning, kind, funny, and introduced me to poetry - especially Tennyson.  Magical. I think often even now of her and her red hair and her freckles, and Marilla and Matthew who adopted her. What about Anna Lee of the mystery series by Liza Cody?  Calm, unpretentious, quiet, thoughtful.  Cordelia Gray?  I was devastated when I learned there were to be no more books from James about her.  Thursday Next?  Jilly Coppercorn in the Charles de Lint ongoing series?  Mercy Thompson, as she learns ever so slowly about what being a coyote shapeshifter is?  I love that she is so independent.  There are so many good female characters out there - VI Warshawski is a real favourite of mine, as is Kinsey Milhone (whose series I have to catch up on), and Jane Eyre - once more, another spirited heroine, independent, fiesty.  I don't have a favourite.  But looking back on this list, I can see that I admire female characters who are outspoken, fair, honest, who try to live by a moral code, and who care, even if it is their pet hamster (Stephanie Plum!).  One standout character for me is Ista, from Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold - a middle-aged fantasy, one reviewer called it.  I thought Ista was exciting to read about, and refreshing.  She was a cynical, world-weary but fiesty woman, who  takes to the road after everything is over for her at her former home. Fantasy is for all ages (Gandalf was hundreds of years old!).......so Pat, I'm very sorry, I have too many favourite female characters.  What a wonderful world we live in,!  So many good characters!
4. What is the last book that you read that is out of your comfort zone, and did you enjoy it?  Hmm. The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton.  I don't read much regular fiction, and she sent me this to read.  I ended up really enjoying it - so much so, that I've kept it to reread again some day.  I particularly like the main character's life in France, and how she settles into the village and new country life style.  It's been a year since I read it, and I can still recall some scenes, which doesn't happen often for me. 
5. If you could have gone on the movie sets of any movie and watched it being made, which movie would you choose, and why?  OH - Lord of the Rings!  I want to be there now for the making of The Hobbit!  New Zealand!  ok no real dragons, but still - hobbits! Gandalf! dwarves and elves!  *ignores the possibility of encountering the spider* Followed by the Alien movie (cool sets, and a space ship). 
6. What food is your most guilty pleasure? chocolate!!!!!!!!  even though I'm diabetic, I still eat some every day.  There had better be books and chocolate in heaven (followed by tea) or I'm coming back here asap.
7. If you could travel somewhere (money is no object) where would you go? only one place?  really?  My list is so long...London England.  There is so much to see there - British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, historic houses and buildings, the streets where authors lived and walked.....and especially, my favourite area, Charing Cross Road. Bookstores, - Foyles, Forbidden Planet, Persephone Books, Waterstones, and then the marvellous tiny bookstores hidden away on the side streets all along Charing Cross Road.  A slice of heaven for this book lover. 
8. If you could change one thing in our world, what would it be?  I would stop crop manipulations/sterile seeds.  This frightens me almost more than anything, because if the sterility spreads to nearby crops (which it has), one day we could see the end of our food supply, all because we didn't stop to think about what we were doing (and the money involved, of course).
9. What is something that you’d like to accomplish this year?  You don't ask easy questions, do you, Pat? I'd like to start and finish the second draft of my novel that I finished the first draft of, 4 years ago.    I'm afraid that it's so bad that I haven't been able to look at it yet.
10. What are 3 things that are very important to you? Watching my blood sugar levels, my children, and aboriginal rights .  My brother is Ojibway, he's adopted, and because he is part of my family, I have been privileged to meet a part of society that has a different culture, and which I have developed immense respect for.
11. If you could go back in time, where and when would you be? 1832 London Ontario, when my Welsh ancestors arrived.  I have always wanted to see how the pioneers lived, and knowing now that my ancestors were among those that founded the community in and around London, makes me wish I could go back in time and see what London looked like then, with the great forest all around, and the tiny log cabins in the wilderness as each family cleared their space and developed the land.


Now, it's my turn. I have to pick 11! bloggers, and ask 11 questions for them. Like Pat, I'm cheating and picking five.  
Geraniumcat at Geranium Cat's Bookshelf
Bride from Bride of the Book God
Wendy from Musings of a Literary Feline
Jane from Reading, Writing, Working, Playing
 Emily from Telecommuter Talk


My quesions:
 1. What is your favourite place in the world?
 2. Have you ever visited an author's home, and did the experience live up to your expectation?
3. Do you read biographies of authors you like, or do you prefer to let their words speak for them?
4. Do you have a comfort food?
5. Do you have a favourite classical author? 
6. Do you prefer to watch the movie first, or read the book first?
7. Do you have enough bookshelves?  (I know this question is a cheat, because really do any of us have enough bookshelves?)
8. Is there an author that you are planning to read this year for the first time?
9. Do you have a favourite historical period, and why is it your favourite?
10.  Name a book that you are anticipating reading that is being published this year.
and just because I like this question so much:
11.  Name two of your favourite novels that you have reread more than once.

 These are the only rules: 
1. Post the Rules :
2. Answer the eleven questions that were asked of you by the person who tagged you
3. Make up eleven new questions and tag eleven new people to do the meme!
4. Let them know you tagged them!