Tag Time and a Snippet from "The Disappeared"

I have actually been tagged twice with the 7-7-7 Challenge (thanks Lauren and Jess!), and now that I have more of my book actually typed into the computer, I can finally see what falls on what page.  Therefore, I humbly accept the challenge and offer this snippet from page 77 of my work in progress (tentatively entitled "The Disappeared"):

       “There aren’t many of us left in this valley.  Last winter claimed half of us, and The Unrest claimed a fair bit more.

“The first uprising took Saul's father. They found him strung up in the middle of town. Birds were picking over his remains. The wild animals had already claimed their share from the bottom half. What was left of him swung in the bitter winter wind.

“A few days later, his mother went to town to see if she could get a Widow’s Pension. It’s not much, but it gives you a ration card.  You can get some food at least.  Well, you could if the approved items were in stock.  But they rarely are, what with all the fighting going on...”

Now I admit, I went slightly over the seven sentence limit--but I could not stand leaving in the middle of a bit of dialogue. 

I have been informed that The Rules are as follows:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines as they're written-- no cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers
5. Let them know!

So, the lucky seven four (sorry, I am really bad at following the rules!) who now get to share from their work in progress are...

1. Jayne
2. Cat
3. Nick
4. Laura

Now, if they follow directions better than I do, at some point they will post their snippets, too!

Another Blog Award....(but no more new pages yet)

I was tagged by my fellow writer and awarded a new blog award!  I am so excited!

The Tag rules:

You must post the rules.

Answer the questions and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.

Tag your award winners and link to them.

Let them know you’ve tagged them.

This means I get yet another opportunity to talk about myself!

The Questions I Get to Answer:

1. What's your favorite letter of the alphabet and why? (you're not limited to the English alphabet)  I am going with Z.  Z is zazzy.  Z is in my name.  And Z is...not common-place.
2. What's the most disgusting/odd combination of food you've ever eaten? I have 18 food allergies, so I don't consider them odd combinations...I call that life.
3. Favorite word?  Hm, I like words in general.  "Circumference" is nice...and "luxurious"...and "tranquil."  I also rather like "dabble."
4. If you had to get a tattoo, what would it be and why? If you already have one, use that as your answer.  I have two already.  I want another...but I haven't decided what yet, because once I decide I will want to immediately go get it.
5. What fictional character is most like you and why? Could be personality or appearance, from a book, movie, graphic novel, whatever.  My entire family is gather around me and watching me type this and screaming "Sheldon Cooper" (from Big Bang Theory).  I do NOT see the resemblance.
6. The bitchy blond female character -> love? hate? overdone? (bonus points for including your favorite blond joke).  I have known a few bitchy blonds in my day...whether they were truly blond or not?  I couldn't tell you.
7. Do you usually write characters who are the same gender as you are? Ever tried the opposite?  Characters tend to come to me "as is."  I don't try to assign them one gender or another. 
8. If you could swap places with a character and live in their fictional world/universe for a day, which would you choose? I have been reading a lot of dystopian books lately...not sure I want to change placed with any of those characters.
9. What's your favorite fairy-tale/myth/folk-tale/fable/nursery-rhyme, and would you ever write a re-telling of it?  I do have a serious soft spot for Sisyphus.
10. If you could turn your significant other into an animal for one day, what animal would you choose and why? I would turn him into a German Shepherd dog for the day and scratch that spot on his back that makes dogs shake their leg uncontrollably.
11. Does Pluto deserve to be re-instated as a planet?  YES!  (In my head, it will always be a "real planet." 

I want to pass this award along to:

http://mittensmorgul.blogspot.com/

http://rosewoodpencilbox.blogspot.com/

http://sharppendullsword.blogspot.com/

http://laurajosephsen.blogspot.com/

http://thewritingdeans.blogspot.com/

http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/

You should definitely check out their blogs and widen the circle of writers that you read and follow!

For those tagged, here are your questions:

1. What book character do you had a crush on?
2. What was the last book that made you cry?
3. What scenes are the hardest for you to write?
4. Are you superstitious about your writing methods, or do you have any rituals regarding your writing?
5. Do you listen to music when writing, or do you have to have silence?
6. What book antagonist do you love to hate?
7. What is the last  book that you stayed up ridiculously late to finish reading?
8. When was the last time that you waited in line for a book release?
9. What book(s) is/are currently on your bedside table?
10. What is your "guilty pleasure" book that you read and re-read?
11. How comfortable are you calling yourself "a writer/"

(If anyone else wants to play/answer the questions, go ahead! Just include the link, or answer directly in the comment section.:)