#AskGracie 1.

I often use Twitter for writing type purposes; I ask my lovely friends what I should be writing about, I run polls on which blog post everyone wants to read next. I also enjoy seeing what other writers are up to and so when I saw a blogger pal running a hashtag-ask thing I thought I may as well give that a go, too. 

I let the hashtag #AskGracie run over one weekend (not just my hashtag obvs, it's been used by others before), and had such fun seeing friends' and followers' curious enquiries. I ended up screen shotting them, not just saving them in my likes.

We'll start with gorgeous @Jo_Scribbles, who was quick off the mark with her question.

'What feminist non-fic would you recommend (other than those by Caitlin Moran :P)?'

Caitlin is my go-to for feminist non-fiction, it's true. She is an oracle. However, looking elsewhere we are currently spoiled for choice in this genre. Orion sent me 'Girls Will Be Girls' by Emer O'Toole recently, and I lapped that up like you wouldn't believe. So interesting. Also lovely Leena sent me 'Eat Sweat Play' by Anna Kessel which isn't exactly hardcore feminism lit but is so so important as it discusses the obstacles and restrictions that are still in place for women in sport. And I have a copy of 'Do It Like A Woman...and Change the World' by Caroline Criado-Perez that I totally stole from an office somewhere. That excites me! 

Then of course my good pal @MatttSpencerr (aka Spence, the keeno Journo I know from uni) brought Queen B into this...

'Make like Beyonce and tell us: What you'd do if you were a boy – even just for one day?'

*sings* I'd roll out of bed in the mornin', and throw on what I wanted and go...wait no...

I'd have a wank, obviously. What girl wouldn't? I'm just so damn curious as to what it's like for a guy. Every other film and TV show contains male-centred wank jokes – if not a scene of an actual bloke wank – so I'd want to get on that and see what's what. Obvs.

Then after that portion of my morning, I'd dress up in a stunning suit and strut down the street to see how it feels to be utterly invincible and admired by all. I might do that in the later hours as well, to see what it's like feeling completely safe in the street when it's dark. That would be, of course, after I take a lovely consenting girl home and give her the night of her life.

Also, could I grow a beard in one day? I've always wanted to grow a beard.

'What has been a dream you have made happen & what dreams are you still trying to make happen?'

- @AllThingsEla.

It's so lame and cheesy, but...I graduated. I went to uni and I did a course and I got a degree. That's not to say that should be everyone's dream, because higher ed really isn't for everyone and that's cool, but it was a big deal to me. Especially since it was a little touch and go right after I handed in my diss and final assignments. Walking up on the stage in the cathedral on grad day and hearing the big cheer that went up as my name was read out was perfection.

I recently went back to my uni to give a talk in a lecture about blogging; that was a dream come true, and has made me realise that I'd love more than anything to make that a career type thing. It's been a dream to do well at blogging (and someday actually EARN for my blog posts) since I was 16. It would be so cool to have that happen and also get to teach others and pass on my tips.

'Q1. Can we be friends because you're awesome / Q2 if you could be any mythological creature, what would you be and why?' 

- @alicaitrin.

Q1. Yes, sorted.
Q2. I love Medusa. We studied her in Year 7 Classics class, and I got obsessed. I know it's dark af, but I'd love to be able to turn my enemies – or even just someone who looked at me the wrong way – into stone forever. I'd love to incite fear into others, just a little. I'd rock the grey skin and cropped snake hair do, too.

(I really enjoyed this #AskGracie thing. Maybe I'll do it again sometime. Maybe I won't. You'll have to wait and see!)