Somebody Stop Me, I'm Smokin' :)

5 Marketing Tips For Bloggers

1. Post regularly. If it’s a news oriented blog, 3-5 times per day. If it’s an authoritative blog, 3-5 times per week, but each post must be unique and high value.
2. Use social networking services, forums and discussion threads to connect with other bloggers. If they like your stuff, they will link to you.
3. Request feedback or reviews of your blog in relevant forums, discussion threads. If you have a resourceful post that will help others, point to it.
4. Build out your online networks through services such as MyBlogLog, Twitter and Facebook and leverage them to promote particularly useful content on your blog.
5. Always respond to comments on your blog and when you detect a mention of your blog on another blog, thank that blogger in the comments of the post.

Somebody Stop Me, I'm Smokin' :)

• Please come see my interview over at Chandler Craig fabulous blog, Fumbling with Fiction.

• Also I got my first blog award from the wonderful Lindsey Leavitt at I Blog Therefore I Am.

(sniff sniff)

So since I definitely I am not up for an Oscar this year, here I go....

I'd think to thank Lindsey for the award and let her know that if I had not met her and hung out this past Oct - I may not have pushed forward with my writing. She inspired me to get back on my blog and have hope that moms like me can be published authors. Thanks Lindsey, this story is really true - I am not just saying it because you gave me an award (BTW - you owe me some change on that bribe - I mean donation - I sent you. :)

I'd like to thank the 3 people who follow me :) Or at least admit to. Sometimes it's hard admitting to total insanity but you 3 people aren't afraid to stick your necks out for what you believe in. This award is for you (Oh sorry - you cant have it - but you can admire it :) If others are thinking of joining, I'll try and tap into your ego...your competitive nature...and say something I know most of you cannot refuse. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU! (can you see why I write for kids - oi!)

Id like to thank my first boyfriend for making me so crazy and codependent (we'll call him anonymous but he knows who he is....My IP address #%&$*^$#% ) . If it was not for him, I wouldn't have quit my first job making 25,000 a year, left Atlanta, moved to Auburn and pay 20,000 a year for out of state tuition to study MARKETING. Without your spell, I would not have had to knowledge to start this blog.

Id like to thank my hubby and my mom for being my first readers in the beginning and for the countless other things you do for me on a daily basis. (fist bumps to you! and a woot woot!)

I'd like to thank all 1,000 visitors I've had just since Nov. I would list all your IP addresses (since that is how I know - "oh its IPXXXXX from UK again! great!" I am sure you found me by accident but at least 1/2 of you come back regularly :) If you told me who you were - I'd visit you too but I can't so I won't. *SIGH* (unless you add a comment and stop lurking/blog stalking me ;)

I'd like to thank Brad Pitt for....oh sorry Brad, I forgot I promised not to tell anyone about THAT night - my apologies. (Hey do any of you think this will drive up my blog hits from Google?. He is most Googled person right now. Hmmmm I'll let you know if it worked.)

I'd like to thank in advance all the fabulous agents, authors, editors that have been gracious enough to do my new marketing interviews. I have had a great response and am already booked through Spring. I may have to start it 2 times a week - Somebody Stop Me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with a peon like me :) (and I am not brown-nosing....OK I am but I'm sure you all know you are too fabulous to need it - oops there I go again)

I would like to thank Jessica DeHart (and my critique group) for always helping me believe in my passion and future as a writer. Without her, I may not be still pushing forward through this very difficult, ego-busting, tearful, hopeful, joyous, frustrating, passionate, friend-making, and rewarding process called Writing. She also has a great heart so here's a plug for her charity work, A Brilliant Life - check it out. She is always looking for donations :)

So if I had a theme song for the day or my life was a musical.....this would be my song. Enjoy!

I'm A Sucker for Trash TV...oops...I mean Market Research!

My Marketing Secret:
This Monday for Marketing Monday - I will announce a new feature that I am adding to my blog. It is very exciting and I think you all will love it! Hint: It has to do with marketing :) Come back and see what is in store for 2009.


Totally Trashy TV (photo: from a sticker from wackypackages.com)

Before anyone says it - I will. I should be writing instead of watching trash TV. It is my vice. But isn't Tivo grand! :)

And, for the record, I watch Anderson Cooper every night (and NOT just for the news :)

What do I get from Trash TV? Characters.

Lots of funny characters.

Some hilarious dialogue.

And market research (Hey it's trashy, but all the kids are watching it!)

1) The Man- I watched Jason gets his little heart broken in the last Bachelorette season. I am glad he is the one back. Though I liked Jeremy too. Here are my picks for the top 4: Nikki, Lauren, Naomi, and Melissa. Though I hear Deanna is coming back! I'm a sucker for love. Fake, shallow love.

2) Wipeout in 22days!- So those of you who have followed me for a while probably know I am a huge Wipeout fan. It is my favorite reality show ever. I laugh so hard when this show is on. I'm talking the long, can't breath, belly laughs, the kind you used to have in school with your BFFs. I love them and they are hard to come by - unless you watch this show.

3) Feel the Fear! I watched this show out of curiosity. It was kinda scary. 13 kids dumped in a creepy cottage in the middle of nowhere. At the end, they do challenges to see who gets killed off? This week, 2 girls had to be buried alive and then escape. I would freak out! I cannot stand close spaces. Silver Lining, this is great research for my thriller series. It is interesting to see how differently people react when they are scared.

4) Beauty is as Beauty Does - True Beauty is the show. But it is as much about ugliness as beauty. 1) Do people like this really exist? I'm afraid so. 2) 1) these people aren't THAT beautiful. I was expecting Heidi Klum pretty. 3) Did you know there is a scientific equation for beauty. No really - there is? And it's called "MBA" Is that just to make the pretty people feel smart? So I can say - I hve an MBA (which I do) and people will think I passed the beauty test? Cool. I can honestly say that this is one test I will never take or pass.

5) American Idol kickoff. This week. Jan 13th. It's back on! I love seeing nobodies make it big. It's something I hope to do someday with my writing. Can't there be an American Idol for writers - I guess that would be boring. Watching us write all day. Not very glam either. You should see me right now - condolences to my hubby. I don't know about you but I loved Chris Daughtry and David Cook. And I admit - Jordan Sparks has turned out some cool hits, especially with Chris Brown. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood turned out some pretty cool stuff too.

Again, all in the name of market research! :)

Here come the Halloween Crazies!

I am starting to wonder - where is the line between sane and crazy?

Everyday I come across behavior that seems slightly off.

Whether it be a racial slur, a speeding car through a crosswalk, a man talking to an invisible dog on a leash, or parents letting their kids be out of control.

These are minor oddities, but today I am reminded that things can get weirder when you least expect them.

A man down the street from us loves holidays. He decorates his house for every major holiday. In addition, the man stands outside his house on every holiday - and I mean every major - and dresses up as something. It has become a icon house that everyone drives by. Parents wondering "what will he be today?" while the kids squeal in delight. Whether it be a groundhog, turkey, snowman, or pumpkin - the guy gets decked out and entertains many.

• Last Thanksgiving - he dressed as a turkey and actually sat on a huge nest - a 6x6 nest made of real sticks/logs.
• Last Christmas - he dressed as Santa and sat in a rocking chair playing Christmas music.
• Easter - he donned a large bunny costume and hopped across the yard - back and forth

I have always thought it was cute that someone was so enthusiastic. But every year, when Halloween rolls around - things get crazy at the old man's house.

But now....it's Halloween and all the crazies start coming out.

I drove by today with my kids and this year he is a bigfoot/gorilla hybrid. But not a fun happy gorilla - but a gorilla that chases your car.

Ok - so I am kinda scared!

I've noticed a pattern with this dude at Halloween.Last year, he was a really scary witch that stood on his porch turning on and off a flashlight. The year before that, he was the grim reaper chasing people down the street. Is he crazy or is it just the full moon? It seems pretty harmless the other months of the year but October gets sketchy.

I obviously cannot go down the street for fear of being attacked by an overenthusiastic middle-aged bigfoot/gorilla hybrid. Not to mention - the permanent scars of crazed gorillas on my children's psyche.

Beyond that - i am left with the question. Why does Halloween bring out the crazies? Are they always that way but when they gets masks on - they think they can just let loose? Are they really crazy, going crazy, or just acting crazy?

Either way - I am not a huge fan of Halloween. I think the crazies use it as an excuse to be real without being known.

Oct 21 - update

the gorilla/bigfoot hybrid now sits on a chair as if being electrocuted! Stay tuned!