Redhead Rants

I Am A Writer

2013-04-04T10:39:00.001-06:00

There I said it. I've always been told that if you really want something, you've got to profess it. So that's what I'm doing. And I am a writer. I've been writing since I was old enough to realize that all my "imaginary" friends could be put to paper and a real world would emerge.

Though I'm not exactly back to the point I'd like to be, I'm well on my way. The more I write, especially on this blog, the more my confidence is beginning to grow. I'm loving it too. I'm starting to feel like I'm accomplishing something real. That's a huge deal for me. I'm getting past that whole "I don't think I can do this anymore" stance. I'm starting to get into this whole "I think I can, I think I can" mode.

I know I have a long road ahead of me, but it's one I'm starting to get excited about once again. The more I work toward achieving my goal, the happier I'm becoming. I just have to keep at a steady pace. I want to just jump in with both feet and go for it, but I also know that with not writing for over a year, I've got to make sure I know the in's and out's of the industry. One thing I have learned is that trends change quickly on the Internet. What was the "in" thing a year ago may be a huge no-no today.

I will get there, one way or another. It's going to take me some time to get there, but everyday is another step in the "write" direction. I can't give up and I have to keep moving forward. After all, I can do this because I am a writer!

Be A Freelance Blogger

2013-04-03T22:41:00.000-06:00

In my ongoing quest to get back into this whole writing and blogging thing, I found a site that may well be just what the doctor ordered. It's called BeAFreelanceBlogger.com and it's not your run of the mill type site.

I must say up front before you think about heading over there to check the site out, be prepared. The site is run by a gutsy little lady called Sophie Lizard and she lays it on the line. There is some strong language on her posts, but it's not for shock value. She tells you the way it is and she doesn't leave anything to the imagination. If you're not ready to hear all the things you didn't want to know, don't bother.

Now, with that being said, let's get to it. This is the site you need to check out if you're serious about making money as a pro blogger. She gives you great advice on how to find the markets that pay you real money for your blogging talents, as well as ways to improve those talents. She makes it quite clear that the only real thing holding anyone back from being a well-paid blogger is their own inhibitions.

Sophie also offers any and all readers a chance to download her e-book, The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, for FREE!!!!! This is a killer list of sites that will pay bloggers to help out their readers. All she asks in return is that you give her a helping hand in promoting the list. Furthermore, if you think you have it in you, Sophie will pay you to do a guest post on her site as well. It's got to be your best work in order to make the cut, but if you get it there, she'll pay you a mere $50 to do so. That's damn good for those who don't know.

If you're looking for a way to make it as a professional blogger as I am, this is one of those sites you've got to check out. You won't find a bunch of fluff and flash, but you will find the information that will get you one the right track to making it in this highly competitive field.

My plan for getting back into writing

2013-04-01T12:16:00.000-06:00

I'm working hard at getting back into the swing of writing for money again, but I already know it isn't going to be easy. First and foremost, I know that I'm pretty much going to have to start from square 1 and work my way back up again. I only hope it doesn't take me another 10 years to get to where I was when I took my break.

So here are a few of the things I plan on doing in order to get myself back to where I need to be:

1.) Pinterest
I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of Pinterest. My fiance' and I are getting ready to move out to his farm and I've been using Pinterest to find ideas on how to set up various flower and vegetable gardens. As I was going through the millions of pictures it dawned on me that many of them were giving me little hints of inspiration for stories and/or articles. So now I check out Pinterest each day and just type in a random word in the search box to see what comes up and catches my attention. I add at least 2 pictures to my new "Writing Ideas" board.

2.) Writing Prompts
The one thing I regret most about this past year is that I ended up losing all of my domain names for lack of funds. I couldn't afford to host them or even keep the names on hold so I had to give all of them up, including my very first blog ever, The Prompt Writer. I'd started that blog in 2003 and it had been my baby for a long time. The thing that really gets to me is that I can't even go back in and rebuy the name. It's gone....forever. However, that doesn't mean I can't keep doing what I was doing there. I can still sit back and try to come up with new prompts for myself and anyone else that might need a helping hand.

3.) Blogging Job Boards
As I said before, I know I can't just jump into the world of article writing again without finding my groove again. And I can guarantee that things have moved on in leaps and bounds in the past year. With that being said, there's nothing that can keep me from checking out the blogging job boards to see what people are looking for and practice on this site, or any other free site I create, just to give myself a little more practice before trying to land real jobs. Who knows, it may work in my favor and I'll make a little extra dough on my own sites.

4.) Networking
Ok, before I say to much on this let me just say this is NOT my strong suit. I've always had trouble connecting with like minded people that I don't talk to on a regular basis. I was lucky enough in the past to connect with a few individuals that did help me on my road to success, but I'm not sure I'll be able to have the same kind of luck. That being said, I am going to try and get into a few writing groups and see if I can't get caught up on some of the latest trends and find out where I need to go from here.

5.) Write!!!
I know it sounds redundant, but this is actually my biggest problem. I've got to get myself past this feeling that I just can't do it anymore and find the strength and will within myself to just do it. No matter what it's about, I just have to make myself write each day.

So there it is, my short term goal for getting back on the road to being a paid writer. I'm not sure how much luck I'll have but at least it's a start.

Trying to swing back in

2013-03-31T23:21:00.002-06:00

Well it's been well over a year since I last posted on this site but I think it's high time I did. For the past year, I've stepped completely away from the writing game as my life has gone off in a whole new direction.

When I say I stepped away from the writing game, I mean that in every sense of the word. I haven't written much at all since December of 2011. I won't get into all the sorted details but I am finding that it's not so easy to just jump back into the swing of things and pick up where I left off.

Up until that time I had been writing for several companies and individuals and making a nice little sum of money. It wasn't enough to put me in a new house or anything like that, but if I decided I needed a new pair of shoes or wanted to pamper myself a little, it wasn't an issue. But now it seems to be all I can do to sit down in front of this computer and put out words that make any sense.

I've been thinking about getting back into writing again for some time but wasn't sure where to go to get started. I didn't know who to talk to or if anyone out there could even help. I've tried looking up places online but that didn't seem to help either. So this is my way of trying to find myself once again.

I've kind of revamped this site, not much but a bit, just to feel like I'm actually doing something productive. I've posted something over at a place I'd written on some time ago called Gather.com, and then I decided it was time to just sit down here and write. Not much in the way of thinking about what I'm writing, but just writing to say I'd actually written something today.

I don't know how well this will go, but I have to do something to get myself back into the writing game. Even if it's only a slow start, I need to find a place to start. So where better than my own little home on the web and in front of people who already know what kind of a dork I can really be. So here we go....

My Latest Endeavors

2011-10-21T21:21:00.001-06:00

Hey kids,

Just a real quick update on what's going on in my ever-changing world. As a few of you may know, I've been given an awesome job at Blog Engage and it's been eating up a lot of my time (and no, I am NOT complaining). I love my job over there, but I do miss taking out a little time here and there to write a post or two on my other sites.

One of the things I do over there, is I write a weekly column called "What's Your Niche" and it's about finding niche topics that will help bring in a little money, but without blogging about the Make Money Online niche itself. Too much competition in that one.

Anyway, in last week's post, I talked about how the Paranormal Field could be a very lucrative niche topic if were to be done right. I was very happy to see the number of people who thought I was on to something, but what none of them realize (yet) is that I've just started a brand new blog with this very subject in mind. Now please remember that this site is NOT done and not even close yet. But I'd like to introduce you all to my new blog, Para-Mythic. This site is all about the paranormal, myths, legends, stories, and whatever else I can conjure up in the future.

I figured with all the different things out there that have to do with this subject, surely I can create a blog centered around the idea. I plan on talking about different myths from the ancient world, discussing some of the various shows on television (the fake one and the reality ones), paranormal book sites, and a lot more. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them here or there. Either one will put a smile on my face.

I invite you all to join me in my new venture, and to stop by Blog Engage and see what's happening over there as well. I'm very excited about my new digs and I can't wait to see what my little pee brain can come up with in the end. This is one of my most favoritest subjects in this world and the next, so let's see where we can take it, shall we?

Classic TV shows

2011-10-05T13:06:00.002-06:00

Guest written by our friend Sergio Chaney

I love watching classic TV shows. Since we got satellite Tv by Direct TV, I have really been enjoying watching shows that take me back to my younger years. We used to watch Little House on the Prairie with our daughters when they were young. It is such a simple show, unlike a lot of trashy shows that are on TV today. I have also been watching Green Acres and I Love Lucy. I love the cleanliness of the comedy on these shows. My favorite I Love Lucy episode is the one where she is stuffing chocolates into her mouth because she can’t get them off of the conveyor belt fast enough. I laugh out loud at that episode every time I see it. I think that a lot of young people today do not appreciate true comedy. A lot of them watch Comedy Central, which shows a lot of foul-mouthed stand up comedians. That is not pure comedy to me. I would pick my older shows over Comedy Central any day. I am so glad that I am able to watch all of my old favorite shows on satellite TV.

My Favorite Piece Of Technology

2011-09-28T14:14:00.000-06:00

I found a really cool blog contest over at Blogger Compete and had to get in on it. It's sponsored by Justin Germino and his very cool technology blog. Seriously, if you've never seen this site, go check it out. It's an awesome site.

Anyway, this contest is about discussing my favorite technological gadget or software. And though most people are going to talk about their Smartphones or some app they can't live without, I have to talk about my Amazon Kindle. I LOVE my Kindle. I seriously don't know how I managed to read a book before winning this awesome gadget, and yes, I said "winning". I was lucky enough to win my Kindle in a book blog giveaway last year.

The first thing I need to express is the fact that I am NOT a techie type of person. I don't have a fancy cell phone, I've never purchased an app from the App Store, and I don't even have an iPod. I do have an Mp3 player, but only because I couldn't find a Walkman anywhere. So when I found out I'd won a Kindle, I was a bit freaked out. What it I couldn't figure out how to make it work? What if I couldn't afford any books for it, and if I could, how would I get them on the bloody thing?

It didn't take me long to figure out how to work my Kindle. It's pretty self explanatory, though there is a manual already downloaded into it when it first arrives at your home. It comes with the Kindle itself and a USB cord that also converts into an AC/DC adaptor (all in one, very cool).

I was one of those people who was NEVER going to use an E-reader as there was no way it could be better than reading an actual book. Guess what. I was WRONG!!!!! I've read more books in the year I've had my Kindle than in the 10 years previous. I know, it sounds bad but it's true. And I don't think I could sit long enough to read an actual book anymore. It's nice to be able to take 8 or 10 books with me when we go somewhere and not take up a ton of room doing so. According to the device, my Kindle will hold like 3500 books. I've probably got about 300 or so in mine right now, but am always looking for new titles.

The reason I have so many books is because there is a cool thing on Amazon I didn't know about; free e-books. Seriously. New authors are always trying to get their books noticed by the public and being a freelance writer myself, I have to give my fellow writers a shot. Some of them need a little work, but for the most part, I've had a blast reading all these new books and am thrilled with a lot of these new authors.

Yes, I'll have to admit that my Kindle is my tech junkie have-to-have. I never thought I'd have one, but now I couldn't see myself without it. And a special thanks to Justin Germino for hosting this killer contest. I guess I didn't realize just how addicted to my Kindle I was until I started writing this. And if ya'll want to get some really awesome blogging tips, go check out Justin's site. It's one of the best I've come across. I promise you will learn something from his site, whether you try to or not. LOL

5 Ways Blogging Is Like Being A Parent

2011-08-31T00:13:00.001-06:00

I had the honor of being accepted to a site called BloggersCompete in which myself and other bloggers work toward winning a blogging contest or two---or more. They are always looking for bloggers to join the site and compete for prizes and cold hard cash. Check them out and and see if you too can join the fun and win some cash. The following is my entry into the 5 Ways Blogging is Like_______ contest.

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People compare blogging to a lot of things, but if you really think about it, it's a lot like raising a family. Being a mom, I know full well what it takes to watch your babies go from helpless beings who can't do anything without you to full-fledged adults who need to face the world without you holding their hands. Here are 5 ways in which blogging is like being a parent.

It's up to you to come up the perfect name
Naming your new blog is a lot like naming your new baby. You want a name that the world will remember, but won't think is too strange. You want something that is easy to spell, but still maybe just different enough to set them apart from the rest. And you want something that feels natural when spoken.

You become protective of your baby

As you start to put your new blog together, you start to become attached to certain things. And when someone comes along and criticizes any part of it, you become defensive and are ready to fight. Even if that person was only trying to offer some help to bring your site up to the next level, you feel as though you've been personally attacked and your site is being punished.

You're always trying to keep things neat and tidy
You know you have to add content and ads and other such things, but you don't want your blog to end up looking cluttered. You might find a couple new themes to try on, you rearrange your sidebar widgets and ad spots, and you try to make sure your posts are well written and in order. And as you add new elements to the site, you work to make sure they fit in with the other things already in place.

You're always trying to come up with ways to make everyone happy

As you add your posts, you want each one to be received by the public with open arms. You go out of your way to write in such a way as to make you readers happy, but then you worry that the search engines won't like them. So you work toward writing for the search engines and find that your readers aren't happy with the content. But over time, you find a happy medium that makes the readers and the search engines happy with what you present to them.

As your site grows and becomes more popular, you realize all it was worth all the hard work

In time, you see that your little blog has taken on a life of its own. You don't have to coddle it quite so much anymore and you find that there are a lot of people coming by to see your site. You realize that your baby isn't so little anymore and that there are others out there who like hanging out on your blog. It's at that point that you realize, like any good parent, you've done your job and you've done it well.

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If you liked this post and want to try your own hand at winning a blogging contest or two, or if you just want to engage with bloggers who have similar blogs as yours, check out the site and see if your blog has what it takes to join in with BloggersCompete.com

Let's Win Some SuperPoints

2011-08-18T09:25:00.004-06:00

I have found one of THE most addictive time consumers ever. It's called SuperPoints and it's easy to do and can help you win money and prizes. Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can. There's nothing to it but to sign up and push a button. Let me explain.

SuperPoints is a site that allows their users to earn points and spend them on a whole slew of items. Depending on the amount of points, a person can win gift cards, electronics, and even cold hard cash. The trick is to get members to sign up under you, and the more who sign up under you, the more you win. That's right. For every member you get to sign up under you, you get a percentage of their points. So the more friends you have, the faster you earn your way into the big prizes.

You may have noticed I just used the term "big prizes". That's right, boys and girls, you can win items such as Amazon Kindles, iPods, or even laptops. There a lot of stuff in their Network Store. And all you have to do is earn the points.

So, how does one go about earning the points??? Easy. Every day members are allowed up to 30 clicks on the Super Button. This button can give out 1,2, 5, or even 50 points at a shot. I don't know how high the amount goes, but I have won the 50 point amount. The button doesn't give out points on every spin, but it's still fun to try. Other ways of earning points include completely various offers and just watching different videos. I mean, how easy is that?

So come on, join me and lets see just how many cool prizes we can walk away with before it's all said and done. Remember, you can trade those points in for cash too. Kinda like winning free money just for playing online. Right on!!!!

Win An iPad2 or $500 Cash

2011-08-12T16:24:00.002-06:00

Hey kids!!

I know it's been a day or 12, but like has been going a thousand miles an hour this month. Between getting things ready for school to start and trying to keep up with 2 blogs in the NaBloPoMo challenge, I've been slightly busy. But then I say a new-ish contest out there and I had to tell everyone about. It's a chance to win either an iPad2 OR $500 sent to your Paypal account.

This giveaway is being hosted by Mama B Blog, Baby Dickey, and Little BGCG. These three ladies were lucky enough to represent Shari Criso and her My Baby Experts web show at BlogHer '11. The show is a live web show, the next of which will be on August 23rd from 9-10pm EST. If you're a new mom or about to become one, RSVP for the show and get in on all the latest in the mommy world.

This giveaway is open to entrants worldwide and will run through August 30th at 11:59pm EST. This is a big giveaway so get in while you can as there are already thousands of entries into this one. It's important to note that a winner chosen from either the United States or Canada will have their choice of either of the two prizes, while an entrant from anywhere else in the world will only be able to win the cash.

Summer Giveaway Hop

2011-08-01T13:17:00.005-06:00

One of my all-time favorite book blogs is co-hosting a killer week long giveaway. I'm a Reader Not A Writer and BookHounds are holding the Summer Giveaway Hop. This giveaway event has more than 300 other bloggers involved, all of which are holding their own giveaways. Now mind you, there is absolutely no way I could ever enter that many giveaways in a week's time, but I'm going to jump into as many as I can. I love a good giveaway and this one's gonna be killer.

The thing to remember about this giveaway is that it only lasts for a week. From today through this coming Sunday night, 316 sites are going to be giving away some really cool books and other likewise items. Be sure to check out the two sites co-hosting this event to get a full list of participating sites. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some entering to do. And so do you, so hurry up and get over there cause I can't do this one on my own. LOL

Not really into books that much??? Well then maybe you'd be more interested in the Boost Your Buzz event going on thanks to Survey Junkie, Simply Stacie, and Little Yaya's. So what's with this one? Well one lucky person is going to win $1,000 to be sent via PayPal. There are a bunch of blogs also involved with this one, but getting in on this one is as easy as joining someone's social media group, following them, or subscribing to their RSS feeds. Head on over to any of the girls' sites and fill out the forms. Who knows, you could win the whole thing. But it ends on August 15th, so better do it now!

Giveaway Round-up 7-27-11

2011-07-27T12:42:00.009-06:00

Hey kids, it's time once again to list of few of the giveaways going on right now around the blogosphere. I love a good giveaway and some of these are just awesome. And as always, if you happen to notice that this post changes from time to time, it's because I'm still in the middle of updating the page. So let's get started.

The first one on our list today is from a site called Etsy D-Listers. I love the creative edge of Etsy shops, I just can't afford to put my own things in there right now. But I do support all those who do and this giveaway is way cool. They're not just giving away one item, they're giving away a total of 3 boxes filled with cool items. From handmade water bottle covers to jewelry to full-size tote bags. There's a lot of stuff in this one. Including some gorgeous boxes to hold the stuff. This one ends August 4th.

Any book lovers out there??? If so, you need to run over and check out Luxury Reading. She's having a huge book giveaway. One lucky winner is going to win 1 book per month for the next 6 months. Way cool. I love a good book, but this would be a dream come true for me. So head over there get your name in the hat while you can because this one ends August 31st.

Having problems with that PC running slow? Mommy Loves Giveaways is giving away the System Mechanic 10.5 software package. This baby will clean up your computer, get rid of any nasties hiding in the shadows, and will even make playing games a more enjoyable experience. But you'd better hurry because this one ends on August 6th.

Here's another book giveaway for you. But this one will have 2 winners and I'd love to have either one. This one's going on at one of my favorite sites, Paranormal Haven. This is one of the very first book blogs I'd ever joined and I'm so glad I did. The girls are giving away all kinds of cool stuff, but I'm hoping for prize pack #2 as there's a bunch of t-shirts I'd love to own. This one ends on August 10th so go get in while you can.

And finally, you've got to go check out my girl at Boobies, Babies, and a Blog. She's giving away 2 items (2 winners, kids) from Vedette Shapewear Store. After seeing what the review pieces did for her figure (not that she needed any help) I knew I had to get in on this one. I've never owned a corset, but I may have to change that now. This is an easy one to enter and will be open until August 18th.

So there you go, kids. Get on over to some of these and get your names in. Because like every lottery winner has ever said, you can't win if you don't play. Have fun and good luck!!!!!

Get The Scoop On The Coupon Scoop

2011-07-25T10:31:00.000-06:00

For just over a year now, I've been blogging in the ranks of the “Mommy Bloggers”. And though the name sounds like a bunch of cackling women with babies strapped to their hips, I assure you they're anything but. One of the main things I'm learning more about is couponing and one of the sites I've found that has to do with the in's and out's of couponing is TheCoupon Scoop.

The first thing I noticed about this site is that it's so unlike any of the others, I had to make sure it was up to date. It's not all dressed up and filled to the rim with ads pointing to other sites. It's all about the articles and that's a huge plus in my book. A lot of those sites take so long to upload that I get bored and move on. Not this one.

The first article to catch my attention was on how to tell is your coupon codes are a scam. The reason this caught my eye is that one of the grocery stores in my area quit accepting printed out coupons because of the number of fake ones. So I wanted to know what to look for when using online coupons. I love shopping online and know that you've got to watch for expiration dates or whether there's a limit on number of usages per code. However, I did not know that some sites expect you to pay a fee in order to see the promo codes. Yeah, that would scream scam to me too.

So, the next thing I did was look to see if these people had a Facebook page. I was a little shocked to NOT find a link on their site, but that didn't stop me. I headed over and looked them up and sure enough, there they were. The Coupon Scoop does have a Facebook page and interesting enough, it's actually more spruced up than the site is. I was totally shocked at that, but “liked” them anyway.

The same was true for their TwitterPage. They do have one, but it's not linked up on their site. The cool thing, though, is that they've got way more updates on the Twitter page than they do on either the website or the Facebook page. I'm not a huge Twitter bug, but I did like that they keep theirs way up to date.

If you're looking for a place that offers a ton of coupons to be used both online and off, this is NOT that place. But if you're looking for some insider information on the world of couponing and the dos and don'ts, then you've come to the right site. It's not pretty, but it's informative and sometimes that means more to the reader than all the bells and whistles in the world.

Mom And Dad

2011-07-18T11:42:00.001-06:00

*The following is a guest post from Jo Levy*

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

My parents have both passed away in the past three years and it has been a trying and exhausting time. They lived about 200 miles away from me and my other two siblings are even further away. We know we have to eventually begin the process of sorting out and dispensing the items at their home but it has just been impossible for the three of us to adjust our schedules to get together to accomplish this daunting task.

We are lucky that Mom and Dad had a great neighbor who has been checking on things at the house and staying in touch with us. Because it is common knowledge in the community that no one lives in the home, we decided that it would be prudent to get a security system installed. I researched them on www.Allhomesecurity.comand found a suitable one.

My brothers and their families plan to meet me and my family there next weekend and we are going to clean out, clear out and sort out all the things left there so we can move forward. I am ready to get this part of it behind us and savor our good memories of Mom and Dad.

Content Marketing Advice From Engaging Professionals

2011-07-11T12:14:00.002-06:00

My interests in blog posts run from where to find the best coupons to how to create award-winning content. So when I came across a blog called Engage, I was thrilled because of the diversity of topics found throughout the site. Though all the posts are based on creating a better blog through the content of the site, there is a lot of information packed into one little place.

Engage is the blog of TMG Custom Media Group. They're a company that helps other companies find a voice in our technologically advanced society. That voice might be in the form of a magazine, a video feed, or digital feed. But it's their blog that offers the most help to individuals and companies alike. Not so much with services, but with information. There are a ton of articles that cover everything from content marketing to avoiding distractions.

As I ran through the site, I came across an article about how to employ the values taught in Scouts to our social media rituals. Honestly, I thought it was one of the best articles I've read in a long time. It's not a long article, but it says a lot in very few paragraphs, and that right there is the sign of great writing. And no, if anyone is wondering, I'm not being paid to say any of this. Being a Scout leader for 13 years, I know all about the views held by the organization. Applying those views to our online lives not only makes sense, it could mean bringing more people to your virtual doorstep.

Another thing that really impressed me about Engage The Blog is that it's not just maintained by a single person. There is an entire team of TMG professionals who add their voices to the collective. As a group, they've created a site that offers a deeper insight for the reader. They offer different ways of seeing a situation so anyone who stops by can understand different ways of making their own blogs a better place to visit.

I figured that being a company that specializes in media outlets, they had to be set up on Facebook, which they are. The cool thing is that even though they showcase their site and blog, they also show off the fact that their associates are real people. I think it's cool that managing editor, Andi Gabrick talks to her plants, because I do to. LOL

The best way to find the latest updates on Engage and TMG is through there Twitter page. I've seen companies that post tweets several times a day, but these people update theirs several times per hour which tells me that they're not only constantly evolving, but striving to stay active with their clients/readers/and professionals.

There is a lot more to see around Engage The Blog. I've already added it to my favorites and subscribed to their email updates. I really think I could learn a lot about content management and marketing from this site, and I think you could too. But check them out for yourselves just to make sure. I think you'll find something there that speaks directly to you.

Blog Engage---Engage With Bloggers

2011-07-07T15:42:00.000-06:00

Hi kids, found a really cool new site and just had to come tell you about it. The site is called Blog Engage and I'm kinda digging it. Why? Because it's got the basic elements of a blogging community, but this one isn't for the average Joe...or Josephine. This one is kinda big-time kiddies. Let me explain.

Blog Engage is a paid membership blogging community. I know, I know. Paying to hang out with a bunch of other bloggers doesn't sound right, but this place is a little different than most. There are some elements that most will recognize, especially anyone who's ever worked an article with Digg. It's much the same as the members of this community will vote on, or Engage, the articles of other members. So, for instance, if I were to add an article about finding free business books online, the other members of this site can either vote the article up or down, (my biggest fear EVER).

So now you're thinking, “Yeah, so why do I have to pay to do this”. Well there's more to it than just getting voted on or getting to vote. There's the idea of having your blog seen by hundreds, or even thousands, of people. Blog Engage sponsors several contests throughout the year and the money collected via the memberships is used toward prizes for the winners of those contests. Throughout the rest of 2011, Blog Engage will be holding monthly contests. First prize is $200, second and third prizes are $100 each, and fourth and fifth prizes are $50 each. Also included in the prize packages are RSS feed syndications and contest sponsorships.

Yeah, okay. So what's all that about? Let me go in deeper. There are 5 different membership packages available. These run from $19.95 per month to $1.99 per month. I'll even give you the run down on what comes with each package. Check it out!!

The Bronze Membership---$1.99 per month
Your articles get submitted into the Blog Engage community every 8 hours, but that's it. Not a bad deal as all your stuff is still getting seen.

The Silver Membership---$3.99 per month
Your articles get submitted to the community every 3 hours, but that's it. A little better than before, especially for those who write multiple posts per day.

The Gold Membership---$4.99 per month
This option gives you 1 niche category as well as submits your articles to the community every hour. Now the site says that there is no contest sponsorship, but I don't think that's right as this month's contest has several Gold sponsors and offers 50 points per reviewed site. So let's just go with that. LOL

The Platinum Membership---$9.99 per month
This package allows you up to 3 different blog feeds and allows you 3 different niche categories. Plus your site will be featured as a contest sponsor and your articles will be submitted every hour.

The Business Membership---$19.99 per month
This is the big Kahuna. This membership allows you to showcase as many as 5 different blog RSS feeds, allows you 3 different niche categories, makes you a contest sponsor, and submits your articles to the community every hour.

One thing I should mention here is that all of the above memberships can either be paid on a monthly or a yearly basis.

So now that you know all that, let me tell you about the coolest part; being a contest sponsor. Once you've signed up and become either a gold, platinum, or business member, your blog will be showcased in the monthly contest.

Each month throughout the rest of 2011, various blogs will be posted for participants to review. The more blogs reviewed by members, the better their chances at winning one of the prizes offered. Business membership sites are worth 150 each, platinum sites are worth 100 each, and gold membership sites are worth 50 points each. Each member of Blog Engage has the same amount of chances to win, it all depends on how many sites each person reviews and whether or not they add the contest ads to their sites. It's best to just check out the contest page and read all the rules and options.

Finally, Blog Engage has just started a new program in which new members don't have to join a set membership, but can pay a one-time fee of $29.99. This is help bring in new members that can help drive more quality traffic to various blogs and their posts.

Seriously, for anyone who's interested in taking their blog and their work to new levels, Blog Engage is the way to go. Whether through one of the 5 membership offers or the one-time fee, it's worth the money to have quality traffic driven to your site and have real people read your work.

The Freedom Giveaway

2011-07-05T13:12:00.004-06:00

I have another awesome giveaway event for all of you. This one is being put on by Simply Stacie and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and is called the Freedom Giveaway. There are a total of 215 blogs involved in this event and each is holding their own giveaway. Though I can't talk about each and every one of these sites on this post, I do want to post about a few of them. I will mention that Stacie is giving away $50 Amazon Gift Card, and Kathy (aka Reader) is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift card OR a book from the Book Depository worth up to $10. Here are a few of the other blogs joining up in this giveaway event.

Marcia Lynn McClure Fans is giving away a copy of this author's latest book called, Sudden Storms. I'm not a huge romance novel fan, but this one sounds pretty good.

Truly Bookish is giving away 2 books--Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter and Nailed by Jennifer Laurens.

One A Day Y.A. is giving away a copy of the Young Adult novel, Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke.

Miranda Hardy is giving away a $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble, and so is A.G. Wright.

Taming The Bookshelf is giving away winner's choice of a $20 Amazon OR Barnes & Noble gift card. For those outside of the US, she'll be giving away a $20 purchase through The Book Depository.

Heather from Acting Balance is giving away a $15 gift certificate/card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, OR The Book Depository.

Reflections of a Bookaholic is giving away a $15 certificate to either Amazon.com OR The Book Depository.

Makobi Scribe is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Linda's Lunacy is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card.

Confessions of a Bookaholic is giving away a copy of Supernaturally by Kiersten White OR Forever by Maggie Stiefvater OR Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. The winner's choice will be provided by The Book Depository.

Still Blonde After All These Years is giving 1 winner a total of 11 books---a prize worth over $250.00.

The Flashlight Reader is giving away 3 books--Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (signed), Trapped by Marc Aronson, and David by Mary Hoffman.

Sassy Mama in L.A. Giveaway

2011-06-29T15:26:00.003-06:00

Quickie giveaway notice. The goddess known as Sassy Mama in L.A. is having a giveaway for 2 $25 Amazon gift cards. But this isn't one of those giveaways where we have a lot of time as this one ends at 11:59 EST tonight (6-29-11).

There are several ways to enter this one, but the mandatory entry is that you subscribe to her RSS feed. Extra entries include liking her page on Facebook, following her on Twitter, or doing a blog post like I just did. But don't just take my word for it, jump over to her page and get in on this one before it's too late. You've only got a few more hours to go then it's all over.

Didn't make it in time? That's okay as she's got a lot of other giveaways you can get in on. And by signing up for the email updates or RSS feed, you'll make sure to get in on any others she'll have coming up in the future.

Blog Bash 2011

2011-06-22T21:42:00.000-06:00

Most people know how much I love a good giveaway. But a giveaway with multiple sites and prizes in store is just that much better. That's why I was so excited to hear about Blog Bash 2011. This giveaway has over 120 blogs working together to hold a monster giveaway party. And though I've seen the buttons on several blogs, I've got to start this one with the diva known as Simply Stacie. I don't know why, but I love this lady. She's got class, charm, and stuff to giveaway. What more could a girl ask for? LOL

I'll post a few of my favorites, but I don't know that I'll be able to account for all the sites entered into this giveaway. And if you see my site one moment and it's only got a few sites mentioned, then you come back later and find out that there are a few more mentioned, it's because I may have to update this post as I go in case doing a blog post is one of the entries into someone's giveaway. So here we go.

Let's start with Family Approve, as this is the lady who's actually putting on this fantastic party. She's got a total of 7 prize packages she's giving away. Some are US only, some are US and Canada only, but there is one that is an International giveaway.

Next is our girl Simply Stacie. She's giving away a $100 gift certificate to Cutie Patootie Creations. This is a cute little Etsy shop that does personalized T-shirts, tie-dies, personal invitations and more. This giveaway is open worldwide.

One of the neatest ladies I've the pleasure to meet online in the past week runs a site called Whispered Thoughts. She's got an awesome site, love the design, and she's giving away one of the coolest prizes EVER!!!!! She's giving away a B&N Nook. Seriously!!!! Now there's a prize I could go out of my way to win. LOL. Not for me, silly heads. I'd totally give it to my baby girl. She wants one so bad she can't hardly stand it.
Another very awesome lady I've met this week (thanks to the new Blogelina Community) is Chrissy from Musings of a Modern Mom. An no, I'm not just saying she's awesome cause her name is my name too. Okay, maybe, but she's still awesome. LOL. She's giving away 2 different prize packages and has a total of 7 sponsors. She's got some very cool things in there. Check her out, Kids.

And finally, I've got to add Kelly's Lucky You. This lady always puts on some killer giveaways, and this one is no different. She's giving away 4 different pieces of jewelry to 1 lucky winner. There are some beautiful pieces, including a necklace called The Heart of Haiti. It's made from recycled drums, the kind they play on the islands. I love that sound. Stop by and check her out.

This is only a fraction of the blogs in this giveaway. Be sure to stop by any of these and join in some of the other sites. All sites can be found at the bottom of each of these pages. Join as many or as few as you want, but you must do so before long as this giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on the 26th of June. Have fun!!!!!

Spring Follower Giveaway Tour

2011-06-06T20:11:00.001-06:00

Hey kids,
Boy do I have a blog event for you. I'm talking about the Spring Follower Giveaway Tour being hosted by Simply Stacie (one of my faves), Kelly's Lucky You, My Wee View, and Little Yaya's (another fave). These blogging divas have put together a killer event in conjunction with JoeShopping.com.

Now, first of all I have to say that up to this point I'd never heard of JoeShopping so had to check it out. From what I can tell so far it's a lot like MyPoints and/or Ebates. But the thing I'm liking about this site is that it's more like a social media space as I've already had people stop by and say hi and welcoming me to the place. Never got that from the other guys. I have to admit that I haven't purchased anything from this site yet, but I think I might have to give it a shot just to see what happens.

So anyway, you're here to hear about the giveaway event. And I know what you're thinking, what's the prize. I know, I know. I'm a bottom liner too. The grand prize for this one is an......(wait for it).......iPad 2. I'm telling ya, I'd do backflips in my ergonomic chair to win this bad boy. Might even cry a little (or a lot). But there are a few other cash prizes that I'd be just as happy to win. 2nd prize is $500 cash, 3rd is $350 cash, and 4th is $150 cash. I'd still be all giddy and stuff over that iPad. LOL

And it's not just these 4 ladies that are responsible for these prizes. There are a total of 21 blogs in on this giveaway. And the more sites you visit and follow, the better your chances are of winning. This giveaway event starts today (June 6th 2011) and ends on the 20th. Between now and then, there will be other ways of gaining extra entries, so be sure to keep up with all the sites listed. Here they are, in no particular order (except for the fact it's the way their listed on Stacie's site. LOL).

Simply Stacie
Kelly's Lucky You
My Wee View
Little Yaya's
Dear Crissy
The Divine Miss Mommy
My Organized Chaos
Christian Clippers
Still Blonde After All These Years
Family and Life in Las Vegas
Mommy Kat and Kids
Cookies and Clogs
Luxury Reading
Marvelous Mommy
Totally Temberton
Listen to Lena
Beautiful Calling
Move Over Betty
Sunshine Praises
Ashley Petite
Song Berries

One last quickie on this one. This giveaway is open Internationally. If for some reason a winner of the iPad is chosen from a country where shipping cost are prohibited by the sponsor, a cash equivalent will be offered instead.

Indian Egg Salad

2011-05-19T10:55:00.000-06:00

The following is a guest post by Sammy Joyner

When I do take the time to cook or bake, I like to find really special sounding recipes, like ones that I can't really just run out anywhere and buy. So when I was told that I needed to bring egg salad to a covered dish luncheon, I was tempted to just make some normal ones since other people would be eating it too. But this was a huge luncheon, so I thought that maybe I could make something special and if people didn't like it they would have plenty of food to eat otherwise.

I went online with my wildbluedeals.com to find a new kind of egg salad recipe and looked through pages and pages of any kind of egg salad recipe imaginable. Some of them just sounded downright weird, so I too! k into consideration the kind of flavors that a lot of people like anyway.

The recipe that I decided upon was this Indian egg salad that was actually just about as easy to fix as regular egg salad. Plus, I got tons of compliments on it too.

Weekend Blog Hops

2011-05-13T18:49:00.001-06:00

Hello my little angel babies. The weekend is upon us and that means it's time for some really killer blog hops. And you know me, I love a good blog hop. So this week, instead of just telling you about one hop, I've got 2 of them plus a little something else I've been working on.

The first blog hop is from the goddess known as Tara from Give It To Me Tara. I like this hop because you can put up any link to any of your sites. It can be your Facebook page, Twitter page, blog, or whatever. Here's the link for this one. Please be sure to follow Tara on both of her sites, as well as at least 2 others from her list. It's just good manners.

The other site hosting a giveaway this weekend is Free Hot Samples. This is another awesome site and you should become a member for more than just their blog hops. This is one of my favorite sites. And again, you can link up with any of your social network sites. I think that's kind of cool that these girls are trying to make it easier to get everyone together. LOL. Here's the link to this hop and again, be sure to check out the sites of others on the list.

And finally, here's what I've been working on lately. Facebook announced yesterday that they are no longer going to allow bloggers and publishers to announce their giveaways or host their giveaways on the site. Also, they're going to try and make it so that giveaway hosts can no longer use Facebook "likes" as an entry into a giveaway. Personally, I don't see how Facebook is going to keep people from doing this, but just in case, I've built a forum for giveaways, contests, and blog hops. I call it the Wanna Win Forums. It's still a work in progress, but I whole heartedly invite you all to come on over, sign up and post your links to your giveaways. I'm hoping that in the near future, this will be a huge resource for anyone and everyone in the giveaway industry.

So go meet some new friends, check out a few new sites, and stop by my new forums and post about your giveaways. Have a happy weekend and party on.

Link Exchange For Craft Bloggers

2011-05-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

Attention craft bloggers and avid crafty types. We all know how hard it is to bring traffic into our blogs as well as keeping on top of the crafts we love to create. That's where The Craft Link Exchange site comes in. They can help those who have craft exclusive sites find and link up with other sites around the web.

The main thing to remember about this site is that they only add craft specific sites. In other words, they don't want sites that throw in crafts here and there. They do accept blogs that talk about crafts and online shops that sell handmade craft items.

If you have a site that you'd like to advertise, Craft Link Exchange offers special rates to have a 125 x 125 square posted on the sidebars of their homepage. It's a great way to get your site seen my hundreds of people and possible customers.

But more than anything else, this is a great place to find new craft sites. As a crafter myself, I'm always looking for new places to get inspiration. Not to mention the fact that I love seeing all the cool things that other people make. I probably can't do it myself, but it's still fun to look.

So head on over and check out this site. It's a neat little place with lots of links and a lot of places you can exchange links with and bring new people to your own doorstep. :)

Get Wired Wednesday

2011-04-27T00:01:00.021-06:00

It Blog Hop time again. I love blog hops and my newest favorite comes from the goddess at Victoria's Voice. This blog hop is called Get Wired Wednesday and it's a cool way to meet new people and find new blogs to hang out at. The really cool thing is that Victoria has started a whole new twist to her blog hop. Each week, she'll choose one of the blogs in the list and showcase them the following week. What a cool idea.

So here's how it works. Follow Victoria's Voice and Three Boys and an Old Lady on GFC. Next, follow that week's Guest Host---this week it is Life Reflexions---and add your own site to the list at the bottom of Victoria's post. You might add the blog hop button to your site, but that's not a requirement. I do because I think it's a cool looking button. LOL

So, get out there and party on. Be sure to check out the sites of others in the hop, as that's the whole reason behind the hop. Have fun, make some friends, and have a happy Wednesday.

Summer Beauty Survival Kit

2011-04-26T13:13:00.000-06:00

I'm becoming quite the Beauty Enhancement Diva. You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I'm at that age now where I can use all the help I can get. So when I found this giveaway, I just had to get in on it.

Kendall Amyre--owner of the awesome blog Kendallia--is giving away Summer Beauty Survival Kit worth $275. There are all kinds of cool stuff in this kit, including various types of eyeshadows, mascaras, Japanese skin blotters, and a whole lot more.

There are a few things in this kit I'd never use myself, but I know my 17 yr old daughter would be thrilled beyond belief with some of it. The other stuff I'll probably have to hide in order to keep her from "borrowing" it from me. LOL

This giveaway will end on April 29th, so you better hurry.