The PegBoard

Oh, The Places I've Been!

2012-06-13T16:40:00.000-04:00

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, I've been busy the past year or so. I've "retired" (in quotes because that simply means I work when I want to on what I want to) and moved across the country from Maryland to Oregon. It's been a wonderful change and we are very happy living in the green and lush Pacific Northwest.

Wahkeenah Falls, Oregon


Kira with Catnip

If you are interested in what I'm up to these days, please come visit me on my blog, The Prancing Otter on Wordpress. I talk about gardening, cats, baking, travel, music, jewelry making, and the delights of exploring our new home state.

You can read about my award-winning book for cat lovers at The Cat Lover's Book of Days.

And shop for my fun hand-crafted jewelry at The Prancing Otter.

Better yet, I would love it if you would "Like" my Prancing Otter Facebook page.

With the new blogs going, I won't be updating The PegBoard any longer.

However you do it, I hope you'll keep in touch!

Of Cats and Conundrums

2011-02-21T16:38:00.002-05:00

Where have I been all these months? Living, traveling, changing direction, and generally enjoying this ever challenging and rewarding phase of my life.

Now I am faced with a conundrum: a long-distance move is in the offing, and we are hosts to two senior cats who are not very movable. We would like to keep them as our family but have not been able to figure any way to get them across the country that would be safe for them and realistic for us. They cannot travel with us as we'll be driving for a couple of weeks, staying at different places each night, and certainly parking the car during the day (in hot weather) for possibly hours at a time. Then when we get where we're going, we will live in temporary lodgings for two or three months until we get a place of our own.

Finding new homes for them is not easy either. There are always many cats and kittens seeking homes, and senior cats are low on the popularity list, especially when one of them has takes a bit of extra care.

Clearing out years of "stuff" and getting the house ready for sale are nothing compared to our concern for these two furry souls who share our lives.

And then there's the tank full of guppies....

What Makes Something a Real Bargain?

2010-08-26T15:23:00.001-04:00

I'm old school enough to believe that a bargain is not simply something you get for a cheaper price. That often means that you are getting something...cheap.

To me a bargain is paying less and getting more than you expected. Like finding a house that looks ordinary on the outside but is a treasure of handcrafted quality and exquisite design inside, and is priced to sell, too. Here's a smaller scale example: Last spring my husband and I went to the local Home Depot for something - don't remember what - and as we walked toward the entrance we saw a large group of hibiscus plants in black plastic tubs. Stacked higgledy-piggledy around a sign that said $8.97, it was clear they were there to be moved out quickly.

None of the plants had any blooms on them, though a few had small buds. One or two plants showed the remnants of a pale, peach-colored flower. A couple of years ago we had a hibiscus plant that we put out front for the pure pleasure of seeing the brilliant red blooms. Remember we are in Maryland where such plants don't survive the winter, and though we brought "Hortense" (yes, we named her) inside, she did not survive her second winter. Now here were dozens of potential replacements at less than half what the original Hortense had cost. What could we lose?

So Hortense the Second came home and took up her place by the front steps. Sure enough, she put out a peach colored bloom. But not just any flower - it was a double! Multiple layers of pale sunset-colored petals were so heavy that the slender stem could barely hold the flower up.

Then it happened. A few days later, a red flower, also a double. What? Red and peach on the same plant? Yes - and she has done it several times again throughout the summer. The pictures show two blooms that opened within three days of each other.

A plant that is healthy, puts out gorgeous double blooms in two colors, brightens our mornings, and came at an unexpectedly low price. Now THAT is a bargain!

Richard Frank Silloway - Arlington National Cemetery May 20, 2010

2010-05-28T10:50:00.001-04:00

Clicking for Kibble

2010-04-27T15:24:00.001-04:00

There's a young lady in Oregon who has fed a lot of hungry cats and dogs. Not by taking them food, but rather by using the power of the Internet to stock the shelves of shelters across the country with almost 110 TONS of cat and dog kibble.

Mimi Ausland is a seventh grader who believes in making a difference in the lives of shelter animals. Inspired by a website that donates rice to needy countries, she and her parents came up with FreeKibble.com and, coming in June, FreeKibbleKat.com. Every day you can go to the site, answer a trivia question about dogs or cats, and whether you get it right or wrong, they donate 10 pieces of kibble to one of 13 shelters in the US. As of today, 319,821,200 pieces have been donated!

I learned about Mimi through an article in Cat Fancy magazine - read it here: Cat Fancy article about FreeKibble. I love the end of the article where Mimi is quoted:

"Just do whatever you can do, whether it's doing a lemonade stand or setting up a site like this," she says. "Just get out there and help something or someone. Try your best to help."

So every day I'm going to FreeKibble.com and answering their question. I got today's wrong, but so what? The cats and dogs still get the kibble, and I'm telling other people about it.

If a seventh grader can make a difference, so can I. So this weekend I'll be searching for odds and ends of acrylic yarn so I can knit "snuggles" for cat shelters - if you haven't heard about the Snuggles Project, learn more here. Kira and Pipsqueak will help, I'm sure.

Do Libraries Sell Houses?

2010-04-12T15:27:00.000-04:00

What do I mean by "Do libraries sell houses?" Sure, local libraries are pinched for funding, but they're not going into the real estate business. No, I'm talking about all the considerations that add up to a sale.

This is an article I posted on the Active Rain site (for real estate professionals), but I think anyone who is selling, buying, or thinking about moving could add "Library Nearby" to their wish list for a home.

There's no single factor that will make a buyer decide that the house you have listed is THE perfect house. But after you get past price and location, there are many things that can tip the scales in favor of one house over another. Curb appeal is important of course, cleanliness and maintenance are too. But a major factor can also be the community that surrounds the house and what it has to offer.

Public libraries are always popular for families as they offer great resources and stacks filled with books on every subject imaginable. These days, they also include videos and music CDs along with computers, book clubs, author talks, and story times for the little folks. If a public library is in easy distance of a home for sale, that can be a feature of value to a buyer.

This is a great time to highlight libraries in your community. April 11 through 17 is National Library Week sponsored by The American Library Association. This year's theme is "Communities thrive@ your library" and local libraries will be celebrating with special programs and exhibits. One of my favorite events of the week is the release of the annual "Top 10 Most Challenged Books" list - these are the books that most often are subject to attempts to have them censored, banned, or removed from library shelves in violation of the First Amendment.

I don't know if libraries really do sell houses. But I do know that libraries and librarians are an important part of every community. This is the week to celebrate them and the role they play in making any community a better place to live.

Another Book is Brewing

2010-03-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

That's right, another book is brewing...or perhaps I should say gestating. The life cycle of a book in some ways mirrors the life cycle of other living things. It begins with a seed - a thought. It grows organically, based on the genetics or outline created for it at the start. Even though there's a general plan, the growth of each individual organism or book is never the same as any other.

When you write a book you may know how it will end, but you don't always know how it will get there. If it's fiction you may find that your characters take over at some point. They surprise you with what they say, or they become stubborn and refuse to go where you send them. The plot that you thought was carefully constructed can take a twist you never saw coming.

In non-fiction such as my newest project - The Dog Lover's Book of Days - even with a good framework already in place, you cannot know for sure what the book will be until it's done. Just today I received an email from a woman who took the time to tell me about how her first dog died tragically young, and yet how that young life lead to another dog who is still with her. Better yet, she discovered a passion for rescuing and caring for dogs that has led her to a whole new phase of her life that gives her great satisfaction. That's a great story and I'll find a way to include it even though I had not intended to focus on pet rescues for this book.

And there's the secret whether you are writing a book or selling a house or simply taking a walk: Have a plan but be open to taking advantage of surprising changes as they come. See the opportunity and beauty that can come from something you didn't expect.

Now please pardon me while I go find a dog to interview. Think I'll start with my new neighbor, an adorable little West Highland Terrier who is all energy and wiggles. It should be fun to see the world through puppy eyes that are about 8" above the ground!

The Creativity Kick-Start

2010-03-21T13:51:00.001-04:00

For the last couple of months it's been difficult to get into the groove. Maybe you know how it is; something happens that knocks you off course for a while and you find yourself wandering around, being busy, but not actually doing anything.

When that happens, I need a change of scene, a creativty kick-start. As a writer and publisher, I can only wallow around in research so long (reading books, following internet links, getting side-tracked with interesting stuff that doesn't actually go anywhere!) What to do?

I've found two ways to give myself that whack upside the head that can clear the cobwebs and get me back to productive work again, and both have to do with other people.
First tactic: Find a craft show where there is an abundance of creativity and eye candy. Go look at what artists and craftspeople are doing - they are all living their passion, and some of it will certainly rub off on me. A favorite is the ACC show in Baltimore, of course, which Margaret Rome and I visited last month. A few minutes in Josh Simpson's booth, soaking up the glorious colors of his glass and chatting with this very approachable artist, clears my mind and feeds my soul. I also could not resist the work of Barbara Sebastian who makes exquisite small porcelain pots with carved cat beads on top; I loved the celadon green, but this one in earth tones with the mother and kitten came home with me.

Second tactic: Find a group of people who are doing what I do, but doing their own version. In this case, it's a group of independent publishers in the MidAtlantic area. We get together several times a year for sharing information and acting as a mastermind group for each other. The room fairly crackles with creativity! And I come home with new ideas that move me in a new direction. This time I presented the group with a question about what my next Book of Days topic should be. I gave them three choices, and they all looked at me with that "Are you really so dense?" look. Then almost in unison they said, "Dogs!" Yep - even though The Cat Lover's Book of Days is popular, I actually had not put The Dog Lover's Book of Days on my list! It is now, and I'm starting to collect the dog names, stories, and photos that will become my next Book of Days.

Finding and being around creative people works for me...what have you found to kick-start your creative juices?

Publisher of The Cat Lover's Book of Days and Zen and the Art of Negotiation: Successful Negotiation for People Who Hate to Negotiate.

Proof That Marketing Pays

2010-01-28T13:47:00.003-05:00

I realize that the concept that it pays to market is not new to most entrepreneurs and professionals. But I got positive proof just yesterday that letting people know what you do is the first and maybe most important step to building your business.
You probably know by know that I wrote a book - The Cat Lover's Book of Days - and several folks on have said nice things about it. But to meet my definition of success for this book I needed to reach a wider audience, so I chose to work with a PR professional to get the word out. She drew up a list of target media, we prepared a press release, and started to spread the news.

And it worked! In a matter of a couple of weeks we've sent review copies of the book to radio stations, magazines, and websites. Yesterday I got confirmation that I'll be interviewed on a national radio talk show, "Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch, on this Saturday! It's going to be great fun and I would love it if you all called in with questions or comments. Here are the details:

"Talkin' Pets" with Jon Patch - 5:00 p.m. EST - Saturday, January 30, 2010

Toll free call in number: 866-606-TALK begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-606-TALK end_of_the_skype_highlighting (866-606-8255 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-606-8255 end_of_the_skype_highlighting)

Website - you can listen online: http://talkinpets.com

The show runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and I'm scheduled to be on during the first 1/2 to 1 hour. To find an AM station near you that carries the program, go the website and click on the "Station Info" button on the left.
Please call and say "Hi!" - I'd love to hear lots of friendly voices. This Saturday. 5:00 p.m. Fun

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-01-14T11:58:00.002-05:00

I don't know if there is such a category here as "Thoughtful Thursday," but that's what it is for me today. After a morning of networking, a midday of working on a press release and creating a new edition of a client's book, and an evening of more networking, I will be packing to go to my brother's funeral. In the past days I've learned things about him I never knew, thought a lot about him, and find that sad as it is, I'm looking forward to seeing many family members this weekend. We will drink toasts to him, we will remember him, and there will be as much laughter as tears. Mostly we will, as my cousin said, "celebrate a life well lived."

We've found old photos and sent them to his family so they could add them to a memory site. It was good to see some of those old pictures again, but even better to see ones I never knew of. This is my favorite - the man who loved golden retrievers was also a friend to cats, and they knew it.

Dick Silloway and Coriander, both R.I.P.

We can all aspire to that...a life well lived.

Tell Them You Love Them

2010-01-10T13:28:00.003-05:00

I've been away for quite a while with some big projects. By now I had hoped to be back in the swing of blogging, but life threw a huge curve ball on Friday night. My brother who is only a few years older than me, died suddenly. I was reminded forcefully of something we all know and all forget - there is no guarantee of tomorrow, no assurance that someone you love will be there next week or next year.

Reach out, call them, hug them. Remind them that they are an important part of your life. Create good times and good memories together, for the day will come when you'll have to wrap yourself in those memories to keep warm. And when that day comes, it won't matter how many big deals you made or dollars you earned, only how good were the memories you made along the way.

Today I am wrapping myself in memories of my brother, Richard F. Silloway, 7/14/1941-1/8/2010. Big brothers aren't supposed to leave kid sisters. He was healthy and active which makes it that much harder to comprehend. His death has left a gaping, dark hole in my life, and I still cannot believe that he's gone.

Wittenberg - The Play's the Thing to See in Columbia, MD

2009-09-06T12:01:00.004-04:00

Last evening we did something unusual for us - went to see a play. We're more a symphony concert couple, but Phil saw a write-up and it sounded interesting, so we decided to check it out.

Short review: Fantastic! If you are in the Baltimore area, make it a point to see Wittenberg at Rep Stage in Columbia at Howard Community College. Four characters - one a real historical figure, the other three strictly fictional but known to us all. Martin Luther, Dr. Faustus, Hamlet, and the Eternal Feminine all at the University of Wittenberg in Germany, 1517. Sounds kind of heavy, doesn't it? Not at all!

The four actors were great, especially Seth Reichgott who played Dr. John Faustus, and Michael Stebbins who played Rev. Martin Luther. Intelligent dialog with clever references to lines from Hamlet, impassioned discussions of faith vs. questioning of everything, laugh out loud schtick, and the occasional ukulele bit by Faustus. I'm not nearly doing it justice, so you need to see it for yourself.

The play by David Davalos is relatively new having premiered in Philadelphia last year where it won the Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play. It has been produced a few times and I expect it will show up in more local productions. When one comes near you, go see it. You'll find yourself writing a blog like this the next day.

Facebook Fan page for The Cat Lover's Book of Days

Follow me on Twitter @McFrugal

Vacation's Over - Now It's Time for PR

2009-09-04T09:36:00.002-04:00

It was a lovely respite - 10 days on the lake in New Hampshire with beautiful days and deep, dark nights with loons calling across the water. If I hadn't been working on a project near to my heart, I would have relaxed more, but I knew it would be like that. It was a blessing of sorts that there's no Internet at the cabin, that we had to take our laptops to the local library to get and send email. Boy, does that focus your reading and writing!

But now we're home and getting into the rapid speed-up of the fall and winter. Now it is time for me to be like Marti, the AR guru of The Art of Marketing You. I've been watching and learning from him and the others on AR who say Blog! Tweet! Facebook! And so I'm starting to blog more. And I tweet as @McFrugal (of the Clan McFrugal, of course). And I'm on Facebook not once but twice. First, for myself and keeping up with family and friends. But now also as The Cat Lover's Book of Days for the book that comes out in October. With the help of a savvy young PR professional, there's even a fan page for the book now.

And that's where I learned another important lesson. You don't have to do it all yourself! I'm one of those who has never found it easy to delegate. I "knew" a fan page would be important. I figured I could do it myself, could understand the technology, and save some money. Wrong! I might have been able to figure it out, but probably not in time to be of any value. So through a referral I found someone who did it in a couple of days and continues to help with press releases and more.

There will always be more that needs doing than I can get done by myself. It takes me a while, but I'm learning from friends like Margaret Rome who find people like tech gurus to deal with the things that need doing, and that would otherwise take away from her incredible productivity. That's my new watchword: Outsource.

Now if only I could outsource sleeping, think how much more I could get done!!!

The Pleasure of New Neighbors and Old Friends

2009-08-11T14:11:00.001-04:00

Last year I was pretty upset about what was going on behind my Columbia, MD townhouse. It was necessary, I knew, but I was afraid that I would not see some small friends again. There had been a little stream that ran between houses, and the county determined it needed enclosing to direct runoff better. So for weeks it seemed there were large, noisy beasts galumphing along the stream, digging a trench, installing enormous concrete pipe, and then covering it all over.

That was fine. What wasn't fine was the removal of dense bushes and some trees that had lined the stream. They had to go for the work to proceed, but I knew that those same bushes were home to a couple of groundhogs, the neighborhood rabbit we named "Scamp", and the trees gave cover to cardinals, blue jays, and especially to ruby-throated hummingbirds. The occasional deer wandered by, too. I was afraid they were gone forever when the bushes were removed and some trees taken down.

It turns out nature is more forgiving than I am. The groundhogs have moved on, but I did see Scamp - or one of his cousins - earlier this year. And the hummingbirds are back! Not as many this year, but still, I have regular customers for my new and improved hummingbird feeder.

Which brings me to the new neighbors. A delightful young couple with a toddler and a baby soon to be born, the young man has generously offered to mow our tiny patch of lawn - a kindness I'm grateful for. Then one day he told us they had enjoyed watching the hummingbirds and would I like to see the photos he'd taken? Of course! And now you can see them, too. These tiny wonders of nature, like flying jewels, are one of the best parts of summer. And despite my fears, they are back for us - and our new neighbors - to enjoy.

Brian Hughes took these wonderful photos, and said I could share them with you.

Time to Dream

2009-07-22T13:46:00.004-04:00

Up to there with work, no time for blogging and hardly time for breathing...but it's a good busy.

For now, dreaming of a vacation getting closer, and a time when I will again take my heart home to a small lake with clear, cool water, mountain views, glorious sunsets, and the loon's call for music.

Make Mine Espresso - Hold the Coffee

2009-07-02T17:16:00.001-04:00

Whatever your business, whether real estate, office supplies, or publishing, you can bet that your customers will be looking you up online before they talk to you or send an email. And even if you have an established relationship, they will still go online to satisfy their curiosity and compare you to others. Using technology has become almost second nature to many of us, and as natural as reading a newspaper or looking up a number in a phone book.

We also like to do things for ourselves, especially those of us who tend to be control freaks. (Who, me?) So it's natural to want to control the technology and have it do ever more tasks for us. A few years ago, email was amazing to us. A few years before that, if you were on the road and wanted to make a phone call, you had to pull over and find a phone booth. Is there anyone out there now who does not have a cell phone permanently attached to them, and likely as not reads email and surfs the Web on it?

Wherever you look, technology is changing the way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we spend our precious free time. For those of us who are avid readers, there's a new way to get a book: in a matter of minutes, printed just for us!

A few bookstores and colleges are testing the latest in on-demand book printing and selling. Able to produce any book out of hundreds of thousands in a database, The Espresso Book Machine makes it possible for you to have just the book you want…or the book you have written. At a bookstore in Vermont, an Espresso Machine has been used to print local author's books in short runs and for sale in the area. The machine that the store employees call "Lurch" has proven to be a great curiosity as well as the means for people to get those impossible-to-find titles and books that are in the public domain but rarely on bookstore shelves.

The Espresso Machine is a wonder to watch as it prints the cover and pages, trims and glues them together, and delivers a quality book in minutes. It was on the show floor at Book Expo America in New York and I watched with fascination as the various shiny metal parts moved deliberately around inside doing their book making. That's one of the fun parts – the machine has see-through sides!

Watch for it – there may be a different kind of Espresso Machine in a bookstore near you before long.

The Best Part of My Job

2009-06-11T14:14:00.001-04:00

It's the phone call – "They're perfect!" – when an author receives the first shipment of books. It's the photographs of the justifiably proud author holding the first copy out of the carton. Writing a book is hard work and takes longer than anyone thinks it will. To complete that, and then to actually publish the book, that's something to be very proud of.

Today I'm celebrating Tim Burrell's accomplishment. His book, Create a Great Deal: The Art of Real Estate Negotiating, is one of the best I've seen on the subject. It's well written and has an eye-catching cover thanks to the design skill of his wife, Judy Burrell. It's already received a very good review by Bernice Ross in Inman News on June 1, and endorsements from many of the top names in the business.

Tim knows a thing or two about marketing in addition to his formidable negotiation skills, and I expect this book will be a great success.

Yep, it's my favorite part.

Brain Fried, Body Weary…And Great Fun!

2009-06-04T17:45:00.009-04:00

A week ago this time my brain was on overload, my body was screaming, "What the *#%! do you think you're doing?" and all I wanted was a quiet corner where I could just…be. It was the third day of Publishing University in New York City, that marathon event for independent publishers when experts of all sorts and subjects endeavor to stuff one more new idea into your head. And they do, because the lure of another fresh approach to the business of independent publishing is impossible to resist.

I was the happy and grateful recipient of a scholarship to this annual conference that precedes Book Expo America. (As if three days of book talk weren't enough, we then had the opportunity to become lost in the cavernous Javits Center and the second largest book event in the world.) What did I learn in those three days? I'm still sifting through my notes, still sorting business cards and session handouts. But there were two clear messages I brought back from New York.

First, no one is quite sure where the industry is going, but they are sure that ebooks and ebook readers will continue to be the fastest growing segment of publishing.
Second, that the people who are afraid of losing any printed book sales (by offering ebook versions, because of ebook sharing, and the like) will miss the enormous opportunities that exist when an industry is a state of change.

I'm not saying anyone should give up their copyrights, but we should also take a lesson from the music industry. People will always want to share things they like. People now pass books on to friends; why should we expect that they won't do the same with electronic versions? Some publishers complain because the second person doesn't buy a new book. Are they sure? There is some early evidence that people who download low-cost ebooks return to buy the printed version, either for themselves or as gifts.

After listening to presentations about ebooks and Google Book Search, I've concluded that it's really no different from any other business. You can either be a person who worries about getting every dollar you are entitled to, or you can be a person who first asks, "What can I do for this person? How can I best communicate with them? What can I tell them, how can I help?"

Which one do you think will end up with the healthier business and bank account?

Yikes! Another Early Morning

2009-05-08T13:18:00.010-04:00

Where have I been for more than two months, you may ask? Clearly not keeping up with my blogging, that's for sure.

Well, I've been having to choose where to spend the same hours as you have each day and night, and recently my choice has been on client work and my own creative endeavors. For details on some of those, you could sign up for my monthly newsletter (hint, hint), KeyNotes, where I write each month about what's happening with the publishing business and the new books that are coming out. The April issue, especially, talks about the newest project that has clawed its way to the top of the priority list.

One other thing I've been doing is networking...a lot of it. At the beginning of April I went to one of those early morning networking events that I dread, but that I am usually glad I attended. Around here they are organized by the local chambers of commerce and draw 100+ people each time.

Have you ever been to one? It's a bit like speed dating. You start with breakfast at a table with 6 or 8 people, and as you eat you introduce yourself and your business, pass your cards around, and try to wake up enough to be coherent. After about half an hour the real fun begins. You move to a new table where each person has 90 seconds to do their elevator speech and pass their cards out. When everyone has had a go, you change tables and do it all again. Whew!

For a non-morning person this is not easy, especially since these shindigs generally start no later than 7:30 in the morning and usually require some travel time, too. But still I go a few times a year, as I did last month. With a stroke of good luck, I sat at a table for the breakfast part with a man who is a business coach and motivational speaker. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I talked about how people are publishing books as a way to differentiate themselves from the competition, he thought that was an intersting idea. I carry along a couple of books for visual aids (always a good idea in networking) - including Margaret Rome's Real Estate the Rome Way, of course.

A few days later John called and we met for coffee and conversation. Turns out he has been planning to write a series of short books, each focused on a success strategy - a perfect project for self-publishing. He's also a member of the Annapolis Motivational Speakers, a group of people in different professions but all with a motiviational speaking component. They invited me to come talk with them about publishing, so earlier this week I took myself, my laptop, and a collection of books to Annapolis for one of the most delightful events I've been to in a long time.

This amazing group has only been together for a short time, but they have created a network within their membership of friendship and encouragement. I've never felt so at ease with people I've just met, and the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming that I had nary a butterfly. They were an attentive, interactive, and appreciative audience. What more could you want? (If you are a motivational speaker in the Baltimore/Annapolis area, you should consider joining the group.)

Networking is a fact of life for all of us whether our business is real estate, retail, restaurants, or publishing. It isn't always convenient, but it is always necessary. And as in this case, you never know where a good lead will come from. Besides, you might just find a delightful group of people whom you would never have met otherwise!

When You Finally Know

2009-02-23T10:51:00.006-05:00

You know how people ask children and teenagers, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always had answers back then – scientist, pilot, writer. But once I hit the age when you're supposed to have some direction, the choices were not so clear. And since then I've spent decades saying, "I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."

Margaret Rome signing Real Estate the Rome Way

The other night I realized that I finally DO know. I want to be what I am now. I want to be the one setting up the signing table, schmoozing with the fans, and helping authors make that connection with their readers. I want to be the one with the camera, roaming the room and taking pictures as the author talks with customers and signs their books. I want to be the one they mention in the acknowledgments because I've helped them make a particular dream come true.

It's only taken mumbledy-teen years, but it finally happened. I know what I want to be when I grow up!

(I still don't want to actually grow up…but that's another story.)

Girls' Night Out…Redefined!

2009-02-18T10:54:00.002-05:00

That's what we're calling it. Sure there will be the usual "girl" things like fashions and makeup and cool stuff to buy. But salsa dancing? Belly dancing?! And how about learning to make the perfect Kir Royale cocktail? (Not sure what that is, but I know it has champagne in it and I intend to learn about it.) This all sounds a bit indulgent, especially for these days, but it truly is for a very good cause. The beneficiaries of the March 6 event will be the women who receive scholarships for post-secondary education from the Business Women's Network of Howard County, MD.

The scholarship purpose is what got me involved in helping with the fundraiser. Now more than ever, women need help to improve their education and skill, no matter where they are in life. What I especially like about the BWN scholarship is that it's open to women who have been out of school for years as well as those just graduating high school. I love hearing the stories of women who have taken it upon themselves to get more education even if they are single moms and working either full- or part-time. You know they will be the ones who not only reach their educational goals, but also the ones who will then give back to their community.

So here I am putting together a Silloway Press tote bag full of books and chocolate, all of which I'd like to have for myself, to donate as a raffle prize. It's just one of more than a dozen great donated gifts that will be on display and waiting for their winners. (Creating the description cards for the display of raffle gifts is also giving me good experience with my new software nemesis, InDesign, so that's a nice side benefit.)

For further diversion there will be several vendors with wares to tempt, including Crystal's Jewelry – hand crafted with fine silver and beads by a remarkable young woman – and Erika's Ceramics, hand made and original designs. I expect that between these two and the other fine vendors, I'll be leaving the event with a lighter wallet and some wonderful treasures.

You're wondering why I haven't stressed when and where? OK, here it is:

Friday, March 6, 2009 - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Student Services Building, Howard Community College in Columbia, MD

Why not keep it simple and go to the BWN site right now and register? For only $45 you get heavy hors d'oeuvres, two glasses of wine, that Kir Royale, an opportunity to win some great gifts, door prizes, and plenty of fun and networking. And remember, it's for a great cause – education for women.

See you there!

Talismans

2009-02-13T11:22:00.005-05:00

I'm not a superstitious person. Black cats make me call, "Here, kitty, kitty." I walk under ladders if they are between me and where I'm going. Friday the 13th is no big deal – one of my nephews was born on a Friday the 13th and he's a great guy. No rabbit ever lost a foot for me. So why is there so much stuff hanging around my work area?

My talismans are all within view and easy reach as I work. There is comfort in their familiarity. Each piece has a reason for being here, even if it's only that I liked it at some time and just haven't gotten around to moving it since.

On my desk lamp alone there are:

One yellow sticky with two horoscopes I liked
a bit of ribbon in the burgundy, green, and gold colors I chose for my website, tied around the lamp pole with a "gold" skeleton key dangling from it and a blue jay feather stuck in the knot
a mini-cow with magnetic feet that keep it wrapped around the swing arm
a bendable skeleton about 5" long that I picked up at the Malice Domestic mystery convention a few years ago, also hanging from the swing arm
a small dream catcher that came with a donation solicitation
and a small plush elephant, also with magnetic feet, wraps himself (herself?) around the pole at its base.

On the other end of the desk, clustered around the phone, are the red lacquer cup that holds my fountain pens, the Cumberland Rum Flavoured Butter crock from Fortnum & Mason (souvenir of a 1973 trip to London) that holds pens and highlighters, the hand-thrown stoneware mug from the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen store in Center Sandwich, NH. Nearby is one of my favorite gifts – an intricate wire mesh and glass bead rattle that looks like a sorceress' ice cream cone. Hand crafted and a gift from my best friend, it's always close at hand.

Don't worry – I'm not going to go into all the things that are near and in view but not on my desk – photos, quotes, magnets, etc. The point is that I don't think of myself as superstitious, yet I surround myself with familiar things throughout my workday. It's a human thing to want familiarity; I can imagine that early humans had favorite items – skins of animals they had killed, pointed stones, and other tools they crafted. How many of us had a favorite bear or blanket that went everywhere with us as toddlers? For that matter, how many have a favorite mug or a lucky shirt/tie/shoes/outfit that we wear to those important events?

What's the point? Just that we should be careful about laughing at the superstitions of other days and other people. We're rational, logical, modern people today, but the creatures who wondered at the magic and mystery of fire still live within us. I happen to think that's a good thing.

That's My Bag

2009-02-10T10:41:00.001-05:00

Many companies buy promotional items and gifts for clients, I know. I've often wondered whether they could track an increase in business back to the investment they made in magnets or calendars. And for a long time I've resisted buying anything more than business cards because I couldn't see the benefit.

But that has changed now. The trigger was a combination of two events that I wanted to support - both organizations are raising money for scholarships – but at the same time I wanted to promote by business. They both also have a silent auction. Ah ha! Finally I could see a reason to invest in a promotional item. But what?

The first criterion was it had to be something I would like to have myself. Second, it had to be of good quality. Third, it had to be something that people would actually use in a way that others would see. Fourth, it had to have a logical connection to my business. (There are wonderful key chains and calculators, but what do they have to do with books???). Oh, and it had to display my name clearly.

Thinking about those silent auctions I started with the idea of a basket for book lovers. Wait! Why not a Book Lover's Bag? Yes, that was it. A nice canvas bag with dark green handles to match my website, a pocket on the outside, and my logo on the pocket.

I picked them up today, and only wish I had done this sooner. They are just right. (Kira also approves, as you see.) And in a couple of weeks I'll be filling two of them with books for writers and readers, gourmet hot chocolate mix, a cozy lap robe, and a large bar of dark chocolate. (Didn't I say it had to be something I'd like to have?) They will go to raise money for the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Congress and the Business Women's Network of Howard County. I hope the people who win the auctions will enjoy the bags and their contents as I enjoy knowing I've helped deserving students of all ages get a college education.

Be Careful Out There...

2009-01-16T09:44:00.003-05:00

...when you're playing in social media. You would think it is common sense, that by now everyone knows that (1) whatever you write and publish to the Internet can be seen by anyone, and that (2) it never, ever goes away.

In a stunning example of what NOT to do, a man from a high-end PR company, on his way to making a presentation to FedEx in Memphis, put a comment on Twitter that was insulting to Memphis! That little Tweet got the attention of employees and executives at FedEx, AND the chain of command at his employer. Anyone want to guess how long it will be before this guy is looking for a new job? Yeah, I'd say about as long as his flight back to New York.

You can read all about it on Peter Shankman's site here: http://shankman.com/be-careful-what-you-post/.

Another tip - if you're in business and haven't yet signed up with Shankman's HARO (Help A Reporter Out), it can be worth the few minutes it takes three times a day to read his emails. HARO aggregates reporter queries seeking experts or people who can comment on topics for books, articles, blogs, and TV. He classifies the queries by subject area - some are from big names (Good Morning America, Huffington Post, etc.), and some are on short deadline. I scan the summary lines to see if there's anything interesting or that could apply to someone I know. A couple of times a week I'll see something that isn't for me but might be a good opportunity for a client or friend, and those I forward.

Is it worth the time? I think so. In December I was interviewed for a podcast series on women entrepreneurs that will run beginning this year. Even if you're not looking for publicity, it's a fascinating peek into the range of subjects that people write about. Sign up here: http://www.helpareporter.com/. Yes, it's free, and no, he doesn't spam.

One Man + Innovative Eyeglasses = A World of Difference

2009-01-12T17:54:00.006-05:00

One of my reminders to myself for this year is to find a way to make a difference. I just read about a man who has quietly made a difference for tens of thousands of people around the world by giving them clear vision. (Washington Post story here.) Photo: Oxford University Site

Joshua Silver, an atomic physicist in Oxford, England, invented eyeglasses that can be adjusted on the spot to help either nearsighted or farsighted people see better. Admittedly ugly (think Woody Allen's worst), the glasses have round lenses that contain a thin sac. Hidden in the earpieces are plastic syringes filled with silicone oil and a pump to move the oil into the lenses. By turning a little dial on the earpiece, the wearer adds or subtracts the clear liquid until the focus is right. When the adjustment is right, the syringes are removed and the glasses are ready to go. Current cost? Just $19.

Silver's desire is to provide eyeglasses to more than a billion people with poor eyesight throughout the world. In many developing countries, few people have glasses because they don't have access to eye care professionals. And for those who can see an eye doctor, even fewer can afford glasses. Enter Joshua Silver's amazing glasses. So far, he has distributed some 30,000 pairs, and hopes to distribute a million pairs in India in the coming year.

The part I like best about this story is that a vision company offered to buy his technology years ago and dangled a "substantial" amount of money in front of him. But they would not assure him that they would use his patented technology to bring low-cost eyeglasses to the poor. He refused to sell.

There's a tailor in Ghana who couldn't work any more because he could not see to thread the needle on his sewing machine. He could not afford an optometrist or glasses. With Joshua Silver's glasses, he's seeing and sewing again.

Here's to Joshua Silver and his beautiful, ugly eyeglasses.