Living - In Theory

Moving On...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:52:00 +0000

This was a very difficult decision for me to make. I've decided that I need to leave this blog right where it is and not bring it with me to my new bloggy home, http://www.sugarjones.tv/ It's time to make a big change... take a massive leap of faith... and just pray it all goes well.

Over the last year, I've dealt with a lot of situations, good and bad. Through personal reflection and the support of friends, both on-line and off, I made it through a really rough patch in my life. That patch was something I had to walk through... a walk I had avoided in my denial for many years before the first step towards mental freedom. It started when someone posed the question:

"If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?"

The last time I answered that question, I was afraid of my answer. I knew what needed to happen... what I needed to do... but I wasn't sure I wanted to know how it would end up. I was frozen when I stopped to let myself wonder what it would look like on the other side of the transformation. I was worried about who I would lose and who I might become.

I thought of a card a friend once gave me. A butterfly in a cocoon was afraid to come out, sure that she would fall to the ground. But she was reassured by one already in flight that she would be okay and, more than okay, life was going to be beautiful. That's how I've felt this year. I had to just believe that life would be beautiful. Some things still aren't resolved. Mostly, though, I can say that my life is full of joy.

And I am ready to take flight.

...

Thanks to Gayle from http://www.inspiremetoday.com/ who asked me the question again recently when we finally got to meet at the top of the city on a gloriously clear and cold night in San Diego. "If you couldn't fail, what would you do?" I don't know, I answered. "Yes, you do Sugar!" Her eyes pierced through me.

She was right... I do know.

Rock Your Blog, Mama!

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:50:00 +0000

Today’s Make It Happen Mama is none other than Jessica Smith, aka Jessica Knows. Jessica is my favorite blogging and social media hack. She makes life look easy, but that’s only because she’s been there done that… and now wants to share her experience with others. I had a few quick questions for Jessica plus a radio interview on this morning’s Classy Closet show. Hope you enjoy!

When you were a little girl, what did you dream of growing up to be?

I wanted to be a "business woman". I think the movies "9-5" and "Working Girl" glamorized the idea for me. But I knew I wanted to start a business and be successful.

Are any of your little girl dreams still woven into the woman you are now?

Heck yeah! And I find myself surrounded by lots of women who had the same dreams (and still do!)

We see you all over the blogosphere. How do you balance your life as a mom with your life as an entrepreneur?

I try to be as flexible about things as possible and just roll with the punches. It's hard but my husband is super supportive and that helps a lot.

Where do you blend the two sides of life together?

I just do. What you see is what you get. Some might advise against blending the two but in social media I think it's a must for success.

What can we expect from your new venture, Rock Your Blog?

Lots of women supporting each other and networking resulting in success!

Okay, now I have to warn you… before you listen to the replay, the first five minutes of our show was jacked up due to some technical difficulties. Jen and I could not hear each other so I just starte blabbing on about my weekend while Skyping Jen and typing "Help" to the chat room. Talk about panic! So, if you don’t mind, please ignore that part… the other 25 minutes are definitely entertaining and informative!

Technorati Tags: Jessica Knows,Rock Your Blog,Social Media,Classy Closet,BlogTalkRadio

Blank

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:37:00 +0000

I wanted to post something more uplifting after that last one... something about girlfriends and how their mere presence in my home brings me back to life. It did... but I'm in one of those weird places where my mind is going off into so many different directions all at once that I can't control my thoughts or my words. I think the doctors call it PMS. Whatever.

I wonder, though... how do other people tackle their minds when they seem to be running off on their own? Any suggestions?

...

I'll write all about girlfriends later... there is much to be said.

Damn Questions...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:28:00 +0000

The first day of being co-host at The Classy Closet radio show, Jen asked me some questions so that the regular listeners could get to know me. Sure... why not?

"What was the scariest moment in your life?"

The first and only thing that popped into my head... the one moment that I was so afraid and so panic stricken... the moment that I wake up thinking about more than I care to admit was the day that my estranged daughter walked out of the house as a toddler. She quietly woke up from a nap, and since I was busy doing silly busy work, I hadn't noticed that she had managed to reach and open the front door. When I went to wake her and saw that she was gone... Oh God... I can't describe the tight wrenching feeling in my stomach. I remember the sensation of having tunnel vision... adrenaline? blood rushing and pulsing in survival mode? I don't know, but I couldn't feel myself walking, either, and could barely hear my own voice yelling her name.

That was thirteen... maybe fourteen years ago. It's all so horribly vivid to me. Like a nightmare I can't wake up from. It scares me to this day to think of what could have happened. Then I wonder what was going through her head. Was she looking for me? Was she scared? When we found her across the street in another neighborhood playing with ducks, I was so relieved. I couldn't stop hugging her... soaking her with my tears. Nothing has ever been so scary to me.

At least it ended well that day.

Still, here I am... wondering if this will end well. Wondering when or if I'll ever see her again. When will it be okay to just have lunch together and chat. I feel that tight wrenching in my stomach when I think of the ugly words we've yelled at each other or even further back when I could've been around more... listened more... anything more... I would do anything to change it... all of it...

That's probably why that day so many years ago was the only scary moment I could recall. Maybe because I relive that awful morning every day that we don't speak. Where is she? Where is my daughter? I picture myself running to the neighbors panicking... trying to explain that she's gone... help me, please... I can't find her... and the look on their faces... the judgment... tisk tisk, now you've done it... No, I will never forget that day.

But this... this separation without end... this just might be scarier.

Querying the Query Letter Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:49:00 +0000

Today's Make It Happen Mama is Wendy Burt-Thomas. She is a full-time freelance writer, editor and copywriter with more than 1,000 published pieces. Her third book, "The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters" hit stores December 2008.

1. Can you tell us about your book?

The book was a great fit for me because I'd been teaching "Breaking Into Freelance Writing" for about eight years. In the workshop, I covered a lot of what is in this book: writing query letters to get articles in magazines, to land an agent, or to get a book deal with a publisher. Since I'm a full-time freelance magazine writer and editor with two previous books, this was incredibly fun to write because it didn't require tons of research. I was lucky enough to receive lots of great sample query letters from writers and authors that I use as "good" examples in the book. I wrote all the "bad" examples myself because I didn't dare ask for contributions that I knew I'd be ripping apart!

In addition to the ins and outs of what makes a good query, the book covers things like why (or why not) to get an agent, where to find one and how to choose one; writing a synopsis or proposal; selling different rights to your work; other forms of correspondence; and what editors and agents look for in new writers.

It was really important to me that the book not be a dry, boring reference book, but rather an entertaining read (while still being chock full of information). I was thrilled that Writer's Digest let me keep all the humor.

2. Why are query letters so important?

Breaking into the publishing world is hard enough right now. Unless you have a serious "in" of some kind, you really need a great query letter to impress an agent or acquisitions editor. Essentially, your query letter is your first impression. If they like your idea (and voice and writing style and background), they'll either request a proposal, sample chapters, or the entire manuscript. If they don't like your query letter, you've got to pitch it to another agency/publisher. Unlike a manuscript, which can be edited or reworked if an editor thinks it has promise, you only get one shot with your query. If it's not fabulous, don't send it until it is.

3. You're also a magazine editor. What is your biggest gripe regarding queries?

Queries that show that the writer obviously hasn't read our publication. I'll admit that I did this when I was a new writer too – submitted blindly to any publication whose name sounded even remotely related to my topic.

4. There's an entire chapter in the book about agents. Do you think all new writers should get agents?

Probably 99% of new writers should get an agent. There are lots of reasons, but my top three are: 1) Many of the larger publishing houses won't even look at unagented submissions now; 2) Agents can negotiate better rights and more money on your behalf; 3) Agents know the industry trends, changes and staff better than you ever could.

5. You've been a mentor, coach, or editor for many writers. What do you think is the most common reason that good writers don't get published?

Poor marketing skills. I see so many writers that are either too afraid, too uniformed, or frankly, too lazy to market their work. They think their job is done when the write "the end" but writing is only half of the process. I've always told people who took my class that there are tons of great writers in the world who will never get published. I'd rather be a good writer who eats lobster than a great writer who eats hot dogs.

6. What must-read books do you recommend to new writers?

Christina Katz (author of "Writer Mama") has a new book out called "Get Known Before the Book Deal" - which is fabulous. Also, Stephen King's "On Writing" and David Morrell's "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing." Anything by Anne Lamott or my Dad, Steve Burt.

7. What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Writing the "bad" query letters. I've read – and written! – so many horrible ones over the years that it was a little too easy to craft them. But misery loves company and we ALL love to read really bad query letters, right?

To learn more about Wendy or her three books, visit www.GuideToQueryLetters.com. If you have a writing-related question, you can post it below.

Seven Things I Learned This Week...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:10:00 +0000

Blame it on the moon... this was a crazy busy week. It wasn't too busy to enjoy learning a thing or two.

Whatever time I think I should get up is probably a half hour later than I really should get up.
12 Seconds can be excruciatingly long... or way too short. Definitely too short to spell your name in refrigerator magnets.
Half an hour is not nearly enough time to cover stupidity in government bureaucracies... which is why The Classy Closet had a special hour long show today.
Winning isn't everything, but that doesn't stop you from wanting to win.
A torso can be bought and sold to offset the cost of a really cool conference.
The Hoff still makes me giggle like a school girl. The Pilot, however, was not as impressed when he flew Mr. Hoff and crew to Vegas last week. Jealous...
Complaining about the heat from the Santa Ana Winds is not cool when other parts of the country are experiencing record cold. Sorry.

Don't forget that Living-InTheory.com will be moving to SugarJones.tv soon!

Fabulous Rooms - Fabulous Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:16:00 +0000

In the sea of people claiming to be design experts, a few names stand out. One designer, in particular, is Thom Filicia of Queer Eye and Dress My Nest fame. He’s the real deal.

And he is Faaabuluuuuussss!!!

I was privileged to be invited to a special Press Teleconference along with 24 other bloggers and tweeters. We were treated to one-on-one time with Thom (well… at least one-on-twenty-five) where he told us all about his fabulous new book and his even fabulous-er Room A Day Giveaway.

The giveaway was unveiled on The View at the same time of the big room redo reveal. The only word I can use for The View’s green rooms and rehearsal hall pre-revamp is… DREARY! My God, you would think they had the coolest places for their guests to kick up their feet before chatting with the ladies. Nope! See for yourself:

When I am an old woman, that better not be what my designated institutional facility looks like (you got that kids?)!!! I would much rather end up in this fantabulously gorgeous set up:

For the green rooms, Mr. Filicia incorporated the name of the show as the overall theme for their redesigns. Each room now has a “view” of New York landmarks while still maintaining their necessary functionality. The rehearsal hall presented a different challenge. While the goal of the redo was to make the area more comfortable and stylish, it still had to function as a place for the ladies to run through their shows. The furnishing were made in a way that allows for ease of moving when the space is needed.

I can hardly believe that was all done in ONE WEEK!

In his new design book, Thom Filicia Style, Mr. Filicia talks about his style philosophy, which is basically that everyone’s home should tell their story. It should not only be functional but unique and authentic to the family within those walls. He further went on to say that big or small, a home’s design should be lifestyle and personality driven. Here are some tips for bringing your personal aesthetic to life in your home:

Don’t be afraid to mix Timeless and Timely – By mixing your classics with newer pieces, you build an eclectic look that is all about you and your personal style.
Color your world – Draw from fashion to decorate your home with textures, colors, and accessories.
Decorate outside the Box – Mix light and dark woods. Hang a traditional lantern next to a modern chair. Be mindful of the overall look, but have fun with it!
Well read – Incorporating your books into your rooms adds a beautiful layer and interesting texture while making your favorite reads handy for lending.
Personalize – with framed candids, favorite items, whatever gives your home a soul. When people walk in, they should know this is your home.

“But I have kids…”

Many of the bloggers being busy moms had questions about keeping a home stylish while battling the power of clutter and Lego’s. The ever fabulous Thom Filicia had some great suggestions:

Use bolder colors in designing rooms.
Use storage cubbies a’la Kindergarten rooms
Make clean up a family responsibility
Designate areas and rooms for play

I bet you’re wondering how you can get your hands on my copy of Thom Filicia Style… well, here’s my little reveal. Join me in the chat room during The Classy Closet Radio Show where we’ll put up a keyword each day. If you missed today’s show, you can listen to the recorded show. Jen accidentally said it… woopsy! To win, you’ll have to be the first to call in to the show on Friday (when we say GO, of course!) with all four keywords. You’ll also have to give us a Truth or Dare. I’ll probably “reveal” a truth before I take a dare, though, but well see.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot the best part!!

Thom Filicia has partnered with Kimberly-Clark and The View to offer SIXTEEN lucky lucky people a $25,000 room redo… EACH!! So if you would love for Mr. Filicia to come dress your nest, enter before March 6, 2009 for your chance to win!

Alright then… good luck!

…

The Book: http://www.thomfiliciastyle.com/

The Man: http://www.thomfilicia.com/

The Giveaway: http://www.roomadaygiveaway.com/

Joy and Thom on OK! http://www.okmagazine.com/pixandvids/gallery/11096/9

Pre-reveal photos courtesy of ABC/Donna Svennevik; post reveal photos courtesy of ABC/Steve Fenn

Technorati Tags: Kimberly-Clark,Room a day,giveaway,Thom Filicia,Style,design,The View

Indulge Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:55:00 +0000

I'm happy to introduce you all to this week's Making It Happen Mama, Kelli Parisian of Pure Indulgence, a product line that turns five next month. Kelli believes in connecting with clients and giving value for every dollar spent. Her business is built on integrity, not hype. She saw a need in her industry and filled it. And by filling that need and following a dream, she created her skin care line. Here's her story... AND a chance to win some of her fabulous products:

Hello! I'm Kelli Parisian, a 53 year old Single Christian woman and the Mom of two beautiful daughters Brianna and Brittany. Aside from business and family, my other "passion" is gourmet cooking & entertaining. I consider myself to be a Foodie. Parisian's Pure Indulgence. Inc. consists of myself, my daughter Brittany, my assistant Ariel, and Aesthetician Tiffany. Brittany is just beginning an Aesthetician program this month. My hope is that one day she'll take over the reigns of my company. But not any time soon...

I started in the beauty business as a manicurist specializing in natural nails twenty nine years ago. I saw the need to create something more for my clients... more of a Spa Manicure experience. I soon realized I couldn't create the luxurious experience I desired with the limited products offered to manicurists. That's when began a six month journey of researching every scrub, creme, lotion, & body oil out there. I wanted to see what made them special and began a quest to understand ingredient labels. What I found was synthetics, fillers, alcohols, harsh preservatives, and high levels of fragrances in the majority of products available. I wanted to do something different. I dreamed of formulating a product that would be effective, yet pure and safe for those of us with sensitive skin. Above all, I wanted my clients to have a luxurious experience.

So, at age 48, with my understanding of how ingredients work together (gourmet cooking background, remember?), I formulated and whipped up a sugar scrub, called Sugared Butter Whip. I took it into the salon to use on my clients. The response from my clients was incredible! I whipped up 40 containers hoping to sell them all during the holidays. Well, I ended up selling an additional 200 containers in one month! Parisian's Pure Indulgence was born. My daughters and I spent endless hours labeling containers and packaging scrubs as holiday gifts every night that December. After that success, I formulated two other body products. Soon, I was being asked about facial care products because my clients were demanding the same purity for their face. At that point, I aligned myself with an incredible natural skin care formulator and together, we have expanded my line to nearly 40 products!

The challenges in the first couple of years were to educate myself in all area's of business, from legalities (incorporating, insurance, trademarks), web sites, accounting, and marketing. I made a few mistakes along the way, but learned from them. Another challenge I still have is balancing business and personal life. I'm still working on that...

Because I'm very comfortable in the Salon/Spa setting, speaking with Salon owners has been easy for me and today Parisian's Pure Indulgence products are found in a number of high end salons and spas. Our web business continues to grow as well, but one of my most cherished business values is staying connected to my customers. I enjoy being a "boutique" skin care company. It allows me to have a personal relationship with the men and women that are benefiting from our products.

My advice to other women beginning a business is to find a mentor, and take things slowly. Educate yourself in every aspect of business. Remember there is a big difference between cash flow and profit. Keep that in mind when pricing your product, no matter what it is. Do what you're passionate about and don't compromise integrity. Also, I truly believe in giving first. A core personal value of mine is to give of myself, to help others any way I can. I consider it a privilege.

Parisian Pure Indulgence is pleased to participate in Sugar's Making It Happen Mama Monday. As a gift to one of her lucky readers, we are offering the opportunity to win a Pink Eco-Friendly Tote filled with of over $200.00 worth of facial care and body care treatments. All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter at Parisian Pure Indulgence. You'll receive tips and discounts from Pure Indulgence, and of course, a chance to win! The winner will be announced on Wednesday in the comments of this post.

Enjoy Indulging!

Kelli and her girls:

Wow...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:39:00 +0000

This has been an amazing week. Busy. Crazy. But awesome. Good things are happening for your friend, Shoog and I am all but in a fit of giggles seeing how doors open in a way I would never have planned.

So a few weeks back, I get a message from Jen of The Classy Closet asking if I'd be interested in trying out for the co-host spot on The Classy Closet radio show. Sure, I say. Now, we are down to the wire in voting and I am at the edge of my seat wondering how it will turn out. As I'm typing this, I'm in the lead, but only by a couple of votes. It's been like that all weekend. Not stressful at all!!

Through some communicating with Jen, I found out that US Family Guides in Colorado was looking for an editor for their San Diego Kids Guide. I applied and a couple of days later was on an orientation call. So now, I'll be working on getting all the best family friendly attractions and activities reviewed and on the site. If you're planning on a trip to SD this summer, check us out!

Who loves Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?? ME, TOO! So imagine how stoked I was to find out that I'll be on a Press Conference Call tomorrow with Thom Filicia and 24 other bloggers. It seems that Mr. Filicia has a fabulous design book coming out, Thom Filicia Style. He'll be promoting the book on The View tomorrow morning when he unveils the revamped Green Room. He'll also be making a very special announcement... you'll want to check it out if you can. And I will have a copy of his book to give away here at Living - In Theory! Stay tuned for the details on that one.

OH! And one last thing. I am migrating! Yes, finally! If you subscribe to my feed, it'll be like the digital transition... seemless. If you use Favorites on your computer, you'll want to use my url: www.living-intheory.com. I will now have all of my multiple personalities at SugarJones.tv. I'm using a SmartSpace from Go Daddy. I don't care what anybody says, WordPress is a nightmare. Sorry... don't hate me... I just would rather spend my time writing posts than decoding CSS.

A couple of other neat things that I can't really talk about... very hush hush... ;) If you'd like, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter. You never know who you'll meet there.

Please make sure to check in tomorrow for our Making It Happen Mama feature. There will be some pampering products up for grabs this time!!

Mini Mall Melt Down

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I love it when I freak out in public…

And quick! Hit play so that this ridiculous freeze frame shot of me will disappear!

Mommy Melt Down at the Mini Mall from Sugar Jones on Vimeo.

Kung Fu Panda Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Our family loves Kung Fu Panda. We probably watch the DVD once a week. Every time you watch it, another little nugget of wisdom is revealed. These are the seven pearls I took away from the movie:

Be Yourself : Po’s dad tells him of a “stupid dream” he once had to make tofu. “We’re noodle folk!” Don’t try to be who your mom, dad, friends, or anyone else think you should be. You will never be happy!

Don’t Get Cocky : Shifu believed his protégé, Tigress was the Dragon Warrior. And Tigress thought she had it in the bag. Then out of nowhere, this big fat panda drops in. If you get too confident that everything will surely continue as YOU planned, some whacky, unforeseen thing might really put your world in a tailspin.

Today is a Gift : Po is so wound up over what to do, who he was, where he is going… Oogway, in all his old turtle wisdom reminds him that you can’t change the past and worrying about the future is fruitless. Today is a gift… that is why it’s called the Present. Duh!

Don’t Judge a Book by It’s Cover : An oldie, but a goodie, and one that we can’t be reminded of enough. Po the Panda is clumsy, fluffy, and a bit of slob. But under all that, he has heart. He loves Kung Fu with the innocence of a kid. He has a passion for it in his heart. That’s what made him the Dragon Warrior. The others were measuring strength on the outside. His strength came from his heart.

Believe : Po, against all the tricks and trials, stayed because he wanted to believe that he could be the one to read The Scroll. Even when it seemed impossible, he worked with that belief in his heart. And guess what? He did a bang up job.

There is no charge for awesomeness. Enough said.
There is no secret : but that's the secret. You have to see the movie to get it.

One big underlying lesson was the way the crisis came about. It was set off by events made to secure the safety of the village. The wise turtle says “One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.” There’s a lot to that as you watch the movie. I don’t want to give any of it away… you have to see it yourself. But it’s funny how that hit me. How many times do people try to control their environment and circumstances only to come face to face with their fears? You have to face them some day. And only when you stop avoiding your destiny will you be able to really live. The end is a bit of a surprise, but another lesson I don’t want to give away here… you’ll just have to grab some popcorn and watch it yourself.

Enjoy!

Get Known Before the Book Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:25:00 +0000

I’m implementing a new series here at Living – In Theory. Every Monday, I’ll be featuring a Mom who makes things happen. Oddly enough, I’ve decided to call it: Make It Happen, Mama! The first interview is a woman who inspired me to move toward my dream of being published (there, I said it) and who continues to inspire me by just being Christina. If you’re inspired, please feel free to leave your comments below.

Interview with Christina Katz on Get Known Before the Book DealFor limited release

January 4, 2009

Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform (Writer’s Digest Books). She started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on “Good Morning America.” Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication. Her students are published in national magazines and land agents and book deals. Christina has been encouraging reluctant platform builders via her e-zines for five years, has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, and is a monthly columnist for the Willamette Writer. A popular speaker at writing conferences, writing programs, libraries, and bookstores, she hosts the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon. She is also the author of Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books).

What is a platform, and why is it so important for unpublished writers to have one?

A platform is a promise, which says you will not only create something to sell (a book), but also promote it to the specific readers who will want to purchase it. Your platform communicates your expertise to others and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. A platform isn’t what you once did. It’s what you currently do. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform. A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence.

Why is it so important to publishers that writers have a platform?

One writer can have a great book idea at the perfect time and be the absolute best person to write that book and still not land the deal if he or she doesn’t have the platform that is going to fulfill the promise to sell the book. Agents and editors have known this for years and look for platform-strong writers and get them book deals. If you want to land the book deal, today, then you need to become a platform-strong writer. You need to stand out in the crowd by the time you are ready to pitch your book.

Why did you write Get Known Before the Book Deal? What was the intention behind the book?

Most of the other self-promotion books for writers pick up with the book deal. No other book dials self-promotion all the way back to how to get started. My intention for Get Known was that it would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference. It should increase any writer’s chances of writing a saleable proposal and landing a book deal whether they pitch the book in-person or by query.

As I was writing the book, I saw how this type of information was often being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can ask your library to order it and read it for free. Get Known outlines the complete platform basics step-by-step.

Is there a single most important thing authors need to do to build a platform?

When you think about the fact that about 500 books are published each day in this country, you realize that writing a book isn’t going to set you apart. So, the first thing you need to know is what makes you and your expertise unique and communicate that. If you don’t know who you are and what you uniquely offer, how is anyone else going to know? I call this cultivating your identity, not branding, because that word is so grossly overused these days. Identity also nods to the importance of keeping things real and staying true to yourself, while also making self-promotion a priority.

Can you give three specific tips to help writers launch their platform?

Sure. Here’s my top three…

1. Clarify the expertise you have to offer. If you don’t know what your expertise is, then mulling it over could take some time. And that’s okay. Consult experts you respect. Do some self-reflection. Get out and connect with others like you through associations or conferences. Write some articles on things you know how to do. Don’t be afraid to take time for platform development before you start spending a lot of time online…especially if you already are online but are not getting any closer to accomplishing your professional writing goals. When it comes to clarifying your expertise, taking a step back and looking within is a good strategy.

2. Carve out a distinct niche among others who are offering similar expertise. How are you different? Inquiring minds want to know. You’ll have to communicate who you are and what you do quickly. Attention spans are getting shorter, so writing down what you do concisely is critical. Platform isn’t the credentials or your resume; it’s what you currently do. It’s current, constantly evolving, and updated on an ongoing basis. A blog is a good example of a place where a writer can authentically share what she is learning to assist others. Any niche should always be a win-win proposition like this. But again, give your topic some forethought. Realize that a hundred people might already be blogging on the same topic.

3. Identify and respond to your audience. If you are vague about your audience, the whole writing process takes longer and typically requires more rewriting. This applies to books, blogs and everything else. But when you identify your specific audience and begin speaking to them directly, the conversation can spark all kinds of wonderful ideas, connections and opportunities. Small concrete steps build over time and create career momentum.

Times are tight, and people don't necessarily want to shell out money right now. Do you have any tips that are cost-friendly?

Platform development shouldn’t break the bank. My advice is don’t shell out money at the get-go. Instead educate yourself first and then take small steps. Try to avoid the impulse to slap together a platform quickly to impress others. I suggest a more long-term approach and working slowly and steadily in order to spend less and save more in the long run. This means, while you are working on your novel, you should at least be planning your platform. And if you want to write nonfiction, I suggest platform development first and book proposal development second. Platform development will help you write a stronger and more impressive proposal. The numbers of people you influence will help close the deal.

What are the special challenges for fiction writers building a platform?

Fiction/memoir/children’s writers will often spin off a series of topics they can explore to help promote themes they’ve already written about and hope to sell in book form. For example, novelist Marc Acito wrote How I Paid For College, A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater. Afterwards, it made sense for him to write and teach and speak on how to write humorous fiction and how to write a page-turner. Note how specific his topics were. He spun them off after mastering them in his process.

Other things fiction writers often learn about involve: place, a topic from their research, a time period, a truth or phenomenon, universal human themes, a particular time or phase every person experiences (like coming of age), or the creative process itself. These can become promotional opportunities (sometimes even paying ones) that spark book sales.

How do being prolific and/or productive relate to platform building?

Many writers promise publishers that they have the ability to make readers seek out and purchase their book. But when it comes time to demonstrate this ability, they can’t deliver. This explains why so many books get into print, only to go right out of print within the year. They don’t go out of print because they aren’t well written, mind you. They go out of print because they don’t sell. My mission is to empower writers to be 100 percent responsible for their writing career success and stop looking to others to do their promotional work for them so this won’t happen to them.

Platform development is crucial to the sustainability of your writing career. Don’t think: get a book deal. Think: get book deals. A prolific writer can churn out words. A productive writer closes deals and signs contracts to write the kinds of books she’d love to read.

Are there any types of writers who don’t need a platform?

Yes. There are dozens of reasons to write but only writers who want to establish themselves as professional writers, who aspire to publish a traditionally published or a self-published book should concern themselves with platform development. If you’re writing for other reasons, such as to heal, to connect with friends and family, or just for pleasure, then perhaps you don’t need a platform.

When you're done platform building, how do you find time to write?

My career goes in cycles. I have periods that focus on writing followed by periods that focus on self-promotion. I’m in a promo cycle right now and it’s fun! I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. And I’m still writing plenty. I have noticed that these supposed “non-writing times” often yield the next book idea, which has been the case again this time. I can’t wait to pitch it.

If a writer starts today and allows platform development to be an integrated aspect of her writing career, I’m sure she will find that the two efforts—writing and self-promotion—feed each other and help her career to grow naturally and authentically. And what writer wouldn’t want that?

You can learn more about Christina and her offerings at http://www.christinakatz.com.

Technorati Tags: Christina Katz,Get Known Before the Book Deal,Writer Mama,writing,publishing

Magic 8 Ball Resolutions: 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Resolutions. What would we do without them? We could just pretend that we don’t have any specific intentions for the New Year. Or we could just list our goals and hope that we don’t jinx them by calling them resolutions.

Or… we could ask the Magic 8 Ball to predict the likelihood of hitting that goal. If it’s a negative response, well, hey! Check that off and move on!

Here are mine:

Will I get my pilot’s license this year?

It is decidedly so.

Will I complete my photojournalist project on “real women” this year?

Without a doubt.

Will I be on Sirius Satellite Radio this year?

Don’t count on it.

Haha… well, two out of three isn’t bad. Doesn’t mean I won’t work towards that goal… just might happen in early 2010!

Obviously, this is just for fun and while I don’t recommend basing life’s big decisions on the answers from a toy, it is interesting to see the answer. So, if you’re game, play along. Frame your resolution in the form of a question and click on the 8 Ball in the sidebar. Let us know what the outcome was in the comments section!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

…

Change – Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:16:00 +0000

A little less Martha…

When we think of Martha, we think of the perfect hostess who can make a haute couture bridal gown out of 800 count Egyptian cotton sheets. I’m speaking, of course, of the mogul Ms. Martha Stewart.

But do you know about the other Martha?

Way before Martha Stewart was born, there was a gal that was a bit of a control freak in the home, too. I’ll sum up for those of you that don’t want to pull out The Bible… Luke tells a tale of two sisters. One who is busy being busy busy busy. The other sister, Mary (sure were lots of Maries in the Bible, huh?) is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to His teachings and just being in his presence. Martha gets ticked off and goes to complain to Jesus. Jesus is like, “Martha, Martha, Martha… you don’t get it!” (or something to that effect.)

It’s very easy to get too busy with our busy work and sometimes we forget to unplug. We forget to be still… to be with God (or if you prefer The Universe, which was created by God, but whatever…). Henry David Thoreau once said:

When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of the reality.

For many years, I was Martha. Then I broke my leg and you know what? That will stop the hurrying real quick! The only thing I could control was the remote, and even that got lost more times than I can recall. I had a lot of time to ponder what was worthy and what was petty. For the last five years, I’ve been swinging my pendulum over to the Mary side. Now that I’ve been sitting semi-quietly at God’s feet, I’m confident it’s time to put both of those strengths together. I know I can’t control life, but is time to get up and go forth confidently in the direction of my dreams… (love that Henry).

Nothing like a New Year to get’cha goin’ huh?

What about you? Where are you on the pendulum? What are your dreams for 2009?

…

Tomorrow: Change Part III: Magic 8 Ball Resolutions!

Change – Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:36:00 +0000

What a year. What a crazy year.

Does it feel like we are leaving behind some sort of stinking carcass? It feels like that to me. In so many ways.

The obvious carcass is the political mess and old-fashioned mud slinging that was the election. I usually stay away from politics here, but I’m giving myself permission to get this junk off my chest. There was a lot of change that happened. But a lot of the same that made me feel less than hopeful…

While everyone was giddy with anticipation at the possibility of a black president, women across the country were shaking their heads at the sexism that is alive and well in this country. I wish we were leaving that behind, but Hilary and Sarah might have different opinions. I’m irritated that Hilary was thrown a bone instead of having the chance to run as President, or even VP. I think she deserved that much. I’m irritated that the Republicans chose the ONE woman who probably should have stayed home, almost begging for the argument that women belonged at home and off the political stage. I don’t believe that, but I do believe that family comes first, and that Palin family really needed their mom at home… damn it. I’d rather they’d chosen the stronger candidate, the obvious one being Condi Rice. You know what? I’ll be so proud if Condi runs. Not because she’s black, but because she’s a woman. A smart, strong, attractive, and intelligent woman.

We have not come a long way, baby.

Bush. What can I say. Nothing that hasn’t already been said. A conservative radio host said it best yesterday. “Exit, stage left… please. Enough already.” I was as proud as anyone to see him jump up and grab the bullhorn and yell to the terrorists that we were coming to get them, especially after those animals decimated the Twin Towers. I wanted to feel safe, and for a while, Bush made me think that we might be. But then he kept doing one stupid thing after another. It almost seemed as though he was on someone else’s payroll… hmmm… kind of like McCain. If ever a candidate threw an election, this was it. Suspending his campaign? What the hell? Bastard. Never liked him. Never. Ask my father-in-law. We’ve had some serious arguments about that one. I even had a remote control thrown at me because of my thoughts.

If I could click my heels and make everything sort of okay, I’d ask for Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank to be sucked away by aliens. Those two have done more damage to our country than Bush these last eight years. But all three together… well, that was just the perfect storm, I guess. And now, we are waiting for the outcome of the race in Minnesota to see if the Dems will have a rubber stamp. Who would have ever thought that the fate of the Senate would hinge on Stuart Smalley?!

You know what else? I wish the Republican Party would get away from being the Moral Right. Theocracies don’t work. Ask the people who were under the rule of the Taliban. Plus, it’s awfully hard to run on a platform of Godliness when you are human. Every mistake you make as a person will be held under a microscope. It’s got to be pretty difficult to get any work done for your constituents when you’re busy juggling the image of perfection. Knock that crap off!

I’d love it if the left would stop politicizing environmental issues. Do they really think that all conservatives want to live in a desert wasteland because we were so greedy and wanted to consume all the planet’s resources like a ravaging horde of locusts? Seriously? Come on…

You know what? I’m kind of glad Barack won. He has become dull as all get out since he won, though, and that’s just a bummer. I like that he was shooting hoops the day of the election. I hate his teleprompter reading and his chin-up-snobby look, but I liked his easy going smile. I think Michelle is, well, meh… but those little girls are sweet and cute and just make you smile to see them with their daddy. I hope they get to pick any dog they want, not one that the public would be happiest with.

And I’m glad that Barack showed the Right what could be accomplished with the good branding and viral marketing, not to mention, staying on message. It was truly amazing. Small groups on the right are trying to move to this century’s communication platforms, but they keep thinking that they can regulate all the creativity out of it. Control freaks. I can’t get behind all the government programs that Dems want to implement and continue pumping money into, but this Republican party is just imploding and really pissing me off.

I hope a third party shows up real soon…

Done.

…

Come back tomorrow for Part II. I won’t be talking politics… thank God.

Self Portrait 12/08

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:07:00 +0000

I almost missed this month… with all the craziness… I almost let it go because I didn’t feel like I looked my best. I’m tired and a bit puffy from all the celebrating. But then I thought about the reason I am doing this exercise. It’s not about looking like a model. It’s about capturing my image… before the moment is gone.

I did something a little crazy this time. I didn’t do hair or makeup. I’m kind of regretting it but still mildly excited about my own personal growth. You have no idea… anyway… here I am:

Your turn: Leave a link to your latest picture. Don’t have one? Quick! Take one! Before the moment is gone…

Too Much Information

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:58:00 +0000

Sitting at the Teppan Table as our chef poured water on to the hot metal, I saw my son’s eyes grow as big as saucers. THIS, I thought, was a great time to introduce him to steam as the gas form of water. The water being poured was reacting angrily, jumping all over the place. It was a perfect portrayal of the molecules as little cartoonish creatures that were bumping into each other all grumpy-like, as they got hotter and hotter. The Boy thought that was pretty funny, so I kept going, pointing up to the steam rising through the vents as the angry little water molecules floated away. “Woah!!!” I clinked the ice in my Diet Coke and asked him to name the solid form of water that he was already familiar with. “ICE!” The Boy was entertained AND he learned something!

Back to dinner…

In swoops The Pilot to snatch the fun away... “Do you know what it’s called when ice turns right into steam?” No, I plead… it’s too much… he just had fun learning the basics… drop it! But I could see it was too late. His know-it-all grin had taken over his face. “It’s called sublimation.” (At this point, the twinkle in The Boy’s eye is dulling) “That’s when an element or compound transitions from the solid form…” (The Boy is now pleading with me with his eyes to make daddy stop) “…to gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage.”

All The Boy heard was the sound of Charlie Brown’s teacher mwa-mwah-mwah-mwaw-ing.

It doesn’t take The Pilot long these days to see that he threw in too much information turning fun into a boring lesson through his need to share all that he knows. It’s an affliction usually left to engineers, but Pilots are special like that. Their personalities are half machine, half ego maniacs and they are compelled to tell you they know what they know or their heads will explode. It’s true! Their heads will come right off if they aren’t boring people with their flying stories or flight engineering knowledge. You can’t prove me wrong because there is not a pilot alive that can’t not talk about flying...

He chuckled at his TMI moment and went back to the ice/water/steam simplicity.

As homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to turn everything into a lesson. Our environment plays just as large a role in our learning as our books and computers do. Since we are the teachers, we have the added benefit of knowing what’s most relevant to what they’re currently learning. We can recall a lesson that might be playing itself out in our every day living. Whenever those living lessons show up, I grab hold of some aspect while they are still thrilled with the moment. But when is it too much for them to take in and when do we cross the line to making everything a test rather than just enjoying the moment itself?

It’s a balancing act: keeping kids’ curiosity piqued while not pounding the fun out of life.

YOUR TURN:

Homeschoolers, Teachers, and non-teaching parents: What do you do to keep learning fun while not falling into the TMI Black Hole?

Technorati Tags: homeschool,learning,child development,teaching,science

We Were Supposed to Get a Dog for Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:01:00 +0000

A few months shy of six years ago, we talked about getting a dog. Banana Girl would be two, which as we understood, was a good time to introduce a puppy. And the older girls were really hoping they could finally have a dog now that we had our own home and our own yard. We talked about size, type, who would be responsible for what... all that good stuff.

A few nights after the Dog Talk, we all sat in beach chairs at the end of the cul de sac watching a lunar eclipse. It was an absolutely beautiful night. After all of the peering through telescopes and the sipping of hot cocoa, one of the big girls said, "Well, now it's going back to a full moon, right?" Yep. Full moon... full moon... Wait a minute! Full moon? Shouldn't I have had my...

Oh crap!

The next morning, after the big girls went off to school and Banana Girl stayed behind to hang out with her visiting grandma, The Pilot and I went out for a very quiet breakfast. We stopped at CVS on the way back home to pick up a test, just in case. The results were immediate. We got even quieter. The Pilot finally eeked out, "It is what it is." After the initial freak out (understatement), I picked out a lovely name for my presumably fourth daughter; Lily.

I was as wrong about that name as I was about getting a dog that year. That Christmas five years ago, instead of getting a puppy, we welcomed the only boy to our family. His name means "Little King." And it's only completely fitting...

Happy Birthday, Monkey Boy. We all love you to bits!

Memed Again...

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:13:00 +0000

I got tapped again to post some narcissistic nuggets. Immediately, I thought, what the heck... how bad could it be to list the Seven Weird Things About Me? Well, according to the Wiki entry on Memes, a simple element of ideas could actually be quite detrimental to it's host. Should I risk losing any new readers by divulging my weirdness?

Screw it... here goes:

1) I chew ice. Lots and lots. All damn day. Yes, I do have dental issues, among my other "issues."

2) I hated Shirley Temple when I was a kid, not because she wasn't cute, sweet, and talented, but because I wanted to be the cute, sweet, and talented girl on TV.

3) I love Barry Manilow. I would love to see him in Vegas. That is all.

4) I used to be able to do the splits against a wall and back-walk-overs on a balance beam. Last time I tried to do either, my chiropractor charged me double.

5) I dyed my hair blonde for a year and a half because women at the park thought I was my daughter's Mexican nanny and kept asking how much I charge. Bitches.

6) My 13th birthday landed on a Friday the Thirteenth. I think it was also a full moon. It was a fun night, so from then on, Friday the 13ths are always celebrated with aplomb.

7) When I was a kid, I wanted to follow in my grandpa's shoes and become a radio DJ. I used to tape pretend radio shows with sound effects and everything. Unfortunately, I was never picked up for syndication.

So now I'm supposed to tag seven more people... but my last attempt bombed and I don't do well with failure. Besides, I'd rather have you leave your weirdness here. Weirdest comment wins a small prize!

Dig deep people! ;)

...

Oh, and here's part of the Wiki entry for Meme:

A meme (pronounced /miːm/) is unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices that transmit from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomenon. The term is derived from the Greek word mimema for mimic.

Meme-theorists contend that memes evolve by natural selection in a manner similar to that of biological evolution influencing an individual entity's reproductive success. Memes are ideas that are spread by the behaviors that they generate in their hosts. Memes that propagate less prolifically may become extinct, while others survive, spread, and (for better or for worse) mutate. Theorists point out that memes which replicate the most effectively spread best, and some memes may replicate effectively even when they are detrimental to the welfare of its host.

How Social Media Can Change Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:08:00 +0000

I have another guest post today. I wanted Nan (aka Rogue Puppet) to share her HP Giveaway experience. Early on in my contest, she tweeted me to let me know that she had already won another giveaway! I was so excited for her and thankful to have one less great post to consider… WHEW! She wanted to share how she came to win the fabulous prize at Chris Pirillo’s site and how you might benefit from her tactics, not just in winning contests, but in winning at networking.

When I first heard about the HP Magic contests, my mind went into overdrive. I had a list of people that I knew would be touched deeply by receiving a gift like this, and I started cruising through all the host blogs and looking at the requirements. I entered one that was a random drawing ( it went to a really nice lady in Colorado) and one that required me to make an interesting and insightful comment on the blog, along with my plan for sharing. My comment got an honorable mention, but as my daughter said "no laptop". Then i found Chris Pirillo's contest. The rules had been revealed recently: submit a blog post and the blog that got the most unique comments would win. This was a contest that I thought I might have a chance of winning. How many of the folks I knew online and offline could I convince to make a comment?

After writing an article and having it accepted and published, I started the campaign by sending an email to family and friends who were not on any other form of social media. I sent a bunch of emails explaining who I wanted the computers to do to and got a handful of comments. We were not in the lead, but we were running in about 6th place. I was willing to take this as encouragement and started plowing forward. I put the link to the post in my Facebook status and had my daughters send it to some of their friends. I tweeted the link, but did not want to flood my followers with non-valued added posts (OK, it could be argued that this happens even without contest links, but I like to think I amuse, even if I do not always inform). The comments on the post were slowly creeping up, but we remained a steady 5th or 6th place. The next day I did one or two tweets more, hoping to catch some folks I may have missed the first time. when I checked again after work, the tweeple had come through and we had climbed up to about 3rd place. I went to bed and hoped for more the of folks I had emailed to respond.

The next day was the final day of the contest and the difference between my post and the winning post was only about 40 comments. Surely I could find 40 people to respond to a request for a comment. I put in a tweet before headiing to work and then checked it off and on through the day. Our numbers clinbed but so did the leaders' and we remained in third place. By the afternoon I became more determined than ever. I suppose this is the point that other people would have given up- 8 hours to go and still behind-but I wanted this so much for the people on my list that I redoubled my efforts and dug in deep. I decided that perhaps the flow of tweets was so furious that many of my friends on twitter might not have seen my tweets at all. I thought about it long and hard, then decided to go the route of using DMs to send them the link and make a comment.

DMs have to be typed in one at a time, but after just a couple I started getting responses from friends who said they were on their way to check out the article. Chris' blog has moderated comments, so there was a delay between the comments being made and appearing, but I had no reason not to believe that these folks would be telling me they were commenting if they weren't. Encouraged, I started sendiing some more DMs. At the same time, i was monitoring DMa coming back from people and sending them thank you DMs back. I made sure i achnowledged every favor of a comment that came in. It was not long before I learned that there is a 250 DM per day limit on Twiter. Ouch. I was still getting DMs in from people, so I started @replying them instead of DM. I have to admit, I was waiting for my follower count to drop significantly as I flooded my twitterstream with contest mentiions. I did not want to alienate my friends, but had to hope that this one time event would be balanced by months of non-commercial tweets. ( luckily, they were all amazingly tolerant and the losses did not come).I tried to make it fun by setting a comment goal and counting down with every response I made. I tried not to obsess with the contest, but could not help but notice that the moderation had stalled and counts were not being updated (turned out that Chris had food poisoning and was suffering through it that night). I knew I was getting comments, but had no idea how many new comments the others were getting. Finally, 10pm CST rolled around and the contest was officially closed. It looked like comments were going to take a while to get moderated, so I finally gave up and went to bed.

The next morning, I was amazed to see that our count had gone from 45 to 96 in the last 8 hours. I held my breathe, and paged through the rest of the entries (170 in all) and was saddened to see that even though we had had an amazing response from a lot of good people, there were two other entries that appeared to have gotten more posts than us. I took a deep breathe, shook it off and went in search of another contest. That is how I began my adventure here at Sugar's contest. I dug in and took every free moment between meetings and projects that day to dig in and start exploring and building a network amongst the entrants here. I made friends with someone who I continue to Twitter with, and found a potential partner for a community project on another blog. We exchanged emails and have started fleshing out an idea (based off of the article I wrote for Chris' contest) that I think will be a cool community project. I found someone else who had been a contestant in Chris' contest as well-but I discovered him over here. We have hooked up as friends on the geeks.com comunity and I look forward to more conversations. All this, before 6pm. I became so excited about all the potential in this contest. It became obvious to me that anyone who was trying hard to win was going to win an incredible network of people, even if they did not win the computers. After settling my daughter in to bed, I got back on the computer and checked my email before divng back into the networking challenge. and found a couple of odd emails from Chris, asking about a few of the people who had left comments on my post. Could this mean that they had not found a winner yet after all? The questions he was asking looked like he was checking the IP addresses of the entries. Sure enough, his amazing team spent hours and hours peeling through proxies and getting to the sources of the entries. Remember, the contest was looking at unique entries.

There was another email exchange and then the phone call. Turns out that after they eliminated the duplicates in the other entries, I had the most comments after all. I DM'd Sugar on Twitter and let her know I had won another contest and was no longer eligible for hers- but asked for permission to continue networking, because there are so many interesting people here. She was gracious enough to allow me to continue to "audit the contest" and before it is over, I hope to visit and get to know each and every one of you. I struggled in writing this post to keep from shifting to the third person "we". I finally gave up. It is not because I am thinking in some distant formal structure, but becuase I honestly saw the contest on Chris' site as a team effort. If not for the people who Dugg the article, Stumbled it, passed it on to their friends, shared it on other forums and mailing lists, and found 10 minutes in their day to help someone out I would never be sitting here in possession of tracking numbers watching an amazing stack of boxes make their way toward me. To each of you, I wish the best of luck. Most of all, I hope you connect, respond and hold onto the contacts and friends you make on this web of blogs- you never know when in the future you can help each other out.

-- Don't lose sight of the fun in life: http://roguepuppet.blogspot.com

Seven

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

My littlest girl is seven today.

Her favorite color is Turquoise. She loves carrots… just like she did when she was a baby. Her favorite thing to do is ride bikes with her friends (and sometimes, her mom).

She loves to laugh and dance and make up songs. She loves her brother and screams with joy when her big sisters visit. She is her aspiring photographer mother’s favorite model, and her Daddy’s little girl.

Every day, when I delicately comb through her beautiful curls, I’m humbled by God’s kindness in bringing her to me to care for. The ten years before I knew her were not easy. I never thought I would have the chance to be a mom to another baby. She is, in a way, a miracle. And I am always very aware of that.

Happy birthday, Banana. I love you.

How Many Times Can I Say "Amazing" in Five Minutes?

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:28:00 +0000

I can't help it!

It has been amazing, so you'll have to forgive me for saying it too much... which, apparently I do. I hope you can see the huge TouchSmart screen (that will be one of yours) behind me when it lights up... I shout out the names, so no worries... you will definitely know if you won. And I don't know how to use my editing software, so this is pretty amateur looking... whatever.

Make sure to come back here Friday. I will be highlighting some of your stories and some of the great seeds that have been planted. A suggestion was made that I thought was a great idea. No matter who wins, having one day of the week or a separate forum dedicated to all of our endeavors continuing the raising of awareness for groups large and small. I always dreamed of that... can't wait to make it happen!

So, here goes:

Untitled from Sugar Jones on Vimeo.
Congratulations!!

Marketing on the Cheap for the Mompreneur

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Since so many of you landing here to enter the HP Magic Giveaway are also Mompreneurs, I asked my Twitter friend, Wendy Piersall, aka eMom to share some ideas on marketing on a budget. Although this article is written with Moms in mind, these tips are invaluable to all entrepreneurs looking to keep costs low while building their dream.

Thanks Wendy!

Ways Mompreneurs Can Market on the Cheap

Most moms who start businesses do so with a budget of next to nothing. While there's nothing wrong with this (it's actually how I started Sparkplugging), I've learned that it isn't always the best foundation for a big, booming business. If you have visions of being acquired by some big company someday, I'd make the recommendation that you find a way to give yourself a healthy budget so that you can give your company what it needs to grow. But honestly, most moms aren't even interested in that route - they just want a business that fits in with their busy child-centered lifestyle. If that's you, then everything you do is all about spending as little as possible and making as much as possible as a work at home mom.

Free Marketing and Advertising Opportunities

If your business is local, run, don't walk (or, erm, 'type') and get to Google Local and Local.Yahoo.com. Both of them offer free business listings for small businesses. Craigslist, the clearinghouse of the internet, is actually a good place for freelancers and consultants to get the word out about their services. You can post both a classified ad and your resume. If you have a website, check out AdGridwork, an advertising platform that automates the exchange of links between web businesses.

Cheap Online Advertising & Office Supplies

Cheap ads are great - and there's plenty to be found for mom businesses. Be sure to do a little research to make sure that your ad will be seen by people likely to become your customers or clients. A few places that offer good advertising for reasonable rates are DiaperSwappers, MomPack, and AdvertisingMoms. The last one also has good advice on advertising in general for mom businesses. Also, before you buy anything for your home office, do a hunt for coupons first. A Full Cup has a whole section of their forum dedicated to coupons and deals from office supply stores.

Think Creatively & Be Passionate to be Successful

If I had to distill my best business advice into two thoughts it would be these:

After nearly a decade of being a mompreneur, I've found that one of the most important things you can do for the health of your income is to diversify how you earn your money. There might be a learning curve as you branch out, but too many times I've had all of my eggs in one basket and ended up getting burned. If you are a crafter, sell your leftover craft supplies on eBay. If you are a freelancer, write an eBook. If you are a blogger, learn affiliate marketing. Whatever you do, don't rely on one source of income.
Take care of yourself. Life balance can get a little whacky when there is no separation between work and home. The true key to being successful as a Mompreneur is to be focused and do what you love. You can't do either if you aren't taking care of #1. :)

Wendy Piersall is a well known work at home mom and entrepreneur, founding the Sparkplugging Blog Network in 2006. Today she's also heading up marketing for Escalate Media and their new site TotallyHer, The Magazine and Community for Smart & Savvy Women.

Technorati Tags: Escalate Media,Sparkplugging,Mompreneurs,work at home moms,moms,at home business

Here’s the Deal…

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:10:00 +0000

I’m going to start off by saying “A Million Thanks” to HP for giving me the opportunity to be a Santa Angel this year. I’d also like to thank them for giving all of the fifty bloggers the room to run each individual contest in our own way.

That being said, here’s the deal: I love traffic. We all do. So in that spirit, I’m framing this contest to include some link love and encourage visits to all the blogs entering into this crazy giveaway.

How?

Each contestant will post their stories on their own blogs or vlogs for all of us to go read or see. Use the Mr. Linky widget below to sign up. Fill out the fields as requested, using the url for your post, not your site. (This is very important... do not link to your blog, but the post specifically written for this giveaway within your blog!!! If you don't know how, please ask in the comments...)

It would be great if all the contestants would visit the other blogs in this contest to show some community spirit. Not saying that I care, but the judges might... Feel free to share your favorite posts back here in the comments section. If you have a Twitter account, follow me and the other contestants. Our hash tag will be #SugarMagic

What?

Tell us what you are doing to make an impact on the lives of others. It doesn’t have to be a Save-The-World kind of story. I just wrote about an ordinary refrigerator that helped me and many others. But saving the world is not off the table, either. Brian Carter will tell you all about One Day for Human Rights today… if you have a minute.

Tell us what you are planning to do with all this great hardware. I mean, there’s A LOT of hardware. More than one person could possibly ever need. How could all of these gadgets impact the lives of others that you know? How could these gadgets help you in personally inspiring or empowering others?

Who?

Winners will be chosen by a secret panel of ineligible (but still pretty nice) people. This group of wise and whacky women will read through all posts and follow the comment trails, so be nice out there…

When?

This contest officially ends at 11:59pm, December 16th, 2008. The winning entry will be announced no later than 11:59pm December 17th, 2008.

That’s it! You don’t have to pull some silly stunt like getting a tattoo. ;)

So think a little before you write that post. Who would you like to help other than just yourself? How can you make an impact in a way that changes not only your life, but brings opportunities to others? How much time are you willing to invest in community?

This is a great prize package, for sure. I mean, I’m going to be really really really bummed to pack up that TouchSmart… REALLY bummed… not to mention all the other great products. But I know (or at least hope) that it will go to benefit someone that will in turn be of service to others.

Peace and Good Luck!

Technorati Tags: HP,TouchSmart,Magic,Giveaway,HDX,Human Rights Day,Brian Carter,Twittermoms,Twitter,tattoo

The Refrigerator

noreply@blogger.com (Sugar Jones) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:10:00 +0000

Once there was a refrigerator. It wasn’t a very special refrigerator. As far as appliances went, it was pretty ordinary. No water dispenser. No ice crushing function. It wasn’t really much to look at either. Some color between cream and eggshell and boring.

Just a refrigerator.

The first home of this ordinary appliance was with a family. I don’t know who they were. I only know that when they upgraded, they passed on the plain vanilla fridge to a young couple just starting out in life. They had both recently graduated from college and were in their first “real” jobs as managers for big companies with household names. In fact, this fridge was regularly stocked with some of the products that the groom represented. They worked hard and did well and soon moved into a home stocked with all new appliances.

What were they going to do with the fridge?

The bride had an assistant at the hotel that she worked at. That assistant was a single mom that always seemed to be just a little behind, no matter how hard she worked. The single mom not only worked for this new bride, but for brides-to-be on their wedding days as a coordinator. She was even known to work during the holidays checking coats for all the big parties at the hotel. And she heard that she was also waiting tables at night. She would do well some day, but at that moment, this mom was struggling. “Could you use this fridge?” The assistant was so thankful and tears filled her eyes at the kindness of this woman. She finally would have more than a cooler to store her family’s food.

The assistant did work hard and eventually was awarded a position opening up a new hotel in another city. She found a home for the fridge. It went to a struggling family who had just moved into the complex she was leaving. It wasn’t anything pretty to look at, she told the family, but they didn’t mind. They were just happy to not have to worry about paying extra rent for a place to keep the food that would feed their own family.

Just a plain, no frills, no ice maker, boring vanilla refrigerator.

I’m not really sure where that fridge ended up. I think about that simple appliance all the time and wonder… I hope it gave a few more families some relief, however small, for a few more stops. It’s amazing how something so plain and so simple made such an impact on the lives of so many.

How do we impact the lives of others? How do our small offerings make a big difference to those around us? Some of us will never know the peace that a person feels after being given something of little value to others, but of greater consequence to them. This is the season that we remember those little things. My hope is that the spirit of giving stay alive throughout the year. This is going to be a time in history when we will have many opportunities to find simple solutions for others that may possibly impact not only how they live, but how we all live. I pray for God to open my eyes to those opportunities and that I continue to be blessed with the chance to fill some needs for others... however simple.

Please come back VERY soon for a chance to impact the lives of others. VERY VERY soon!

;)