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Archive for March, 2010

Blog? Say what?

25 Mar

Last summer I attended a writer’s conference (Killer Nashville) and learned the trend is for writers to promote themselves through electronic media such as Facebook, Twitter, a personal website and a blog.  The idea is to create a following and to promote one’s books.

I do have a Facebook account and have found it useful in reconnecting with friends from my past, keeping up with the lives of the people I know by reading their postings, viewing their pictures, etc.  I don’t like all the “gifts” I receive. I have to download applications to view them and it seems like too much work for a “gift” so I don’t send them.  And I haven’t built a farm, bred any zoo animals, or joined the Mafia.  I don’t post much about myself on Facebook—I’ve found it more amusing to read about others.  When I have something to say to someone I usually send a private messages instead of writing on his or her wall…maybe it goes back to some long ago memory of a punishment received for actually writing on a wall.

All I know about Twitter is that it’s limited to a certain amount of characters, which I’d think would be annoying if one had a lot to say.

I do know what websites are…I visit several daily and find them useful.  But I don’t have a personal website….yet. I never thought I’d need one. Guess I was wrong.  Fortunately I do have a 22 year old stepson who is computer savvy and I suspect, with the right enticements (translation money) he would help me set one up. Recently, I purchased a domain name (kayelam.com) so I’m on my way.

When I first heard the word “blog” my brain translated it to “blob” which, according to Encarta Dictionary is an indistinct or shapeless form or object.  Needless to say, I didn’t quite get it.   Truthfully, I’m still not sure I get it, but it seems I’m going to need a blog to promote my book if it ever gets published.  I saw the movie Julie and Julia (no, I didn’t read the book) and Julie’s blogging seemed to certainly create a following.  So maybe there is something to this phenomenon….and I guess I’m just going to have to figure this blog thing out.  So, dear readers, if I actually get any readers, this is my blog.   Welcome.

 
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Posted in Writing

 

A New Chapter

24 Mar

For as long as I can remember I’ve said I’d write a book.

I was editor of my high school newspaper…but it wasn’t a book. I wrote lots of papers in college…but not a book. In my 20′s I should have written “how-to” books – since I knew everything…but alas, another missed opportunity. In my 30′s I wrote short stories about everyday topics…but still no book.

At age 42, I took a creative writing class and was ready to go…but got side-tracked with an unexpected divorce and a plunge back into the reality of the full-time work force.  I spent the next few years reading every self-help, self-discovery, self-everything book I could get my hands on while reestablishing my career…and my life.  I remarried at age 47 and, after adjusting to some minor things like sharing my closets and being a (wicked) step-mother, I started dreaming about writing a book again.

When I was 51, exhausted from my workaholic tendencies, I quit work to—you guessed it—write a book!

Well, I played tennis—until an injury sidelined me for a year.  I cleaned out the basement.  I caught up on my reading list.  I alphabetized the CD’s, DVD’s, our many, many books and even the spices…telling myself I needed to do these things before I took time to indulge myself by writing a book.

When I finally admitted I was procrastinating, I asked myself why I couldn’t just write the damned book!  I realized I was scared.  I was scared of failure but I was also scared of success.  Identifying this, and dealing with it as best I could, I was finally ready to write a book.

I just turned 55 and guess what!  I’ve written my (first) book and, with this entry, I’ve started a blog! Yeah, me!

 
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Posted in All About Me, Writing