To Facebook or not to Facebook (Part 2)

 I’m rethinking my decision not to put up a page on Facebook because of this article in the latest issue of the Book Marketing Expert Newsletter:

*Facebook Frenzy 0A

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Are you on Facebook yet? No? Why not? Or maybe you’re on Facebook and not sure what to do now that you’re there. Well, check out these recent stats (courtesy of Marketingsavant.com):

* As of 2/14/09 Facebook has 175,000,000 active users
* Facebook grows by well over 600,000 users per day
* If Facebook were a country it would now be the 6th most populated country in the world
* The fastest growing segment are women over 55 (up 175% according to this report)
* Women dominate Facebook (meaning there are more women than men on Facebook)

Tips for an effective Facebook page:

· Update frequently. Facebook is not the field of dreams, just because you built it doesn’t mean people will beat a path to your door
· Use it to post events, updates on your book, product or message – keep your followers current about what’s going on in your world. Don’t tell us you just washed the dog.
· Facebook is not a way to push a message, but rather communicate *with* your market.
· Make sure your picture is current, don’t use a logo – I tend to think that doesn’t personalize your page enough. People want to see you, let them get to know who you are.

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So…after reading that, yeah, I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and set up a Facebook account.  I’m not looking forward to it, especially the part where I’ll feel like a complete computer moron and get frustrated because I don’t know my way around the site yet, but I’m just going to have to suck it up and do it.  Bleh!

On a happier note, I’m down to the last thirty pages of the final edit of Winds of Fate.  Woo-hoo!  Looks like I’ll make my self-imposed deadline of June 30th.  *crossing fingers against jinx*

BTW, have I mentioned lately how much I like the Book Marketing Expert Newsletter?  If you’re an author looking for ways to promote your book, you definitely should sign up for it! 

*Reprinted from “The Book Marketing Expert newsletter,” a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques.  http://www.amarketingexpert.com

Welcome back!

Most of the time, David Ortiz, aka Big Papi, has a smile that makes me think of a mischievous kid who, though he may have been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, knows you love him and can’t help but smile at his antics…and offer him another cookie!

But that smile has been sadly missing this season and I, along with many other members of Red Sox Nation, have missed it.  I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say to Big Papi and his smile, ”Welcome back!  It just wasn’t the same around here without you!”

Oh, and congratulations on your 1,000th, 1,001st, and 1,002nd RBIs!  Simply awesome!

For more about Ortiz, check out Andrew Johnson’s post on Fanhouse, David Ortiz and the Long Road Back, and Ian Brown’s article on MLB, Papi surpasses 1,000 RBIs on homer. 

Here’s hoping that 300th HR is right around the corner, only four more to go!

Publishing Consultant Shelley Leiber answers the Dames’ Dozen

Today’s Dames’ Dozen spotlight lands on publishing consultant Shelley Leiber, author of the 4Ps to Publishing Success.   Lots of helpful tips and information in this one so hop on over and give your marketing side a boost!

As always, any comments are welcome and greatly appreciated!

Fifteen minutes is way too long for these two!

see more Lol Celebs

Almost choked on my coffee when I saw this. Apparently I’m not the only one who’s sick and tired of these people!

Who are you?

I haven’t a clue who these people are, but I really wish they’d go away.  I’m sick of seeing their faces on my computer screen every single day.

Seriously, who are they and what have they ever done to garner this type of fame notoriety?

It seems just about anybody can be famous these days for any number of reasons, the main one, IMO, an over-sized ego that doesn’t care why people are paying attention, just as long as they’re paying attention.

I used to see that  a lot when I was teaching.  You know, the kid who misbehaves just so their parents/teachers/friends/etc. will pay attention to them?  Seems they’ve grown up and are now misbehaving on the Internet. 

Does this mean we’re going to keep seeing more and more of this kind of spotlight-seeking-stupidity?

Dignity, if you’re not dead already, I’m afraid your time is coming soon…RIP

*Picture by Getty Images

You again?

I really hoped we’d seen and heard the last of you, but no, here you are again. 

The really sad thing about Roger Clemens saying he wants to write a book, is the fact that some publisher out there will probably offer him an advance in the milliions to do just that.  Will anyone read it?  Probably not.  At least I hope not, my wish for any book by Roger Clemens is that it sells about as well as the book about Alex Rodrigez that came out a couple of months ago by that SI writer.  The way I hear it, that one’s not doing so well.

Wait, now that I think about it, Clemens getting a book deal might actually turn out to be a good thing.  Let’s say some publisher pays him an outrageous advance to write his book of lies, and then it doesn’t sell anywhere near enough copies to warrant the payment of such a large advance.  Surely, someone, somewhere might finally get the message that no one cares to read a book by a used-up sports star whose entire career was made up of lies and questionable behavior and maybe, just maybe, that will be the last of the ridiculous advances paid not just to sports stars, but to any celebrity for a book about their life.  Then, miracle of miracles, that advance money can go to someone who knows how to write and actually has a story to tell.

Okay, rant over.  Sorry but this is a pet peeve of mine and thinking about the likelihood of this piece of scum getting a book contract from some big publisher just flat-out infuriates me.  And really, I have to agree with Matt Snyder’s post on FanHouse; what’s left to tell?  More lies, and I find it hard to believe that there’s anybody out there who wants to listen.

Is RWA for you?

For any authors out there who dropped their RWA membership this year–that would be me–and need a little confirmation you made the right choice, Emily Veinglory has a great post up today over on the EREC blog.  Be sure to click through to part one, which includes links to other authors’ take on the current situation between RWA and e-pubbed authors.  While you’re there, take the survey too because it gives you a chance to speak your mind about how you feel about all of this.  It’s also an interesting read for any aspiring romance author who might be thinking about joining RWA.

There’s also an informative post by Alice Anderson, creator of the CataNetwork, on her blog dealing with the same topic.

I won’t restate everything these two authors have said–they’ve done an outstanding job already–but I will say that RWA wasn’t for me.  I knew it before I joined and went ahead and wasted my money anyway–don’t ask me why, I’m still trying to figure that out myself! 

I’m fully aware there are authors who might find RWA to be the perfect place for them and if you’re one of them, by all means, sign up and send them a check…BUT if you’re trying to make up your mind, do a little research first.  These two blog posts are a good place to start.

I’ll leave you with a few words of wisdom from Ms. Anderson:

“You are not alone in the world, dear writer. The internet has brought us together. You have options. Start exploring them.”

Play it again, Sam(my)

Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids–yep, Sam(my) is playing the same old tune.  It’s become a recurrent theme in baseball these days; another star player who let thousands of fans down and/or vindicated thousands of critics by getting caught cheating.

So, steroids again.  Do I care?  No, I can’t say that I do, but then I’m a grown woman and though I admit to being a bit of a fangirl where some of the players are concerned–can we all say Manny?  Phffft!–I’m old enough to know baseball players aren’t perfect and I don’t idolize them or dream of being like them.  Unfortunately, that’s not true for a lot of baseball fans, namely those under the age of eighteen and those who have kids under the age of eighteen who love baseball.  Nor is it true for minor league players whose idea of the great life is playing in the major leagues one day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love baseball and though I know steroids are a problem we’ll be hearing more about and one we need to find a solution for, I think major league baseball has a bigger problem than steroids.  Wait, no, I meant MLB commissioner, Bud Selig, has a bigger problem than steroids.  It’s obvious to me, given the leaks from a list that was supposed to be confidential, that one of Bud’s minions has turned against him.  Someone out there is doing their best to make Mr. Selig look like a bumbling idiot with his head firmly planted in the sand.  Not to mention the worst MLB commissioner ever…

and they’re doing a pretty good job of it.

**image courtesy of g6733 on PhotoBucket

It’s Wednesday and you know what that means!

Yep, another author interview on the Dames of Dialogue blog.  This week it’s Cindy Cadelo, author of the contemporary fiction novel, The Legacy.  Find out what Ms. Cadelo is up to and what makes her tick when she answers the Dames’ Dozen.  I don’t know about you, but I love the title of her WIP, When Angels Blink.  Sounds very intriguing!

So, hop on over and don’t forget to leave a comment!

To Facebook or not to Facebook?

That is the question–at least the question I’ve been debating recently and I can’t decide yay or nay.  I think I may very well be the last holdout as far as Facebook is concerned, but every time I go to their site and start to set up an account, I get this odd feeling that I shouldn’t do it.

Then the other day, I came across this article; Baby Boomers Quitting Facebook.  Well, this baby boomer never did get get started so there’s no need for me to quit.  And just for the record, to whoever wrote the article, not all baby boomers fall into the 55-65 year old category.  I’m not quite there yet, although I admit I am getting close!  Still, I understand what you’re getting at, all of the people in that age group are baby boomers and that age group seems to be pulling away from Facebook…

So maybe I’ve been right all along and should just stick with the social networking sites I’m already part of and am comfortable with; MySpace, GoodReads, Shelfari, Twitter, Author’s Den, and a new one my publisher pointed out to the authors the other day, Likaholix.  Plus I have my website, this blog and the Dames of Dialogue blog.

That’s enough, don’t you think?  According to some authors it isn’t, but it’s all I have time for  right now.  Plus I already know how to use them although with some of them, like say, Twitter, I rarely do–if I’m going to write, I’d prefer writing for one of my blogs and/or working on one of my many WIPs.

So, no Facebook for now, but I’m not ruling it out for the future.  Chances are, one of these days, I might not get that squicky feeling any more and then I’ll go ahead and set up a page.  Who knows?