Stealing Eve's blog :)

Yep, my arm is still messed up. So I'm stealing the amazing Eve Savage's blog post. Be sure to follow the instructions at the end.

Rose's December 2010 Calendar

by Eve Savage

 

To Blog or Not to Blog

That is the Question. In the late 90s a new internet tool was born - the web log. This term was soon shortened by the media to blog and the phenomenon took off like wild fire.
So, what is a blog? In short, it's a daily journal. A pulpit. A soapbox. An op-ed piece. A news outlet. The list goes on and on. There are also many types of blogs: text, video, audio, even microblogs (but that will be covered more on twitter day).

Should you blog?

Most authors nowadays do have blogs. It's a good way to reach readers and keep them abreast of what's going on in your writing life, what you're working on, and any upcoming events you will attend.
One of the main problems is getting readers to read your blog. It's all well and good to have one, but if no one is reading it, then the information isn't getting out there. So how do you publicize your blog? There's no real science to it, but here are a few suggestions to promote your blog. The following are from www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=42377
Set your blog to Send Pings. When this setting is activated, your blog will be included in various "recently updated" lists on the web as well as other blog-related services.
Activate Your Navbar. Do this and you might start to see the effects right away! One of the features on the Blogger Navbar is a button called NextBlog - click it to visit the next Navbar-enabled blog.
Install Email This Post. If you use Email This Post on your blog, people will be able to forward your posts to friends. This may not have an immediate impact on your site stats but it enables others to publicize your blog for you.
Turn on Post Pages. By publishing every post as its very own web page with Post Pages, you ensure that your entries are way more link-able and more attractive to search engines.
Turn on your site feed. When people subscribe to your site feed in their newsreaders, they're very likely going to read your post.
Add your blog to Blogger's listings. When you add your blog to our listings it shows up in Nextblog, Recently Updated, and other places. It's like opting-in to traffic.
Write quality content and do it well. If your "style" is bad writing, worse grammar, no punctuation, and an ugly design, that might be okay for a niche crowd. But the idea here is to achieve mass appeal, so fix yourself up a bit.
Publish regular updates. Simple: the more you blog, the more traffic you'll get.
Think of your audience. A good way to build an audience is to speak to one in particular. When you keep your audience in mind, your writing gains focus. Focus goes a long way toward repeat visitors.
Keep search engines in mind. There are a few things you can do to make your blog more search engine friendly. Use post titles and post page archiving. This will automatically give each of your post pages an intelligent name based on the title of your post. Also, try to be descriptive when you blog. A well crafted post about something very specific can end up very near the top results of a search.
Put your blog URL in your email signature. Think of how many forwarded emails you've seen in your day, and just imagine the possibilities.
Submit your address to blog search sites and directories. People look for blog content at Technorati every day, are you on their list? You should be. Submit your blog's url to Technorati, Daypop, Blogdex, Popdex, and any other site of that ilk you come across.
Link to other blogs. Links are the currency of the blogosphere and it takes money to make money so start linking.
Install a blogroll. It's a very simple yet effective social networking scheme and it has the same result as a simple link if not stronger: traffic! So if you don't have one yet, sign up for a blogroll and get that link-list going.
Be an active commenter. This is in the same vein as linking. Most comment systems also provide a way for you to leave a link back to your blog which begs a visit at the very least. So if you feel inspired, leave a comment or two in your blog travels. It behooves you.
Enable Following on your blog. Following is a great way to keep your friends updated on the latest activity on your blog. New blogs will have this blog feature enabled by default, but for older blogs you will have to enable it from the Layout | Page Elements tab.

Multiple Prizes Alert!!!

In order to bring you all to the Roses' blogs, we're having a contest! Go to each of the following blogs and read today's post. There you will find the rules and the prizes you can win for today's contest!! Good luck! Eve

Eve Savage's Blog
Shayla Kersten's Blog
Myla Jackson's Blog
Cerise Deland's Blog
Delilah Devlin's Blog
Allie Standifer's Blog
Elle James's Blog
Desire Holt's Blog

 

(click here to take you to the calendar for a preview of more to come this month)

 

The amazing Nicole Austin is guest-blogging

Yes, the awesome Nicole Austin has taken pity on me and my one-armed predicament. She's blogging for me today about men and their IT factor. Without further whining, bragging or sucking-up here's Nicole!

Gettin’ Naughty – The “IT” Factor by Nicole Austin

Let’s face it, we would like our man to have it all—looks, smarts and an irresistible personality. In reality, looks fade and anyone can become smarter with a bit of effort. IMHO, the “it” factor is personality. It is that certain undeniable and difficult to pin down quality that makes someone charismatic and attractive.

It has many facets. A man with a quick wit who can make us laugh is worth his weight in gold! If he has the manners of a southern gentleman we swoon. How often do men hold the door open for a woman or pull out a chair for her anymore? Such manners are now considered old fashioned and not often practiced in our fast-paced society where women are equal.

Guess what, guys? We may not need you to treat us as if we’re frail, but we love the consideration along with the boost to our femininity when you make the effort to be a gentleman. Whether we admit it or not, most of us want the romance and tender treatment.

An it man can make conversation with anyone, putting them at ease and immediately drawing them in. From the goth kid at the bus stop to the influential politician at a charity event, he treats everyone with the same genuine interest and respect. He listens, makes you feel your response is important, watches for subtle body language cues, and generally charms your socks off. He could be talking about the most boring subject but he’s memorable, holds our attention and you are inexplicably drawn to him.

We authors try to capture that rather indefinable it factor in our characters. Here’s a little snippet where I described the quality in Aiden from my first book, Passionate Realities…

The most enticing draw was that he had the whole package going on. The man was incredibly fun, engaging, energetic, sexy, successful, charismatic, and smart as shit. Okay, some people thought he was arrogant, but she knew that it was just his extreme confidence putting out that vibe. He knew what he wanted and staked his claim with no doubt as to his right of possession.
Then he would mysteriously surprise everyone with a burst of charming little boy shyness or deep emotion, keeping you slightly off balance. Aiden exuded charm, and people just loved to be near him. A real man’s man. Guys wanted to be him, and women just plain wanted him. His seemingly casual disinterest in their obvious desires just made them want him all the more.

That brings us back to a common theme—confidence. A confident man can make us melt quicker than the hottest GQ model. What makes someone truly attractive comes more from the inside than their outer appearance. Let who you are shine through and be confident in that person.

Many other qualities can and do make up the it factor. Honesty, integrity, intelligence, a nice smile, sense of humor, manners, sensitivity, sincerity, drive and ambition, affectionate, considerate and thoughtful, and a sense of adventure, perhaps a dash of wicked bad boy to keep things interesting. Mm...yes. This man wins over a superficial man with good looks hands down!

What do y'all think? Did I miss anything? What do you think makes up the it factor?

Happily Ever After

I'll do my best to keep the whining at a minimum. I'm starting to annoy myself. Moving on...my sister's divorce was final this week. Not to be catty, but his family looked like the Clampets come to town. The judge had to order dear old fart dad to remove his baseball hat. Don't get me wrong I really liked my former brother-in-law. He's funny, hard-working and down to earth, nothing like his family. However, these things happen and sometimes it's no one's fault. Though I like to blame it on his rude and catty step-mother and father....that's a whole 'nother story. It involves the middle of nowhere, bugs in gumbo and father-in-law stealing all the reception food.
Why mention any of this you ask? Well, because it proves my point. We all need happily ever afters. If we can't get them from real life then books prove to be the next best thing. Life may not have all the drama of a romance novel, but at the end of the book at least you know you'll have that happy ending.
Through all bumps, ups and downs in my life I've kept my books near. Most of the time I read for pleasure, but sometimes as an escape from my troubles. Imagine my surprise when happily immersed in a book I get to the end and there's no happily ever after. I mean really? I read all this, connect with the characters and join the journey with them only to end up bitch-slapped in the end with one of the main characters dying. ACK!!!! Makes me want to smack the author.
Ummm, yeah, I think I'm done with the ranting and the arm is getting cramped from typing. I hope all of you enjoy your Sunday, stay warm!

Kudos,
Allie

Doctor's appt & NaNo

Good new: my rotator cuff is not torn. Bad news: it's actually my neck or back that's causing the arm pain & swelling. Ummm & GULP! Crackers, Batman, I had no idea something I thought would be simple is now mucho complicated. Ugh, so I'm off to another doctor...a neck guy and I'm sure more tests. However if someone tried to stick that big a*& needle in my NECK?? It's on...one armed and all.
My whining continues as I'm missing out on National Write A Book In a Month. I was in it last year and hit over 100K. I hate not being part of it again this year, feel like a loser.
I think I need to drown my sorrows in another cup of coffee and my arm is cramping up from this little amount of typing.

Kudos,
Allie

Good news and yay me!!

For all of those asking....Poseidon's Fortune, the second book in the Poseidon series has been contracted!!!!!! WOOT!!!!! Yep, it's great to finally have it out of my hands and into the hands of my editor. Have no idea what the release date will be, but it's good to know it's finally in the line up!!

Also for those of you following my Club Botticelli series Beguiling Briley received a really nice review from Sensuous Read.  Thank you, Emily!! You made my night!!

Review: Beguiling Briley by Allie Standifer

"Beguiling Briley is a quick read as each page pulls the reader in more"

When Briley Evans’ computer breaks she ends up going to a computer repair shop her friend had recommended.  She meets Carter Moore who becomes tongue tied in her presence, far from Briley’s normal type she becomes intrigued by Carter.  Deciding to see where the attraction takes her Briley flirts with Carter who is equally as mesmerized until their evening takes an adventurous turn.
Beguiling Briley is a quick read as each page pulls the reader in more.  Briley is a confident woman who once she realizes what she wants is willing to take it, until it comes to love.   Carter is a terrific character, I thought the way he was written and the nervousness he shows to Briley was very endearing.

Still the one armed girl

 well, didn't get the test in. I got the dates wrong so I think it's this week that I find out exactly what's wrong with the right arm. So I'm still in whining mode. There are so many things I miss about having two good arms. However, I know people have it much worse than I do. I would never try to take away from those who've suffered a permanent loss of limbs. With me being me I can't help but throw a mini pity party.
On the upside, the reviews have been great for the last few books released. I'm thrilled to see them and read them but I love getting reader comments more. You hear how much you loved the characters, the hot hot sex scenes and the overall plot makes me do the one armed dance of joy.

I've got deadlines coming up and somehow I'll beg, borrow or bribe my way into getting a little help in the writing. We'll have to see how it goes, but I'll be sure to do any updates or any new news when I have it.

 until next week

Kudos,
Allie

Testing, testing

Augh! Long needle small arm joint... can we say pain, boys and girls? Oh yeah, I had an MRI and something else, not sure what. Everything blurred after the 'needle incident'. Holy Crackers, Batman, that was not a fun experience. I do not recommend it for children or people who dislike pain.
The above is a long drawn out way to say WHAAAAA I'm still sling-bound & I'm finally going to get the results of my very painful testing. My good news is I've ordered a program which, I hope, will enable me to write by speaking instead of typing. Not sure if it works or not, but at least it's something, There are deadlines a'comin and I'm not a one armed typer.
This car accident had completely derailed my life. I can't drive for long periods of time, I can't type for more than a few minutes. I'll skip the whole bra, washing my hair irritants. Man I do miss my right arm.
So that's it for now. My whining is done. I'll be back sometime next week to either dance the dance of joy or throw a pity party to end all parties.
Wish me luck,


Kudos,
Allie

PS: A huge huge huge thanks to Regina C, Nicole A, Cerise D, Samatha C & Desiree H for taking such good care of me at Romanticon. Love, love, love you ladies!!! Alliepoloosa 2011 here we come!!!!