Hey, I was onto something!

This is just a quickie post to lead you to a Forbes article about why women are flocking to Pinterest. Very interesting. I wrote about Pinterest in my last post What I Did On My Summer Vacation.

See - I'm just brilliant! If only the world would figure that out! (Okay, so I figured out the obvious. Don't rub it in!) Anyway - read why you might want to give Pinterest a try - especially if you're a writer. Forbes' Pinterest article.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation!

I just came back from 6 days and 5 nights in blistering Phoenix, Arizona! The highs ran between 108-111 degrees every day I was there. No, I'm not a masochist, my daughter lives there. Now, bear in mind, I also lived there for 8 years, so there’s really no reason for me to be surprised, but I was. Not at the temperature, but the “dry” heat. Now that I live in a much more humid environment – Sacramento, California – I really can see what people mean when they say that. Arizonans usually laugh that one off.

Before I get to the point of this post, let me just brag a bit. My daughter’s a chef at a Sheraton resort there and took me to her 4-star restaurant for dinner. It was wonderful because we used her gift certificate that she got for being the employee of the month (she’s been nominated 5 times – not that I’m proud or anything) and boy did we enjoy it! Her co-workers made us three unique just-for-us appetizers. In total, it was a seven course meal. We were there almost 3 hours. It was fantastic.

Now, down to business – I discovered "Extreme Pinterest" – that’s my own name for it. As I was whiling away the hours of the two days my daughter had to work, I began a project on Pinterest, a board I created and called Beautiful Men. For one full day, and a significant part of another, I searched for the best photos I could find of men who are or were very simply – gorgeous.   As I said, on more than one tweet, it was tough work, but someone had to do it.  Here’s that link for you to enjoy - Beautiful Men!

But it wasn’t just about concentrating for hours on building a board (essentially an online bulletin board, for those of you that don’t do Pinterest yet) it was discovering that there were other people out there as well, really focusing on their boards and obviously spending a significant amount of time expressing themselves. One of the boarders (again, my name for it – I have no idea what Pinterest folks call themselves yet), did some wonderful work building boards for different colors - everything green, red, beige, pink, yellow, etc. Looking at her boards is a visual sensation.

I know some people are saying “I just don’t want to get involved in another social media thing” and believe me I get that. However, Pinterest is exceedingly fun! Really it is. And it’s a lot less about social interaction (there’s hardly any) than it is about self-expression. You simply pin to these boards things that you like or that mean something to you.

My purpose here is not to push anyone to do anything, but instead just to let you know there’s an online activity out there that's truly enjoyable if you feel like trying something new.

Oh, by the way, if you haven’t already – please stop by the Pinterest board I made to see who my readers think would be the best redheaded actress to play Red Talbot – Red Mojo Mama. It’s fun and if you “like”, re-pin or comment on a picture your name goes in a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card. As of this writing, there are only 11 people in that drawing, so your chances are good!

Who Should Play Red?

Inquiring minds want to know! Who do you think should be the actress to play Red Talbot – the main character in two of my novels Red Mojo Mama and Red is an Attitude?

Red and I have selected five actresses for you to choose from: Debra Messing, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams and Marcia Cross – all redheads, of course. 

You have to pin your choice on Pinterest in order to be entered in a drawing for a fabulous prize – a $50 Amazon gift card.  If you haven’t joined yet or would like an invitation to join, please let me know on Twitter at @redmojomama!

Click on the link below and be sure to choose the actress you think would do the best job of bringing my feisty redheaded friend to the screen. Entries for the drawing will be accepted until midnight on June 30, 2012!

Pin your choice!

Wait Staff - Take a Bow!

Whether waitress or waiter, I salute those of you who realize how important you are and deliver the goods at every opportunity.

In the interest of full disclosure, I spent four years as a waitress, both food and cocktails. I actually loved what I was doing and only stopped because with a small son to care for I needed to have health insurance, something that was unheard of in the restaurant business back in the day.

Let’s face it, for most of us going out to eat is as much for the relaxation and enjoyment as to avoid the chore of feeding ourselves.  It is especially meaningful to me, because I treasure being waited on. When it’s done well, a sense of calm comes over me and if I’m alone I drift off into space conjuring up new stories and characters. When I have a waitperson with a pleasing personality who is attentive, my experience is complete. In fact, I’ll take mediocre food in a restaurant with great wait staff over a 4-star restaurant with snooty servers anytime.

I think it would behoove parents to urge their children to give the front-line food service a try in their youth. Nothing will teach you respect for others faster than being mistreated by the general public on a daily basis, and unfortunately that’s what happens.  I am amazed at the things people will say to someone who is trying their best to accommodate their needs as most servers do.

I once went to dinner with someone I considered a friend, until I watched her order her meal without once looking the waitress in the face and dismissing her as if she was a servant or slave. I no longer see this person.

So to all you hard-working waiters and waitresses out there, I raise my glass. You may not hear it often enough, but there are those of us out here who know you can make or break the pleasure of our dining experience and sometimes even our day.  When you deliver the first smile of the day or the last “thank you”, when you help us choose just the right entrée or wine and when you ask if we need anything else, you are doing important work.

Thank you.

A Special Guest Appearance!

Shannon Mayer and I recently participated in Reads4Free together - and she's agreed to do a post here about a follow-up promo. If you'd like to know more about Shannon, click here -  Shannon Mayer - Author!

Shannon's Post:

This is a one day only BOOK PUSH for June 6^th 2012. Yup, four authors DETERMINED to bring their books to the world AND to see them climb high in Amazon’s Ranks.  We have a Zombie-ish apocalypse with a splash of romance, a romantic suspense with a dash of humour, a Thriller with a huge helping of action and a Ya Paranormal with a mystery blended in.

Something for everyone!

Sundered (An Zombie-ish Apocalpse)   by Shannon Mayer

 Red is an Attitude  by Kathy Lynn Hall

Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift  by Elise Stokes 

Allegiance  by Derek Blass

And you, my friends, can help. How? Easy peasy. Not only can you help, you can WIN BIG while you’re at it. 

Here’s the run down. Purchase any ONE (1) of the books, and send your receipt to us and you’ll be entered in for a grand prize of $50.00 in Amazon Gift Cards! PLUS if you purchase all FOUR (4) books, not only will you have 4 entries, you’ll also be in for an additional SECRET DRAW.

Now, we can’t tell you what the draw is, because that would ruin the whole SECRET thing. But we will give you a hint. IT’S FABULOUS!

Okay, you want another hint? Hmm. How about DOUBLING THE GIFT CARDS?! Oh, right. Secret’s out. What are you waiting for? More stuff?

Well, If you insist.

4 randomly drawn entrants will win back their purchases. FREE BOOKS. Crickey!

Send all purchase receipts to shannonjmayer@yahoo.ca Winners will be drawn randomly, announced on June 8^th at http://shannonmayer.blogspot.com

For additional information regarding this contest contact shannonjmayer@yahoo.ca

Collaboration and Cooperation is the Key

In case you were wondering about doing a group promotional event, here’s the skinny. It’s all about helping each other.

As many of you know, today and tomorrow, June 4 & 5, a group of eight writers, including me, are having a freebie promo known as Reads4Free. I posted about it on the 3^rd. 

Today was kickoff day and from about 12:30 am until nearly midnight, I’ve been glued to my laptop. Oh, except for a two hour nap in the middle of the day. Come on! I’m good, but not that good. I needed my beauty sleep.

Anyway, if you’ve experienced the exhilaration of watching hundreds or thousands of downloads light up your Kindle sales board in one of your own promos, imagine that multiplied by 8. Yep, that’s it – like riding a roller coaster with your graduating class! Remember that?

We’ve still got Tuesday to go, but I wanted to thank everyone who has supported us and also to encourage you all to do things together whenever you can. I’ve already enjoyed this trip immensely and I know tomorrow will be even better.

Here’s the link if you don’t already have it. Reads4Free  See you round the Blogosphere!

In an Unprecedented Move of Epic Proportions…

Eight authors, including little old me, have come together to offer one (each) of their books free in an event we’re calling Reads4Free.  Just for two days – Monday, the 4th and Tuesday, the 5th.

 

Now for those of you who just want to get to the link – here you go:  Reads4Free!  Be aware, the books won’t be free until the wee hours of Monday morning.

  

But for inquiring minds, here’s a bit of background on this historic undertaking. The brain child of Mr. Derek Blass, author of Allegiance (which he offers these two days), Reads4Free began to take shape over a month ago. That’s right! This is no fly-by-night, willy-nilly sort of thing. Oh, no. We, the eight authors, bantered and planned for weeks on end to get this just right.

 

And we’ve been in training! That’s right. There have been planning injuries – brain freezes, incomplete thoughts, bruised fingertips – well, actually, those are all my injuries (incurred while deciding to give away my sequel Red is an Attitude for the first time). I can’t speak for the rest of the group, but trust me – it’s been brutal.

   

All in the name of bringing you a collection of must-have eBooks! Elsie Stokes is giving away Cassidy Jones and Vulcan’s Gift, joined by R.S. Guthrie’s offer of his debut novel, The Black Beast. And as if that wasn’t enough here are the other four books:  The Ninth District by Doug Dorow; Sundered by Shannon Myers; Iona Portal by Robert David MacNeil and last, but certainly not least, A Hint of Murder by Lia Fairchild.

  

Is this your lucky day, or what?