Daily Courage

Some things never go out of fashion. Plenty of people have tried to do their best to make sure manners do. But with the onset of social media as a leading form of communication, manners matter more than ever. 

If I am going to create a presence through social media tools, I need to be myself – not hide behind a made-up name. I need to be polite and courteous. Be true to my word and honor the word of others. I need to be responsible for what I am putting out into the media-sphere. Is it honest? Is it the truth? Am I sure it will not harm others?

I also must commit to not wasting others time, or misleading them. Blanket emails aren’t nice. These are not just simple common courtesies any more. They are trust builders, and its trust that makes social media work. I have to be able to trust that the people who leave a comment on my blog are kindred creative spirits, not spammers from halfway around the globe trying to break into my site. Otherwise, why would be so open with my words? Likewise, I have to believe that the people who choose to follow me on Twitter are there to connect, not to broadcast porn to me. (Porn spam on Twitter is my current gripe.)

If Emily Post were still with us, she’s be busy polishing up her chapters on etiquette in social media. She’s not, so its up to us to be on our best behaviour.  What are your etiquette gripes? What do you appreciate in the others you connect with online?

This week’s Blogging for Bliss blog tour has been delightful! Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun, and to Kari at Artsy Mama for being the host. I had two copies of the book to giveaway. I used Tara Frey’s Random Number Generator to choose the winners. It’s a great tool you can use for your blog too. 

The winners are Deb from Posted-From-Home, and Beth Gales from Gales Designs. Congratulations. I’ll pop a copy in the mail to each of you as soon as you send me  your addresses.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by during party week. Be sure to join the Blogging for Bliss fan page on Facebook for updates on the book and Tara’s journey.

Today is a long awaited day. It marks the full orchestra, get-dressed-up-in-your-ball-gown, debut of Blogging for Bliss by Tara Frey. The party hostess is Kari Ramston from Artsy Mama. Thanks for having us Kari. 

The Red Lips 4 Courage team produced this book with Tara, and we have been waiting for months to see this unfold!

I blog for bliss because I love to share stories and connect creative women. I used to love sitting down to write the editor’s letter for each issue of Romantic Homes. Since starting my own little boutique book making venture, I have spent most of my time working on other people’s writing. I miss those days of personal connection, and the blog is giving me that chance once again. It feeds my soul.

Personally, I find myself getting drawn into intensive time-suck sessions because I become bound and determined to figure out much of the formatting and CSS  I can do myself. What is it about that? I’m like a primal cave woman on the prowl for the thrill of the kill. I’ll troll the web for hours for tips and solutions, and will try tweaks over and over to try to get things just right. I have a long way to go to be in the leagues of the women who are included in the book. But there is a certain unexplainable pleasure that comes from learning something new everyday.

The business camp I live in tells me WordPress is the true blog religion. But I manage a beautiful blog for a friend in Blogger, and find it a joy to work on. I have another little startup blog in the works on TypePad, so soon, I’ll be confused by all three platforms! A true Unitarian of blogdom.

I Blog for Bliss because of the connections it brings to creative kindred spirits and amazing women I would not have otherwise met.. I am a DYI kind of gal, so I spend far more time than I care to admit on the prep and code. But in the end, just like a project from my craft room, I love sitting back and enjoying knowing I did it myself! And I like to think it takes courage to venture into new realms, so its about that too…

Tara cheers to you and to all women who accepted the invitation to be a part of Blogging for Bliss!

I have TWO copies of the book to giveaway. Just leave me a comment and I will use Tara’s random number generator to determine the winners. I’ll post the lucky ducks over the weekend. No need to write a long post, but I’d love anything you’d like to share.

Blogging for Bliss by Tara Frey is receiving great response from bloggers far and wide. We couldn’t be happier! Many thanks to the blissful bloggers who are spreading the word. A great big thank you to Kari Ramstrom author of Artsy Mama for hosting a blog tour party on behalf of Tara and the book. Be sure to visit Kari’s blog for all the details. She is gathering the best of the best and some of the most amazingly creative women you will ever meet. And all through the wonderful world of blogging. Come join the party!

While we were working away on the book we lovingly developed the acronym – B4B, which is how we lovingly refer to it.

To lean on an old cliche, “It took a village.” When Tara Frey contacted Red Lips 4 Courage with the concept of creating a book about blissful blogging, we loved the idea. She was onto something big, and we felt it in our creative hearts. What Tara and our team did not understand at the time was just how big the movement of blogging for artistic expression had really become. There is a lot to know and many, many talented women out there doing some incredibly creative things in the blogosphere. Seasoned editor Rebecca Ittner took the reins and led Erika Kotite, Cathy Risling, Jocelyn Foye and I into the wonderful world of blissful bloggers. What Tara didn’t know, Rebecca researched and found out. We all learned a great deal and fell in love all over again with why we love working in the world of creative women. The book is just starting to ship and already the response is wonderful.
Surely many new blogs will be brought to light over the coming weeks. Please help us share them with others by telling us about them here. Look forward to hearing from you!

Sterling booth at BEA

No one knew what to expect at BEA in New York City this time around. The bloodletting has been long and deep in the book industry. Reading the daily publishing trades has been more like being immersed in endless obituary pages of late. So, it was with a slightly faint heart that we set out for Book Expo this year. 

We were thrilled to see that our latest project, “Blogging for Bliss” by Tara Frey for Lark Books/Sterling had perfect placement in the Sterling booth. We are optimistic about this one in particular. We believe in the importance of creativity, especially in trying times. Spread the word, positive attitudes and creative pursuits trump negativity and pessimism every time. We hope you’ll try blogging for your own bliss.

Some years ago, I was quite sure I was on the cutting edge. I had purchased a custom built Dell computer with every accessory I could imagine ever needing. And then, the whispers started… “Come to the light, come to the light.” The voices meant move from a PC to a Mac. I resisted. I was a loyalist, and I loved my Dell. The mania passed, and just like a new car rolling off the showroom floor, I was only as cool as the last season’s model. When it was undeniably time to update, I fell under the spell of the Mac and I haven’t looked back…    

Today was a day of brainstorms. We know so many creative women who have made a mark. They want to join this cyberworld.  We’ve spent the day wondering how best to hold hands and bring them along. Stay tuned.

On another topic… Who can resist a cute puppy? Not me obviously. I brought him home in October to keep our daughter company while she was on IV therapy. He has since developed a pronounced under bite and a wanderlust that has resulted in two AWOL incidents. But we love him and spoil him rotten. There is probably a book in there somewhere. Creative Souls and the Dogs Who Love Them.