Friday FabOoolousness – Click & See!

The end of the week snuck up on me so I’ve decided to take this time and publish my first Mash-Up.

What’s a Mash-Up?

Blogs that can’t be missed

Blogs that deserve a click

 Blogs that I recommend

 My Mash-Up ranges from beautiful randomness, to information hot spots.  I hope you’ll click all ten & see!

Monday Mystery Fun: 

Check out Masters of Mystery Monday by K.B. Owen.  She hosts fun facts and quizzes, all about classic mysteries.

Check out all of K.B.’s other posts on her website: http://kbowenmysteries.com/

Perfect Blog for Animal Lovers:

“Bling, Bitches, and Blood” by Amy Shojai – my favorite is Tuesday’s Tips.  You can catch Amy speaking at the OWFI (Oklahoma Writers’ Federation Inc.) conference in Oklahoma City, May 5-6.

Check out all of Amy’s tips at her website:  http://amyshojai.com/

Informational Blogs:

Jen Hansen’s blog is great for writers, the technically challenged, dating, book reviews, and more.   A perfect example, Jen provides step by step instruction on how to schedule a blog’s publishing date and time using Wordpress and Blogger.

Check out all of Jen’s other posts at her blog: http://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com/ 

Piper Bayard’s blog “On Life, Belly Dancing, and Apocalyptic Annihilation” – yes, really – all those things.  I love movies; therefore, I love the Bayard, Holmes, Movie and No Popcorn posts most, but enjoy so many of her apocalyptic pieces too.

Check out the other posts at Piper’s blog: http://piperbayard.wordpress.com/

Peter Saint Clair’s “My Silent Fury” covers everything from mystery fun, to writing tips, to cults, and to crime.  And, as his tag line reads, “whatever the hell else I want.”  This week he featured The Columbine Tragedy and the David Koresh and the Branch Davidians’ anniversary stories.  I’m hooked!

Check out Peter Saint Clair’s other posts at his website: http://mysilentfury.com/

Blogging Randomness and Pure Fun:

Daniel Garner writes of living life in your 30’s on his blog, “Post Thirty Post”.  Plus, he has fabulous guest posts written by my dear friend, Jenn.

Check out all of Daniel’s posts at his blog: http://www.postthirtypost.blogspot.com/

Blogging for Writers:

Social media queen, Kristen Lamb, provides information galore including writing techniques, time management for writers, and social media 101.  Kristen’s Twitter Tuesday posts are perfect for those wanting to stick their toes in, and learn to swim the distance.  Kristen Lamb’s blog addresses all of these topics in a fun, humorous tone.

I credit Kristen, my guru, with throwing me in, and teaching me how to swim (in the pool of social media, that is).  Check out all of Kristen’s posts on her blog: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/

Blogging for Writers:

The great “How We Write” series, written by Jennifer Holbrook-Talty, and different writing techniques to the same series, “How We Write”, by Anna DeStefano, includes multiple ways to plot, revise, edit, and so much more.  Two ways are always better than one, right?

Check out more of the series, and their posts, on their blog sites: “The Glamorous Life” http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/,  and “Anna Writes” http://www.annawrites.com/

Writing tips galore!  Check out Roni Loren’s Fiction Groupie.  R The Ten Commandments of the Successful Author or The Author Bio – Six Important Components.

Check out all of Roni’s posts on her blog:  http://fictiongroupie.blogspot.com/

What’s your favorite blog that you absolutely can’t miss?  I’d love to hear from you!

Friday FabOoolousness – Kristen Lamb

When I lost my job in 2010, I decided there would not be a better time to embark on my next journey.  I immediately started my first manuscript, a story I’ve dreamed of telling since college.  The writing came naturally, but then I started to ask myself – what’s next? 

In November, I registered to attend DFWcon, and hoped to answer just that.  My friends had always laughed at my refusal to set up a Facebook account, and one friend harped on me for years that I needed to blog.  So, I faced my fears, and walked into a Branding and Social Media Introduction class led by Kristen Lamb.

Kristen Lamb

At the conference, I heard over and over again that social media leads the way, and helps aspiring authors build their community & platform.  If people like you, they’re more inclined to buy your novel.  Isn’t that what all writers want?    

So I bit — I took a big bite for me — I enrolled in Kristen Lamb’s online workshop.  For thirty days, she provided her FabOoolous insight and held my hand as I took baby steps into social media.  And I mean baby steps.  I think they may have coined the saying, “there’s no such thing as a stupid question,” for me; to make me feel better.  At the end of the first month, I started panicking.  I wasn’t ready to go out on my own!  Kristen proved herself even more FabOoolous when she extended the workshop for another thirty days.  Whew!  That was music to my ears! 

Now, thirty-six days in, I have tweeted, blogged, and Facebooked.   I have officially joined the 21^st century.

Kristen Lamb knows what she’s talking about.

Facebook is one thing; I found most of my old elementary, high school, and college friends, and have built my community around them.  And you know what?  I should have joined years ago.  I’m having a blast catching up with everyone! 

But Twitter?  Day one, I had two followers.  Two weeks later, I am just shy of 200!  I have met hundreds of writers who are just like me.  What a relief, I am not alone!  I love reading their posts, and have found so many useful tips by simply following the writing community on Twitter. 

And the blog – I was probably the most nervous about blogging.  I’m not an expert in anything, so what do I blog about?  Kristen recommended that I reach out to friends and family and build a list of 100 words that described me:  my very own spaghetti sauce ingredients.  What a fun exercise!  The word that most of my dearest replied with was opinionated.  I have to laugh, there’s no surprise there!  With my list, I built my platform. 

My Platform = My Opinion

Week one, I had over 470 visits to my blog.  To me, that is amazing!  And now, I’m blogging two posts a week:

 Tiffany’s Tele-Tuesday – where I give my opinion based on my addiction to television

Friday FabOoolousness – where I give my opinion based on all other things fabOoolous (authors, books, movies, sports, etc.)

I didn’t know Kristen Lamb in February, but today I have the honor of saying I do. 

Kristen, you are absOoolutely FabOoolous! 

Kristen, you are my social media guru!

I highly recommend everyone check out Kristen’s FabOoolous blog, her FabOoolous website, & buy a copy of her FabOoolous bestselling book, We Are Not Alone – The Writer’s Guide to Social Media.  

Who is your guru?  Who has helped you achieve a goal?  I’d love to hear from you! 

Check back next Friday for a FabOoolous Scream edition!