Marketing Monday: Family Circle and a How-To

I really love writing stories about people who are doing Good in the world, and I'm posting my latest one, which was in the March issue of Family Circle (click on it for a larger, readable image). It's about Sarah Symons, founder of The Emancipation Network. I wanted to share the pitching story for those of you who are interested in magazine writing. I knew that Family Circle didn't cover international issues very often, so I crafted this pitch by pointing out that Sarah is a 43-year-old mother of two from Massachusetts, and that her organization is really a community effort. She involves friends, family, church members, etc. Her home life, which is very relatable to Family Circle readers, gives her story the right angle for the magazine.I wrote more about breaking into magazine writing for about.com's freelancing site this week. Hope these tips are helpful! Magazine writing really is a great way to spread the word about amazing people like Sarah. Happy Monday! PS-I ordered a pretty bracelet from The Emancipation Network, made from magazine strips! Who knew?

Guest Blogging and Charlie Bit Me

I'm over here at Hollywood Girls Club author Maggie Marr's fabulous blog today, writing about how I want my own paparazzi squad (well, sort of). Visit me?Also, I'm almost ready to post my short haircut but I don't have my camera with me today. Soon! For now, I'll just post this video, because it has been making me laugh for about three weeks now... all thanks to my friend Charles (not Charlie). Happy weekend! PS-This week's contest is still open, so feel free to keep entering through next Wednesday!

Mememememe!

I got tagged again for this meme by Alexa Young, author of the upcoming Frenemies, so I decided to think of six more things to share. Oh, first, rules:1. link back to the person who tagged you. 2. post these rules on your blog. 3. share six unimportant things about yourself. 4. tag six random people at the end of your entry. (I'm cheating on this one) 5. let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs. Okay, so six things: 1. I have another blog with my friend Anne. It's sort of secret. By which I mean no one really reads it (except Alexa and Kwana! Yay!). It's about Oprah. That's right. But I'm not going to link to it, because I kind of like it being a mystery. 2. I once ate wings in the shower in college. Long story, I was late for class and starving, etc. But I'll admit it: Gross. 3. Violet on the Runway was cited as one of 2007's Best Books for the Teen Age this weekend from the New York Public Library (that's where I met Lion!). I blogged about it at Teen Fiction Cafe. 4. Last week I heard a song on someone's myspace profile that reminded me of a long-ago boy and I got totally obsessed with this mix tape he once made me. Um, so obsessed that I downloaded all the songs I could remember from the tape and made a playlist. My current boyfriend (fiance, actually, but I don't love that word) is so cool and didn't mind. He laughed at me. I love him. 5. I got my hair cut majorly short yesterday and I'm too scared to post a photo of it. Why is a short haircut such a scary thing? It'll grow back! But still, later... I have to get used to it first. 6. (See what that means here). So now anyone who wants to do this meme, consider yourself tagged! Let me know if you do it. I kind of love hearing random things about people. And remember to include at least one embarrassing thing, just for me (those are my favorites).

Win-It Wednesday: Siobhan Vivian's A Little Friendly Advice

So many entries last time! Fun! Hearing about why you love your age was great, especially since it seems like everyone's pretty happy. Happy is nice to hear.The winner of the signed copy of Violet on the Runway, chosen by random number generator from entries on myspace and on melissacwalker.com, is... 18-year-old Tempestt Patterson, who is starting college next year and voting. Woohoo! Send me your address, T. This week, I get to give away a signed copy of A Little Friendly Advice, the debut novel from Siobhan Vivian, whom I had the chance to read with this month. She seems awesome, and the book is really great, especially in the way it explores girls' friendships with all their ups and downs and confusions and heart-soaring (and breaking) moments. Plus, there's a plot twist. I love a plot twist! So to win SV's signed book, just go visit me on one or all of the reviews I mentioned yesterday, then tell me you did that below (I trust you, even if you don't leave a comment on the review sites). Or visit Book Chic's review of Violet by Design, which just posted. And f you want to, tell me where you mostly read book reviews. I'm curious. PS-Here are a few other fun book contests to enter. You are so welcome. Win a signed copy of Screwball by Keri Mikulski from The Book Muncher! (Enter by 9pm TODAY!!) Muffins.and.Books is giving away a copy of R.A. Nelson's Teach Me and a Japanese snack! Ooh, I hope the snack is Pocky! (Enter by April 2nd.) Elizabeth Scott's super-generous iPod-or-$200 gift certificate blowout! (I cannot compete with this contest, which runs through May 2nd.)

Reviews, reviews and thank yous

So today I've been excited to hear from people reading Violet on the Runway and Violet by Design, and I want to say thanks!First, Glamour magazine included Violet by Design in a roundup along with other fashion books worth checking out (one of which was written by former ELLEgirl advice columnist Jfur Brandt Taylor--that's her cute self pictured). And if you haven't read Violet on the Runway yet, Cat at Beyond Books just got to it and made me really happy with an insightful review (it's also totally flattering, which is always good). The prolific Jocelyn at Teen Book Review posted a review of Violet by Design that addresses the weight issue I tried to tackle in the book--I love J's passion about that in her write-up. So, just thanks, everyone. It means a TON TON TON to me. I am as happy as Jfur in that photo!

Marketing Monday: Comfy Chairs and Buzz

First, I just had to fulfill a promise to commenters on The Book Lady's fun interview with me. Behold, a photo of the pink flowered chair in which I write daily (and which I'm sinking into right now). I don't know why I look so sly in that photo, but I really love it, ottoman and all! Second, I've mentioned how writing articles for various venues can help get your name in front of potential readers, and you can go further by writing articles that help other authors (and you!) in their marketing endeavors. Today, one such article I wrote was posted on mediabistro.com. It's called Building Buzz For Your Book, and I got to interview some very creative author and publishing types who shared great ideas. Thank you all! PS-UPDATED: Buzz begets buzz, which is another thing to remember. Thanks, Galleycat! (And sorry to everyone who can't read the story on mediabistro.com because they're not members... I didn't realize that part earlier!).

Sunshine

I'm feeling sad today, and it has to do with Sunshine, a teenage girl in Iraq whom I interviewed for flip.com last year (that's a photo that she sent me of flowers from her garden). She's smart, funny, kind and ambitious. Here's the flipbook that came out of our interview -- it has a lot about her life in Iraq, her dreams and fears, and the universal aspects of being 15.This week, she posted a very sad, fearful entry about what's going on in her community now, and it breaks my heart. If you guys want to visit her blog and leave some thoughts of hope, I think it would be a great comfort, especially those of you near her age. And hug your families tight. Happy Sunday.

A page from my diary... no, really.

I'm over at Teen Fiction Cafe today, blogging about crushes. Actually, I scanned a page from my journal, circa 1993. It's a real artifact. If you want to visit DORK CITY, go here.You see how I humiliate myself for you guys? And seriously, tell me that your journals are just as embarrassing. Make me feel better. PS-Don't forget to enter yesterday's contest. Oh, and Book Chic has a big Meg Cabot giveaway going on here until Friday!

Win-It Wednesday: The Triple Threat

So many contests, so little time!The lovelies over at mypromstyle.com are giving away 20 copies of Violet by Design along with 20 Juicy Tubes. Enter here. Shooting Stars magazine is having their first ever contest, and you can win a copy of Jennifer Smith's The Comeback Season! And I'll be giving a signed copy of Violet on the Runway to a commenter below. All you have to do is tell me what you love most about being the age you are (whatever age that may be--and if you don't want to tell me your age, you can generalize). I'll pick a winner at random next Wednesday. I am 30, but I feel about 17. Seriously. What I like about 30 is that I'm a lot more confident than I used to be, and sometimes adults actually take me seriously now that I can say I'm 30. It's empowering! So what's best about your age?

Marketing Monday: Magazine Writing

I thought I'd write a little bit about magazines, because people sometimes ask me about pitching. Below is a story I wrote for Teen Vogue's March issue (click to enlarge if you want to read it). It's about the topic of gossip, which isn't exactly a new subject for teen magazines. However, there was a study that came out recently, saying that most people believe gossip over fact. The study was published in all the major newspapers (reading newspapers every day is key!) so that was the perfect hook to hang a story about gossip on, and Teen Vogue wanted to do a feature. Just one tip for selling a story: Find the timely angle. I'll blog more about magazine writing if you guys are interested. Oh, and magazine writer extraordinaire Sarah Jio interviewed me today, so stop by there and throw some love if you have time. Happy Monday, everyone!