Blog

Hello and welcome to the blog portion of my WordPress site! Although I am sorry I didn’t think of this sooner, thanks to the good advice of a friend, I am turning my Dariaanne site into the central location from which I will post content. Most of my posts here will be focused on writing and editing, as well as on marketing efforts for my book. On that last point, it is my sincere hope that my experiences as a self-published author using the internet and social media to break through to widespread success will be useful to other aspiring and/or self-published authors.

It’s amazing how much undiscovered talent is out there, rejected by publishing companies seeking to make a quick million off of established celebrities and well-known media personalities. But the good news is that those of us still toiling in obscurity now have the tools we need to eventually propel us into the mainstream. From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn, there is no shortage of excellent sites from which to promote our work.

Having been at the game for nearly two years now, I’ve learned much through trial and error, and am happy to share the Do’s and Don’ts of my experiences. So many others have approached me with questions about self-publishing and social media marketing, I believe it would be simpler to post my thoughts here, and then send them out into cyberspace for consideration.

For today, though, I would like to recap the events of this past week, which I trust will help keep others like me stay motivated and strong. To quote Calvin Coolidge, “nothing succeeds like persistence,” and I encourage everyone reading this to keep focusing on and believing in their dreams.

• After nearly a year, Water Signs was accepted by a local book club as their read for November, 2010.
• Because I helped a women’s organization sell tickets to a big event last month, they’ve graciously invited me to host a book-signing table at another big  exposition they are hosting in August, 2010. This same group also interviewed me about Water Signs last July on their Blog Talk Radio program. Many thanks to Barbara, Roz and Christina of Women Helping Women Mastermind!
• I entered Water Signs in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, one of the few that doesn’t charge applicants a fee. The deadline for entry is February 25, 2010. Click here for more information.
• On another note, my producer John, burned two CDs of my Liberty Belle Hour January broadcasts. Thanks John!
• In another act of kindness, my dear friend Carole took me to see the phenomenal film, The Blind Side, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for inspiration. The best thing about this feel-good movie is that it is based on real-life events.