So, I’m getting into Pinterest and I’m having fun with it.  At first, I was scratching my head wondering what in the world was I supposed to do with the latest entry into social media?  I was at a writer’s conference at USC when one of the panelists mentioned how one author posted images that were inspiring to her for her works-in-progress. (Read more here)

Let’s face it, most kids aren’t reading the starred reviews of Publisher’s Weekly or Kirkus. So, I asked my daughter, my favorite guinea pic, how she finds the books she selects to read? She seems to be on top of the popular young adult books, Wonder and The Fault in Our Stars.  She hears about them before I do – and I do read the reviews!

My daughter is 10 and an avid reader.  I noticed with some series, they spread like a cold via word of mouth in her class. Other books, she finds by looking online in the iBookstore. She felt it was not a large selection and it covers quite a span of ages – children’s through teen.  That’s where she found The Fault in Our Stars.

She thought it looked interesting and read the sample. We had to go out and get the hard copy, she’s not crazy about reading books on the iPad. She found Wonder by browsing the tables at Barnes & Noble. The cover caught her eye.

The main thing that I get from her, is that if the book looks interesting, she’ll read the back copy and then if that’s interesting, she’ll read the first page. If she likes the first page, she’ll buy the book.

What are the takeaways as an author? When designing and writing the jacket copy – it has to be able to catch the eye of kids who are visually savvy – they’re on the computer, play video games, watch tv, etc. They’re just as discerning as adults, if not more because they have shorter attention spans. And the first page?  You better sell it.

That’s just my anecdotal market research, take it for what it’s worth and share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Sibylla Nash is a freelance writer and author of the novel Bumped.

Just think about all the blood, sweat and tears that went into creating your book. The sleepless nights as you wrestled with the revisions and the breathless anticipation as you waited to see your book cover. Let’s not forget, the proud moment when you first held a copy of your book in your hands or saw it for sale on Amazon and B&N.

You may think your roller coaster ride is over but believe it or not, the journey with your book is not even close to being finished. Thanks to the internet and social media, you’ll be doing marketing and promotions for your book before, during and after, long after, publication. (Read more)

It’s a very quick read, chock full of tips, tricks, and best of all beauty product recommendations that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Definitely a resource you want to keep on hand as a reference.

Skin Rules reads like you’re chatting with your bestie who also happens to be a dermatologist. She touches on topics such as cleansers, what to look out for in sunscreens, acne, and for women of a certain age (me!) anti-aging creams and serums.

Some of the rules are no-brainers, such as the one about beauty sleep not being a myth (dark circles are never a good accessory) but there was plenty of information, especially the over-the-counter recs that had me taking notes.

I’m not a sun worshipper, so the rules about sunscreen and protection go on for a bit too long. It’s such an interesting read from her perspective, I wish she would have included even more information. Each rule is about a page to a page and a half. My only gripe is that there is no table of contents or index and you’re reduced to flipping through the pages to find what you’re looking for.

Want to win a copy of Skin Rules and a cool gift bag filled with beauty products mentioned in the book?  Leave a comment below about your best beauty trick and one lucky winner will be chosen randomly.  Enter by March 13th and the winner will be notified on 3/14/12.

Here’s a video of the winner being selected.

Or if you don’t feel like watching – the winner is L. Malaika Cooper.
 

Whatever dreams, hopes, and waist-size you had has fallen by the wayside as you’re consumed with potty training, milestones and the hunt for the perfect preschool.  How much of your dreams do you sacrifice for the needs of your family?  Of course, being moms, there’s pre-bundled guilt that accompanies those thoughts – am I neglecting my family, not spending enough time with the kids, etc.

Let’s face it, as exhilarating and life changing as motherhood is, sometimes it’s just not enough (or maybe it’s too much). Of course, it goes without saying many women (show offs) have been able to juggle the two with panache but I believe there are just as many who are struggling to find a balance, a sense of purpose outside of motherhood.

And in the book The Mothers of Reinvention: Reclaim your Identity, Unleash Your Potential, Love Your Life, by Jennifer Pate and Barbara Machen (also known as Jen and Barb), not only do they assure you that you’re not alone and it’s ok to feel this way, more importantly, they give you a plan of action to reconnect with your goals and dreams and incorporate them into your life.

Inspiring to say the least!

“I think we have a hard time with the role of [what] being a good mom is,” says Barb via telephone, “and I think we need to realize that being a good mom means, as Jen said, having something for yourself, it makes you a better wife, it makes you a better mother and this whole notion of giving it all to your family is really, it’s a crock, it’s not healthy. It doesn’t make you a good mom, it makes you a mean and angry mom.”

Jen and Barb met like many moms do, in some type of kid-related activity. In their case, it was eight years ago in a Mommy and Me class for their toddlers and they quickly connected. Both women call Los Angeles home, but Jen is a Chicago transplant and Barb migrated south from northern California.

Through their friendship the idea for the web series Mom Life was born.  Their web series covers everything from cooking to lifestyle to health and beauty, all with the mom in mind – single or married. Coke recently came on board as a sponsor and 92 episodes later, they’ve now birthed a book giving mothers a blueprint on how to reinvent their lives.

Creating the book seems like it would be a natural progression. They spent a year writing, talking to other women, going through the experts they had had on previous shows and looking for those life-changing moments.

“We really started talking about the steps and the process we took to reinvent ourselves and the amazing part for me was that when we reached out to these other women for their stories, we learned they had gone through a similar process and we were like wow! There are real steps to take, there is a real format to reinventing yourself,” remember Jen.

The result is a book that is part inspirational, part self-help and part workbook; a recipe for success when used correctly. I love the chart for age-appropriate tasks for kids. It’s a reminder that kids are very capable of helping out and that chapter guides you into creating a dialogue with your family to make the reinvention process a joint venture.

There are also other chapters on building your village, getting your house in order and putting that much needed pep back into your step.  There’s no magic bullet or “secret” to attaining the life you want to live. What Mothers of Reinvention shows us is that if we roll up sleeves, make the time, and put in the work, it can happen. There are examples through out the book of women who made the leap of faith and landed in the middle of their dreams.

If there’s one take away from the book, it’s “to have something that their [women] are passionate about in their lives, outside of the role of a mother and a wife… to have a piece of the pie for themselves,” says Jen.

Bon appetit, Mama!

Sibylla Nash is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and author of the novel Bumped.

I’m in the process of updating a revised edition which will be available this summer. In the meantime, check out the original and learn what it really takes to get your child into modeling and acting, how to find an agent, booking the first gig and more. If you have any questions or suggestions for the update, just shoot me an email.

Here’s a quick summary:

Music PR maven, Elle Nixon, loves her fabulous life. Queen Bee of the Los Angeles social scene, she attends the hottest parties, has a roster of artists that reads like the who’s who of Billboard magazine and has definitely met THE ONE. Her upwardly mobile bound boyfriend lavishes her with gifts and attention.  Her life seems perfect until he disappears when the FBI launches a high-profile fraud investigation into his investment firm.  Elle’s left alone with her questions, his deceit and an unexpected pregnancy. Suddenly, it’s not so fun anymore to walk a mile in her Louboutins. Abandoning all pride, she rediscovers her family and friends after she has no choice but to move back in with her parents on the East coast.  When push comes to shove and alcohol is no longer option, Elle learns how to navigate the bumps in life’s flight plans.