Happy New Year!

Writers' Corner: 9 Writing Jobs You Might Not Know About

I ran across this on Tumblr and thought it was an extremely useful list. Happy Writing in the New Year!!

Original Blog Post

Merry Christmas

Winter Wardrobe Reboot: Comfort

I was reading a status that my Facebook friend posted last week. She confessed to purchasing jeans from Chicos. She was slightly alarmed because Chico's is where "older women" purchase their sophisticated wears.  Had she moved into the "older women" category?  I perused the comments and it seems as if late thirty-somethings are transitioning to more sophisticated, comfortable clothing and there isn't a darn thing wrong with that. So, I must confess that I have recently begun wearing shoes that are saving my back and feet from the strain that heels pose. Don't get me wrong, the pumps, stilettos, and platforms are still in heavy rotation, but my Dansko clogs have now become my favorite! "Word of foot" is how this small European company has spread like wild fire. Well consider yourself informed! Add a pair to your Christmas list and you will not be disappointed!

 I slide on my wide legged trousers and slip on my black patent leather Dansko clogs and my feet are in heaven! Come to find out, EVERYONE is wearing these comfy shoes. Celebrities like Heidi Klum and Jennifer Garner as well as Euro-chic teenagers can be seen in Dansko clogs. So, these shoes are definitely on trend. Below are a few outfit ideas!

Dansko Prima Clog

Fun Pattern Dansko Professional Slip-ons

Content Marketing: Timing and Topic

I learned a lot about content marketing strategies from some of my customers. I tracked the sales of my articles to several sites that had nothing to do with the various topics that were purchased from my Constant Content profile . It occurred to me that in order to reach a broader audience, one must offer quality, appealing content. So, if someone is, let's say, offering cell phone repair services and it's around Christmas time, a time when people are in the market to purchase new phones, traffic will decrease for that type of service. However, if you have some buzzwords like "Black Friday" or "holiday shopping" as well as articles about how to set up new phones, traffic will increase dramatically. Once there, this traffic may find services that they or someone they know can use! Timing and topic are everything! The fact that businesses need diverse content drives my desire to provide valuable, timely articles that are easy to read and informative. I have a few in the works now about the Valentine's Day and Springtime.

I just put one out about After-Holiday Regret Remedies that I know will drive a lot of traffic to your website.  People may also want to eat better to live long. I have a great article that details the positive impact of 10 Superfoods on your body to actually extend your life. It's a thoroughly researched article that will get you and your readers back on track after the trappings of the season. Pick one of these or another article up TODAY!

Study Tips: Productive Cramming

Cramming is frowned upon, but at the eleventh hour, there aren't many other choices you can make. Hopefully, you have a basic understanding of 2 things: the objectives of the course and how you professor likes to assess your knowledge.  From an educator's perspective, we want to know that our students have reasonably accomplished the objectives set forth in the syllabus as demonstrated by mastery in basic concepts in the subject. In order to effectively cram for your exams, you'll need your syllabus, notes and study guides (borrow good ones if yours are terrible),  highlighters (a different color for each objective), textbook (if your course has one), paper, pen, and a Starbucks latte.

1.  Locate the objectives on your syllabus and highlight each in a different color. For example:

Objectives:

• To learn the prevailing points of view about creativity and its origins.  
• To gain a better understanding of the writing process.
• To understand how some writers go through the creative process.
• To constructively analyze  and critique the work of other writers.
• To understand and apply literary composition techniques. 

2.  Using the highlighting color scheme you've established, highlight notes and study guides that address the objectives. For example, highlight all "prevailing points of view" in yellow and anything related to the "writing process" in orange.

3.  If your professor did not give you a study guide or if you are like me and need to see one subject on one sheet, make subject sheets using the same color scheme. For example, scribble purple highlighter at the top of a blank sheet of paper. You know that purple means "literary composition techniques."  From your notes, list the techniques you've highlighted purple already and add brief descriptions from the notes. You may need to look them up in your textbook if your notes are not clear.

4.  Guess what? You've been studying the whole while you've been setting up your color code! Take a sip of your latte and plow forward. You can put your syllabus aside for now. Take a look at one color subject sheet.  Determine which items you "have mastered," "are familiar with," or "clueless about."  If you've mastered it, draw ☺. If you're familiar with the item, draw a star. If you are clueless about an item, draw a ☹.

5. Time to review! You will focus on the items you starred for about an hour. You will focus on the smiley items for 30 minutes. Then sleep! (or set up your study notes for another class).

6. The day of your exam, preferably one hour before the exam, run through your frowny items just to gain some familiarity with them. Look through notes and the text book for these concepts.  Those items will be in your short-term memory, so when you take the exam, seek those items out first with hopes that you can recall that information that you just quickly stored.

7. After the exam, it is essential that you debrief. Take a look at your subject sheets and check off the areas that you feel you aced. Put question marks next to the items you weren't sure about.  This will be especially helpful if this course was a prerequisite for another you'll take next semester. You will be able to reinforce what you did not quite get during this semester.

Ideally, you would use these tips all semester long, but if you can set aside 3 hours, you will be able to complete this list and perform better on your finals. It's not all about grades, but sometimes it feels like it is!

Questions? Comment me or hit me up on Twitter @akagia.

Break has begun!! Get to the fun!!

Winter Wardrobe Reboot: Grey

Mondays are my fashion fun days. We're transitioning from "Fall Fashion Watch" to "Winter Wardrobe Reboot." I don't know about you, but I find myself wearing the same things over and over again in the winter because it's colder and I just want to wear something warm. If I could, I would wear a big sweater, leggings, and boots all winter! Fortunately, I have to get out of that comfortable rut due to my career and the fact that I don't want to be frumpy in all the selfies and holiday event pics I'll be gracing. 

One of my favorite go-to colors for the winter is grey. Grey does not have to be drab. You can spice it up with a P.O.C. like a bright flower pin, hat, or opaque tights. Remember, how I topped off a blue-creme-black ensemble with a grey robe coat and cape in October?

Let's look at another grey coat. This high collar wool jacket is chic and versatile. It can be dressed up or worn to work. It can also be worn with jeans and boots.

Custom made high collar wool jacket found on  Pinterest and Esty but you can also find it at Jolly Chic.

This whole look is flawless. If your thighs are slim enough for this thigh-high book, go for it! If you're a curvy girl, get some grey suede knee boots and slide on some textured grey opaque stocking for the same effect. Layering different shades of grey (he he), will make for an effortless look. Need some color? Add a bright scarf!

Outfit details are available on Atlantic-Pacific

This tunic is cute and can be worn to work over a pencil skirt. It can be worn alone with a cute pump. It can be worn with patterned leggings. It can be worn with jeans. It can be worn with short shorts. It can be worn with boots and socks.  It can be worn with....

Get it on Amazon for ~$30.

As you know from my Monthly Ponderable Thought I'm ready for Spring (Summer really). I really like the trends coming this spring. Tight is out! Sleek is in! There is a big difference.  The look on the right is PERFECT. I'm going to use this color palette now. A pale blouse, grey wide leg trousers, and black lab coat. For now, I'll wear a long black sweater and a pale turtleneck.

Preview for Spring 2015 - Take a look at more on Vogue UK 

Give grey a try if you don't already.  Find the right hue for you (i.e. lighter eyes, lighter grey). Pair it with color or other shades of grey. Purchase a few grey pieces that you can wear a million ways.

Stay stylish!
Check out some more fashion finds on my Pinterest page.

Blogs You Must Check Out (Today): Self-Publishing Tips

I've scoured the internet so you wouldn't have to. If you need help with promoting and marketing your ebook, these sites will be valuable resources. Bookmark!

1/30/15  Update: http://backlinko.com/on-page-seo

http://inkwelleditorial.com/self-publishing-profits-3-reasons-short-fiction-ebooks-sell

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/free-ebook-promotion_b52130

http://denisewakeman.com/marketing-trends/19-ways-promote-ebook/

http://socialmediasun.com/how-to-promote-your-ebook-on-twitter/

http://business.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-promote-your-self-published-ebook-on-social-media--fsw-39575

Follow me on  Twitter @akagia for more!!

Event Planning: The Ultimate "At-Work" Baby Shower

Buy this and more woodland creature images here.

When my coworker informed us that she was expecting, I was thrilled! Not only is a new little bundle of joy about to bring light into this dreary world, but I got to plan a baby shower. Not one of those cheesy showers, oh no! I wanted to plan something fun and chic and most of all memorable for the mom-to-be.

Once we decided on a day, I batted around several great ideas. I was thinking we could treat her to a fancy luncheon at the Jefferson Hotel. Fancy lunches are few and far between when you first have a baby. But, I didn't want to have to transport the attendees. So, I decided to have a catered lunch for her at work in one of the small conference rooms. We'd be able to decorate and move at our own pace.

I sat down with her and discussed her nursery theme and other ideas that I could incorporate in the fete.  I wanted her woodland creatures nursery theme to be woven throughout all aspects of the shower.

Design by Amanda Gia. Need invitations? Contact me.

I designed the invitation and emailed them to guests. The guests needed to access her registry. Shop Amazon - Create an Amazon Baby Registry Now all I have to do is order the food and coordinate with my creative coworker to decorate.

I can't forget the games! I promised everyone that we would not have to partake in baby food or guess the candy bar poop. But, I did come up with and found some cool games that everyone should enjoy.

• Baby Name Game & Big Reveal: Find out the meaning of all guests' names. Put some extra cards in with weird meanings and one with the baby's name meaning. Each person takes a turn picking from the cards, reading the meaning and guessing who's name it is. When someone picks the baby's name and guesses (incorrectly of course), the mom-to-be will reveal the baby's name. Stack the deck so the baby's name is near the bottom.
• Memory: Hang a clothes line across the room with baby items. After everyone has eaten during cleanup, take the line down. Pass out paper for everyone to write down as many items as the can remember. The one who writes the most items wins a prize. Thanks The Bump!

Aside from planning this awesome shower, I've been giving her great advice about enjoying pregnancy and how exciting (and exhausting) being a mom can be. I've also told her about products and services that will make her life way easier. One being Amazon Mom. Amazon Mom is a membership program aimed at helping parents and caregivers in the prenatal through toddler years use Amazon to find and save on products their families need. Saving money is essential as a new parent! Amazon Mom is open to anyone, whether you're a mom, dad, grandparent, or caretaker. Try Amazon Mom for Free .

Update:

This is the decor, but with pink instead of aqua. Burlap is my friend!

More pics here.

I've made my idea board public on Pinterest. It includes information that helped me plan this baby shower as well as a Christmas Party that was an uber success!

I'm a Published Author!

My Author Page on Amazon is live! My book is $2.99, but if you sign up for Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for FREE! Can you sense the excitement in my tone!!! 

Monthly "Ponderable" Thought

While I love Christmas and all of the wonder of the season, am I a "Baa Humbug" because I miss summertime's long days of fun in the sun?

My Dream Come True

Download it to your Kindle or Kindle Reader TODAY! Amazon.com - Read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App on Most Devices  

Almost a year ago, I sat down at my computer and got lost in story that flowed so easily from my mind to the blank pages. I was obsessed with each character and wondered what they were doing when I was away from writing. I would sit and plan out what my characters would do, but by the time I got to the computer to write, they had their own plan. I remember one time, I just knew Drew would ride home with her friend after a party, yet she took off walking down the street as if to let me know that I wasn't in control of her.

Finally, after months of trying to figure out how I could get my book to the masses, my ebook is available on Amazon!  Just in time for Christmas, the holiday season, and cozy nights at home, Enigmatic Encounters: The Beginning is a witty coming of age story set on a small southern college campus. The next book in the series will be out next year, so don't panic! You will find out what happens next with Leslie, Drew, and Bruce, but you have to get this book first to find out what happens in The Beginning.