Woman's Day

I'm in the January issue of Woman's Day magazine, with my picture and everything!

This picture. On page 32.  :-)

How did I get into Woman's Day magazine?  I answered a reporter query from HARO. If you've ever gotten an email from me saying "Answer this query! It's totally you!" You know what I'm talking about. Anyway, Woman's Day is a magazine I actually read, so I'm pretty chuffed to be in it. It's a Yay Me Moment--plus it impresses my mother! :-)

The Divinity of Dogs

Before I get to today's topic, I'd like to address the inevitable comment from Mum:

But it's not Monday. You said you'd only post doggy-type thingies on MONDAYS!  

What can I say? It's a bonus doggy-type-thingie kinda day.  And now, back to our regularly scheduled blog:

Author Jennifer Skiff is writing a delicious book called The Divinity of Dogs. I email-met her thru HARO when she sent out a query for submissions and I responded with my story of Maggie & Millie. So fingers crossed, they will be in the book!

You can submit your own story here until October 15th.

I read it to John Morgan, author of Grasshopper Notes, and he said,

If there is a heaven, then in order to get in, everyone should have to answer the question, "How did you treat animals?"

AMEN!   :-)
P.S. See Mum? Really--short 'n' sweet! 
 

A coupla jokes

I've been a bit under the weather this week, laryngitis & whatnot. John told me a joke earlier this week from his days as Chuck Taylor in Wilkes-Barre:

Sports Dude: Coach, I got leprosy.
Coach: Walk it off!

This is Chuck Taylor-worthy from Peter Shankman, founder of HARO.

Woman goes shopping for turkeys at the supermarket, but they're all really small, and she has to feed a whole family. She says to the stockboy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" "No, ma'am," he replies. "They're dead."

Hahahaha :-)

Was that you?

I got a package last night from UPS. I usually have things delivered to Mum's because coming down my road adds a good hour to the delivery route. But you know what's nice? UPS Guy Woody is a cheerful sort who always has a smile. No complaints about the road even as I apologize for it. 'member yesterday's post when I said I've been in the service industry? He remembers when I was a waitress half-my-life ago at the Melting Pot.

So he said his wife wanted to know if that was me quoted in Good Housekeeping. Yes, it was. And I let it go by last August with nary a mention! So here's the full article. How did I get quoted in Good Housekeeping? I'm glad you asked. HARO. It's a free service that links reporters to sources, founded by Peter Shankman. Pretty cool, huh? Now go sign up and get quoted!

P.S. Best. Laugh. Ever. Go read John's blog today. My stomach hurts from laughing.

Google Alert

This is prolly where Brother D says, "Yeah, Hal. And there's this thing called the internet...." But it's new to me, so perhaps you may find it useful, as well. I learned this from Peter Shankman, the HARO Guy. Loyal readers of this blog (hi Mum!) will remember that HARO is a service that sends out reporter queries & other writers, media people, etc. looking for sources to interview for their stories. It's also how I'm quoted in next month's Good Housekeeping. [More on that when the issue comes out.] One of the rules of being in HARO is not to repost any queries on your blog. You can FW a query via email (which is when you get my email "Reporter Query for You,") but no posting. So, apparently someone posted & Peter said, "There's this thing called Google Alert...."

Me: Google Alert? What's that? [googling] COOL!

So here's the deal: whatever topic you're interested in (at least do your name), you put on alert and then you get an email once a day listing all the websites with new postings on said topic. So I put in "labyrinths" and here's an article on teens taping a labyrinth on the floor for their new youth center. COOL! Integrate those brain hemispheres! Then I got a blogpost by a fellow labyrinth enthusiast & artist, Jane Dover. Get this: she paints labyrinths on rocks, too. Way cool!

Hmmm...I wonder if she has her name in Google Alert? Hi Jane!

HAPPY Anniversary, Peter!

Today is the one year anniversary of HARO, Help A Reporter Out. This is a free service that links up reporters from all media genres to sources (e.g. y-o-u). Queries come 3 times a day and if you qualify as an expert, you answer them. There are different categories: business, travel, lifestyle, etc. I just recently answered one about labyrinths. And here's an article on dreaming pets that features a picture of Barkley! I've FW'd different queries to friends & fam as they apply. Everyone's an expert at something! Some queries will be specific: e.g. looking only to talk with doctors & acupuncturists. Others are asking for experiences from regular people. The pet dreaming article references both.

HARO was created by Peter Shankman, PR Guy & author of Can We Do That? AWESOME book, BTW. If you are a writer, entrepreneur, or have an expertise in something, become a HARO member & sign up here. Query emails are easy to whip through and Peter keeps them v. entertaining. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, PETER! :-) H.