Blogging | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Almost every day, I open a Google Alert to find my name on someone’s blog because of the Big Bang B & N Followers Contest. And then I go wheee! Wheee, wheee, wheeee!

I know just how the little piggy feels! It’s so thrilling to find so many of my blogger friends, spreading the word about the contest. Not because it’s such a thrilling contest (though winning a B & N gift card is nifty), and not because I’ve gained quite a few new followers (though that’s awfully swell, too). But because I have such totally awesome friends!

Honestly, y’all have gone way beyond the call of duty, and I’m so blessed by your generosity. In fact, I’m a little farklempt…talk amongst yourselves for a minute, okay?

So. What else I found in my inbox today: the newsletter from Reading is Fundamental. RIF is a non-profit group that supports literacy, particularly among those children, from birth to age 8, who are economically challenged. To put it another way, RIF wants everybody to have books. Because how can you instill a love of reading without wonderful books?

We always had books in our home when I was growing up. And when my kidders were small, I loved taking them to the library, or when I could afford it, allowing them to pick out a book at the bookstore. Oh, how we agonized over which book to buy! It’s so special to have your own books, isn’t it? That’s what RIF is all about.

January’s RIF sponsor is Nestle. Remember that jingle? N-E-S-T-LES. Nestle’s makes the very best…chocolate. Mmmmm…chocolate. I could go for a Butterfinger right now. Or a Baby Ruth. No, I’m sticking with the Butterfinger…peanut buttery chocolate bliss. Mmmmmm.

Um, where was I? Oh, yeah. RIF. Check out how you can help Nestle share the joy of reading here.

And thanks again to all y’all who’ve shared the joy of reading my humble blog. HUGE chocolate hugs are winging their way to you!

MACBETH:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

Oh, my little grasshopper, you would think after a few years in the writing business, I’d run out of What Not To Do’s. And yet, I still manage my fair share of blunders, mishaps, boo-boos and abject failures.

I’m not sure where procrastination falls in that list. It seems more than a boo-boo, but perhaps not quite as bad as abject failure. I mean, putting off blog and website maintenance won’t cause the fall of the Cathy C. Hall writing empire. Or will it?

What if an editor wandered in and found links that were no longer active? Out-of-date clips? Or headings that made no sense because a certain writer started making changes then got sidetracked? Would that editor think a. Cathy C. Hall is terribly busy? Or b. Cathy C. Hall is terribly lazy?

And when I think that I’ve had a note on my bulletin board since MARCH, reminding me to stay on top of website and blog maintenance, I have to accept that what was just a boo-boo in May is kinda ridiculously HUGE in December. Which is why I’ve finally fixed a few things around the old Hall of Fame. Actually, if I’m being perfectly honest, it’s a work in progress. But at least I’m progressing.

So, don’t put off till tomorrow…and tomorrow…and tomorrow what you can do in May. And then again in August, and again in December. Update your clips, check links, and stay on top of your writing career. You want folks to notice your brilliance-not your boo-boos.