New Tagline--Your Thoughts?

Life is a mish-mash of activity this week as I try to clear my plate for next week and the half-marathon. I believe I'm going down to the island on Wednesday with my neighbors and Blair will join me later in the week. Aside from fitting in daily 5-mile runs, I'm trying to tie up loose ends so I can hop in the car on Wednesday with a clean conscience.

This morning I'm off to the Women's Resource Center of Greensboro to teach a class on networking to 15 women in the displaced-homemaker program. Then straight home and back to the computer to work on a huge article due at the end of the month. Than a "Girls Night Out" tonight at The FAT CAT, a local art gallery where I will schmooze and sell books.

Yesterday I spent most of the day at GTCC, selling my books at an indoor crafts fair. I sold 15 before I left and there were still a few hours left in the festival, so I'm pleased with that number.  I haven't done much this year in terms of promotion for my book, but I'm trying to hit little festivals here and there as I can.

I think I've come up my new tagline for my website as well. I was lying in bed Wednesday night, unable to fall to sleep, when the line just popped into my mind. I don't even recall thinking about my DSI or any of that stuff but that's how the mind works--it chews over cud in your subconscious and then spits it out when it's ready. So, what do you all think of....

 Dena Harris... Write For You

I also decided to stick with my strength, which is feature article writing for national publications. I'll play that as a benefit to those who might consider hiring me for local work.  But I decided I didn't want to "name" myself anything like "Creative Communications" because really, I am my own brand and I want to keep www.denaharris.com as my website and not have to buy or direct people to a new domain. Now I just have to find the time to actually write the new copy for the website so Melody, my website designer, can get it up and running.

But for now, I must go grab keys, purse and coffee and head out the door. A good start to what's shaping up to be a productive weekend. 

Ugliest Room Contest

Here's a fun little project I worked on before I left for my trip. The website in the attached link is holding an Ugly Room Contest and they needed someone to write the text for their site.  I won the bid for the project through Guru.com and had a ball pulling it together. You've got to like a career that has you looking up synonyms for "distasteful" and "offensive."

Sick or not, today it's back to work. I have three major articles due by mid-December and since my plan to have the article-fairy show up and write them doesn't seem to be panning out, I guess it's all on me.  If I am very disciplined today and get everything done on my list, I'll be in good shape for the week. 

I'm going to go make hot tea for my sore throat and then hit it.  If I'm very, very good, I might be able to sneak in a power nap before I run this evening.

 A happy and productive Monday to all.

Muse Medallion Action Shots

You asked for it and I deliver.  Feast your eyes on the most-coveted Muse Medallion. Note the lingering awe and admiration in the eyes of my beloved felines.  Yes, that's right...they adore me. - Dena

 

 

"Muse Medallion? Why didn't you bring home tuna?? You sicken me...I refuse to even look at you..." - Lucy

 

 

"I am very afraid because Mommy is on her hands and knees, sticking this shiny thing in my face when all I want to do is nap. What do I do? I'm so confused..." - Olivia

 

 

"Whoo-hoo! Cat Writers Rock!!!!" - Dena  

Muse Medallion

A small brag. I was so focused on sharing my "left my wallet in the cab" story I neglected to mention the outcome of the awards banquet I attended Saturday night.  This is the cat writers association annual banquet and I'd entered my work in three categories - humor column, individual humor piece, gift book.

The way the judging works is that 3 independent judges rate your piece and you must score an average of 90% between the 3 judges to be awarded what's called a "Certificate of Excellence." Then all Certificate of Excellence winners in a category compete for the Muse Medallion, which is the highest award bestowed. It's a matter of points--whoever has the most wins.

I was a Certificate of Excellence winner in all 3 categories, but had hopes of winning a Muse Medallion only in two. My book was up against Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul and I harbored no illusions of the outcome in that area.  And sure enough, I lost that category and the humor column. Then they came to the individual humor piece. Before the winner is announced, the mc reads the judges comments.  For the humor piece, one comment was, "...the perfect humor article. There is nothing that could be done to improve it..."

"Oh shoot, I didn't win," I thought. But wait--yes--that was my name being called.  Even better than winning the category was the cheer I heard as I walked to the stage to collect the medal.  Cat writers are wonderfully supportive people and I received a big burst of applause which meant the world to me.

So now I have a big honkin' cat medal staring me in the face from the corner of my bulletin board where I have oh-so-causally draped it.  On the back is engraved, "Dena Harris - Humor - 2006."

I'm very pleased.