Category Archives: blogging

Take a Fulfilling Trip

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“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” ~ Bill Hicks

Last month I had the pleasure of interviewing author, screenwriter, performing artist, journalist and songwriter Mara Purl about her book “What the Heart Knows.”  Her hardcover is slated for release on September 27, 2011, about a week from now. 

For each blogger who was a part of Mara’s month-long virtual book tour, she reciprocated by blogging back about each blogger’s site and it’s focus. As a blog writer, I know the intense work that that takes! “Bringing my customers to the world. Bringing the world to my customers” is the blog site theme that Mara Purl has associated with our company blog site, All Things Fulfilling. She hit the mark – that is the aim of our company, Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC! To read the entire text, please visit http://bit.ly/okpGOL. 

I would be presumptuous if I thought that Mara’s quote applies only to a company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. From my perspective, the goal of every author and blog writer in the literary world is to bring your customers (your readers) to the cosmos that you, the writer, created. By effectively communicating a valuable or entertaining message through the medium of a book, film or music, you might bring your customer to a universe of women’s fiction or into a puzzling story of mystery; to the work of a non-profit through an independently published film; or perhaps to the lyrics of powerful and emotive music.

Secondarily, the objective when publishing a book or producing a film or music is to reach customers all over the world. That is now entirely possible and probable all through the power of  internet  selling and e-marketing! 

After years of evolution and revolution, the independent publishing universe is now a force to be reckoned with. Take a quick trip to the new world of publishing through this link http://bit.ly/oIkV2g. You will begin to understand what an historical time it is in the publishing world. The world of books no longer revolves around five or six giant publishing houses. It is an exciting and dynamic era in media.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

My Junket Ahead

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“The only journey is the journey within” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke 

There has been little distinction between my personal life and my life of work since beginning my journey into the independent publishing industry more than 10 years ago.  A melding between head and heart has come as a result of doing what I love. For that I am filled with gratefulness! 

Consulting with others on matters of selling and marketing independent publications through the internet has led me to people I would otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet. Their publications have touched the full spectrum of my emotions. The stories have been inspiring, enlightening and sorrowful. They’ve tickled my funny bone and some have been very intellectually challenging and stimulating, too. With each, I have understood the author’s conviction to express their stories. Everyone has a story to tell. 

The time I have spent working in the independent publishing industry has enriched the synchronicity and flow of life between my career and my heart’s interests. The work I have accomplished has been more than worthy of my time and has been very personally fulfilling. 

Over the past year and one-half, the only place that I have traveled to is through other people’s stories and through my own pilgrimage of ideas for writing my own narrative.

In a few weeks, I will be taking the opportunity to fulfill my love for spending time with family. Our time together these days is infrequent and becoming ever more precious. I will also enjoy a change of scenery. Perhaps it will be time to begin a sojourn into telling my story……..We’ll see!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Changing Course and Changing Lives

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“Go for the sense of inner joy and peace then, all outside things appear.”  

Over the past few weeks, I have visited several blog sites focused on Baby Boomers. The sites have held special interest for me because they were created for many of the same reasons that All Things Fulfilling was born – to participate in the birthing of new tactics in marketing and also to satisfy my desire to take a creative leap in life. 

Many baby boomer men and women have decided the time is now to pursue an interest that has been on the back burner for many years. Just last week, I made a visit to the new business of Karen D. Gilroy of Hayden,Colorado. After fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother, she went back to school and is now fully prepared to counsel others on the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit. She is helping her clients discover the joys that come with living balanced lives. Nutrition and holistic healing have been life-long interests for Karen. 

Tools for positive change, beyond mind, body and spirit counseling and therapy are available in Karen’s newly released book, published by Balboa Press. Through her book, Discovering the Healer Within, Karen shares what she has learned from mentors including Dr. Joseph Murphy, Catherine Ponder, Rhonda Byrne, John Holland, Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, Louise Hay and many others. 

The importance of exercise, the role the subconscious mind plays in “bringing about what we think about,” detoxifying the body to improve physical health, proper food combining, and the self-healing properties of the human body is all addressed in this book. Discovering the Healer Within is offered to provide insightful facts and topics to aid the reader in beginning  their journey of improved health and spirit. 

Discover the Healer Within is available in print or in e-book format. To order this book, please visit http://bit.ly/ok0ehs. To learn more about Karen D. Gilroy’s services as a mind-body-spirit counselor and therapist, please visit http://bit.ly/paoPUe.

Are you a baby boomer who is ready to pursue a new direction in life? Join the National Association of Baby Boomer Women http://bit.ly/jhkg7I . To read more inspiring stories of women who have started down new creative paths in their lives or are rebuilding their lives after the age of 50 – Google the words Baby Boomer Blogs.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Little Things Mean Alot

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My husband has been glued to the news channel, following the ups and downs of the stock market, as well  being engaged in squabbles in politics. The other day, I said to him, “I refuse to get drawn into listening to too much of this. Yes, I have my opinions, but, at the end of the day, I really have zero control in what Washington and the Stock Market does. I am going to disconnect and pay attention to what  I have going in my own life that I am grateful for.” 

This week and next is what matters to me most, right now. They are full of little things that will mean a lot. On Tuesday, I ushered for a Youth and Family concert that tickled my funny bone and warmed my heart. Bill Harley, longtime commentator for NPR’s All Things Considered http://n.pr/qSraRp helped me to recollect my own days of going to school and as well as hilarious moments of parenting a child. Many of his “slice-of-life vignettes” made me realize that many things that I worried about as a child,  really didn’t quite matter at all.

Last night was a special treat, too. Volunteering my time once again brought me perks of getting to see a show that I would not have wanted to miss. Strings Music Festival http://bit.ly/qYxQ5R Director and Conductor Andres Cardenes led a night to remember of a picture perfect program, focused on famous movie musical scores which incorporated classical music. Tunes from Fantasia, Amadeus, Psycho, Platoon, a 2011: A Space Odyssey, Titanic and the God Father brought great pleasure to my evening. 

Next week on All Things Fulfilling will be my interview of an author and actress. The back story will appear on Wednesday, August 17. On Thursday, the interview will appear on this site as well as on the author and actress’ virtual book tour. 

Join us next week as Mara and I discuss how our lives came together and what we find to be mutually important in this big wide world called Life.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

Asking for What we Want

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Blogging  is a fickle thing! It is a form of communication that is indirect. Because we are often trying to get a message across in a round about way, careful care and consideration needs to be taken in what we have to say. 

Sometimes, I even manage to amuse myself in my blog writing and then, I still have to put great thought into whether to publish my post or not. “Will I be the only one to get the gist?” I think. 

It happened just yesterday.  I wrote a blog that had subtle innuendos that had no malicious intent what-so-ever in my own interpretation, yet I was concerned that the meaning might be misconstrued. For someone who knew the person I was trying to reach, the obscure message may have elicited a chuckle or two. In the end, I edited the blog out of concern for being misunderstood. 

We’ve all read blogs that perhaps should have been shot down by the blogging police. If I ever have any thoughts of whether my meanings may be taken in the wrong, I usually err on the side of silence, and decide not to post. But, sometimes, I may slip out of naivety. 

For me, troubling moments come when I say something that I later regret. It happens to all of us. When that occurs, I think of those wise, fulfilling words that I have heard so many times before -“God doesn’t give you the people you want in your life, you’re given the ones you need so you can become the person you want to be.”  

Putting words out in cyberspace every day means I must listen to myself and my intuition and pray that if I fail, someone will kindly help me to understand where I have gone astray.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

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Laying Groundwork

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“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase” ~ Martin Luther King

  • Does faith rank high in your life?
  • Do you like communicating with other Christians about their principles and values?
  • Do you have an interest in telling your own personal story of faith to others?
  • Have you considered independent publishing a book, film or music relating how faith makes your life richer and fuller?
  • Interested in Christian publishing but the time is not quite right? 

You are not alone! There is a way that you can share your Christian experience, your truth, your values and your independent perspective on Christianity in “short snippets” through a community of global Christian bloggers. 

www.Christianblog.com is a respectful and well-monitored Christian blog site that is devoted to people, like you, who have the desire to share stories, inspire and even educate others about living life through faith. The blog site, denominationally friendly, is fulfilling the need around the world for believers to have open discussion with other believers. 

For some writers, blogs become “testing grounds” and in some instances “a proving ground” for writing books. The film “Julie and Julia” is probably the most recognizable blog to book success. However, there are many other writers who have used their blogs as groundwork for writing a full-fledged book. 

All aspiring writers have to start somewhere, so begin telling your tale through www.christianblog.com. Anything is possible if you believe. Your blog may someday become a book! 

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Brewing Up Customers Digitally

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“Life is Change. Growth is optional. Choose Wisely.” ~ Unknown 

Today, we will take look at the demographics of the American population as it relates to embracing this new era of e-promotion, e-marketing and e-advertising in the 21st Century, specifically through blogging. Did you know? 

  • Bloggers are split close to 50/50 male and female
  • Only 7% of business-owners aged 51 and older are utilizing blogging
  • California, New York, Colorado and Texas are bullish on blogging
  • 53%  of all bloggers are in the 21-35 age group 

To read the full study on blogging, please visit http://bit.ly/9B83iO. 

More books are sold on the internet than any other product. http://bbc.in/p9aHJU. As independent publishing has grown in popularity, on-line selling and marketing has become the preferred method. E-commerce is fulfilling the needs of independent publishers who wish to sell outside of brick and mortar stores. 

Blogging helps to reach potential book buyers. It is one of the best ways to drive traffic to your site and become more visible on the internet. In fact, studies reveal that businesses that have corporate blogs have an increase in traffic of 55% on their websites. It’s true! http://bit.ly/omr5IK. You can brew up new customers instantly! 

 If you are an independent publisher who is not sure whether you are using blogging effectively or not, help is available. Consult with a company that specializes in e-marketing for independent publishers.  

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Clearly, Worth it!

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“I’m touched  by the idea that when we do things that are useful and helpful…that we may be helping to bring about a healing.” ~Leonard Nemoy

Discovery is a wonderful thing! Yesterday I experienced THE best way to get relief from mental clog (aka writer’s cramp) induced by writing blog after blog after blog. I decided to take advantage of a complimentary hot oil scalp massage treatment that I had won in a raffle at a WIN Steamboat http://bit.ly/jSsNQF (Women in Networking) event. After all, I had hit my goal of reaching 10,000 readers through All Things Fulfilling. It was time to celebrate!

I arrived at the doors of Kneading Hands Massage not knowing quite what to anticipate, but I felt I would be in good hands. Ali, the therapist, was voted as one of the top three massage therapists in the “Best of the Boat.” www.kneadinghandstherapy.gmail.com.

Within a very few minutes I knew that the hot oil scalp massage would be beneficial for treating my dry scalp and hair and it would be a panacea for other things too. As Ali began to work her magic on my neck, I could feel the tension begin to melt away – crack, went my neck! As she began to apply the hot oil and massage it deep into my scalp, I could feel the warm liquid begin to ooze and penetrate. The gentle stroke of her hands and the balm (the essential oils) began to facilitate an awakening of energy in my head. The oils began to reach into the deeper recesses of my being and I could sense my brain matter becoming more pliable. The tension began to ease and the mental block began to give way to clarity.

Once out of my position of repose, I had a very lucid thought. I had reached a lofty blogging goal I had set for myself and now it is time to put into place a new set of goals. Clearly, I had proven to myself that “what you think about, you bring about.”  All my efforts at blogging have indeed been worthwhile. For tips on blogging success, please visit http://bit.ly/gDGQN8.

Before I conclude this blog writing, I owe a thank you to Ali at Kneading Hands Massage. She is clearly a master in her trade of the healing arts and has been well schooled in this field. If my writer’s block returns once again, I know exactly where to seek help.

As to what my next goal in life is – that is for me to know and for you to find out! And you will. Discovery is a wonderful thing!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Ergo! Readers Reign Supreme!

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“Consider the postage stamp:  its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.”  ~Josh Billings

When I began this blog site, All Things Fulfilling, I had arbitrarily set a goal of reaching 10,000 readers. Guess what? Yesterday I hit the mark! What a fulfilling day this is!

 I knew before starting this blogsite  there were folks searching for  specialists in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. I was also well aware that writers, artists, filmmakers, musicians, educators, professionals and other “creative types” were becoming ever more interested in the industry called “independent publishing or non-traditional publishing.” But, I really was not sure how this blog site would be received. The result has been very gratifying!

I owe a huge Thank You to every reader of All Things Fulfilling. Each of one of you make blogging worthwhile. Whether you live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado or reside somewhere else around the globe, we are essentially one big community of people who believe in the power of independent thoughts, words and views. 

 I’ve enjoyed the journey of reaching 10,000 readers. I appreciate the comments and  discussions I have had with a community of people who share the same interests as I do. There will be more exciting news from All Things Fulfilling in the coming months so stay tuned!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Change of Scenery

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“Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do.” ~ Max Dupree 

Last night, I was busy getting ready to head out by 6 am today for the Colorado Independent Publishing Association “College.” www.cipabooks.com. I was focused on getting the vendor exhibit materials ready for what promises to be a very educational and fulfilling event. Limited by time, I made an executive decision that today, the blog will be brief.

I may be napping on the blogosphere today, but I will be prowling around talking about my passion at the CIPA publishing conference instead. I hope to see many of you independent publishers at the event. Join in on our roundtable discussion between 12:00 am – 12:30pm today. The topic will be The Basics of Selling and Marketing Books on the World-Wide Web and why e-marketing is essential to e-commerce. I look forward to networking and meeting you!

 As usual, I will also be on the hunt for valuable information to bring back to our loyal readers of All Things Fulfilling. I’ll see what I can find. Perhaps I will return with information about new book releases, independent publishing success stories, and new vendor services available to you as an independent publisher. 

Check back on Monday! Have a fulfilling weekend. I know I will. I look forward to a change in scenery!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.