Bloggy Moms

A Mom Blog Social Network

Diane Majeske's Blog – June 2011 Archive (10)

So close ... to being famous on Amazon

For just a few minutes there, I was almost famous. I was so close.

See, I called up my murder mystery, Death on Deadline, on its Amazon page to see if I had any more reviews posted (I have a few pending) and my jaw dropped in amazement.

There, right by MY book, my hard-scrabble indie little baby, was an Amazon seal of approval. YES! It was right there! It was GOLD! And it said "Best of 2011 So Far." Really? Seriously?

I did my traditional… Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 29, 2011 at 11:52am — 1 Comment

I'm not a gardener - I'm a virtual gardener

I love a beautiful garden. I love flowers, trees and butterflies. But I am coming to terms with the fact I might be a virtual gardener.

It pains me to admit it. But I think that when it comes down to it, I only like the idea of gardening. See, even though I've been really, really trying, I'm finding I'm not wild about being out there in the great outdoors. You know, with the bugs and the dirt and the worms and the, well, garden.

I have a picture window right outside…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 25, 2011 at 2:31pm — No Comments

It's writer mom vs. kids this summer

There are two camps in my household these days. One camp is trying to finish a book and is on a self-imposed deadline. The other camp is on summer vacation and has no deadlines whatsoever.

The camps are not particularly compatible.

One camp is trying to create compelling, creative prose. The other camp is tearing apart the basement looking for Spongebob goggles that may or may not actually exist.

The first camp is doing her best to create a humorous book of essays, knowing that…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 23, 2011 at 12:01pm — No Comments

Tae kwon do brings out daughter's potential

Near the beginning of the school year, I enrolled my daughter in tae kwon do. I didn't know that much about it, but I'd heard it was good for kids' self-esteem.

She was starting middle school, and I could see the transition was rough.

I didn't particularly care if she excelled at martial arts. I just wanted her to have fun. But when I learned the translation of tae kwon do was "the art of kicking and punching" I thought twice about the whole idea.

Now, seven months later, she…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 19, 2011 at 10:27pm — No Comments

Lesson learned: School lunches before book reviews

So I've been working recently to get book reviews for a murder mystery I've written titled "Death on Deadline." And as a self-publishing newbie, it's taken me some time to figure out how it's done.

But finally - success! I received a few emails the other day from interested reviewers. Would I mind sending them copies? One requested a .mobi file, the other epub.

Naturally I didn't mind. I was delighted. I ... just wasn't quite sure how to do it. And I wanted to make sure I… Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 16, 2011 at 11:52pm — 1 Comment

Sick of pasta? Time to create that cookbook!

Spaghetti. Pork chops. Chicken. Pizza. Tacos. Salad. And more spaghetti. I'm in a dinnertime rut. So I have a new goal. This weekend, while laundry sits and writing projects languish, I'll be clipping and snipping through years of cooking magazines, creating my own cookbook.

I've had it organized in my head for months: Salads, appetizers, main courses (maybe divvied up if I'm truly inspired) side dishes, family favorites, and then my favorite - desserts. But right now, all I have are…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 14, 2011 at 11:15pm — 1 Comment

Separate schools don't untie sibling bond

I can't believe it's the last week of school. I know I'll sound 100 years old, but I have to say it: "Where did the time go??"

I still remember that first day - my daughter at middle school, my son still at elementary. And I remember my heartache: This was the first year they would be split up. I was afraid it would ruin everything - that they wouldn't be close anymore.

And now the school year's over. So many things have changed. But one thing didn't. My kids are still practically…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 13, 2011 at 12:04am — No Comments

Son's bike riding means workouts for mom

I have a new exercise regimen - bike riding. But it's not what you think. See, I'm not riding the bike - my son is. I'm just running behind it.

Adding to the cardiovascular workout is the fact I have to constantly shout, "Careful!" and "Don't go too fast!!"

My son has mastered his two-wheeler. He had tried for awhile, become frustrated, then tried again. And now he's got it. He figured out how to balance the thing, and now he rides it everywhere. He's not quite a steering…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 8, 2011 at 9:29am — No Comments

With one taste, a new fudge fan is born

A mother and daughter often bond over the simplest things - like an inside joke or a silly song. OR the amazing taste of Mackinac Island fudge.

But first, a quick note: Before leaving for the island for our mom-daughter vacation last week, I decided to buy a little flip videocamera. Now, I'm not particularly techie, and I did have a vision of dropping the camera over the side of the boat, but I tried to put all that out of my head. Instead, I just thought positive, and…

Continue

Added by Diane Majeske on June 4, 2011 at 10:26pm — No Comments

Rescuing Cousin Christine's beach ball

My daughter looked distracted and troubled. She was gathering up her books for school, but I could tell her mind wasn't on the task at hand.

"When we came back from the pool yesterday, you brought the beach ball, right?" she asked suddenly, looking concerned.

"No," I said. "Sorry. I thought you had it. I guess we'll have to get a new one."

Big deal, right? It's just a beach ball. But my daughter's face fell. "But ... that's the ball Christine gave us," she whispered.

Oh dear.…

Diane Majeske's Blog – June 2011 Archive (10)

Latest Blog Posts

Most Popular Blog Posts

Blog Topics by Tags

Monthly Archives