Moving Day

Over two years ago I moved into this cozy Velvet Room. Over the years I tweaked things here and there and made it my own. Along the way I have been blessed to have come into contact with a fantastic group of fellow bloggers and writers and friends. Thank you all for stopping by the Velvet Room whether you were a regular or occasional visitor, I have appreciated you greatly.

Sometimes, when one looks ahead to future plans and goals, they come to the realization that their abode is not quite going to do what they need it to for them. And today, dear friends, that is the case with me.

Over the past while I have been packing and moving to a new home. Well, it's not technically new because what I am doing is combining My Own Velvet Room, Arms of Adoption and my writer website into one brand new home.

I hope you stop by my new home at A Slice of Lifewriting. C'mon over and leave a comment to let me know you've arrived! And don't forget to become a follower; I don't want to lose anyone in the move!

With warm hugs and thanks,

Back Away from the Blogger Dashboard

I've been tweaking again. It's like eating potato chips (which I have stopped doing as I try to lower my cholesterol and lose weight), but I can't stop at just one change. If I make one tiny change, I see other things that "need" to be adjusted and I can happily while away an hour changing the format of my blog.

STOP!!

It's good enough, I tell myself, it's the content that really counts.

Okay I am finished making changes. For now.

As I was mucking about I noticed that I have published 365 posts - that is something of a blog birthday, isn't it? So, help me celebrate!

See that little "Follower" widget to the right? I've been watching the number of visitors climb steadily but ever-so-slowly recently. Have a reached a plateau? Oh how I want to make it to triple digits. I can't tweak the number of followers, so I need your help! If you're a regular (or even semi, or even occasional!) visitor and you are not already a follower, won't you consider becoming one. There will be special recognition for whoever is the 100th one to join!

Happy Saturday. I am now leaving the Blogger dashboard.

Website Makeover

I created a website for myself earlier this year using tools available on the hosting service. They were basic and very limited and I have never really been happy with the look but, not knowing how to build my own, I accepted the limitations.

Since then I have educated myself a bit and taken inspiration from what others have done. This weekend Gerry was busy much of the time and I found myself with the time I needed to start a on website makeover!

I'm just a baby in website development but I've set a goal for myself to be come web-savvy. In a previous life I was an IT Consultant (or Computer Programmer) so I should be able to do this. I've decided to use my website as my canvas with which to unleash my website creativity and skils.

If you've a mind, pop over to lindahoye.com and tell me what you think! I hope you'll visit periodically as I hope to update it monthly to show what I'm learning!

P.S.  Don't tell my husband about this new project. He already thinks I tend to overextend myself.  Mum's the word, now!

Blog Award, Company's Coming, and Kindle Subscriptions

It's a happy day in the Velvet Room today! There are lots of fun and exciting things happening around here!

First of all, thank you to Kathy at To Write is to Write is to Write for giving me the Silver Lining Award. Click over to her blog and read an entertaining tale of how this came to be. It brought a smile to my face!

It's summer time, and I mentioned earlier that I am loving the heat-wave that we're enjoying. Another thing I like about summer is company. I'm pleased to let you know that in the coming weeks we're having company here at My Own Velvet Room! That's all I'm going to say for now, so stay tuned for some surprises this summer!

Here is a piece of news I am excited about. It's now possible to subscribe to My Own Velvet Room and Arms of Adoption on your Kindle!  Really, isn't it an amazing world we live in.

And the winner is.....

Thank you to everyone who graciously participated in my informal survey to find out a bit more about who is reading my blog and why.  This information will be helpful as we prepare for the upcoming Stories From The Heart conference. 

A highly scientific method was used to select a name from those who commented (writing your names on pieces of paper, tossing them on the floor, closing my eyes and picking one) and Jeanette, from Audience of One was selected to receive the incentive award!

Jeanette, please select a book from the recent reviews posted at the Story Circle Book Review site with my thanks for participating.  Send me an email with your selection, and I'll get it off to you.

February in Texas

I booked my travel today.  In February I'm going to the SCN Stories from the Heart conference in Austin, Texas.  When it's dark and raining here in the Pacific Northwest, I'll be in in a warmer climate learning more about memoir with some incredible women.  I'm looking forward to it.

I wanted to introduce to a few women who will be participating on a panel with me called "Finding Our Voices Online".  Each of these women have been recipients of the SCN Star Blogger award, and if you haven't yet checked out their blogs, you better click right over and pay them a visit!

Nita Lou Bryant has two blogs, Cafe Nita Lou and Electric Nita Lou where she is sharing her adventures on an electric bicycle!

Rhonda Esakov writes at Rhonda's A "Musing'-ing Rambles.  She is shares some beautiful photographs of her gardens, is sometimes serious, sometimes thought-proviking, and if'you are looking for tax-tips for writers, it's the place to go.

You will find Kara Flathouse at Eskimo Kisses and Air Hugs.  Kara blog is choc-full of nuggets about her her faith, writing, family, home, garden, crafts, and her life in general.

Seasonality: The Common Sense Guide to Living the Good Life is where Becky Lane (also known as Hill Country Hippie) writes about living her own good life in the Texas Hill Country, including her very creative To Do lists.

The International Mom, Judy Miller is a mother of four beautiful children, a writer, and adoptive parent mentor.  Judy blog is a wonderful resource to anyone involved in adoption in any facet.

Becca Taylor, at Becca's Cyber Home also shares some beautiful photographs from her travel adventures and, in her words, "celebrates both the magical and the mundane".

What are your plans for early February?  If you have any interest at all in memoir then why don't you join me at Stories from the Heart V!

Elevator Woes

Writers sometimes refer to it as the "elevator synopsis". It is a concise summary of their book that they have prepared in advance. The reference to an elevator means that the description has to be short enough so that it could be used if the author was asked about his piece while in an elevator with someone (like an agent or publisher!).

I've been thinking about my own elevator synopsis for the memoir I am working on. I am finding that it's a good exercise to help me focus on why I'm writing, who I'm writing for, and what to include in the work.

I've also been thinking about an elevator synopsis for My Own Velvet Room. That seems to be a bit harder to come up with. Like many of us, my reason for blogging has changed and morphed into different facets during the time I've been here. To narrow all of that down to a concise sentence or two seems daunting.

My Own Velvet Room is where I share a bit about family, my experience as an adoptee, my ancestors, books I enjoy, my writing experiences. It's sometimes introspective, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, also contains the occasional rant. There isn't a single theme or focus, in fact it's quite eclectic in content.

To explain all that my blog is during an elevator ride, I would have to resort to pushing the buttons for all of the floors so that it would stop at each floor, thus prolonging the ride to the desired floor. Likely not the way to win friends.

I'll keep thinking about it, and I welcome any and all suggestions!