Going further afield?

Smashwords and Kinlib.

can anyone of the Kindle readers reccomend free book sites to download other than QIereader and Amazon i know there are plenty out there but would prefer reccomended sites.....Lillian

I saw it in the 70s on TV. After the watershed if there was one in those days.

Elegran

Elegran don't know about being a "slip" of girl, perhaps more of a slide or a headlong tumble!

I'm currently 54, and will no doubt hurtle towards 55 with all the grace, elegance and charm of a dyspraxic rhino on a skateboard.

It could have been, Ana I saw it either late 50s or early 60s. After that I was not at the cinema so often - children to look after and no money to go out much anyway.

Phoenix You must be just a young slip of a girl still. I was too old even to scream at the Beatles when they were in their heyday. (was too busy screaming at said children anyway)

Wasn't that the one with Catherine Deneuve? I think it was more 60s than 50's (just googled it, 1966/7). I remember seeing it much later.

I have heard of it, Elegran but was a tad young when it was current.

Good luck Phoenix, or should we call you Belle du nuit?

BTW does anyone remember an "arty" (ie too racy for most cinemas) film from the late 1950s to early 60s called Belle de (or du) Jour? That was supposedly an account of the true double life of a respectable little housewife who went out as a glamorous prostitute or callgirl as soon as hubby had left the house. Belle de (or du) Jour was her working name. When the current incumbent started to gain fame I did wonder whether she was a bit old to pull succeed.

Just phoned the Western Morning News, they are actually moving away from having columnists who do the sort of "observational" stuff, but said that they will still consider articles if there is some sort of topical link.

phoenix Congrats and best wishes with your 'Oldie' submission.
Years ago I was advised to write to the 'Letters 'pages of magazines -anything and everything-even the more downmarket ones.e.g.'Take a Break' .Apart from the fact that there is often a prize for 'Best letter' it's good practice and discipline.
I didn't pursue... but my neighbour made pin money writing for 'Romeo' a teen romance mag of the time!!

Thanks!

By the way, just had an email from The Oldie confirming that they received mine!

Getting people to 'share' on FB etc is a start for getting it well known. We'll do that!!

Phoenix - can you find a title for your blog that hints at 'racy' content, because that may be what attracts people when they are googling!

phoenix cari gnhq has a very good blog, I am sure she would answer any of your queries on blogs.
have a look

I often feel very awkward with regard to my lack of techno savvyness (new word!) and wonder that if sometimes people do have doubts as to whether I did actually hold the job that I had and really did do PowerPoint presentations at a high level to blue chip companies, but I can assure you that I did!

I suppose that I really need to look into all aspects of this, I fully understand the importance of SEO, but currently wouldn't know where to start with a blog, let alone optimising it. (I know that you have kindly posted info and links to sites where I can get more, I will look into it, but am still having days where I will happily wade into new areas, and other days where I feel I deserve three cheers and a round of applause for just getting out of bed)

I think that one case that comes to mind where a blog really took off, is "Belle de Jour" (not that I'm thinking of selling my body, I think I might just stand more of a chance of getting the odd bit of cash by selling it for medical research, rather than sexual favours). How did hers come to be read by so many people? See, these are the things that I am dancing in the dark with.

Anyway, thanks again for all your support and patience.

Some bloggers use their blogs to show off their latest craftwork, so that they get orders for things, or to direct you to a website by a link and sell it to you there. One might be about pets and have ads for petfood or collars and leads and so on, getting commission for anything bought. Others sign up for those automatic ads from Google, which give them a small sum whenever anyone clicks on them or buys anything. Google searches the blog for keywords and shows ads to suit. Sometimes it is quite funny when Google gets it slightly wrong and shows ads for something that quite misunderstands the keyword.

Most are just for fun and sociability though, you are right.

Oh! Thanks, Elegran, I didn't know that - not at all well up on blogging!

It is the ads that make money, Ana or selling stuff.

The net is full of articles with advice on blogging, Phoenix and books about it. I bought one for the Kindle by Lambert Klein, titled "Wordpress domination, beginner to Ninja in seven days" which was only about £3 and is very detailed. As was spoken about on another thread, you don't even have to buy a Kindle - you can download a Kindle application for PC from amazon.

I suppose the advantages are being in control of the whole thing. You can optimise your blog for the search engines, and publicise it on Facebook and so on. Making money is a separate issue - Lambert Klein describes ways to "monetize" the site.

Disadvantages are being in control of the whole thing and having to learn new skills, but you were a skilled sales woman before you got the push, so you would start with an advantage.

There do seem to be an awful lot of blogs around, I always thought they were just for online reading and entertainment purposes, but I suppose if they proved popular enough they could be a pathway to getting something published?

Erm, possibly a stupid question, but what would be the advantages to creating a blog, as opposed to sending articles to some publications?

While I'm at it, another, possibly stupid, question, how does one get a blog read, is it just tell a few friends and hope that word of mouth does the rest, or have I got confuddled? (techno numpty disclaimer applies)

I have just been making my list for other publications to contact tomorrow, but have decided against "The Lady" (sorry soop !) as is it "For elegant women with elegant minds" according to the website.

I bet their readers have never slipped down the stairs in cat vomit or compromised a postman.

Thanks! Just noticed that in my excitement I got my brackets confused with my asterisks!

Fingers crossed phoenix [good luck emo]