Forward vs Backward by Brenda Whiteside

Forward with a granddaughter

As a writer, I look backward and forward constantly in regards to my career. But there is an even bigger joy that's giving me whiplash when it comes to forward vs backward.

As some of you know, last year I became a grandmother for the first time. What a trip! Okay, that phrase is a looking back turn of words and clearly marks me as a sixties girl.

My son, many years ago

I can't help comparing some of the things she does to my son's antics as a little one. Looking backward comes without warning. She took her first step and my mind wandered back to his short, chunky legs propelling him forward. Her sweet brow furrows in a scowl and oh my gosh, is that my son! Her bottom lip comes out in a cry and I see him in his blue onesie, puckered up and pouting.

On the other hand, she's our future. Everyday brings something new for us with Sadi Belle in the house. How
could we not look forward to her crawling when she rolled over for the first time? How could we not look forward to her walking when she mastered crawling. Now, how can I not look forward to seeing her dance for the first time? And all those other firsts? My future is feeling pretty bright with a grandchild to keep us on our toes.

http://tinyurl.com/mb5cwly

Career wise, backward, Amanda in the Summer released last year and readers are giving it great reviews.

This year, forward, the first book in my Love and Murder series will release.

Coming in 2014

No date set yet. Pretty exciting stuff!

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about prairie life and writing at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Oh Jeez - Am I Being Pushy? by Brenda Whiteside

We're talking about fears this month. I'm not afraid of ghosts, and I do believe in them. I don't like spiders and snakes, but I wouldn't classify my squeamishness as actual fear. I've already covered my claustrophobia. But I do have a real fear of being pushy. There are family members who might laugh their heads off because when it comes to family and getting my way around the house, well, I might be a bit pushy.

The kind of pushy I fear is what is sometimes needed to sell your product or yourself. People don't like pushy and I want to be liked. Years ago, I sold cosmetics in combination with doing colors. Getting your colors done was a fad and I was a trained colorist. Using eye color and patterns combined with hair and skin tones, I could tell you whether you were a summer, winter, autumn or spring. Your season designation told you what colors your wardrobe should be. I would then give my customer a makeover with the proper makeup colors. The whole service was free, but I hoped to sell them skincare and makeup. I operated out of a salon for a while and the owner told me I had a marvelous soft sell approach. Ha. I had a soft sell approach because I didn't like to sell - to ask or close the deal. I had the same problem when I operated a craft business with my sister. I was dynamite at creating the home decor but had a terrible time getting it sold. It just feels pushy to close the deal.

Now, I'm a published author and guess what? I have to sell myself, have to encourage readers to buy my books. See, I say encourage because asking just seems pushy. And I want you to like me. Today is the third day of five free days for my newest release. It's taken all my effort to figure out how to spread the word and remain non-pushy. I went hot and heavy the first day with posting and emailing. I suppose I should continue, but when does it cross the line into pushy? It's been the most difficult part of being a published author - selling myself.

Amanda in the Summer is free still today and the link is below. Just a brief mention. Not exactly soft sell but hopefully not pushy. Is it?

http://tinyurl.com/mb5cwly