Passionate Blog

Got Your Hands Full shortlisted for Author Blog Award

By Carol Garrington

Thank you very much to everyone who heeded our plea to vote for Linda's Got Your Hands Full site in the Author Blog Awards.

Out of more than 500 blogs nominated, Linda has been shortlisted so of course we are delighted.

And I'm afraid we need your help again.

There are some "big name" authors also on the list, and we'd love to be in with a fighting chance. We don't know how realistic this is!

But please do vote for www.gotyourhandsfull.com by following the instructions at the following link:

You can vote three times and have to click 'finish' at the end else your vote won't be counted, it only takes a moment (honest!):

http://www.completelynovel.com/competitions/author-blog-awards-2010

 

Also, please show your support if you would like to for You've Got Your Hands Full in a new awards scheme recognising the best of the UK parent blogosphere.

Got Your Hands Full has been nominated for Blog of the Year, Funniest Blog and for Inspirational Blogger. . Have a Lovely Time has been nominated in the Family Fun blog category as well as Best New Blog and Most Innovative Blog.

If you have the time in time for the deadline, we would very much welcome your help in supporting these sites and all the hard work that has gone into them.

Click on the MADs 2010 image above to go to the nominations page or click on the following link:

www.the-mads.com

Thank you very much for all your help so far!

Awards update: More blog nominations: Would love your support

 

AN awards scheme recognising the best of the UK parent blogosphere has been launched and our sites have been nominated.

Got Your Hands Full has been nominated for Blog of the Year, Funniest Blog and for Inspirational Blogger. I'd love any support you wanted to send my way. Have a Lovely Time has been nominated in the family fun blog category as well as Best New Blog.

Linda's blog nominated in awards scheme for authors

By Carol Garrington

PASSIONATE Media director Linda Jones has been nominated in the Author Blog Awards for her site at Got Your Hands Full.

Linda has worked hard to help parents of twins, triplets and more through this blog as well as offering advice for aspiring journalists and authors in her Write Away column.

So it would be great to see her efforts rewarded with a place on the shortlist in the Author Blog Awards.

The nominations process is open until 2 April. The author blogs with the most nominations will be put onto a shortlist and everyone who nominates that author will be eligible to win a prize. You have to go to the awards site, register and nominate. People can then vote on the shortlisted blogs. The blog with the most votes wins.

Thank you very much to anyone who can help by nominating Linda and Got Your Hands Full. Voting takes a couple of minutes. There's bound to be lots of interest in the awards from some 'big name' authors so it would be lovely to see Linda get some recognition by reaching the shortlist. 

Charitarian: A philanthropy magazine made in China

Photos by Janek Zdarski.

WE are working with an Anglo-Chinese team on Charitarian magazine. So far, we've started work on a blog for this innovative publication that reports on aid for China's most vulnerable groups, as well as including exclusive updates on other aspects of Chinese society.

Janek's photos show migrant children at work and play and are featured in the next issue of the magazine, which is currently being put together.

We can't wait to see the next edition and more of Janek's beautiful images.

An introduction to freelance journalism workshops, London and Midlands

SINCE running workshops for writers in how to diversify and survive and receiving such brilliant feedback from those attending, we've also been asked to consider running training sessions for aspiring freelancers.

In response to these queries, we've booked four training dates for 2010.

These are:

Saturday March 13, 9.30am-4.30pm

Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ 

Saturday March 27, 9.30am-4.30pm

Passionate Media, 2 New Street, Cannock, Staffs WS11 0DD

The itinerary will include practical exercises to highlight the skills, aptitude and realism needed to have any chance of making it in this most highly competitive of fields.

Two new blogs from Passionate Media

THIS week we have been working on two new blogs and have been bowled over by the very positive feedback.

The first is for new online women's writing community, Judith's Room and we have been busy researching, writing and uploading content to inspire and inform aspiring and established writers.

Judith's Blog includes author interviews, hints, tips and advice as well as competitions and giveaways. It's part of a new community aiming to empower women writers set up by Staffordshire writer Josie.

We're very excited about the potential it has to help writers find new confidence and aim to fulfil their literary dreams. Please do come and see us if you're an aspiring Maeve Binchy or Marian Keyes.

The second is called Breaking the Silence and has grown out of a project we are working on with Lyn Jenkins, a regional co-ordinator with the mental health charity, Mind

It includes real life experiences, video and audio from people who have encountered difficulties through mental health issues and hopes to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Bloggers unite in festive theatre campaign to boost children's cancer charity

Photo by Ell Brown on Flickr

UK parent bloggers are joining forces to laugh their socks off while raising cash for a children’s cancer charity.

Bloggers are signing up for The Great Panto Review 2009 which will benefit NACCPO – The National Alliance of Childhood Cancer Parents’ Organisations.

Leading theatres in England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to give bloggers access so their reviews can spread ‘word of mouth’ throughout the blogospshere.

Cardiff’s New Theatre where John Barrowman is appearing as Robin Hood and the Birmingham Hippodrome where Ray Quinn and Joe Pasquale will star in Sleeping Beauty were among the first to pledge to welcome the bloggers and back the charity effort.

Inspirational speaker to boost credit crunch beating business conference

INSPIRATIONAL charity boss Sheila Brown will share her top tips for success with an audience of entrepreneurs at a Cannock business exhibition to help firms overcome the credit crunch.

Mrs Brown OBE, chief executive at Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, will be one of the key speakers at the Wings business network exhibition, being held at Chase Park (Cannock Cricket and Hockey Club), Church Lane, Hatherton, on Friday October 16 from 9am to 4pm.

And support of a different kind is hoped for at the event, as another charity is asking businesswomen attending to donate unwanted bras.

Neil's 'Someone once told me': 'You are allowed to relax you know'

YOU'LL always find him in the kitchen at parties...

This is our new media director, Neil Aitchison, during our recent Someone once told me session.

And what an important message it is too!

Check out Carol's SOTM video here - dubbed one of creator Mario's favourites ever.

And then there was Linda, doing her best again to raise awareness about mental illness. She's not keen on the picture but the audio is powerful.

Various Passionate Media clients and contacts were also captured in pictures, video or sound. Watch this space for a fuller gallery as more are posted on the site.

Find out more about Passionate Media's podcast service

ARE you interested in podcasting but not sure about the benefits, how it would work for you and your company or what you could use a podcast for?

New media director at Passionate Media, Neil Aitchison, right, answers these questions and more in his latest podcast, just press play below.

You can also listen to Neil being interviewed by colleague Helen Moffat about the service.

You can listen to a selection of some Passionate Media podcasts here.

And please just get in touch if you have any questions. We'd be delighted to help.