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!

Writing Magazine feature: The art of the interview

JOURNALIST Tamsin Oxford recently interviewed Linda for a piece in the current edition of Writing magazine.

It's an article about interviewing and also features Johanna Payton and Anne Wollenberg.

Here's a snippet:

What three things do you believe are essential to preparing for an interview?

To have researched your subject properly, to be in the right frame of mind to be confident the interviewee knows what to expect.

How do you go about sourcing your interviewees?

I have worked hard to build contacts in my chosen areas so I get in touch with people I know or hope will help me and take it from there. These days, I’m also using social media and online tools available more too, so I’ve found people through Twitter and Facebook as well as through blogging, these are different ways of building new contacts and can work well, but I still prefer to then actually speak to the people so I know they are who they say they are. It's important to value contacts once they are made and build relationships with them for the future.

You can find the rest in the current edition of Writing Magazine.

Marvellous mum gets hotel's Mother's Day treat

MUM Diane Holmes is one in a million - and thanks to son Chris is all set for a Mother's Day to remember.

The Walsall sixth former has won Diane a treat by nominating her for a pamper day and family meal from The Village Hotel.

He said she deserved the special thank you for her support in him getting a place at Oxford University.

Single mum Diane will dine in style this Sunday, 14 March, enjoying a five-course meal for four at Walsall’s Village Hotel and get a make-over and hair styling session from a hotel beautician.

Queen Mary’s Grammar School pupil Chris, 17, put forward his mum, a teaching assistant at Walsall’s Joseph Leckie Community Technology College, for the Mother’s Day prize to say thanks for all her encouragement and support over the years.

The teenager, who is studying five A levels, has been offered a place at Mansfield College, Oxford, to study geography next year, if he is successful in his exams. He has already got 12 GCSEs, 10 at grade A star and two at grade A.

“She’s just a fantastic mum and really deserves a great treat,” said Chris.

“I thought this would be a fantastic way to say thank you to mum for all the support she’s given to me as I’ll be leaving her soon to go off to university.

Times Aphamummy - liveblogging travel tips

HERE'S Linda's live blog from earlier today discussing tips and advice for travellers with young children with an 'expert' panel.

It was a great experience and writer Alice Griffin was an inspiration.

A Passionate contribution to new book out now: Tales of a Travelling Mum

A FANTASTIC new book shows that motherhood doesn't have to mean giving up on a sense of adventure.

Tales from a Travelling Mum: Navigating Europe with a Babe-in-Arms is Alice's story of venturing across Europe with her baby daughter.

Passionate Media director Linda Jones is one of writers who has contributed to travel writer Alice Griffin's new book.

Her contribution is about how much we love family holidays and breaks in the UK, what fun there is to be had and an explanation of why we wanted to set up our family travel site Have a Lovely Time.

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.

The Great Panto Review 2009 - Please support NACCPO and bloggers!

Photo by Sallycat101 on Flickr

HAVING been invited to sample what's on offer from the likes of Disney, Butlins and the Frankfurt Motor Show, we knew that marketeers are plugging into the  'word of mouth' buzz created by bloggers.

We wanted to harness that power to do something positive and today posted about a 'collaborative blogging project' which can hopefully have parent bloggers laughing their socks off, while also making a difference to children's charity, NACCPO.

Please read this to understand more.

If you'd like to support NACCPO, whether or not you'll be visiting a panto this year, please visit our Justgiving page. I have set a target for the time being which I hope is realistic. This may change, depending how we go.

Thank you!

How we've used Twitter for business - Birmingham Post feature

THINK social media is a waste of time?

Think again.

A number of West Midlands companies are featured in the Birmingham Post today, discussing how they have mastered Twitter as a brilliant business tool - and we're one of them.

Linda wrote more about how we've been able to use social media to diversify and survive here.

Given the choice wouldn't you rather find out how you can use such developments to boost your bottom line as opposed to sitting around moaning about it?

Do let us know if you'd like to find out more, we can work with your team on how you can maximise the use of social media for your business.

Don't forget you can follow Linda on Twitter here and Carol here.

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.