Jonathan Eig - New Book - Get Capone

Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster

I've posted a video made by the best-selling author Jonathan Eig on The Idea Girl Says about his new book - Get Capone.

You should watch it.

Quite interesting way for an author to create a compelling sales pitch for an audience.

I would take notes and use it in the future.

Ellen Degeneres - Judges - American Idol on at 9 pm EST Wednesday Feb 10, 2010

I'm waiting for my show to start. :)

Ellen Degeneres was a hoot last night.

I swear she asked Simon Cowell if she was supposed to flirt with him?

Not sure if that's what she said, or that I'm hearing things.

I think it will be hilarious if she does flirt with him.

The audience will get a real kick out of it.

Mike Trinklein Author of Lost States

Watch the author's interview about his book Lost States.

Mike Trinklein shares some interesting stories about the US Government trying to buy Mexico?

Watch it on The Idea Girl Says.

Clara Cannucciari - Clara's Kitchen - 94 Years Young Author

Clara Cannucciari - Clara's Kitchen - 94 Years Young Author


An inspiration to me. You are never too old to write a book. :)


thanks Clara!


She has these wonderful videos on youtube that I discovered and posted on 
The Idea Girl Says - Great Depression Cooking.


It's a perfect time to release a cook book with cheap and easy meals to make.

Getting Ready For New Years Eve 2009 - 2010 - Linda Randall

Getting Ready For New Years Eve 2009 - 2010 - Linda Randall


I still haven't made my list of goals for 2010, have you?


I did decide on what goals I want career wise, but my personal goals are still up in the air.


Where should I travel?


Will I get my USA Passport this year?


It will all depend on many things.


Money, time and whether or not I get a book published. :)


I don't plan to do any posting on New Years Eve, I'm taking some time off, but I'll be back in a few days.


Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year!


Linda Randall
Idea Girl Consulting

2009 Goals Met for The Idea Girl Says - Idea Girl Consulting - Linda Randall

Here is another boring report, but I'm just so excited I reached 2 goals on Monday Dec 28th, 2009 by 12 midnight.

16,192 page views in one day on Idea Girl Consulting Word Press bringing the mass total to 378,978 (maybe I'll hit 400,000 soon! SWEET)

100,000 page views on The Idea Girl Says Word Press.

I did post a note on Twitter asking people to help me reach a goal of 10,000 hits in a day about 4 days ago, then it went 12,000, then 16,000.

Next weeks goal will be 20,000 hits in one day!

I hope I can keep the momentum rolling?

Last time I got all excited, they dropped down to 500 hits in one day. LOL

I'm still trying to find the right formula.

So far, it's this.

Post lots of different things that are related to your Niche, use tags, youtube videos, pictures, and let everyone on Twitter know what you are doing.

I also expanded my social networks on LINKED IN, Twitter, FACEBOOK, Groups, Yahoo Groups and I submitted some URLS to BING and visit other peoples sites, and comment with URL to blogs.
Oh yeah, and the BIG thing for me, was that Grant helped me set up a blog on The St Catharines Standard site, where I can post anything I want!

I was also invited to start writing movie reviews from some prestigious site (thats what the email says? LOL) and to guest blog for someone else.

I'm not sure I want to guest blog too much.  I've got so much on my plate already, with my new goals for 2010, to get something revised and sent to a publisher. :)

That was my strategy this week to increase my traffic to my two blogs.

Linda Randall - Bio - Image - The Idea Girl Says - Idea Girl Consulting - Writer- Blogger - Squidoo- Word Press - Witty Woman

Linda Randall - Bio - Image - The Idea Girl Says - Idea Girl Consulting - Writer- Blogger - Squidoo- Word Press - Witty Woman
After reading the book I made a bio page with my picture and the story of how I was inspired to start writing novels in 2008/2009.
I keep a list of my achievements on my Idea Girl Consulting Squidoo lens
Bio - Linda Randall - Photo
I created my bio page on my new Chick Lit Novel site for The Calamity Girl Wordpress.

Derek Cate - Timbaland - Apologize - The New Writers Handbook 2007 Part Five

Derek Cate - Timbaland - Apologize - The New Writers Handbook 2007 Part Five


I've uploaded all six videos onto Idea Girl Consulting You tube channel for your enjoyment.


Making a tribute to 60 authors was fun.


I've added as many as possible onto my Twitter and Facebook.


It's cool to read their blogs,you can learn so much from a published author, Literary Agent and 
Editors that work for different publishing companies.


I've featured Derek Cate's Cover of Timbaland - Apologize Acoustic on this video.


He's got a wicked voice and sound!


you can twitter the idea girl with your ideas for video features

The Library - Research Tools for Writers - The New Writers Handbook 2007 - Philip Martin , Erica Jong - Linda Randall

It's been a busy week for me.

I've been paying tribute to the 60 authors found in the greatest book I've read so far for writers!

It's an amazing tool with blogging, manuscript, queries, literary agent and publishing how to guides!

I've learned so much from the book.

This week I visited each Author's site while looking for their Bio Pictures!

I found a treasure trove of information on the web.

I'm going to expand my project.  I blog about the book on The Idea Girl Says every day.

Learn how to be a great writer. :)

Creating a Bio - Linda Randal - Authors Introduction to the World

Creating a bio was really hard for me.

I didn't know what to write, so in point form I went over my various achievements in my journey to become a published author.

I share my goals, dreams, visions and details about the manuscripts that I have written so far.

You can view Linda Randall - Bio on The Calamity Girl Word Press Site.

Jared Leto - Muse - 30 Seconds to mars - Creating a description for a Fictional Character

Jared Leto is such a hunk and I noticed that he has the most dreamiest of blue eyes.

Now he would be a lovely person to study for a character?

And the guys who sing in 30 Seconds to Mars (I've posted their new album on Idea Girl Consulting Word Press) and I've got the music playing as I'm posting!

It brings to mind - Fiction Writing and Creative Concepts.

In Fiction, I can fantasize about those dreamy blue eyes in my character who see's him from across the bar and her heart speeds up as he starts to walk towards her.

In Writing, I shall make my sentences, short and sweet and to the point.

Rather than a long winded description of the virtues of having blonde hair, dreamy sky blue eyes, and long lashes, with a dimple on my right cheek and red rose pouty looking lips, kissable lips....

In Creative Concepts, I'm giving my readers the virtual tour of my mind as I write descriptive nouns, pronouns and verbs, to get the thought across that this guy is HOT, I WANT HIM and I DREAM ABOUT HIM.

I'm talking about my fictional character of course.... not me. :)

Rob Zombie Living Dead Girl Twilight New Moon Photos

I've been working on a new fan video of the girls from Twilight New Moon Cast.

I've created a video montage to Kristen Stewart, Tinsel Korey, Ashley Greene, Rachel Lefevre, Dakota Fanning, Stephanie Meyers (author) and Catherine Hardwicke (director).

I had to do it several times, I made the first video 18 minutes long and youtube refused it.

Said it was too long!

I have no idea how to cut it up so I ended up deleting it and starting all over again.

Then the program crashed before I could save it.

So I started it again.

Persistence pays off, now I'm hoping that Youtube won't give me a hassle about using Rob Zombie's music.

I tried to send him an email on myspace (took me 30 minutes to compose) and it wouldn't go through, I'm not on his FRIENDS list..

Needless to say I feel just like Rachel Tornquist in The Calamity Girl (my fictional character that is oh so much like me!)

Music Videos - Idea Girl Consulting You Tube - Word Press Entertainment Site - Linda Randall

Hi!
I've been receiving emails from people asking how to post their music on my Entertainment site.

There are two ways.

You can email me on Youtube - Ideagirlconsulting, with the URL of your YOUTUBE videos.

If it's International Music, I ask that you have the lyrics in English or give me an idea what the song is about.

or
You can visit my Entertainment Site on Ideagirlconsulting on WORD PRESS, where music and movie videos are posted.

Leave your My Space Url  with a comment and I'll go look at your site.

I receive hundreds of emails in my personal account, so I don't use that one for the Music URLS, it's too confusing. :)

Query Letters - Why Do I Have To Query A Literary Agent?

Query Letters - Why Do I Have To Query A Literary Agent?


I was rather proud of myself today, I'm half asleep and I was able to type a legible post about Query Letters.

You will often find that what I'm doing research on, I will share with you what I learn.

This week I did my first FINAL READING of The Calamity Girl - The Promotion Manuscript.

I was pretty happy because there were hardly any errors!

YAY ME!!!!

As London Tipton would do on The ZACK and CODY Show!

I get a kick out of that show, you should watch it sometime, it's hilarious!

So this week I'm researching the Writer's Market to see what types of genre's that Literary Agents look for.

Then I'll be cross referencing them with GOOGLE to find their blogs.

I want to get to know my Literary Agents before I start to Query them.

You want a good perspective of what's hot on the market.

If I see an agent only asking for submissions for Young Adult, I am not going to Query her.

Why?

Because my book is Chick Lit, Romance.

What is the point of sending it to an agent that doesn't handle those type of manuscripts?

I'm wasting their time and mine.

Are you paying attention to what the Literary Agent is asking for?

Or are you blindly sending out Queries, and getting rejected hundreds of times.

It is something to think about.

I'm going to advise you to set aside a day, every week to do research.

Whether it be for a setting, a character, an agent or a publisher.

Once you know what you're dealing with, you won't feel so frustrated about it all.

Where do you start?

Take a look at the Writer's Market and Guide to Literary Agents.

If your unsure of what GENRE your book is, then GOOGLE GENRE WIKIPEDIA.

Wikipedia has a run down of each GENRE and a description.

If all else fails, place it under FICTION or NON FICTION and let the Literary Agent decide for you.


Just for the record, blogger is adding spaces and cutting off my sentences when I post this?

Best Sellers - Authors, Publishers for 2009

Wall Street Journal Best Sellers list is what I started with this morning.

I found it on Google - New York Times Best Sellers.

I spent 8 hours today making it.

I just noticed the date was for November 26,2009.

I googled it again and a new list was made today!
Darn it!
I've made a list for the OLD best selling author's list. LOL

I thought it was for the full year.

Oh well, I had some enjoyment searching for Author's pictures, the publishers and the book covers of the Title's on my list.

The music portion gave me some trouble, then I had to upload it twice to youtube.

Bad Value was the error message.

This means that your Youtube title is too long.

I can't help it, I'm long winded!

Oh dear!
I need to learn to be simple again.

I go through these routines where I'll talk too much or not enough.

Do all writer's have this problem?

Some of the Author's sites were pretty amazing and similar. (You could tell who used the exact same layout - boring if you ask me)

The Author's looked so prim and proper in their pictures.

I felt like I was out of their league, sitting here with my pj's on, a housecoat and slippers.

All day I'm wearing my PJ"S because they are warm, and comfortable.

I forgot to go out for a walk today.

I didn't eat all day until supper (after 6pm) and here I am almost 3 hours later still sitting here typing on my computer.

Too bad I don't get paid for working all these hours, I'd be rich for sure!

I was supposed to do some rewriting on my novel, but forgot to do that.

I'm not feeling well, so this is what I do, I play around on the net and make things.

Today it was a movie.

I had fun, enjoyed myself so that's all that matters, right?

Wall Street Journal Top 13 Best Sellers for Hardcover Fiction - November 26, 2009

Christmas Stories by Linda Randall on Squidoo

I thought I'd let you all know about my Christmas Lenses that I have made on Squidoo.

Christmas Stories by Linda Randall

Christmas Stories By Linda Randall -Christmas cookies, recipes, Connie Talbot Christmas Music,Home Alone 2 Lost in New York, I have written about my experiences at Christmas time. Featured articles from other authors on Christmas stories. 

Memoirs of my childhood with Santa, Grandpa and my parents - The Idea Girl Says sharing my Christmas stories with you.

Another Goal Reached - 200,000 Hits on Idea Girl Consulting Word Press

Wow!
I just realized I've had 200,000 hits on Idea Girl Consulting Word Press.
I reached the goal of 200,000 hits a few months back in views, but hits are different, so this was another factor.
I first started it as my business blog and quickly got bored with that idea.
I'm a Gemini, you can relate can't you? :)
So after seeing Perez Hilton get bopped in the nose on TV, I went to his blog and found it appealing.

That's when I decided I should blog about something I'm passionate about.
Something fun and entertaining for people!

I was so busy stressing about the fact that my daily visits had dropped from 1,000 to 500 and I was feeling kind of bummed out about it.
I don't why it bugs me so much.
I think it's because I reach a level of success on there and I'd like to keep it going.
I hate it when it fluctuates.
Oh well, I guess that's the way it is in blogger land.
I should be thankful!
I read hundreds of comments and posts in Pro Blogger and Blog Catalog where people complain about getting no traffic to their sites, or worse no comments.

So far I've logged 1,044 comments on this site and I've deleted an additional 3800.

Writing - Music - Shopping - Movies

This weekend I decided to go out for a bit and have some fun.

I did some Christmas shopping at the flea markets and at the local mall.

I hope that you have started some of your christmas shopping?

I actually planned to do it after Dec 18th, because that's when all the great sales start.

Don't you just love it when the mall has midnight madness and there's a 75 % off sale on leather coats and clothing?

While you're out this weekend, be sure to check out the new release "Old Dogs" with John Travolta and Robin Williams, I've written a movie review on The Idea Girl Says.

I've also featured some cool new bands and new music to listen to on Idea Girl Consulting it's a good idea to listen to the songs while you do some writing on you're blogs or while you're surfing the internet and doing some Christmas shopping.

I also have shopping modules available in Squidoo if you're interested do a search for Linda Randall.  It will bring up my bio page and a list of the 114 websites I've created, you can get some great deals on Twilight New Moon merchandise, best selling books, dvds, music and more.

Characters - Creating a Setting, Place or Home Library

In creating a character's setting, you want to look for pictures on Google that will help you describe what your looking at.

It can be used as a visual tool or to make a website of your fictional settings, like I do in Squidoo.

I have so much fun creating a new home for Michael Ferraras in The Calamity Girl.

See this picture of a library?

I want you to come and sit down here, now tell me, what do you smell?

I smell, leather, paper, and my nose is being tickled by the dust.

I hear silence and it's marvelous.

The scraping of paper as I turn a page in a book.

You get the idea now of what it's like to be a character sitting in a library.

Describe what you are doing to your readers, so they can feel like they are sitting there reading a book with you.

New Moon Tales - Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison - Dating Carousel

Twilight New Moon Picture Gallery link is on my Idea Girl Consulting website, on a post about New Moon, with fan made videos, pictures and blogs about Taylor Lautner, Taylor Swift, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart.