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Yes, I’m planning to put together my thoughts, particularly for the incredible generosity you all are showing me and Sonic Boom; but right now, I’m focusing on the house. My house. Sonic Boom’s house. We have to make it a home.

So for everyone who asked me “What can I do to help?” here’s where I’m calling in your generous offers. If you are in the Washington D.C.-Metro area or think you can get here, I’m opening my home to people who want to help me in what I know is going to be the toughest part I have to face right now: reclaiming the house.

If you can be here on January 23, I’m going to need people to box stuff, move stuff, evaluate and decorate, and clean, clean, clean. I’ll be feeding folks afterwards and (weather permitting) I’ll be lighting a fire for everyone to enjoy. If you can make it, please RSVP me at tee (at) teemorris.com no later than January 20 so I can make plans effectively and know how many to expect.

If you can’t make it, you can always visit The Boom Effect, and place a bid or donate something for the cause. However, Many of you have already given, have already made a difference. For me, for my daughter, I can’t thank you enough.

So let me know if you’ll be here, and thank you in advance.

The day after the Great #Snowpocalypse of 2009, I felt the walls closing in a bit…and the twins inviting me to play with them really wasn’t helping. Fortunately, saving the day was Peter Cox all the way from Central London when he rearranged his schedule to sit down, open up the mics, and talk with me about podcast fiction. Seems that Litopia has opened a floodgate in talking about podcasting, Social Media, and the modern writer, and Peter wanted to sit down with the guy that started it all.

If you don’t know Litopia, you should. Lipopia is  run by writers for writers. It’s a podcast, it’s a blog, it’s a forum. It’s an inside look and a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry, and what was supposed to be a fifteen minute podcast…well, we went a little longer…

Enjoy this bit of time travel through the history of podcast fiction, and looking at the present day and possible tomorrows of Social Media in the publishing industry.

Listen. Comment (here and at Litopia). Share.

And it was another creative type, the incredibly-witty, and delightfully-sultry Gail Carriger who — in a ways and means of promoting her paranormal steampunk romance, Soulless — made the offer to write guest blogpost.

Gail is my first. You always remember your first…

So I’m bumming about the internet, as you do, and Tee tweets me…

“Wanna guest blog?” says he.

“Delighted,” says I. “Got a topic?”

“What makes Steampunk so sexy?” says he.

Obviously, first and foremost, one word: corsets. There are a number of fine corsets (on the outside and underneath, worn by men and women) bumming about the steampunk scene. But as scrumptious as they are, there’s also that jodhpurs and newsboy cap look (yummy!) and never discount how truly hot a man (or cross-dressing woman) in proper fitted evening dress, or, for that matter the adorable grease monkey. Those flashes of brass, the occasional interesting adornment or mechanical arm which force one to look closer, to ask questions, these only serve to make the person wearing the outfit more intriguing and approachable, that to is super sexy too. Because what it means is that the person behind the outfit is creative and smart – frankly, it there anything more sexy than that?

So we’ve dealt with the sexy surface features of steampunk, shall we delve underneath? There’s that attitude, no don’t ghetto-neck at me, not that kind of attitude. One of the best bits of the Victorian era that steampunk has gently been reviving is the manners and the politeness. Online in forums, or out and around the maker’s circuit, running into fellows of a steamy inclination at fairs or conventions, I’ve found they are genuinely pleasant to be around. I don’t know about you, but I find ladylike and gentlemanly behavior extremely sexy.

And then, I hope you’ll forgive me for going slightly philosophical here, there’s this overtone of visible technology. We live in an age where technology has become hidden away in little silver boxes. Steampunk has taken the machine and made it a work of art, and it gorgeous. Suddenly, we get to see the gears and guts spread out before us. There’s something lascivious and yes, a little dirty about that.

Also, very very sexy…

Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit. Soulless is her first book.

Recorded before a live audience at World Fantasy Convention, award-winning podcaster and award-nominated author Philippa Ballantine and I unveiled (with the blessings of our agent) our work-in-progress now working its way through submissions: Books & Braun, our Steampunk take on The Avengers. This is the first time that we have revealed to the public any selections from the work (apart from the odd quotes and teasers in our respective tweet streams), and we had a blast with this presentation. Our plan is to eventually podcast it in this fashion: Pip and I supplying the respective narration, a “few” (HA!) production elements, a musical score, and artwork featured by Carrie Seidman. We hope you enjoy this listen at what we have cooking in the creative kitchen.

BLOGGERS & PODCASTERS: We are releasing this reading under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Both Pip and I encourage you to syndicate this episode and point your subscribers to this endeavor of ours. We also would love to hear your feedback on this preview both here and at Pip’s website. Thank you for giving us a bit of space on your mp3 player of choice, and we will keep you posted on what happens with our daring duo from the clandestine organization that is The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

Yeeouch. Well, okay then…take two…

So last night I was watching Stargate Universe and there was a moment that really spoke to me. The ship Destiny appeared to be on a collision course with a star. Dr. Rush (Robert Carlisle) insisted on not being part of a survivor’s lottery, but was going to stay with the ship. Turns out the ship was powering up using the star’s corona. (Very cool!) It was insinuated that somehow, Rush knew everything wa going to work out.

Faith. Insight. Instict. A gut feeling. Whatever you call it, we are going to face storms in life. The important but is knowing that we can weather them. It’s like what Bob Marley said: “Don’ worry ’bout a thing…’cause every little thing ’s gonna be allright.”

I believe that. I really, really do.

…and Gail Carriger’s Soulless is coming out, so I’d better pick up a corset lest my sides will split!

I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Gail Carriger (who made such a great first impression, she will be my first ever guest blogger here…) on my journey back from Aotearoa. She is of a sharp wit, extremely geek chic (whoofah!), and very straight-up in how she approaches you. Gail is also the next big thing in comedy Science Fiction. As Douglas Adams turned the genre on its ear with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Gail will be doing the same thing with steampunk in Soulless. This is the inaugural adventure of Alexia Tarabotti, an independently-minded Victorian lady-of-manners born without a soul and a penchant for trouble. Part Buffy the Vampire Slayer and part The Importance of Being Earnest, Soulless promises to be a ripping good yarn! Gail and the creative people at Artistic Whispers have put together this preview. While it does not look like it will be podcast, this sample is being made available to one and all. Thanks, Gail!

And if you are at World Fantasy in October, join us for “High Tea with Alexia Tarabotti” which will serve as the official launch of Soulless.

I’m not sure how this idea came about, but I’m going to give credit to the Queen of Social Media Comedy Chrisitana Ellis. The two of us collaborated on this skit first podcast on the original release of The Rookie, my favorite of Sigler’s works. Scott is re-casting his football Science Fiction epic, and Christiana has dropped in her feed our tribute to his gritty, galactic grid iron world.

So what is featured in “The Takeover”? Along with The Rookie, Christiana and I manage to tip our petypalups to…

• Firefly/Serenity
• Battlestar Galactica
• Farscape

We also show that some things are timeless and universal, transcending light years and alien races. And listen to Sandra’s ringtone.

I’ve done a few fun sketches, both for Christiana, for other podcasts, and myself. This one is a favorite. Enjoy!

And the really frightening bit? After a week, I’m still not sure how my voice mail works.

But what exactly is the job? I didn’t really go into detail on that in “Perseverance and Peter Gabriel” as that post was less about the job itself and more about the job hunt. Amidst the comments of congratulations and inspiration, a few of you have wondered “So what is this job you got?” I wanted to wait until I finished the first week before I shared details, and I’m glad I did. Last week was overwhelming, amazing, and eye-opening, on a lot of levels.

I was also beat at the end of every day. Slept a lot. Now, with some of the blur that was last week processed, here it is…

Intersections is a security firm, based out of Chantilly, VA. Since 1996, Intersections has dealt with credit history and digital identity protection. They are in the business of making electronic transactions, be they financial or personal, safer; and I have been hired as their Social Media Manager. (I’d like to point out that this job falls under Corporate Communications, not Marketing. That thrills me like you wouldn’t believe.) They were looking for someone who could not only apply Social Media, but understand the different initiatives out there and what they offer.

They were also looking for someone who could write. Yeah, I think I got that covered, too.

What I’m particularly excited about with this job is the angle Intersections takes with Social Media. Obviously, I’m being called upon to manage blogs, create podcasts, edit video (which I’m doing right now), and manage an outreach program with Twitter and (soon) Facebook; but I am also being asked to investigate and research security in Social Media, something I’ve touched on in Bird House Rules but only scratched its surface. On Friday, I was forwarded some news about Social Media from a security perspective and I was floored. The ironic bit is, that morning I was catching up with The SpyCast and listening to a fantastic interview with Dr. Terry Gudaitis who specializes in cyberintelligence gathering. (That’s the June 15, 2009 show if you’re interested.)

I feel as if I am starting all over again in Social Media, this time from a new perspective I hope Blogworld will let me speak on this year. I am officially on their schedule. I’ve confirmed “But Honey, It’s For the Studio” but am working to change topics concerning my second talk. So, if you’re at Blogworld this year, stop me and say “Hi.” It should be good fun in Vegas this October!

A cublicle in transition

So in the end, I am using my knowledge and background on Social Media for good, not for evil. While I will help in the promotion of what Intersections does, I will also be their on-call specialist in Social Media while I find out more about security matters with Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and the like. My brain has been firing on all cylinders since Day One, and I’m soaking it up like a thirsty sponge. The first week just blinked by, and I’ve not slowed down yet.

If you were wondering, though, how the day job will affect my writing, it will only make me more productive. Now that I know my hours, I can regiment and manage my time efficiently. I’m still writing for AppAdvice; and this weekend Pip and I completed the first draft of Books & Braun: Phoenix Rising, our Steampunk CSI peppered with hints of James Bond. I’m also planning to dust off Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and start working on that. I’ll give up details with an upcoming Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy…and yes, that will be its final episode.

It’s a long story and a hard decision concerning The Guide, and I’ll save the rest for that show.

My job at Intersections is now underway, and my writing is moving forward. From here, all that I have to face now are the possibilities.

See you Monday, in Chantilly.

Ten years of teaching, five of them with EEI, ended today. It has been an astounding journey — the past two years of my life, recent revelations, crossroads —with a bittersweet ending, leaning a bit more towards the bitter today. I asked for a check from classes I taught in April. Yes, April. I was told that Collections didn’t make enough this week, therefore no check.

So long, Tee, and thanks for all the fish. No wonder I had sushi today.

I heard from the folks at the new job. Tuesday. I start next Tuesday. Still can’t believe I’m here, at this point. And with the new job’s blessing, I’m still speaking at Blogworld in October. Trying to get in a talk about security in Social Media, something we should all consider but we don’t.

This class was a good ending to a decade’s pursuit. Three of the eight students I had all took the class on recommendations of colleagues who took my previous Social Media classes, and one was a return student. They applauded when I told them about the job, and one shook my hand, thanking me for the class.

A good ending. What every writer wants.

Don’t worry…this isn’t the end. I’m swinging two in the circle. Steampunk, Socal Media, and more surprises await.

Guess this is a bit more than just another train ride…

You know, I got that feeling. There will be other trains, other adventures, other voyages.

Tomorrow is it — my last day as a teacher. It’ll be interesting if I’m ever asked to present. It’s been great. Another return to New Zealand? I hope so. Really loved the trip, the people, the experiences…

Listening to Nathan Lowell’s South Coast. Man, can that guy tell a story or what?

The other “bloke” is Martyn Casserly, a journalist, an accomplished musician, and now he is an award-nominated podcaster with his one-minute Movie Mantras podcast. (Martyn is also a dad and a good mate to boot…although his opinions concerning the new Craig-Bond films and recent Doctor Who are completely wrong, but I digress…) With the many endeavors he had going, Martyn approached me this Spring to talk about an article he was penning on podcast authors. He was optimistic that Wired Magazine (UK) would pick up the column. So I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

This morning, I checked my Twitter stream and found this waiting for me:

My article about Podcast Authors is up on Wired ! @scottsigler, @sethharwood, @jchutchins, @teemonster all appear. http://bit.ly/Pv53w

Now live on the site, Wired Magagine (UK) picked up  “Novels by Podcast” where Martyn discusses how we authors are giving away our hard work in audio format for free. He also goes into the genesis of the podcast novel and why we do what we do.

“Giving away your stories isn’t a risk… it’s a competitive advantage,” explains Scott Sigler. “If a reader who’s never heard of me has $25 to spend and they’re looking at my book next to a Stephen King book, who are they going to choose? They take King. He’s a proven storyteller. But if King is $25 and my story is free they may try me out first. Why not? It’s no risk to them. If they like me, they buy me. If they don’t they buy King. Whatever happens the customer gets what the customer wants.”

It is a tight article covering successes and milestones; and while many who follow us on Twitter, on blogs, and through podcasts, may consider what we do “old hat” after four years, podcasting — and more importantly, podcasting fiction — is still a brand-spanking new concept to the mainstream market. Articles like Martyn’s and venues like Wired are getting the word out about what we are doing. That’s what is important here: getting people to listen.

Show Martyn appreciation by blogging about this article (and yep, I got it covered from the business perspective over at Imagine That!), syndicating his link in your feeds, dropping him comments on the article’s page, and talking it up on your podcasts. Let Wired know we’re paying attention and appreciate their support, and let Martyn know both on Twitter and on Wired that his words ring true.

Thanks, Martyn. Well done!

If you are by your computer or thereabouts, make sure to swing by BlogTalkRadio as I make the return visit TONIGHT, August 5, starting at 9pm EST. With Phil Rossi and Philippa Ballantine rounding out the PodioRacket pandemonium, it’s going to be a very exciting night of audio delight for your ears on PodioRacket.com! See you there!

Today, I got a job.

Today, I got a full time job in Social Media.

While this sounds like something simple, the point I want to make, if I teach the world anything, is not to give up. Don’t give up.

Remember that song? There’s a darkness in that song, sure. I mean, hey, it’s Peter Gabriel. But there’s that optimism (voiced by Kate Bush), that assurance, you can make it through the storm.

I frakkin’ love that song.

People on Twitter and at KrakenQuest’s Great Reveal all knew I was having a tough time at this job hunt, but let me give you the run down that only a few have heard…

October 2007

First, there was actually dusting off the resume. I realized straight away there was a problem: I hadn’t done this in nearly ten years. I had no real experience, apart from my skills in the classroom. It amazed me how many people thought that would make me a valuable asset because I had the mad skills. InDesign, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, and so on and so on. This was going to be a piece of cake.

I knew better. Even with two books in podcasting under my belt, I knew I had a lot of knowledge, but not the experience that people would want. Still, I gave the resume an overhaul with the help and encouragement of Paul Fischer & Martha Halloway, and began the job hunt.

In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail

February 2008

I was thrilled to connect with a headhunter that found me a client wanting someone knowledgable in Social Media. I went in for the first interview and made such a good first impression that one of the interviewers chased me to the elevator to say “Goodbye.” The headhunter prepped me, said I was close. One more interview. It was supposed to be with the president of the association. Well, okay then. The president and an associate? No problem. We set the time for a late afternoon, after a class; and I cut my class off early so I could make the 4:30 p.m. interview. I walk into the office and meet the president and two associates. Two? Well, okay then. Two. I proceed with the interview, the two associates just watching me and the president wanting me to regale her with tales of my theatre days. (Another blog post about that to come….) After being there for over an hour, the president of the association cuts me off and says “This isn’t going well.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

Before I could ask what was wrong, she said to me, “When I hold an interview, I should be asking questions. Not listening to a speech about numbers. You can leave.” Well, huh — guess I’m done. So I start to pack up to leave, and as it was the Podcasting II class I’d taught, I had a bit of gear in tow. I’m trying to get out there fast, and then I hear this over my shoulder…

“Maybe next time,” she said to me. Twice. The second time, she was smiling at me.

I had to get out of there. Fast. Otherwise, I was going to pop. Yeah, the “F.U.” was on the tip of my tongue. I’d been there for an hour, and she tells me after that long it isn’t going well? That evening, I got an apology phone call from the associates that I’d first interviewed with. I found out from the headhunter that the president felt I talked too much.

No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I’ve changed my face, I’ve changed my name
But no one wants you when you lose

March, 2008

On a longshot I applied for a six-figure job that happened to be looking for a podcaster. Imagine my surprise when I got the call. The bad news was the job was moving to Atlanta. Nope, I wasn’t going to make that jump. Then the interviewer, the woman who owned this small but awefully profitable company, was fascinated with my podcasting experience. She said “We were going to be hiring an editor from CBS News Radio to edit our podcasts. Would this be something you are up for?” I accepted the challenge and she said “Fine, send us a demo reel and we will be in touch.” So I burned a CD of my podcasting best, sent it off, and waited. A week later, I received an email from her saying “We went with someone else for the podcasting job, but he knows nothing about podcasting. We’d like for you to come in and train him. He’ll be in touch shortly.” That same day, the associate called. I said “So you have no experience in podcasting?” He replied, “None.” I came back with “Okay, here are my rates for training and I’ll need about three days.”

Silence.

“Ummm….I’ll get back with you,” was his reply. About an hour later, the woman who interviewed me called me back, and she was pissed. She wasn’t expecting me to have rates for training, and to ask for three days was outrageous. I asked “What were you expecting?” She replied, “We figured you’d come in here. Half-an-hour, two hours tops. Show us what you know, and that would be it.” When I tried to explain there was a bit more to podcasting than that, she huffed and said “Well, I was talking with my IT guys, and they told me we don’t need you coming in here. We could just download for free what we needed and do it ourselves.” I replied with “You could. In fact, I have a podcast that teaches you how. Your podcast will sound like it’s coming out of the basement of the Science building, but you can do that. You want your podcasts to sound like mine? It’s going to cost you.”

Silence.

“We’ll be in touch,” were her last words to me.

I’m still waiting to hear back from them…

Don’t give up
‘Cus you have friends
Don’t give up
You’re not beaten yet
Don’t give up
I know you can make it good

October 2008

I was fresh off a plane from a convention in St. Louis, and I was off to an interview with an environmental group, anxious to find someone who really understood Social Media. This time, I went for a different tactic and decided to drop them a copy of Podcasting for Dummies. This was, after all, my crowning accomplishment: a #1 book on the subject of podcasting. Come out of the corner swinging, right? The interview went great, and they even asked me to autograph the book. One of the women who interviewed me wound up following me on Twitter, and I started to feel positive about this experience. (Something else I loved about this place — the office. WOW! The group had apparently hired an interior designer to really pull out the stops creatively. It was also a Mac office. Bonus!) I did feel good about it…and then I was told via email that the position was being filled by someone else. Why?  I knew nothing about the environment.

Previous experience about environmental issues. Something that wasn’t in the job listing.

Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that wed be the last to go
It is so strange the way things turn

November 2008

I decide to start tracking my resumes. The applications were starting to become more and more frequent, and there was also the matter of applying to jobs repeatedly. This was a reoccurring problem as many of the jobs out there were all done through website interfaces that didn’t even send out confirmations. It was really frustrating because I wasn’t hearing anything in reply. Not. A. Thing. It also didn’t help that the economy was bottoming out. After months of being told by the President “The economy was strong…” the financial crap slapped hard into the fan’s spinning blades. I managed, though, to get two interviews in one week. One was with Ford’s Theatre, and I got a send off from my friends Thomas Gideon and Kevin Crosby. While talking about the job hunt, Thomas shook his head, saying “It’s ludicrous that you are struggling to find a job in Social Media.” I was humbled, and deeply touched, by his seniment. It was something I took with me to the interview where, once again, the interviewer was asking me — on hearing I was an actor — to perform for her.

It was no longer so flattering.

I wound up losing the job to someone else who was experienced in Social Media…and Drupal…and MySQL….and PHP….and had written his Master’s Thesis on Lincoln…and had read every book written about Lincoln.

But that sting was short lived as I was approached by another group — an Advertising/PR firm — looking for someone experienced in InDesign (check), Photoshop (check), Keynote (check), podcasting (check), blogging (check), and Final Cut (check). I was really optimistic about this one. So much, in fact, that I went on and gave a copy of Podcasting for Dummies to them, as I did with the environmental group. I followed up with them after several weeks and they told me “You have the skills, but no experience. We need both.”

This particular job posted three more times. On the third posting, I called and left voice mail. Nothing in reply.

Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground

December 2008

I then found a job that was an early Christmas present: a coalition of anti-drug initiatives, was in search of a Web Content Manager that also had a background in Social Media. What got me really revved up for this interview is that this coalition knew me. They had hired me to talk at their Regional and National conventions. On what, you ask? Social Media. This was a slam dunk. There was even a coalition rep there who told my interviewers about me, and raved about my knowledge and background. I spruced up the resume, created Social Media demo reels, and then…

The interview was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. I left my house in Manassas at 6:15 a.m. thinking two and a half hours would be plenty of time to get through the D.C. traffic to Alexandria.

What I didn’t count on was the rain.

I reached the interview at 9:45 a.m.

The good news? The interview went well over two hours.

I thought I had this one. The follow-up’s were replied to, and I was even given updates on when my resume was up for review and the progress of the decision process.

Then, nothing. Emails stopped. No updates. Never knew why. Never found out why. That was weird. Just plain weird.

Don’t give up
You still have us
Don’t give up
We don’t need much of anything
Don’t give up
‘Cause somewhere there’s a place
Where we belong

Rest your head
You worry too much
It’s going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don’t give up
Please don’t give up

February 2009

The search has continued up to this point and in my tracking spreadsheet I’m on my 55th resume (but considering how long I have been hunting, it was probably closer to my 100th…#125, maybe?). I get a phone call from this place that is looking for a Director of Digital Strategy. As exciting as the job sounds, I am preoccupied on several fronts:

• I am writing All a Twitter
• I am watching Darth Bon Bon, working as a relief nanny for Paul & Martha
• I have a talk coming that week: ANTI-Social Media

When they don’t call me back, I focus on my seminar, a seminar that goes over like gang-busters. It’s a packed house, and I capture fantastic video, prime footage for promoting my abilities as a speaker. During the congratulations and accolades, I’m approached by a representative of the group that was supposed to call me about the Digital Director position. “We thought, since we read on your blog you were doing this, we’d come and see you.”

They’re reading my blogs? Woah.

So I call her the next day, leave a voice mail, and within an hour I’m back on the phone. She cannot stop raving about the talk. “I want you to come in here and see if you’re a good fit for the group,” she tells me. “I’ll have HR call you on Tuesday and we can set a time when you can come in.”

Friday becomes Tuesday, and I get the call from HR. “We decided to go with someone else,” they tell me straight away. I asked why. “They had more experience,” was the answer. I was resigned with that until they continued with “That being said, we were really impressed with your background. Would you care to come in and train our people in Social Media?”

That was when I snapped. It amazed me how even my voice was when I asked “So let me understand you — I don’t have enough experience to work for you, but you want me to come in and train your people who know nothing about Social Media. Do I understand you correctly?”

Silence, and then “So, are you interested?”

“You have my number,” I said flatly.

They haven’t used it.

Got to walk out of here
I can’t take anymore
Going to stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That river’s flowing
That river’s flowing

March 2009

This particular shock to my system came when I hear from someone on Twitter, a job recruiter, say that she is in desperate need of a Social Media expert. Much as I hate the word “expert” I immediately follow the Twitter and start DMing her my details. Within minutes I get an email with the description you see. (You might recognize it from a previous Stranger on a Train entry.) This job post read as a checklist for who I was and what my skillset was geared towards. This position called for someone that was:

• a blogger
• a podcaster
• a video editor
• a public speaker
• a trainer
• a writer
• a curriculum designer

I immediately got home from the job and sent in my resume.

Once again, I didn’t have enough experience.

This time, I took a step back. A change was needed.

Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs

May 2009

The resume was given a hard reboot in the previous month. New job titles. New accomplishments. Items once downplayed were brought to the front. It was a far more aggressive showcasing of what I had accomplished as a podcaster and as a writer, and almost immediately I noticed a reaction from job hunters. One looked promising, but as it was a contractor (and his first impression on me was less than…hospitable) I knew it was just more of what I was getting as a contractor with EEI. It came as no shock to me when he did not win the contract for the job.

Along with the reboot of my resume came a reboot and redesign of my LinkedIn account as well, thank to Craig Fisher and Annette Holland. LinkedIn I was never wholly convinced was helping me in my job hunt, but I knew having a presence and connections there could not hurt. In fact, job hunting did help me appreciate what LinkedIn was all about.

However, I really appreciated the online resume site when a PR group reached out to me, wanting to have a meeting.

The position was for Vice President of Social Media Strategy and Training. Six figures. And they found me.

We met at a very fashionable restaurant in downtown Washington D.C. and the four of us had a terrific lunch. Not only did they ask me questions, but I asked them the tough questions as well. Questions like “Will you want me to come up with a Social Media initiative for you?” and “What are your expectations levels for me?” Perhaps I was feeling confident on account of the trip to New Zealand I would be setting off for in a few weeks, but I knew I was hitting the sweet spot with them as one interviewer immediately connected with me on LinkedIn and the president discussed with me the possibility of doing a webinar while I was overseas. What I knew about this particular job was this:

• They needed someone who knew Social Media
• They needed someone who had experience running workshops and seminars
• The VP currently holding the position was not on Facebook, Twitter, or any other Social Media initiative
• The VP was also running his own business on the side…an arrangement that wasn’t working out as originally planned by the PR firm

This job was mine. Seriously. The reassurances I received in the week were that I would hear from them soon.

I emailed them from NZ, asking if they still wanted a seminar. No answer. I emailed them after I got stateside. No answer. When I called the week after I got home, I was told “She’s got your email’s and will be in touch soon.”

Still waiting…

Don’t give up
‘Cause you have friends
Don’t give up
You’re not the only one
Don’t give up
No reason to be ashamed
Don’t give up
You still have us

August 2009

Yes, this blogpost is silly in size, but all this — all this — led to today, to my meeting with the woman who is to by my new boss at Intersections, Inc. in Sterling, Virginia. This was Resume #94, possibly closer to #200. And while there were those moments, I never stopped.

Social Media and job hunting have a lot in common with one another. It’s not about the shortcuts, but about the focus and the determination. There are going to be a lot of days when you don’t feel it, but you have friends that will be there for you. And with all the different things you succeed and fail in, there are lessons learned and faith restored.

There were moments I didn’t really have the heart to send in yet one more resume. I know I sent out well over 200 resumes over the past 22 months. Encouragement along the lines of “It’s such a crappy economy…” and “You just don’t have the experience…” might have kicked the wind out of me, but I never stopped. Some might call it stubborn. I call it relentless.

Today, I got a job.

Today, I got a full time job in Social Media.

No, it wasn’t easy, but it happened. It finally happened.

Persevere. If you take anything from my post here, please, let it be that. Persevere.

Don’t give up now
We’re proud of who you are
Don’t give up
You know it’s never been easy
Don’t give up
‘Cause I believe there’s  a place
There’s a place where we belong

Opening image courtesy of Kreg Steppe. “Don’t Give Up” written by Peter Gabriel

That is all.

I also track Hutch on Twitter, and when he announced that the cover for St. Martins Press’ print release of 7th Son was live on his site, I eagerly followed the link…

Not what I expected.

Hutch was happy though. He really liked the cover, and I supported Hutch’s opinion. I have heard many authors bitch, moan, and complain about their covers, but Hutch was all a squee. I stood by that. His book, his cover. He should be happy. Besides, writers rarely (if ever) get a say on the cover when you’re at the level Hutch is playing at. These are the New York types, after all. The big kahunas of publishing. They know a good cover when they hand one to you. They get the best designers, the best artists, and the best marketing minds together to really make a book leap out and scream “BUY ME NOW!”

These same New York types will also tell you “People don’t judge a book by its cover…” and “The story will sell the book…” I’ve heard both, and more.

My friend was happy with the cover. That’s what really mattered.

Today, I caught Hutch thanking people for their feedback on a new 7th Son: Descent cover. Wait — a new cover? Curious, I clicked on the link, and this haunting image stole my breath away…

Mind-blown and psy-jacked by this totally hot artwork, I called Hutch to congratulate him on scoring a “Sweet as Frak” book cover.

The original artwork for the 7th Son podcast shares a lot in common with this new look for Descent. Seen at Hutch’s website, the podcast artwork was minimalistic, and captured with the DNA strands the twists and turns our heroes experience across three books. With this cover, St. Martins’ Press returns to that motif.  I see from this cloning chamber many tubes connected, mirroring all the connections seven strangers discover with one another; and how their connections all lead back to John Alpha and the chaotic revenge he ensues. I don’t know if that’s intentional, but that’s what I see.

This cover doesn’t just leap out at you. This cover jumps in front of you, bitch-slaps you, and make you say “I’m a pretty girl.” I totally grok this cover, and I can tell you that the story between the covers is even more mind-bending.

I think, from the tweets and talking to Hutch today, he likes the cover too. A lot.

Again, Hutch — congratulations. This is a stunning cover from St. Martins Press, and I look forward to when you sign my copies (yeah, that’s right — copies) of your epic thriller.

Was it something I said? I had a post ready to go, and this app suffered a massive FAIL. I’m stepping back though the post, trying to figure out if I said something I shouldn’t have. Maybe this app is pissed at me for ratting it out on its home site.

Still, nothing has changed. I’m feeling optimistic. Strangely so. I say that as I’m also feeling a little conflicted. I feel driven, and yet I’m also fighting the urge to hide under my favorite blanket and watch James Bond movies until I fall asleep. Weird, huh? I remember the last time I felt like I was on the right track. I wasn’t here.

What is God trying to tell me? He knows I’m listening….

Today is Phil’s day. His first novel, Crescent, launched today; and the last time I checked, he was in the Top 75 overall and #5 in Horror. I remember when that book was just an idea on paper…

Congrats, my friend. “You’ve taken your first step into a larger world.”

June 26
End of two days which felt like two years…might have been a mixed blessing that I got stuck in San Fran when I did.

First class back from New Zealand, and I felt like all day were a plethora of reasons I should have stayed in Wellington. Sure, I wanted to see my daughter, that’s a given…but today began with some smart ass taking a pot-shot at me on Twitter. It ended with a professional brush-off that is not giving me a good feeling.

Welcome back to DC, Tee. Hold still while I kick you in the jimmies.

I’m summoning what strength I have to get home. This jetlag has been brutal, but I think it was worth every tick. Days with Dan Sawyer. Good talks with writers Chris Lester and Gail Carriger. Twenty-three days in New Zealand.

Worth every minute, worth every moment.

July 2
Happy birthday, Sonic Boom.

That’s the Twitter moniker for my kid. She had a blast last weekend with all the company and attention. Being home with her has been a right good time, although she IS upset with Daddy as Daddy has been teaching. A lot. This week was the Final Cut Boot Camp. It’s tough, but I had a personal breakthrough with Motion. I’m looking forward to tackling a couple of video projects. The class, on a whole, was a success.

Like I said…tough class (4-5 days) but a success.

Independence Day. If you see someone who has served or is on active duty, thank them. Considering Iran, we are all very fortunate. I mean, wow…freedom of speech, information, and ideas. We are so blessed, and I have nothing but respect for those who serve. So no matter where you are in our Armed Forces, thank you for answering the call.

I’m tempted to have a Victory Burger tonight at Red Robin, but then I remember what the scale told me. And then there’s my trainer, Sandra Wichkam…who would hurt me if she got wind of it.

Salad. Nom.