Kaira Rouda | Kaira Rouda

25 01, 2012

Real You: New year, new adventures, dreams coming true!

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:07:04+00:00January 25, 2012|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: New year, new adventures, dreams coming true!

Tonight I'm co-hosting a Twitter chat with my friend Elisa All who is the brilliant creator of 30 Second Mom. I'm proud to be a contributor to Elisa's new venture. She's a rock star - her first company was purchased by Disney, so you know she's a mom who knows what she's doing, eh? We'll be talking about Turning Your Dreams Into Reality and we'd love to have you join us! You'll find us at the hashtag #30secondmom at 6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central tonight! And tomorrow, to celebrate, I'm offering my short story, A Mother's Day, celebrating mothers and sons, free on Amazon.com! It's a short story - but it will probably take you more than 30 seconds to read it! Writing novels and short stories, and hearing from readers that they enjoyed them, is my dream coming true. Are your dreams coming true? I hope [...]

21 01, 2012

Real You: Reading, writing and to-do lists

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:07:16+00:00January 21, 2012|Uncategorized, write|Comments Off on Real You: Reading, writing and to-do lists

Yes, it's a sad fact. Writers must also become business people today. Why is that sad? Well, if you're a writer/creative type like me, you're typically relatively messy. Or, um, very messy. Disorganization is my natural occurring state. Just ask my husband. When we were married, I told him: Love me. Love my piles. For the most part, he's pretty good about my piles...they are sort my major to-do lists. Then there are the random scraps of paper littering my writing desk - those are my actual to-do lists. And finally - much like my protagonist Kelly in Here, Home, Hope - there are the post-it notes covering a number of surfaces around our house. I've got a lot to do, I explain, when my lists and piles get out of control. Today, though, a cautionary lesson on too many to-dos. As I was at [...]

9 12, 2011

Real You: Author Interview! Meet Christine Cunningham

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:07:38+00:00December 9, 2011|author interview|Comments Off on Real You: Author Interview! Meet Christine Cunningham

Christine and I met on the WoMen's Literary Cafe and have been social media buddies ever since. It's my pleasure to welcome her here! What is your favorite season? Why? I love all of the seasons! I love Spring because it’s the true beginning of the year for me. Flowers are blooming and I get the itch in my fingers to play I the dirt and garden. I love Summer because it’s so warm and friendly. There are fruits and vegetables straight from the garden that are superb and I can write outside again. I love Fall because I feel all snuggly and cuddly. It’s the time when I see my family the most. With four sisters and two brothers that’s no mean feat. I love Winter because that’s when I do a lot of soul searching and goal setting. I feel even more inclined [...]

8 12, 2011

Real You: Reaching out during the holidays

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:07:43+00:00December 8, 2011|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: Reaching out during the holidays

You may never have the opportunity (optimist in me) to move to a new place during the holidays. But if you, like me, have had that happen, you will realize how much the smallest of gestures mean. It's daunting knowing no one during the season of parties and glee! So here a are a couple of things that have made me smile. The handyman who has been helping me put my life together in our new home invited our family to his family's Christmas party. How nice is that? An author who I've been friends with on Facebook just sent me a message and invited me for coffee - she actually lives nearby! These small acts of kindness mean so much, especially when you're new to an area and starting a new life. What can you do to reach out to someone today?

29 10, 2011

Real You: Authors, writing and the power of community!

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:11+00:00October 29, 2011|authors, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: Authors, writing and the power of community!

The writing life can be very lonely. Especially for a first-time novelist who is naviagating a new industry of bookstores, bloggers, online sites, events all the while trying to pursue a dream. The dream? Quite simply: having a book in the hands (or on the screen) of a reader who it's perfect for. The reader who will love the story, be swept up by it, smile/laugh/cry/cheer. That's the ultimate goal and the biggest thrill. There are a lot of steps between my words and those hands. Along the way, I've met an astounding number of supportive authors. From the women who grace the cover of HERE, HOME, HOPE, to the many writers I've been blessed to have blog about the book and me, to the other writers who are friends in social media. It truly has been the unforseen blessing of the entire process. And [...]

24 10, 2011

Real You: 10 Tips for Networking – you can do this!

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:23+00:00October 24, 2011|aha, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: 10 Tips for Networking – you can do this!

Here's the thing. We all know we need to network - no matter what we do. As a mom, I network to find good tutors, good doctors, good electricians. Everything. As an author, I network to find out about good agents, good publishers, and to discover new methods of reaching readers. So given we all need to network, and according to studies, we as women are more reluctant to do so in a business setting, I offer you my 10 tips for networking success. I hope you enjoy them and will take them to heart. You can do this - you're a natural! 1.Know the Real You - who you are, what you do , who you do it for and why you do it. 2. Join organizations that have meaning to you. 3. Remember to give as much as you take. 4. Know your manners, online and [...]

6 10, 2011

Real You: Lessons learned from a really bad cold

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:30+00:00October 6, 2011|aha, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: Lessons learned from a really bad cold

1. Instead of being in denial, go to doctor right away.2. Juice bar "get well" shot with cayenne pepper and the like hurts going down, so must be doing good? 3. When cough medicine bottle says 2 tsp - that is teaspoons not tablespoons. Oops. 4. Whatever you are writing after 2 tbsp of cough medicine seems better than it really is once medicine-fog clears. 5. It's great to have understanding dogs. They are bored, in need of a walk, but yet, still stick by me. 6. Remember, good health is a blessing. Repeat daily. 7. People do not want to talk on the telephone to someone who cannot speak without coughing. Those of us who cannot speak without coughing should stay off the telephone. 8. I would rather be sick when it's raining. 9. Thank goodness for antibiotics. 10. When a cold forces you [...]

21 09, 2011

Real You: Time to shine your own light?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:38+00:00September 21, 2011|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: Time to shine your own light?

Sometimes, in the flurry of life, and especially in the business of books (yes, it is mostly a business, I'm afraid), the light, the vision, the creative spirit can be dimmed. Certainly, even extinguished for those bleak periods of time most commonly called "writer's block". For me - and a lot of folks I know - this writing life, full of rejections, and almosts, can be dimming. Trust me, I know of many other businesses where folks are having the light squeezed out of them, too. So what to do? Giving up is not a choice, certainly not when your livelihood and your dreams are dependent upon success. It's time to shine your own light, whatever that means for you. Grab a cup of coffee with a friend who is one step ahead of you and find inspiration. Pick up the telephone and ask for [...]

6 09, 2011

Real You: Getting started, staying motivated

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:46+00:00September 6, 2011|attitude|Comments Off on Real You: Getting started, staying motivated

So here I sit. My debut novel Here, Home, Hope has been in the world for four months. It's been going great - but in the marketing and book tour push I've been single-mindedly focused on, I've been neglecting my passion. Writing. So I need to get started. Get back to it. Sure, since the publication of Real You Incorporated, I spend a lot of my time motivating others to pursue their passion and get going. I love working with entrepreneurs and I truly believe we need to be the country where everybody is starting something. That's the magic of our history. Anything is possible if you are a doer. You can never dream too big or set your sights too high. Not here. Not now. The hardest person to get to hear that advice? You guessed it - me. So, today I'm [...]

26 08, 2011

Real You: Thank you!

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T00:08:54+00:00August 26, 2011|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Real You: Thank you!

Because of the amazing support of friends - new and old; online and off - Here, Home, Hope is in its second printing! To each of you who've read my novel - or my short story A Mother's Day - a sincere, heartfelt thank you for your support. You are making my dreams come true. I hope I've given you some entertainment and inspiration in exchange! Somedays, in this writing life, it gets to be a bit lonely. And then, I'll post something on my Facebook fan page, and several of you will respond. Yippee!! I'm not alone! Thanks for being there. (Oh, and if you aren't following me there, feel free to hop on over to Kaira Rouda Books.) You may not realize it, but it means the world to me that you are there.