Small Ch-ch-ch-anges

Cape Cod Weather today: Theoretically (according to the weather update on my computer screen) "Sunny and 34 degrees" although the sun hasn't risen all the way yet, and it looks kind of overcast out there to me... but the television weatherman said high of 43 for today, and in the 50s tomorrow *yea* but it should be a nice day for St. Patrick's Day today *double yea*

I just read several articles about increasing an author's web presence, and how important it is for authors to have and maintain more than one place on the internet. Blogging is good, and having it linked to a static home page (as I do, at www.katie-osulllivan.com) can increase the appeal of a more traditional website (because there's always something new to read when you go to visit the page...)

They suggest Facebook as a good place to humanize yourself - readers want to know who you are and what you are like outside of the books you've written. I'm on Facebook, along with about 300 other Katie O'Sullivans, mostly in the U.K. I'm the only KatieO on Cape Cod, if you're trying to find me ;-) Friend me!

The newest thing - and "most important" according to at least one editor as well as the "Girl Geek" weekend seminar one of my friends recently attended.... the most important new thing is to Tweet. (TIME magazine just had a story on this, if you need to read more) People use Twitter to let everyone know their thoughts and actions in 140 character bursts of wisdom.

Now, I signed up for Twitter to specifically follow a contest I'd entered in January (Firebrand's Query Holiday, sadly no request was forthcoming) and it seems like cool technology... but I don't have a blackberry or iphone, so Tweeting isn't so different for me than blogging, just shorter. I have an account, follow me @ "OkatieO" but I don't really Tweet, so there isn't much to read. Maybe someday (thus the account...)

The other two nuggets of wisdom I just gathered were 1. Friend everyone who asks you on Facebook (something I had also just read in Real Simple magazine) and 2. Turn off comment moderation of any type on your blogs. Let everyone who wants to leave a comment as easily as possible. If it's objectionable or spam, delete it later.

So that's my change for today. Go ahead and leave a comment. No moderation. It should appear magically as soon as you finish typing. Try it out, and let me know if it works.

Also let me know what you think about Web Presence, Twitter, and friending everyone on Facebook. Are these good and important ideas? Or random musings we should ignore?

And HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY to each and every one of you!!! Enjoy the day!