Love that you push aside all the peripheral bloviating and zero right in on what the true point is. There is a fine line, and no it's NOT black and white, the recipe for success and keeping it real is complicated and nuanced. Great content is how you keep it real, authentically marketing yourself is how you keep it real. Both are how you find lasting success. I think that when writing about things we're asked/paid to write about, we can STILL be us. We can keep it real and interesting and integrate the product so it doesn't annoy people. I can't stand reviews that aren't remotely personal. I work hard to relate why I would agree to write about something -- building that reputation, that I write about things that interest me or that I care about, is key. I feel like if I keep my memoir-ist content flowing, and spice it up with some sponsored conversation or a little goody here and there, that it is accurately reflecting my own interests and my own life, and the readers get to decide if they want to keep coming back. Other blogs would look weird with just one review all of the sudden, b/c it's not "them". Others write about different things and it would be odd to suddenly see them moping about weight loss or talking about the wind. Ahem. I just love how you strive to encourage and bring together, something which not many can achieve. Kudos girl :)

Sorry I'm just now getting over here to shower you with OMG's and LOL's. And I don't know what "whole hog" means, but dang, I'm happy for you woman!!! xoxo

I didn't get to say bye to you, but we'll be hugging and swapping smooches again soon...you rock and it was an honor to be on that panel with you! I just got a magazine in the mail today that has Quincy Jones on the cover and says "Quincy Jones Searches for the Soul of America". It's right here baby, just read our blogs... xoxo `A