Kelli Russell Agodon's Blog, page 76

Thankful Thursday - Deborah Ager @32Poems & Creator of the #Poetparty

Kelli & Deb


This week after partaking in the weekly poetry talk on Twitter (#poetparty at 6 pm PST Sunday nights ), I thought about how thankful I was to Deborah Ager (poet & founder of 32 Poems) for starting it.



This week we talked about getting new ideas and inspiration, a favorite topic of mine.



While the conversation can occasionally be hard to follow, it's worth the effort.  Deb will ask questions marked with Q1, Q2 & poets tweet back answers under A1, etc.



What I like about this talk is that you "meet" new poets in the world.



Anyone can join in and all are welcome.  The poets are always kind and the time goes by so fast.



Anyway, after a good talk on Sunday, I'm feeling thankful that this exists every Sunday.



If you want to join in (or even just watch the conversation happen), this Sunday night at 6 pm PST (9 pm EST), go to www.twitter.com & in the search box type in #poetparty   -- You'll see the conversation unfold, and if you want to be part of it, just type your response plus the hashtag #poetparty  -- don't forget #poetparty  otherwise it's as if you're speaking outside the room to your shadow.



By the way, in case you didn't know, Deb is not just an editor but the author of the poetry collection, Midnight Voices.



Follow Deb at Twitter here  @32poems

And visit her blog here.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Facebook Author Pages - Some Answers & Opinions to Your Questions--

It seems my last post--about Facebook pages and whether to have one--generated some talk and questions. So here's the follow-up with my answers and opinions for what they are worth-- probably worth about a decent cup of drip coffee and some Swiss chocolate.





1)  Should I have a Facebook page for my book or just a general author page?



A:  My opinion is have a general author page (with your name as the page name) so you don't have to reinvent the wheel each time you have a new project.



If you do a new page for each new project or book, you'll have a lot of pages where you have to start from scratch each time finding folks to "like" you.



I know if I've "Liked" an author's page, I'm interested in all his or her projects, books, etc.





2)  There seems to be categories on how you can be listed for the pages, how do we decide exactly *what* we are?



A: Facebook makes you make some choices here.  On my page, I chose "People" and then "Writer," but could have chosen "People/Author."



On the generic site someone (or Wikipedia) created for me, it says "Public Figure" (which felt a little random and not how I would describe myself).



You can also choose "Books/Magazine" which gives you the choice of "Writer" or "Author."



Don't worry too much, if you make the wrong choice, or you change in later years, you can change this.  It's not permanent.  It's your title in the sand, if you choose wrong, just choose again.  No worries.



(Note:  If you have a page created by someone else or Wikipedia--as it looks like some of these pages were--you cannot control the category or content...thus my Facebook life as a "Public Figure").





3)  How much time does creating a page take?



A:  Not very long.  You can create it very quickly and if you want to add more later, you can do that.  I'd say you can do it in 20 minutes or less.  Probably less.



(I'm forgetting how long it took me, but it's actually very quick to do.  I took longer because I'm overly detailed-oriented at such things.)





4)  How long does it take "controlling" the page?



A:  I think this question is asking "how much time do I spend on my page?" which isn't too much.



I go onto Facebook on Fridays & occasionally a Monday (I'm not sure why that is) and so I'll post a status on Facebook, but unless I have an upcoming reading, workshop, or news, I'm really not on FB as much as in the past.



Mostly, I just include links/info/statuses that I think readers of poetry would like to know about.  Otherwise, I let it be.





5)  When I joined your page, I came to a "Welcome page" - how did you do that?



A:  www.pagemodo.com  -It's free for one "Welcome page," which is what people see before they join my page.



Mine is just my image from my book, but smarter, more marketing-savvy people use it to do clever things like get email addresses, share things they offer, have links to purchase their books, and so on.



I just wanted to have a pretty starting place, sort of like seeing my garden and walkway before you step into my living room (aka my Wall).





6)  What are the downsides to a Facebook page?



A:  Getting over the idea that you have a Facebook Page and not feeling weird about it.



Someone can "unlike" you, but to be honest, I think more people defriend than "unlike"  a page, (yes, I'm speaking in that weird FB language again).



Also, it's another thing that isn't writing.  If you're not FB obsessed, it's just something to help you connect with people who are interested in your work.  If you are FB obsessed, it can be a time stealer like anything related to Facebook.





7)  Anything else we should know?



A: The only thing that confused me for a long time was that when you have a regular Facebook account and a FB page, under the "Account" tab in the upper right corner it will say "Use Facebook as a Page" - what this means is that you can *be* your page.



If you click on this, you can see who Liked your page, who commented on your wall or left you a note or Liked your photos.



You can also "Like" other pages as your own page.  This is pretty cool because they you can leave comments on other pages as *your page* (instead of as your regular FB acct).  And if someone clicks on your comment, they end up on your author page and not your personal FB page.





8)  Once you have a FB page, how do you get people to Like your page?



A:  I've seen some people write a status that says they are basically cleaning up their FB account and if you'd like to "Like" their page if you want to stay connected, but they are going to be deleting people they don't know.



I've also seen the "here's my page" status with the link.



I wrote a blog post and said you'd make me happy if you Liked me.



Other people have sent emails and messages to friends.  I did this with some old friends saying that I felt really uncomfortable creating an author page for myself but I did and they were free to like it or not, but I wasn't being an egomaniac, just trying to cancel out that other Public Figure Facebook page.  (My friends were sweet and told me I worry too much...)



Once you create a page, you can go to your page and "suggest" it to people.  I have done this and it feels stupid and cheesy because it says "Kelli Russell Agodon suggests you like Kelli Russell Agodon," which honestly, made me feel like I have huge social issues, but because I have bigger insecurities that I wouldn't reach 100 people to like my page (my initial goal) I did it.  (It's nice how one insecurity can override another insecurity.)



Now I suggest it with people who have asked to be my friend on FB, but whom I do not know.  I wish I could add a personal message with it, but FB doesn't allow that, so they also get the cheesy KRA want you to like KRA.  Weird. Weird. Weird.







9)  Any other thoughts?



A:  Facebook is a strange place.  Honestly, I think as writers and artists we learn to make our way through the bizarre language of Likes & statuses & Friending/Defriending.



While I could go on about what drives me nuts about FB, I recently heard from someone on Facebook who is a writer who said how much she appreciates Facebook because she feels isolated and Facebook brings her closer to "her tribe."



And I understood.  And I wrote her a note thanking her for her insight to my complaints about "too many friend requests..."



I live in the Northwest.  We have a saying here:  Throw a stick, hit a poet.  



Seriously, we are everywhere.  (Do you need a list?  Poets from the Northwest: Linda Bierds, Tess Gallagher, David Wagoner, Susan Rich, Jeannine Hall Gailey, Peter Pereira, Martha Silano, Joannie Stangeland, Oliver de la Paz, Nancy Pagh, Allen Braden, Elizabeth Austen, Lana Hechtman Ayers, Kary Wayson, Erin Malone, Kevin Craft, Molly Tenenbaum, Kathleen Flenniken, Katharine Whitcomb, Annette Spaulding-Convy, Ronda Broatch, omg, the list goes on....)



But not everyone has poets and writers around them.  Some of us are surviving day by day through our connections online, reminding us that others are on the same path, that we're okay.



So, while I can easily make jokes about Facebook, the bigger picture is that it brings our tribe together in ways that have never been.  And that's important.



It breaks regional and national boundaries.  We can connect with each other and share what we're up to and learn about new poets.  All good things.



~



I do want to write another post about how I struggle with marketing/book promo vs. being a writer, because I do.  But that's another day...



Hope this continues to help as you find your writerly way through the pages of stolen time that is the blue endless box of Facebook.



And thank you all who took the time to Like my page.  I saw your names appearing and I sent out some good karma to each and everyone of you as I read down the list.  Thanks so much, I really do appreciate the support.



xo,

~ KellsKelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Confession Tuesday

Dear Reader--

It's been one week since I last confessed.  Really, what can I confess after I confessed I started a Facebook page?  There must be something... 





To the confessional--



Booty Calls:

I confess that recently Jeannine Hall Gailey emailed me to ask if I called her one day at 9:30 am.  I hadn't.  When I looked at my iPhone, I realized there was a whole list of people who had I hadn't called, but did (um, butt did).  Nice.





Yeah, I shouldn't keep my iPhone in my back pocket as it has a mind of its own.

~

The Middle Finger (not the power button):

I confess I cannot think of a time when I've had the urge to "flip off" the camera when someone is taking my photo (I confess I'm always surprised to see this especially when the person is a bride or groom).



~I'm Vintage Butter--

I confess that above statement makes me feel old, old-fashioned, and not very edgy.  

~Not just Slippers--

I confess I am not very edgy and am wearing $12 cozy slippers while typing this proving this.

~Is there a 80's Radio on?

 I confess sometimes I hear the Chaka Khan song in my head for no reason.

Chaka Khan,Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan

let me rock you

Let me rock you, Chaka Khan
Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do


(And now it may be in your head too.)

~



Nerd Girl--



I confess that while I play a normal every day poet in real life (um, can poets really be "normal"), I am actually a nerd who spent my childhood collecting rocks and stamps.  Again, refer to the above confession that "I am not edgy,"



And I'll be honest, when I went to DC, I spent 4 hours in the Postal Museum & claimed it my favorite museum of all the Smithsonians.  I know, I played the violin from 5th -11th grade (always got an A in Dorkestra) and collected ceramic dachshunds as a child, so this should be expected, but...



Here's what you don't know, I confess I am really excited that the dog mascot of the United Postal Service ("Owney") gets his very own stamp on July 27th.  I know, none of you know this--  That is because none of you get updates and emails from the Postal Museum.  And I do.



Here's the link with the info.



And here's the stamp...



And you will see this stamp on my SASEs because, that's how I roll.  I love stamps and rocks and birds and the universe and coin collecting with my dad (though my dad is no longer here, the coins are).  And I look for grammatical errors in signs.



And I confess while I look as if I "fit in" -- I don't, I never have.   That's okay, too.  I heard a comic say yesterday that "Life is a pair of skinny jeans & we are one big arse who doesn't fit in."  But life isn't about fitting in, it's about belonging.  And if you think about it, there's a difference.  A huge difference.



Amen.

P.S.  If any of you knew this Owney info and were actually looking forward to it (as I am), please leave me a note or email me.  We can be the sesame seeds on poppyseed bagel of life...

Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Follow up to Facebook Author Page coming Wednesday...

I'm currently at the beach, but have been getting some more specific questions about creating a page on Facebook.

Tonight when I'm home and not covered in sand from my golden retriever's digging project, I'll start a post of what I've learned and questions I know the answers to.

Since tomorrow is Confession Tuesday, I'll post the follow-up on Wednesday.

I'm glad for the interest in this especially because it was an odd journey for me to finally start a page and change my position from anti-page gal to Liker.

More soon...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

No Smoking Penguins: Why Authors, Poets, & Writers should have a Facebook page...

This is me.

This is me on Facebook.

Get the picture?



Um, well, I didn't for quite a long time.  Let's just say it I'm a slow learner.



Kelli Russell Agodon



Promote Your Page Too



After years of being anti-Facebook groups, I started a Facebook author page to keep in touch.



You can connect with me here to make a poet happy. 



I'll be honest, it was tough to do this.  One reason is that you have to "Like" my page to be included in it.  That's kind of weird, isn't it?  Very Mark-Zuckerberg-is-in-his-twenties-who-grew-up-in-a-world-where-you-want-to-be-liked.



For me, it felt a little too Sally Field, "You like me, you really like me."  But I'm not the multi-billionaire behind Facebook, though honestly, I'm not sure I'd have come up with a better word.  If not "like," then what could I have used? "You'll do" or "I choose you" (Pokemon style) or "Good enough."



But I got over it.



And learned (and this will sound strange because it's in Facebook language)-- I'd rather you "liked" me than to become my friend.  



See, that sounds bizarre.



But I'll tell you why- I currently have a backlog of friend requests and my regular Facebook page that brings me down because it now feels like a chore.  This new author page feels light and breezy, and the best part is if you "like" it, I don't have to approve you, I don't have to sort through your family photos to make sure you are real and not scary.



And if I see that you've liked my page, it's easier for me to friend you because then I know you know who I am.  (I know, that sounds weird, but it's true for me-- if I see you've liked the page, you don't have to sit as long in my FB purgatory.)



I had been so anti-group in the past, the groups were the worst because you had to "be a fan," which felt worse than "liking" someone.  I said I'd never make a page for myself, and then it happened--someone made me a page.  And honestly, this was sweet.  I thought it was so cool that someone did that for me.  Someone liked my work enough that they thought I should have a page so people can like me (er, Like me.)



For a long time, it had 2 people and I felt good about it.  Ah, my 2 fans.  I love them.



Then a few more people signed on, and I was good, until we hit six and I thought--omg, someone might think I started this page myself and I can't control any of the info on it. What if it gets fifty "likes" and they upload a photo of a penguin smoking and I can't do anything about it because it's not my page?  And then will people think I support smoking penguins (which I do not, thank you very much)?



And so the control-freak Capricorn inside me started my own page to stop the promotion of smoking penguins.  And that felt weird, but oddly, good.



And this anti-page/anti-group girl found she actually preferred the new author page to her actual FB page (which surprised me).



It's kind of weird, by having a page, you can actually "be" your page, which means, I can be my author page and like other pages (from authors to favorite foods to other poetry presses and so on) and then interact with these pages as my author page.  It's bizarre and yet a really great way for me to keep up with all the things I'm interested in.



So, now I'm pro-FB author page.



And I think if you're a writer who has a book or plans on having a book in the future, you might want to consider a page too.





Here are the reasons why I think a Facebook Author Page is better than your Regular Facebook Account with Friends --



1)  People choose you, and you don't have to "approve" them.



2)  It's an easy place to keep everything up-to-date and together.

-- I know when I like a writer, I like to see what they are up to, this is a great place for that.  And it's free. And no strings attached.  You can like then unlike someone.



3)  By interacting with other pages (authors, writers, etc.), people who might be interested in what you do, can find your page.



4)  You will never be asked to play Farmville.  This alone is a reason to set up a page.



5)  You will see who really wants to support you.

-- Okay, this sounds a little like strange goth teenage girl talking, but honestly, I wanted to see which of my friends would press Like.  No, I wasn't going to disown anyone, but it was really nice to see who were the first people to press the Like button and who continue to find my page and support me.



6)  Because people have pressed "Like," you know they care about what you're doing.

--You know they know who you are and have pressed like completely unselfishly, not to have 4999 friends.  For me, this is huge.



My biggest concern on FB is that I'm never sure if the person is asking to be my friend because they are interested in poetry or writing too, of if it's because having lots of friends is some sort of thing they do compensate for spending their younger years licking the swingset.



This is why I have a page (not because I licked the swingset, I was too busy chewing on the clay from the earth), but because it made so much sense to me once I had one.



Seriously, when I see a new name who has clicked like, I send out so much good energy to the universe, I think I keep a few stars alive a little longer.  I make lightning bugs seem like static electricity bugs.



And I'm getting over my aversion to the word "Like."  I guess it's okay to have more Like in the world.  Likers are so much cooler than haters, that's for sure.



So this is why I have a new author page and why you may want to set up one yourself as well. (They are easy to set up and you can find the "Create a Page" at the bottom of any of these pages).



Oh and Jeannine reminded me if you get 25 people to "Like" your page, you get to name it.



So here are some pages, I Like (with a capital L)-- And the best part, if you're on Facebook, you can like them too, just by going there and clicking Like, then you're connected.  That's it!



Favorite Facebook Pages--





My Author Page:  www.facebook.com/agodon



Jeannine Hall Gailey:  https://www.facebook.com/JeannineHallGailey



Crab Creek Review:  https://www.facebook.com/crabcreekreview



Steve Almond:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Almond/105908579252



Mary Biddinger's new book:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Monica/208406462528263



Dan Savage:  https://www.facebook.com/DanSavage



C. Dale Young's book TORN:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/TORN/120795594670207



Jennifer Michael Hecht:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Michael-Hecht/48975023164



Sandra Beasley:  https://www.facebook.com/authorsandrabeasley



Collin Kelley:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Conquering-Venus-A-Novel-by-Collin-Kelley/91070288038



Michael Wells:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-A-Wells-Poet/213397888700945



Garth Stein:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Garth-Stein/48864821406





~~

If you have a Facebook Author Page, please feel free to add a link to it in the comments--Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Happy Father's Day, Fellas!

This ad cracked me up... I used to give my dad Soap-on-a-Rope, this in a million years would not be on his gift list.



And I'm seriously hoping this isn't for someone's dad, but their husband...  This ad goes wrong in so many ways...  but the humor of it continues on.



~



And to the dads out there-- Happy Father's Day!  I hope it included pancakes and clothes! Thanks for your love and kindness in raising the good people of the world!Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Reading Poems on the Internet...

Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Friday Thought of the Day--

[image error] Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Thankful Thursday: Sandra Beasley & her new Memoir!

This may be one of my most favorite book covers ever!  Two of my favorite things-- sweets and skull

s.
Today I am thankful that it's almost time for Sandra Beasley's new memoir to release.





Sandra has a JULY 12th release date, but you can preorder her memoir: Don't Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life right now.



~

A beautifully written and darkly funny journey through the world of the allergic.

 
Like twelve million other Americans, Sandra Beasley suffers from food allergies. Her allergies—severe and lifelong—include dairy, egg, soy, beef, shrimp, pine nuts, cucumbers, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, macadamias, pistachios, cashews, swordfish, and mustard. Add to that mold, dust, grass and tree pollen, cigarette smoke, dogs, rabbits, horses, and wool, and it's no wonder Sandra felt she had to live her life as "Allergy Girl." When butter is deadly and eggs can make your throat swell shut, cupcakes and other treats of childhood are out of the question—and so Sandra's mother used to warn guests against a toxic, frosting-tinged kiss with "Don't kill the birthday girl!"

_____________________



I can't wait to read this book.  And here's a book trailer to learn more (and with actual photos of the birthday girl...)









Many congrats, Sandra!  And many thanks that you have found a way to navigate through your allergic life.



~Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Confession Tuesday - Lazy Summer Edition

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Dear Reader,



As school ends, summer begins, and June is reaching its halfway point (how did that happen), it's time to confess.



To the confessional--



PetsRule--



I confess if constantly call my golden retriever handsome and cannot understand how people can resist not petting, hugging, or playing with him.  He is 85 lbs, almost six years old, and while his real name is "Buddy Holly," I refer to him as "Baby Boy."



~

Why the NW is My Palace--



I confess that I'm not sure I could live in a warm climate or one with nice weather because much of the time I'm happy that it's raining so I can stay inside to write and read (and not feel guilty that I should be outside doing something active).



~





This is a Real Word--



I confess one of my favorite words is "lollygagging" and I get annoyed that every time I write it, my Mac puts a red-dotted line under the word as if it's spelled wrong.



I confess this is the second time this week I mentioned this.



~

Definitely an Over-Achiever--



I confess during the nice weather on Sunday, I took a 2 hour nap and dreamed about taking a nap on a warm summery day.



~

I'm Not Rejecting You:



I confess I just received a rejection from Rattle this week.  I was surprised to see this in the final paragraph:  If you consider yourself Buddhist, there's plenty of time to try us again.  (I wondered if this was some sort of Zen/reincarnation riddle...)





I then reread it and realized they are having a theme issue so if you consider yourself a "Buddhist poet" you can submit to Rattle until August 1.





I won't be submitting as while I am interested in Buddhism, have a Kuan Yin statue in my garden, and now meditate, I also wear a St. Cecilia medal.  I think if I had to define myself I'd say spiritual.  



I guess I've moved away from being in any one group.  I think I practice Kellism.



~





Even though a NW Type, Spain Might Be Okay--



I confess I really like taking naps.



Amen.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com