Charity Marie's Blog

5 Authors Blog Hop

Happy holidays from Dallas, Texas! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Whatever holiday this month brings for you, I have lots of news and of course, I want to tell you all about my children’s book, Jason, Lizzy & the Snowman Village.

First and foremost, if you haven’t already, please visit our host, JT Therrien’s blog, it’s definitely worth the trip! Thank you JT for putting this together!

Now for the good stuff! My children’s book Jason, Lizzy and the Snowman Village is a story written for children and the young at heart of all ages. A secular tale about friendship and the value of learning home is more than just where you live, it received the 2013 Reader’s Favorite award for children’s fantasy.

After Jason and Lizzy’s family move hundreds of miles south from Chicago to Texas, leaving behind friends, school and the only home they’ve ever known, they are desperate for something familiar. Together, Jason and Lizzy make a late-night wish upon a star for snow that launches them on an incredible adventure even bigger than their recent cross-country move.

Join Jason and Lizzy as they make new friends, visit far-away lands, and learn, sometimes, home is more than where you live.

This book makes a great gift for the youngsters in your life, whether they are children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, students, teachers or just anyone who loves to read a heart-warming story. It’s sure to lift your spirits and put you into a festive mood.

Autographed copies are available for order through my website. All orders placed before December 19 are guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas but I recommend ordering the book now and reading a chapter each night with your child(ren) until Christmas. If you read aloud a chapter each night, you will finish sometime before Christmas or right around the new year.

I am on the road this week, working a new job (more about that later) and am typing this from a local Subway. There’s a cheery little gaslit fire, a nice U2 tune playing and Christmas is 21 days away. This has been, for me and my family, an incredibly challenging year, some of which I am going to share with my readers at a later time. Let’s just say, I am really looking forward to a fresh start in 2015. Tomorrow, be sure to check out David Walker’s blog, and the final blog on the tour!

The post 5 Authors Blog Hop – Day Four with Charity Kountz appeared first on Charity Kountz.

June has been a pretty strong month all in all, although I haven’t published as many articles as I would have liked. I have, however, landed several large marketing projects as well as closed some sales for my client AddressTwo so it balanced out really well. Here’s links to this month’s published articles as of June 19, 2014.

Facing Down a Sluggish Job Market  Ideas for  job-searching in the post-recession era. I’m particularly proud of this article because it combines over seven years of my real world experiences with some very solid research and it’s geared toward millennials who are reported to be really struggling in the current job market. These are real solutions that have worked for me and others.

The Downtown Dallas Guide to Finding an Apartment Located in the geographic center of the city, Downtown Dallas is undergoing an epic revitalization, making it a prime location to consider for apartment living. Here are some tips for finding the perfect apartment for you in the area.

5 Tips for Energy Conservation in Dallas-Fort Worth In Dallas-Fort Worth, energy conservation is a daily concern. Whether it’s water conservation, energy efficiency, or simply a desire to live in a more environmentally friendly way, there are many options available.

I have stopped publishing with ArticleDocument.com because frankly they’re not properly tracking my clicks (boo, hiss!). Out of three articles, I currently only show 4 clicks. I know for a fact I should have many more than that (typically I average no less than 20-30 clicks when I share on social media and oftentimes it’s higher). Because of my lack of confidence in their royalty sharing and tracking, I’ve decided not to publish through them anymore. I would love to find a decent royalty sharing program for some of my content but alas, the hunt continues. If you know of any that pay around $0.05 – $0.10 per click, please let me know.

In addition, I’m working on a new article about resume falsification for Moxie Lady and hoping that will publish in July. Still pending about 15 article ideas for Coldwell Banker. Also am working on a short story to submit to a major fiction magazine but that won’t probably happen until July or August.

I’ve begun studying for my real estate license and I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m starting to realize that having the kids home full time is a definite drawback to my studying goals so I’ve been struggling with that lately. Doesn’t look like I’ll be taking the test in mid-July but hopefully I’ll have some help soon and can focus. I’ve also gotten a tentative offer from a prospective client about doing inside sales with a 3% commission which could be fun. It’s dealing with lead intake and sales of investment products which would require I get my series 7 securities license (not a big deal as I have my 6 & 63 already). We’ll see how that pans out.

The post Published Article Roundup – June 2014 appeared first on Charity Kountz.

June is already off to an exciting start. First and foremost, I have a new magazine client, Moxie Lady. I stumbled upon this site thanks to a posting on Freelance Job Postings and submitted my writing resume and clips. The response was very quick and enthusiastic, which I really appreciated. I sent off four quick topics for editor review and was immediately hired to write one of them. I have to say it was one easy process! I submitted the draft today and am awaiting feedback. Hopefully it will go live sometime this month. Link will be shared in the June article round up around mid-month.

In addition, I’ve decided to pursue my real estate license. Why? Because I’m pretty good at sales and frankly, writing and marketing just aren’t paying the bills. Sad, I know. But it is what it is so I’m hoping to find a career that’s lucrative enough but flexible enough to allow me to still do my writing. Book two has been put on hold until my personal life straightens out a bit more. I’m still doing plenty of nonfiction writing and editing though. I have a new prospect who is interested in me doing a comprehensive copyediting of her romance novel. I’m actively pursuing nonfiction authors in need of editing services as I really enjoy editing nonfiction. Genre fiction is a bit tougher in terms of editing. Plus, nonfiction editing sometimes leads to marketing opportunities once the book is finished, which is handy.

Real estate is an interesting industry. Especially in Texas. I’m excited to pursue this challenging career and learn all about real estate. Not to mention, there’s a great market niche there – I can write content for real estate sites once I have my license. Heck, I already write for Coldwell Banker pretty regularly and have for over a year. I currently have almost 20 articles proposed to them, two pending publication, and two more that I’m working on. The proposed articles, if approved, won’t start until July at the earliest.

All in all, June will be a busy month. What are your plans for June? We’re halfway through the year, where are you in terms of your goals?

The post Moxie Lady Article Pending, Career Change, and More appeared first on Charity Kountz.

It’s been a busy few weeks and there’s been lots of article publishing going on. Today, I’m going to share a few of my most recent published articles with you. Stay tuned – this will be a regular topic as I continue to expand my portfolio of published clippings. I’m branching out into a wide range of areas and topics. See below for a list of expertise areas.

Enjoy! ~CK.

As of 5/12/2014

3 Moving Tips to Make Your Next Move Easy

Planning a move? Don’t pack that box, and don’t wrap those dishes until you check out these three easy tips to save you time, money and tons of aggravation!

The Evolution of Modern Anti-Spam Regulations

Have you ever wondered how today’s current spam standards evolved? If you’re like me, this article discusses some of the pivotal points in the last ten years regarding spam regulations.

Using DRIP Marketing to Drive Sales

DRIP Marketing is an effective strategy utilizing automated emails, targeted content, and marketing strategies to drive sales.

Why Small Businesses Should Choose Email Marketing

Are you on the fence about using email marketing to grow your small business? Here’s some reasons you should start today!

If so, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a short list of topics and areas of expertise. Charity can provide web content, blog posts, newsletter content, marketing copy, and more. Contact Charity today to learn how she can use her versatile writing skills to help you with your content needs!

Business > Advertising, Home Based Business, Consulting & Freelance, Marketing & Sales, Entrepreneurship, General Business Topics, Current News & Events, Small Business, Women in Business, Social Media, Networking, Growing Your Business, Customer Service, Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

Finance >  Retirement Planning, Debt & Credit Management, Investing, Budgets, IRAs, Life Insurance.

Pets & Animals > Cats, Dogs, Fish, Horses > How to Care for, General, Being a pet owner, Dogs & cats health and wellness, Freshwater Aquariums, Freshwater Fish, Fish Facts & Profiles.

Health & Wellness >  Health Insurance, Healthcare Reform, Wellness, Health Insurance 101, Dental care, Basic health topics.

Cities & Locales > Dallas, TX > Activities, Arts & Culture, Education, Getting Around, History, Summer Living, Topics of interest and current events.

News > Current Events, Environmental, Sociological, Business news.

Home & Garden > Interior & Exterior Home Remodeling, Tips & Tricks, General Topics, How-To.

Publishing & Writing >  General Interest, How To, Sales & Marketing Strategies, Self-publishing, Children’s Fiction, Novel Writing, Blogging, Content Development.

The post Published Article Roundup appeared first on Charity Kountz.

It’s been almost a month since I asked my husband for a divorce. The drama has been intense and daily. The last three weeks have been consumed with it almost daily. He is facing some difficult challenges of his own making. I agreed to give him until the end of April to make arrangements since he paid April’s rent but he shows no real signs of plans to get out. On top of that, yesterday he shared that he would be losing his job next week. It makes me sad to see his life disintegrate around him but after trying to hold it together for him since February 2011 when he lost his job previously, I’m done feeling sorry for him. He created this situation in his life and as hard as it is to watch, I’m going to have to let things fall where they may. I did everything I could to slow the descent and prevent a catastrophe but I have my own issues to deal with.

So starting today, I’m moving on with my life. I’m going to start rebuilding the pieces and standing on my own two feet again. It’s taken almost 7 months to reach this point and an awful lot of heartache but the hardest part is almost done. The final step is getting him out so I can once again concentrate on what I need to concentrate on. I feel my focus and determination returning to me, piece by piece. It’s a slow process because I lost so much of myself in the last two years but it’s definitely happening. The first step is finding a job of some kind or some kind of income. Now if the chaos could just stay at bay long enough for me to do that, I will be successful.

The post Rebuilding Begins appeared first on Charity Kountz.

Sometimes in life you build something that you believe in, that you think is perfect and everything you could ever dream. Eventually, you may realize that what you built is all wrong. The foundation is bad, the structure is weak and dangerous and it’s not at all the shelter you wanted. For me in my life, Rome is burning to the ground. This life I have built so lovingly and carefully is an illusion.

I married a selfish, self-centered man who tore me down every day. With that kind of a crumbling foundation, our marriage has fallen apart. I spent the last six months doing everything I could to put out the flames and convince myself there was no fire. In the process I was almost consumed by the flames. Instead I allowed that fire to burn away the illusions, and the heat to heal my soul. I found courage in that cleansing fire to really evaluate my life, myself and the choices I made. I made a mistake, I see that now.

My mistake wasn’t marrying him or even being with him. It is so much deeper than that, so much harder to realize. My mistake was not staying true to myself. I gave up vital parts of myself in order to be with him. I ignored the signs that told me this was wrong And settled because I thought he was the best I could do. I thought I didn’t deserve anything more.

Now, I am left with the smoldering remains of a life that was all wrong for me. I am working hard to salvage what I can and learning all the things I did wrong. Soon the cleanup and rebuilding will begin. And I feel a little sadness as I look at the wreckage but also relief and anticipation of the future. The possibilities stretch before me and I know, for the first time in my life, exactly what I want. I have a plan to get it. I will find love again, a true love that gives me what I need. A love that nourishes instead of negates my skills. A love that lifts me up instead of tearing me apart each day.

My Rome is burning and that fierce, raging fire is exactly what I need.

The post Rome is Burning appeared first on Charity Kountz.

It’s safe to say I vanished for the last couple of months, on my blog, on social media, and just in general. It started around the holidays and only just recently (pretty much today) lifted. Those of you who know me well, know about my struggles with PTSD and depression. The holidays are never easy for me, despite having a beautiful, amazing family of my own now. Add to it some serious financial worries, marital issues, and a whole slew of other things large and small, and I just decided to take some time for myself, to recuperate and figure out what I was going to do. What started off as a week became seriously longer than a week. I realized the reason for my struggles last year were largely due to being bogged down with a big dilemma.

And at this point, I think I’ve finally figured out what to do moving forward. I’ve reached a crossroads in my career. The crossroads is this: do I do what I love and risk not making enough money to pay the bills or do I do what I’m good at that pays the bills but that I don’t really love? Writing is my love. Without at doubt. It’s also a bit of a curse, when it’s not going well. It’s also a slow process. There’s no get rich quick aspect to writing and publishing. It’s a lot of hard work. And writing doesn’t always pay very well. But regardless, I love it, can’t escape from it and don’t want to.

On the other hand, I’m also good at marketing and office management. I’ve been doing that for almost 20 years and it’s paid the bills very well in that time, which allows me to do the writing. Unfortunately, I lack one thing that seems to get a door slammed in my face in this economy: a big fancy degree with my name on it. I’ve spent over a decade in college (and have the loan debt to prove it) but just couldn’t manage to get a Bachelor’s degree. So now, in my mid-thirties, opportunities that I’m completely qualified for are out of reach. Except for as a self-employed individual. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of risks associated with that as well – client inconsistencies, payment issues and more. For my husband, who craves stability like the air we breath, that doesn’t sit too well. And I wouldn’t mind some consistency myself.

So do I take the leap of faith? Everything is pointing that way and has been for a long time. So why am I so darn scared to take the leap? I’ve certainly made stranger leaps in the past – I leapt into a financial business with a lot less thought than this as well as a lot less experience and made a success of that. So what is it about writing that scares me so much?

But when life’s stresses get overwhelming, my ability to write goes out the window and on a long Caribbean vacation… without me. Earlier this year I was sure that my life was about to unravel at the seams which was enough to lock my muse away for a very long time. In fact, this blog post is already more than I’ve written in several months. Some would argue that I shouldn’t post this out there publicly and they might be right. But my philosophy is this: we’re all human and we all struggle. It’s what we do with the struggle that matters. No one should be judged for sharing their struggles, only what they do to overcome them. I’ve battled these last few months, day and night to overcome the struggles and get back to myself. And at the end of it all, I’m a writer so I’m going to share that story of my struggle in the hopes it will inspire others. If there’s a cost associated with being so honest, so be it. I’d rather be brave and help someone than be cowardly and not.

So here it is, my public declaration to the world that I’m going to, despite the fear clawing inside my gut as  I write this, take the leap of faith and make writing my focus first and foremost. For better or for worse, that’s where my heart has always been, that’s where I know God wants me to be, and while I don’t know the path I’ll walk, I know I have to try.

What about you? What crazy leaps of faith have you made? What was the result? Are you glad you did or was it a lesson learned? Or what leaps are you still needing to make but haven’t quite had the courage to do so yet? I’d love to hear your experiences, so leave a comment below!

The post Where Did Charity Kountz Go? appeared first on Charity Kountz.

For the past six months I’ve been preparing for the current holiday campaign. And this year, we’re doing things a little differently. It came about by accident (all the best things seem to in my life! lol) but I decided to tackle some craft shows and gift markets this year. It’s been an interesting experience to say the least. From developing a table display to showcase the books, to arranging the specifics of each event and coordinating who does what, where, when and how, has definitely been a challenge. So far we’ve only been late for one event this season (due to distance) and the coordinator was wonderfully accommodating. Here’s some of the lessons I’ve learned this season.

Author Charity Kountz at the 2013 Lightning Dancers Craft Show

These are hard work and time consuming. Our setup and tear down is probably one of the quickest of just about any vendor at these shows. Setup & tear down takes about 1/2 hour with one person. Many of my events I had at least one other helper if not two or three which meant setup could be done in mere minutes with everyone’s help.
Be wary of high booth fees. Depending on your product, you may not earn out your booth fee. The higher the fee, the more product you have to sell to break even. For me, as an author, each event had to sell no less than 5 books and some as many as 15 books just to break even. That didn’t even count time and any additional expenses.
Be very weary of shows with a lot of hype. The more hype, the warier to be. Talk to other vendors to find out what the best shows are.
It’s a very good idea to do craft shows that benefit an organization. Bonus is if it’s a nonprofit. That way you know your booth fees are going to a good cause (i.e. local schools, fundraisers, church missions etc). These types of events have a vested long-term interest in putting on a good show for all involved – vendors and customers. It’s not about lining their own personal pockets. Plus you get the added bonus of knowing you’re benefiting your community in a tangible way, which can feel really good after a long day at a show.
The people at these events are fantastic! I met a ton of new contacts, and made some new friends, as well as found some play dates for my daughter. I had some truly amazing conversations with all kinds of people and had a great opportunity to build a relationship with readers. Some of my customers included a nanny, several elementary school teachers, family members buying for nieces, nephews, and grandchildren (even a few great grandchildren) and tons more. After one event I was even recognized in public by someone at  local Hobby Lobby, ten minutes away from the event location.
If you find a show you really like, register early for the next show so you can secure a good location. Location is key to a great event. But even with a poor location, you can still earn out at an event so don’t base everything on the location.

At the end of the day, for me, these events were as much about marketing and publicity as they were about book sales. In the end, I was happy to at least cover my costs while getting in front of the buying public one on one.

Of course, the events aren’t over yet. I still have a number of additional shows. On 12/6 – 12/7, we’ll be supporting the Waxahachie Junior Service League’s Christmas Market. On 12/7 we’ll also be supporting the First Christian Church in Garland. On 12/15 we have the Dallas Heritage Village and on 12/21 the Irving Arts Center. In between I have 2-3 school events. And that’ll wrap up our season until next November. From now until January 5, I’ll be working on book 2. Then it’s on to book 3, with a planned publication date of October 7, 2014. That would be on the two year anniversary of book one’s publication. That would also allow for a boxed set for sale next Christmas season.

My biggest lesson learned this season? Having more than one book available for sale is important. I had countless people asking me when book 2 would be out and they hadn’t even read the first book yet! People really like a series, let me tell you. Another writer friend of mine, David Walker, was able to sell his entire book series several times over because it was a complete series of seven books. So, now it’s on to the next book. Thankfully I solved the plot issue last week and can hopefully begin work on book 2 again starting tomorrow.

The post Gift Markets, Craft Shows & Events Galore! appeared first on Charity Kountz.

This past weekend, I had a pleasant surprise. I was at the Dallas Farmers Market doing an author appearance. It was my third year in a row, and if you’ve never been to the Dallas Farmers Market, it’s huge. I was in Shed 2 for four hours and did a reading each hour. I’d had posters up for about two weeks in Shed 2 and was shocked when a security guard opened the door to me, pointed to the poster and said, “Isn’t this you?” I laughed, delighted, and nodded. I was thrilled that someone recognized me and he was obviously delighted to have a chance to be the first to greet me. We started our setup, which took a little longer than expected, but went smoothly all around. Within a few minutes, a little girl walked up to me, with a little boy in tow. I was pretty sure I recognized her and within moments I was floored to be proven right.

The first words out of her mouth were, “I was so excited when I saw your sign! I know exactly who you are – I saw you last year. I was in the front row. This is my favorite book!” You could have knocked me over with a puff of wind. I was floored that this little girl not only remembered me, but remembered me so well that Jason, Lizzy and the Snowman Village was her favorite book. She had wanted the book last year but her mother wouldn’t let her get it. I had an inkling that before the end of the day I’d be giving her a copy of the book, one way or another. As it turned out, within a few minutes, she was back and offering to barter a lunch from one of my favorite restaurants in Shed 2, the Old World Sausage Company (where her cousin works), in exchange for a book. This was more than I could have hoped for! Heck, I’d told myself I’d give her the copy of the book I’d read through the day, whether I’d sold any books or not. So this was completely perfect. I immediately took a book over, signed it and placed my order for me and the kids who were both there with me. The little girl’s name is Elezabeth and she was completely adorable, hanging out with us most of the day. I think she listened to me read all three times and even brought her little brother over and let him fall asleep on one of the chairs. I carried him back to his mother and he never woke once.

A number of the other vendors noticed me or remembered me as well. It was great to be around such a welcoming group of people. I visited the local booths and did a little shopping afterward. One vendor, The Good Stuff of Dallas, was particularly thrilled I stopped by and bought an autographed copy of the book. And it hit me. THIS is why I write books and do these events. Knowing I’ve made such an impact even with one little girl is so incredible to me. I never thought I could ever have such influence as a writer. And in ten or twenty years, who knows what Elezabeth will have gained from my little bit of influence in her life? Will she develop a deeper love of writing and reading? Will it help her in school? I certainly hope so. I hope that my little book can give her joy and hope and inspiration.

So once again, I’m reminded of the incredible influence of writing. I have seen that personally in my own life from a very young age. But experiencing that on the other side is just incredible. There just aren’t very many words for how amazing it is. I never thought twenty years ago that I would be doing the same thing for other people that authors do for me every time I read a book, a story, or a poem.

The post Influence of a Writer & Dallas Farmers Market Event Recap appeared first on Charity Kountz.

We’re thrilled to bring you the 12 Days of Christmas Subscriber Specials! Each day, from Black Friday until December 10, 2013, we’re borrowing Santa’s wonderful elves at CharityKountz.com and having them send you a super secret code for access to deals you can’t even imagine! Why it’s just the jolliest, merriest and most exclusive Christmas specials around and sure to make you smile!

Each exclusive deal is valid for one day and one day only, starting at 12:01 a.m. CST and ending at 11:59 p.m.! You’ll have to act fast before the elves whisk that deal away and replace it with a new one at midnight. (And if you want to whisper about it to your friends, they can use the code too!) There’s no limits to how many time you can use the code in that day either. It’s a great way to do your holiday shopping without ever leaving your house (not to mention supporting a small business owner, instead of Wal-Mart!). Each subscriber special is crafted with care and guaranteed to be 100% unique and special. Almost all of these are limited edition opportunities and won’t be available ever again! The deals get progressively smaller as we get closer to Christmas, so you’ll want to take advantage of the earliest specials for great gift ideas and rare collectible items at great discounts. All orders are guaranteed to ship and arrive in time for Christmas. And you won’t find these packages anywhere else except on CharityKountz.com. Guaranteed!

Some of the deals include:

So hurry up and get on our nice list – we won’t be checking it twice! Subscribe below today!

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