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My New Book Trailer - On the Bright Side

I'll talk more about my rebranding in a little bit. First things first, in celebration of Finishing On the Bright Side. Here is my new book trailer - enjoy! :)

My Other Book Trailer - Grace Under Fire

For those who haven't seen it - my trailer for Grace Under Fire is still up. This is the book I am going back to know and I must say, I am excited to talk to Grace again. I've missed her!


Rebranding

O.K. so as you can tell by now, I am in the process of rebranding. I tend to rebrand every few years because it's fun. Of course, once any of us become authors, you don't want to rebrand that often but It's good to keep it fresh.

So, I thought it was time to rebrand and have something fresh as I got out to market for the first time. For good luck!

First - big round of applause for Hubby at Graphic Cat for all the great flash and design. I admit I get some great concepts, but none of them would come to life if it wasn't for him. He's like my genie - I say "I wish I could have this because of this." And POOF - he makes it happen! (Thanks hubby!)

Also - he busted his humpster to get this done for me (late nights, sacrificed work, no sleep) so we could launch everything this weekend!

I think I'll keep him ;)


Why the design??

I thought I would explain a little about why I did what I did for my branding look.

I think all of this represents me and my writing.

If you look at my web site - here is what I did. Maybe this will spark some ideas in you for your "platform".

Colors

• I decided to go with peach, purples and white. I do have a some dark colors on my web site.
• I like the idea of peach being the light tone of my books representing the humor,
• The shades of purple represent my darker side. I do have some dark tones running underneath my stories.
• The white represents the pure side of my characters

Elements

• The girl represents my strong female protagonist. I shadowed her because I don't want you to see any one of my characters. It could really be any of my protagonists. You also cant tell her age. She's mysterious, yet playful. She's serious, yet she's still finds time to blow a dandelion and enjoy the small things in life. She's dark, yet feminine. She's strong and dominate in her life (hence the large size). She takes charge.
• The dandelion symbolizes the "magic" in my books. There is always some type of universal magic that I try to weave into my stories.
  
• The plants/flowers represent my eco-themes. All of my books have some type of "environmentally friendly message. I would not say they are dominate or preachy but nature is always a character in my book.
  
• The daisy (in my name) is something I have always used. It is my signature. It the "110% of me" that I put into all of my books. No matter what I give all of me to every character and every edit. Every process along the way.
  
• My web site tagline - which is not up yet - is "planting seeds in the imaginations of children" - I think the planting metaphor relates to the dandelion seeds floating off to wherever and whoever is (will be) touched by my words.This phrase is why I write.
  

So what's next?

Check out my web site teaser - my full web site will be launched this coming Monday! I know you will all mark your calendars. :)

My twitter template (and of course my blog) has changed as well.Because if you rebrand - it all needs to sync up! (Im sure you have heard me say this before.

Obviously there are still some kinks but they'll be worked out by Monday. But I wanted you to get an idea of the things that go into branding.

I'd love to hear any feedback or if you have any questions about branding in general (or even on mine), leave me a comment and I will answer them for you :)

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Elephant hand closer Peanut, undefended and toasted on the table...

Hi, i,m a freelance ilustrator from Spain, my name is Beatriz Trello and i join SGF in this moment for the first time, yeah!
give thanks to Jeff and all people that post their amazing work here, i love this page.

this is my blog, welcome and enjoy it:

http://beatriztrello.blogspot.com/

Beatriz

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If you’re a homeschooling parent or a classroom teacher, you’ll want to join us this Thursday night for a FREE teleclass.

Click to listen and find out more about this event:

To register for this free event, JUST CLICK HERE and fill in your name, email address, and any question you might have about strategic instruction in the registration form.

learning strategies, New, New Teacher Resource Center, New Teaching Coaching Club, reading strategies, strategic instruction, strategic teaching

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By Edward Zelinsky

In light of the Democratic party’s control of both houses of Congress and the White House, it is probable that the federal government will continue to levy an estate tax when affluent decedents transmit their wealth to their descendants. The most likely possibility is that Congress will continue to exempt decedents’ estates valued less than $3.5 million while it taxes estates exceeding that threshold amount. In light of President Obama’s statements on the subject, it is also probable that such excess will taxed at a 45% rate when a decedent dies and leaves his wealth to his descendants.

Important details remain to be determined, e.g., whether the $3.5 million federal estate tax exemption will be adjusted annually for increases in the cost of living; whether various estate tax planning techniques such as family partnerships will be curbed or eliminated.

How ever these matters are ultimately resolved, the legislation perpetuating the federal estate tax should contain a provision subjecting to federal taxation all large intergenerational transfers of family wealth. Specifically, Congress should repeal the grandfather exemption from the federal generation skipping tax (GST) for irrevocable trusts established on or before September 25, 1985. This exemption unfairly immunizes from federal taxation transfers at death of “old” wealth while economically equivalent transfers of new wealth are taxed.

As an historic matter, the federal estate tax was often avoided through the use of so-called generation skipping trusts. When a decedent established such a trust, the trust continued for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with no further federal estate taxation being due whenever any of these lineal descendants themselves subsequently died.

The term “generation skipping trust” was a misnomer. The trust didn’t skip any generations. The tax did. Families could continue to enjoy and grow inherited wealth in trust without paying federal estate taxes.

In 1986, Congress prospectively outlawed this planning technique by imposing the federal GST. The GST backstops the federal estate tax by assessing a tax on a death-related transfer of wealth in trust whenever an equivalent transfer outside of a trust would trigger the estate tax. Thus, with the GST in place, families can no longer use trusts to avoid taxation on intergenerational transmissions of large fortunes. Rather, federal taxation must be paid at least once in every generation.

However, Congress grandfathered from the GST transfers of wealth from trusts which were in existence and irrevocable on September 25, 1985.

This exemption creates for federal tax purposes an unfair and unconvincing distinction between new wealth (think Michael Bloomberg) and old wealth (think the Kennedys and the Rockefellers). Because of the federal GST, families inheriting new wealth now pay a federal estate tax or its equivalent at least once every generation. However, families inheriting old wealth live estate-tax free by virtue of the grandfathered status of tax-avoiding trusts established by such families’ patriarchs and matriarchs on or before September 25, 1985.

There are respectable arguments for and against federal estate taxation. However, if there is to be an estate tax, there is no convincing reason to treat differently old wealth from new wealth.

If, as the President Obama and the current Congress apparently believe, federal estate taxation represents sound social and tax policy, there is no warrant for continuing to exempt from such taxation some families simply because they had the good luck to make their fortunes before 1985. As part of its legislation continuing the federal estate tax, Congress and the President should eliminate the immunity from generation skipping taxation for intergenerational wealth transfers accomplished by irrevocable trusts established on or before September 25, 1985. For federal tax purposes, all inherited wealth should be taxed the same, whether it is “old” wealth or “new” wealth. The GST grandfather exemption should be abolished.

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Edward A. Zelinsky is the Morris and Annie Trachman Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University. He is the author of The Origins of the Ownership Society: How The Defined Contribution Paradigm Changed America.

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Announcing my first greeting card, for the New Year! In the spirit of finding as much humor as possible in the current situation, I offer the above visual interpretation, now available in a convenient greeting card form for easy distribution amongst those you might want to hand a laugh to! These are actual physical greeting cards, that you put stamps on and everything - remember those?? I am offering them for $1.20 each.

If you are interested in ordering some cards for your personal use, please contact me at [email protected].  And a wonderful, happy 2009 to everyone!

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© admin for It's a visual..., 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2009, baby, crisis, man, new, old, world, year

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Hi Everyone,
I am starting this next month to feature (Bi-weekly)at least two wonderful artist from around the world. Each feature will include a interview, a Bio, a small sampling of their work and all the links where you may find their art. You may comment on this blog or go direct to theirs and comment. I want to use my blog as a spring board to network these artist and all of you that visit this site.
The Two artist I will Feature first are:......
The great miniture sculpter..........James Van Schaik
Freelance Sculptor



and the Beautiful and talented...........Mary Manning One of the leading Childrens book artist of today!





So please Join me, in welcoming these two great artist !!!!!

I will be updating this post soon!!!

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Not a whole heck of a lot to report today. The above concept sketch is from a recent project I picked up recently. Guy watches bird, giant dinosaur watches guy - fairly simple concept, no?

I hit a brick wall in the writing of my novel last night. Suddenly everything that I write is little more than a pile of poop, stacked on top of another pile of poop. Hopefully taking a few days away from it will clear my head and help me finish this thing. I've started so many novels in the past and have ALWAYS had problems when coming down the home stretch. Some of them I ended up finishing, but absolutely hating, while others I never touched again. I really would like to finish this one - so I need to get my act together.

In other wonderful news I have this weird thing growing on my eyelid. It sort of looks like a zit, but not really - it's a bit more like Quato from "Total Recall." I keep waiting for it to grow arms and tell me that I need to "start the reactor," but it hasn't happened yet.

Steve~

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It's been a while since I put together a new zombie shirt (because I've been so busy) so I started on another design last night. I haven't even finished drawing it yet, but if you can guess what it is, I'll give you a gold star. (Which will actually just be me typing the words "GOLD STAR" in the comments...I know that's a bit of a let down).

Here's a hint: B.A.

Oh, and I've also (very slowly) been moving some of my designs over to zazzle as well, but that's taking a long time (you know, because of the whole "busy" thing again) I've included a link to the zazzle stuff in the sidebar.


make custom gifts at Zazzle

Steve!

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Not much to report today. The wife is down and out with back problems again. Things have slowed down a tiny bit as far as work goes, which has allowed me time to get some of my personal projects started...that, and lay around lazily. Nothing really changes around here.

I'm starting work on something new (that I can't really go into detail about just yet) and I decided to post one of my really early, really rough character sketches above.

Steve~

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Net Video Buzz Site (Under ‘Links’ on the Teen Web site?)

A really great site for finding out what videos are creating buzz on the net is ViralVideoCharts.com. Before you think it’s just another time waster, consider that, if you’re already into watching clips on the internet, this site could actually make it faster and more efficient. Surfing YouTube for videos can fun, but it can also be difficult when you don’t know where to start, which is where a site like this comes in handy. It’s also a great source for people searching for current events or wanting to be in the know when it comes to internet culture.

Electric Origami - LED Foldie (Might work as a program, especially in Toronto!)

Placing LED lights inside origami creations can be an interesting way to bring origami into the modern ages! Makes great ornaments!

Cyber Makeovers: A Big Hit With Teen Girls?

http://www.taaz.com Upload a good facial photo of yourself and you will be able to try on makeup and hairstyles and no one has to see you until it’s just perfect.

Comic Book Furniture: To Keep in Mind for Teen Spaces

Comic books have become more and more influential for the 20th century art. 

Italian designer Giuseppe Canevese brings to light the most important works of Guido Crepax in the form of furniture which can be brought into our homes.

Virtual Boyfriends & Girlfriends - V-Boy & V-Girl (Websites and Dating Trends)

Ladies, are you tired of searching for that perfect man? Instead of just settling for someone to ease the sting of loneliness, protect your heart and preserve your dignity and scoop up a sexy V-Boy instead. (Oh yeah, and guys, there’s V-Girl.com for you.)

Game Inspired Furniture: For Spaces

What a fun addition to your walls. Tetris is one of my favorite games, so the prospect of having an adjustable tetris mirror is definitely exciting for me. The Tetris Mirror by UK designer Soner Ozenc is constructed out of thirteen interlocking mirrored acrylic panels. The mirror can be arranged to form a traditional rectangle, or broken apart into their individual puzzle blocks which give you a multitude of designs to come up with. The mirror comes in both A3 (11.7″ — 16.5″) and A4 (8.3″ — 11.7″) sizes, in either silver or gold reflective surfaces.

Super Web Mobiles - LG Touch Web: The New Must Have Communication Device for Teens! Web mobiles have a strong new competitor in the shape of the just announced LG Touch Web phone ‘LG-LH2300’ that sports a new “Hello UI”.The advanced beauty features a 3-inch wide full touchscreen LCD with 800 x 480 (Wide VGA) resolution and delivers full optimized Internet browsing experience. The Touch Web phone adopts Quick Search Icon providing direct access to main portals, Internet hot key and jog wheel.The mobile also features a 3M camera with auto focus, face recognition and anti-shake tech, T-DMB, Bluetooth 2.0, and Micro SD memory slot.The Touch Web is expected to be available early April in Korea for between 600,000 and 700,000 (KRW) ($600 to $700).

Beer Can Butterflies: Making an Environmental Statement with Art (Craft Programming Idea)

At Trend Hunter, we’re obsessed with eco innovation.  In particular, we get our smile on whenever we see garbage recycled into art.  It seems that every week there’s a new addition to this category.  As a result, we’ve compiled 50 of our favorite uses for garbage in this super gallery.  Top 50 Pieces of Garbage Recycled Into Art (SUPER GALLERY)I hope you have enjoyed this trend hunting experience! Perhaps we’ll see some of these in the library very soon! References:Bartz, Bianca. (2008). Trend Hunting. Retrieved March 25th, 2008 from http://www.trendhunter.com/bianca/

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Periodically I like to point out interesting cultural events that readers might be interested in. Today, I’d like to introduce you to my father, Herbert S. Ford, who founded the New Jersey Film Festival.  If you live in the area you should try to attend. In the post below he ruminates on the importance of film and recommends some films we should check out. Ford is a partner in Marcus Brody Ford Kessler & Sahner, LLC, a boutique New Jersey law firm where he practices commercial real estate and business law.

I have often wondered why there are no Irish, Italian, Spanish, Hispanic, Mexican or South American or other film festivals in the New York metropolitan area, the most diverse and artistically strong? Certainly there are high quality films made that fit all those categories. Perhaps some festivals exist but they are below my radar? I hope so. Certainly, The New Jersey Jewish Film Festival, which opens tonight, is below the radar of many. (more…)

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A few people from the Early Modern Studies Group at Harvard have created the Theatrum Catalogorum which collates “library catalogs from every major European country” The next version should countain North American catalogs as well. Of particular interest is the fact that these catalogs are not just linked, they are annotated somewhat. While most of these notes are jus tinformation for English speakers on how to search the catalogs, library geeks will enjoy some of the meta-commentary such as “Many early modern holdings probably lost in an eighteenth-century fire.” or “Don’t bother looking in 1930-1991 or 1992-present catalogs.” [thanks pk]

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at the Coop bookstore in Harvard Square. I knew it was a Barnes and Noble, but I liked the selection and the clerks are nice and I knew where it was (I still find Harvard Square hard to navigate). But now that I have heard, via Bookshelves of Doom, that the Coop considers freakin' ISBNs to be their "intellectual property," I'm done.

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Students everywhere are heading back to school. But is school the way you remember it? In the post below D. Michael Lindsay, author of Faith In The Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined The American Elite, blogs about how faith has changed on campus, specifically evangelical faith. Read Lindsay’s other posts here.

Today, thousands of students will begin another year at Harvard, which begins its 369th year of classes. Since its founding, Harvard has been home to all kinds of religious believers, people of various faiths and of no faith at all. In recent decades, though, the nation’s leading university has diversified its student body geographically, ethnically, and racially. What’s surprising is how that diversity has changed Harvard’s religious makeup. (more…)

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Many people, myself included, have used PowerPoint to make important presentations. Did you just throw boxes on the screen or did you think about your audience and your message? I know that I am usually too overwhelmed by color and animation choices to put much thought into how each page should be designed. Stephen M. Kosslyn, chair of the Department of Psychology and John Lindsley Professor at Harvard University, has written a book to elucidate the process. In Clear and to the Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Creating Compelling PowerPoint Presentations, Kosslyn presents eight simple principles, based on modern science about perception, memory, and cognition, that will make any presentation work. In the original article below Kosslyn provides some tips to get you started. (more…)

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Lolly Robinson reveals another tree-creature, this one sprouting from the greens of Harvard:

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