After Blogalicious, I cooked for an entire week from Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr.'s new cookbook Simply Done, Well Done. His cookbook was my favorite swag gift.

Since before the days of Cleopatra, bathing has been not just a method of cleansing, but a luxurious way to care for and nurture the skin. And relaxing the body and mind.  Whether you choose candles or essential oils, you should make bathing an experience. There are different baths that are...

Really? Really Teen Kid? Wait til you have kids of your own! But the lessons I've learned in order to keep these social media savvy kiddies in check: 1. Hold their mobile phones hostage until all chores are done. 2. Threaten to post photos of their nasty room on Facebook & pictures of them cleaning it. (Humiliation works, see this post on what Reshonda Tate Billingsley did to her teen) 3. Don't pay their cell phone bill - until they learn how to get better grades.

One of my favorite gifts to give is personalized scrapbooks. When you take the times to put your pictures and words together in a gorgeous book for someone, they really appreciate it. A few years ago, I made one for mother of her life. I gathered as many photos as I could and added my own...

This summer, let’s give Blue Monday a new meaning-blue anything for that matter.   This summer the trending colors aren’t just bold, they are neon.  These colors are fun and eye-catching.  While blue lips may be a bit daring, you can rock almost any color of the rainbow on your...

Several years ago, I had this great idea to have a Fiesta, and make authentic Mexican food for Cinco De Mayo. My failed attempted at making Chicken Tamales, without corn husk, has not been spoken of since. That's a story for another day.

Blueprint for Style is providing insight into the latest swimsuit trends for the season PLUS one better, giving advice on "correcting" some of our problem areas. This week it's all about animal prints and one piece hotness!

I'm wild over the wedge shoe trend this season and have found a perfect one! What about you ~ which shoe trend are you going wild over?

Host a Series of Events. Speak for free. Yes, run your mouth. Most authors just want to write in a cave and appear when the book is published and on the shelves. But that's not how it works! You have to pre-promote the book and talk it up months before it's even done. Promoting the book at least six months before it's published in not too soon. So, set up events where you speak at conferences, schools, churches - anywhere and everywhere - and tell folks you have a book coming out! (And don't forget to get their email addresses).