I'm ready for my book signing

This fall, I'll be published in a book. I'm so excited! OK, before you start asking if I'll be at your local Barnes & Noble signing copies, I should clarify that this is a textbook and I just contributed one chapter.

But still, I'm totally excited to see it in print. The book, "Understanding Media Convergence," is scheduled to be out in November. You can read more about it here. I love the review quote from another academic who says, "The text presents an impressive list of topics that are written by an impressive list of authors." I am totally going to consider myself among the "impressive list of authors."

One of my professors from graduate school at the University of South Carolina is one of the book's editors. I did an independent study with this professor and wrote a research paper titled "Developing Media Managers for Convergence: A Study of Management Theory and Practice for Managers of Converged Newsrooms" (it really doesn't get more academic sounding than that, does it?). The paper was picked up by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and I presented my work at the AEJMC conference in summer 2005.

So, Dr. Grant asked it he could use my work in his latest textbook. Of course, I agreed. It's nice to see your hard work do more than just collect dust on a shelf or take up space on your hard drive.

It's not like I haven't been published a zillion times in newspapers and magazines, but never in a textbook so this is very cool. I'll be sure to let you know when it comes out. And, if you decide to order a copy, do know I'd be happy to sign it. :)

Eight years ... really?

Today Clint and I marked our eighth anniversary. I can hardly believe it. So much has happened since we stood in the Nazarene church in San Angelo, Texas, and exchanged our wedding vows. As those vows predicted, we've had better, we've had worse and we've had true love and happiness.

I'm blessed to have a great husband who puts up with my occasional bouts of crazy and grumpy. We can laugh together over such silly things - jokes that only he and I would find funny. We share a history and a passion. Thanks, Clint, for being the love of my life.

Fighting heart disease

I've joined my company's team for the American Heart Association Heart Walk. If you'd like to support this important cause, check out my donation Web page. Thanks for your support! Your donation will help fight our nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers—heart disease and stroke.

Rollin' over

Look out, world! Katherine has learned to roll over. She tried for several days before actually getting her little body to turn over on July 7. Next, she'll be crawling, then pulling herself up and then walking - life as we know it will be over! I love this photo of her ... it's like she's thinking, "Well, I made it over - now what?"

Life updates

Work and life in general have been somewhat crushing lately, leaving me little time for blogging. And, when I do have a free minute on the computer, I somehow get sucked into my Facebook world. (See earlier post on Facebook addiction.)

I really appreciated all the great e-mails and comments I received with advice on making tough decisions. The decision has narrowed somewhat to take an opportunity I am interested in vs. do nothing.

At the beginning of August, I'm going to Fort Worth to check out a job as editor of a brand new business publication in Denton, which is north of Fort Worth for those of you who have never been in Texas (and how sad for you!). Denton was just listed as one of Money magazine's "Best Places to Live."

I really want to make sure this is the right job for me and would be a perfect fit. I have a good job and live in a nice city so if I'm going to make a move, it needs to be a tremendous opportunity for me professionally, personally and spiritually.

I'll let you know how the trip goes.