Melissa Diskin http://melissadiskin.com/ Atlanta writer & information architect en Copyright 2008 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:50:33 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2ysb5-20051201 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss She's got the book: upcoming book reviews Recently I was bemoaning how my reading-for-pleasure time seemed to have compressed itself into nothing with the birth of baby #2. I wanted to read! a! book! ...but you know how it is: mothering and feeding and diapering two kids got in the way of sitting quietly. But wait -- what did I spend SEVEN years of undergrad and grad school doing if it wasn't reading and writing about books? (Well, besides waiting tables, drinking beer and Disco Night at the 40 Watt?)

So I pitched a book review, got the assignment and more to boot... and now I get to read good lit, write about it, and cash a check at the end of it all.

Now all I have to do is find a use for the Old English class I took at UGA (am I nerdy enough for ya?), and my student loan rationalization will be complete! Seriously: I took a class in which we read and translated stuff starting with Old High German and what might be loosely termed Norse-landic into Old, Middle, and down into modern-ish English. Pathetic, or incredibly cool? Only time will tell.

Updated to add: I'm reviewing Joshilyn Jackson's "The Girl Who Stopped Swimming" for Points North - should be here July08. At the moment I have "Time of Her Life" by Allison Winn Scotch on deck for publication this fall. 

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/06/shes_got_the_book_upcoming_boo.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/06/shes_got_the_book_upcoming_boo.html She's Got the Book Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:50:33 -0500 Copy that! I'm lucky to have some fantastic creative clients. Here in Atlanta: Frederick Swanston, Inc., for whom I've written a ton of stuff, including slicks for technical clients like VeriFone. I've also named products and written case studies for FS clients. What a great, professional firm to partner with!

Across the pond is Magnetic North, in Manchester, UK, for whom I've been writing a serial essay and other site copy for their client, Appletiser. Appletiser's "lunch is good" campaign has been running about a year, and I've had a blast each month coming up with the essay, ideas for the "lunch tree", copy for the competitions, and more. Be sure to check out the site, as the design is nothing short of fabulous. (Now, if only they could fly me to England on a monthly basis for some on-site work....)

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/06/copy_that.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/06/copy_that.html Copywriting and PR clients Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:26:22 -0500 Black Book and Birmingham Parent Some recent travel pieces:

The Black Book Atlanta Jet-Set guide for Black Book magazine -- this is a gift guide you can buy at Intermix, with hot clubs, restaurants, and shops to see and explore in major cities around the country. I updated and rewrote the Atlanta edition!

I also wrote a story on family-friendly holiday festivals around the South for Birmingham Parent Magazine.

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/04/post.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/04/post.html Travel Articles Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:48:06 -0500 Recent Reprints... San Diego Family and Metro Augusta Parent. This story has legs!
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/04/recent_reprints.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/04/recent_reprints.html Parenting, Family & Kids Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:45:01 -0500 Busy Busy Busy.... Brides.com blog as well as some fun copywriting. Oh yes, and a brand-new baby girl, born Jan 24th!
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/03/busy_busy_busy.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2008/03/busy_busy_busy.html Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:21:03 -0500 New client: Black & Black Surgical Black & Black Surgical, who sell high-end surgical instruments online to plastic surgeons. They also sell a fabulous skin-care line called Corina. I designed the information architecture of their site and wrote all the copy, including the packaging for Corina and other collateral.
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/11/new_client_black_black_surgica.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/11/new_client_black_black_surgica.html Copywriting and PR clients Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:10:51 -0500 Brides.com blog launches! Go here to find my blog detailing all that's fun in Atlanta bridal trends.
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/bridescom_blog_launches.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/bridescom_blog_launches.html Bridal Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:02:30 -0500 Adventures in Atlanta: Navigating the Georgia Aquarium, The New World of Coca-Cola, and Zoo Atlanta with Kids Just to set the scene: In this article you’ll encounter pandas, whale sharks and entirely too much high-fructose corn syrup. But take heart: What you won’t encounter is the question “Are we there yet?”

(Click inside for more.)

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/adventures_in_atlanta_navigati.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/adventures_in_atlanta_navigati.html Travel Articles Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:48:45 -0500 The Savvy Gal: Atlanta Eats Roundup where to go in the ATL.
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/the_savvy_gal_atlanta_eats_rou.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/the_savvy_gal_atlanta_eats_rou.html Travel Articles Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:31:15 -0500 Reshape, Rewrite, Reprint I've reprinted my "Coming Clean" article (about kids and germs and the hype surrounding products like shopping cart covers and antibacterial stuff) several times this year, but this month it's out in Kids Pages Colorado and the Baton-Rouge-based Southern Families Magazine.

Upcoming: Reprints of CC in Charlotte Parent, Valley Parent in Columbus, GA, and San Diego Family Magazine.

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/reshape_rewrite_reprint.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/10/reshape_rewrite_reprint.html Parenting, Family & Kids Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:21:59 -0500 Brides.com "Local Scout" blogs, coming soon Brides.com, the parent site of Brides, Modern Bride, and Elegant Bride Magazines, kicks off two city-based wedding trend blogs this month. The fair cities of Atlanta and Chicago (Hi, Beth!) launch first, with others to follow.

And if you have a cool new idea for a favor, decoration or new wedding tradition, let me know! I'm always looking for ideas. Other wedding-related brainwaves, such as ideas for showers, registries, theme weddings, groom-inclusion, and especially multi-cultural weddings are also very welcome. Just email me!

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/09/bridescom_blog_launching_oct_2.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/09/bridescom_blog_launching_oct_2.html Bridal Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:50:15 -0500 101 Best Things to Do With Your Grandkids in Atlanta "101 Best Things You Can Do With Your Grandkids in Atlanta" is all about my hometown. With kids. For grandparents, but of course it's applicable to anyone who wants to avoid "Are we there yet?"....
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/09/101_best_things_to_do_with_you.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/09/101_best_things_to_do_with_you.html Parenting, Family & Kids Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:05:44 -0500 British (copy) invasion: Appletiser UK Appletiser, a UK carbonated juice drink, launched this week. I wrote the copy for the site and am writing monthly essays for email distribution. It's far more creative and magical than the usual web copy I've written, so it was a blast to write. And isn't the design divine?
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/08/british_copy_invasion_appletis.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/08/british_copy_invasion_appletis.html Copywriting and PR clients Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:30:16 -0500 Blog dum dee dum... Brides.com starting in mid-September. Look for mini-reports on wedding trends, travel tips, hotel and restaurant ideas, and fun examples of showers, favors, and all the usual wedding trimmings!
]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/07/blog_dum_dee_dum.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/07/blog_dum_dee_dum.html Bridal Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:26:04 -0500 New client: Appletiser UK I'm writing campaign copy for a UK soft drink called Appletiser -- carbonated apple juice. Lots of yumminess and copy to come once the campaign launches and my work comes out from under wraps.

]]> http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/06/new_client_appletiser_uk.html http://p8.hostingprod.com/@melissadiskin.com/blog/2007/06/new_client_appletiser_uk.html Copywriting and PR clients Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:41:50 -0500