Harold, Clifford and Me

Dear Readers,

First, let me apologize for being somewhat remiss and not tending to this blog more often. Savvy Auntie, now close to 15 months old, is growing by leaps and bounds and it's all I can do to keep up with it all. Which is a wonderful problem to have. I wish it upon all the entrepreneurs (and auntrepreneurs!) reading this.

When I was in first grade (or grade one as we called it in Montreal, where I was born), my favorite time of year was when we got to order our Scholastic books. The teacher (Mrs. Hirschorn of dear memory) would hand out a catalog list of recommended books by the school-friendly publisher, and I would take it home to negotiate my picks with my mother (of dear memory).

No matter what our budget, there was always money for books. I still feel that way.

I remember two of my favorites fondly: Harold and the Purple Crayon and Clifford The Big Red Dog. I remember the day the new books arrived in Mrs. Hirschorn's classroom just a few weeks after my order was placed. Oh I'm sure there were other titles on my list, but Harold and Clifford were my best pals as their soft, shiny covers glistened impatiently against the classroom florescent lights above waiting to go home with me.

Scholastic reminds me of reading as a child. In fact, I sincerely believe Scholastic helped me fall in love with books.

And that's why I am so very proud and honored that Scholastic has chosen to become a sponsor of SavvyAuntie.com. The people at Scholastic love the idea of helping Savvy Aunties learn about some of the newest titles hitting the shelves this season. The first book is Clifford The Champion which will launch in ads on SavvyAuntie.com and in sponsored Twitter conversation beginning tomorrow, as well as other platforms. As usual, I will disclose any tweets, Facebook mentions, etc, as sponsored. I fully support the FTC Guidelines on disclosing paid sponsorships.

Do you have a favorite Scholastic book from childhood? Or one that you've share with a niece or nephew? I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks again to you, dear Readers, for sticking with me as this business grows. And grows... and grows... Yep. I feel like my old pal Harold.

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

PS - Visit SavvyAuntie.com/Gifts for hundreds of gift ideas, both classic and new, for your nieces and nephews of all ages.

Savvy Grace

Dear Readers,

Today, SavvyAuntie.com turns 11 months old. I just can't believe that it's not even a full year since the launch of the site! The support and encouragement from aunts, the press and sponsors has been incredible.

Speaking of sponsors, I am proud to announce the newest sponsor for the Savvy Auntie brand. Turner, specifically TNT, has asked me to help them connect Savvy Aunties (and frankly anyone who likes quality television) with the third season of Saving Grace.

After seeing a preview for the show's second season and learning that Grace Hanadarko, played so amazingly by Holly Hunter, is an aunt, I watched the show and was immediately hooked! Grace's sister was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing and Grace does her earnest to help her brother-in-law raise her nephew. It's a very authentic relationship and one that I think many aunts can connect with. Because if this, I contacted Seth Miller, Senior Manager, Digital Partnerships for TBS/TCM/TNT, and told him that we needed to bring this show to Savvy Aunties!

It took us a couple of months to figure out the best way to create engagement through social media...and finally agreed that inviting everyone to a weekly Twitter event - led by yours truly - to watch and live-tweet Saving Grace every Tuesday at 10PM EDT, starting June 16, would be a fantastic solution. As many of you who are on Twitter know, being able to watch a show as a community, sharing our thoughts and anticipating what will happen next, can add so much to the viewer experience. Twitter has made TV an "event" again, something DVRs have diluted over the last few years.

Savvy Aunties, those who follow me on Twitter (Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie), Savvy Auntie Facebook Fans, TNT's Saving Grace Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers, and viewers in general, will be invited to share in the 'sponsored conversation' on Twitter beginning next Tuesday, June 16th at 10PM EDT. I'll also be blogging about each episode from an aunt's perspective.

Because these weekly events are sponsored, I will add [sp] to each tweet. The hashtag "#SavingGrace" will be used to keep track of the conversation for all those following.

Normally, actors or reality show talent will live-tweet their own shows. This is the first time, as far as I am aware (and please correct me if I am wrong) that someone outside of the show is asked to lead a Twitter conversation about a series.

I'd like to thank Seth and Turner/TNT for enlisting me and Savvy Auntie to help make the Saving Grace experience that much more valuable for their audience - and mine. I'd also like to thank creator Nancy Miller for making Det. Grace Hanadarko a Savvy Auntie - or at least the very best aunt she can possibly be.

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

Here's a little information about Saving Grace:

Sneak Peek: http://bit.ly/SAbSGc1

TNT’s bold series SAVING GRACE is set to return for a third season Tuesday, June 16, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). Academy Award® winner Holly Hunter stars as gutsy Oklahoma City Police Det. Grace Hanadarko, a woman who holds nothing back, whether on the job or in her personal life. Hunter’s acclaimed performance has earned the actress two consecutive Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations. She is joined in the series by an ensemble cast that includes Leon Rippy (Deadwood), Kenneth Johnson (The Shield), Bailey Chase (Las Vegas), Gregory Cruz (Criminal Minds), Yaani King (The Prince & Me) and Dylan Minnette (Prison Break), with Lorraine Toussaint (Any Day Now) and Laura San Giacomo (Just Shoot Me).

SAVING GRACE focuses on Det. Hanadarko (Hunter) as she investigates brutal crimes while trying to balance her relationship with her partner, Ham (Johnson). Grace also must figure out cryptic messages from her last-chance angel, Earl (Rippy). At the end of the second season, death row inmate Leon Cooley, who shared visions of Earl with Grace, was executed, leaving a hole in Grace’s life. Soon, she began having dreams of a young drug addict named Neely (King), which lead Grace to believe Neely also shares a connection with Earl.

Meanwhile, Ham’s divorce was finalized. Ham hopes he and Grace can finally be together, but Grace might not be on the same page. This season, we will learn more about the personal lives of fellow detectives Bobby Stillwater (Cruz), Butch Ada (Chase) and Captain Kate Perry (Toussaint).

Grace’s best friend, criminalist Rhetta Rodriquez (San Giacomo), has financial problems that could threaten her marriage. And Grace’s nephew, Clay (Minnette), continues to be an OCPD Explorer, helping out at the police station.

SAVING GRACE comes to TNT from Fox Television Studios and creator Nancy Miller (Any Day Now). Miller also serves as executive producer on the series, along with Gary A. Randall (Any Day Now, Leaving L.A.) Artie Mandelberg (Leaving L.A., Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and Holly Hunter.