i_hope_that
For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.

diygifts
Feeling crafty? If you've got a few last folks on your holiday gift list, this is a great place to seed your creativity and generosity. You'll also discover wonderful DIY tips to decorate your home and entertain guests. Offering a no-frills-no-skills attitude that welcomes the cash-challenged and arts-phobic, you're sure to get ideas and make friends in the process.

cooking_club
A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.

stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.

So I was driving home from the store a couple of nights ago -- it was a beautiful night, dry and crisp and clear -- and I was passing Christmas tree lots, as one so often does around Christmas time. I glanced at each one, vaguely noting their prices and their offerings; I needed to get a Christmas tree, but felt no particular sense of immediacy about it (perhaps because my 11-year-old daughter wasn't in the car with me).

That changed, however, when I passed the lot with a huge plywood sign, on which was painted with the words "Last Dry Day!"

That sign almost made me stop the car right then and there and buy a tree. (Of course, I didn't; remember, I wasn't too keen on having my absent 11-year-old kill me in my sleep.) But that "Last Dry Day" message swiftly reoriented my thinking from "buy sometime" to "buy now." How? By shifting the buying trigger. Instead of the trigger being the easygoing "obtain a pleasant but ultimately non-essential object" it became the vastly more powerful and immediate "avoid unpleasant mess and hassle."

There's a lesson here to learn when it comes to book marketing as well. In most cases, books are viewed by the buyer as pleasant but ultimately non-essential objects. How can we, as authors marketing our work, shift that thinking to something more powerful and immediate? What buying triggers can we trip?

• The Scarcity Trigger. Amazon has a very cool "only [x] left in stock" message that pops up when supplies are running low. Online sellers that offer this information to buyers are doing you a favor -- direct your buyers to them first. And when supplies are low, make sure you mention on your blog or Facebook or Twitter. It may push a few customers over the line from thinking about buying to hitting the "buy now" button.

• The No-Spoiler Trigger. Does your book have a surprise ending? Is there a twist that readers won't want to find out in advance? Make the most of this fact in your marketing. Send the message loud and clear to potential buyers: don't wait, the secret won't stay a secret long!

• The Special Offer Trigger. This trigger is used often, but can still be effective. It involves providing some "special extra" to those who buy the book now. The special extra can be a prize -- for instance, urban fantasy author and writing instructor A.M. Dellamonica recently offered a prize of a manuscript critique of up to 6,000 words of fiction. To enter, readers had to buy her debut INDIGO SPRINGS and post a review before a certain date. This strategy not only ensured her a few extra sales, but several more reviews as well! But you don't have to offer a big ticket item; it can even be something as small as a moment of author interaction. At cons, make sure you participate in author signing events. If there aren't any organized events, let readers know that you'll be available in the dealer's room.

These are just a few examples, I'm sure our readers can think of more. Post your ideas in the comments!

taste_buds
Holidays provide a built-in excuse for indulgent entertaining. This all-purpose foodie community covers everything from homemade hangover cures to dinner party menus. Need quick advice? Get five-minute snack suggestions, low-fat ingredient substitutes, and even measurement conversions. Delicious recipes garnished with humorous advice. Yum.

naturesbeauty
Always on the lookout for compelling images, we were delighted to discover this flourishing community of artists who share a love of nature. Honoring the subject with photographs, paintings, sketches, prose, poetry, and other creative works, you'll be simultaneously riveted to your monitor and inspired to run helter skelter towards the nearest wooded dale.

backpacking
Want to embrace your wanderlust on the cheap? If you're tall on adventurous spirit, but short on funds, this community can help you plan a trip to anywhere. Offering plentiful tips on how to travel light, you can post about bargain hotels and hostels if you're into urban exploration or discuss camping gear and mosquito netting for the great outdoors. Hitch your backpack, pitch your tent, and carpe diem!

There's a kerfuffle going on in the SF side of the SFF world about short story pay rates. It's easy to find if you're interested. The question is raised for me, tho, is whither the urban fantasy short story market?

Obviously, there are anthologies out there--several FFF members are in some very cool collections. I like these conceptually.

What I don't know is, is there a website/magazine venue to get your uf shorts jollies? I know ostensively something like The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Realms of Fantasy and maybe ClarkesWorld are outlets, but I've never perceived them as go-to places for uf/paranormal shorts. Is there one?

disclaimer: I'm not a short story writer and this isn't an attempt to get people to do my homework. I'm interested as a reader and curious from a market standpoint. I know there are websites and blogs out there, but are there so-called "majors?" You know, like when you tell me, I'm gonna feel stoopid for not thinking of them. :)