Anne Riley amazes me.

For a while, I’ve been thinking about writing a book but haven’t found the time to do it. But here’s Riley, a married mom of two little ones and a high school Spanish teacher in Birmingham, Ala. with everyday demands like many of us. Still, she manages to write books. Not just one book, but several. She wrote her first book when she was 24. Today, she’s 30.

To date, she’s written four books with plans for a fifth.

How does she do it?

“You just pick a time that works for you and you do your best to protect it,’’ says Riley, whose first novel, Shadows of the Hidden was released in 2012 through Compass Press. Recently, she secured a book deal with Spencer Hill Press to publish Pull another one of her young adult fiction books.

Riley will share some of her secrets on Saturday, Feb. 1 during the free workshop “How to Write While Having a Life’’ as part of the Authors Expo and Book Fair at the Birmingham Public Library.

Riley recently took a midday break to do a quick Q&A about writing.

Have you found that it’s hard to write while having a life?

“It’s challenging. I think you have to manage your time extremely well, and writing has to be something you have to work in.’’

What can people expect from your presentation?

“They can expect a couple of tricks to stay motivated. They can expect different methods of having a writing schedule, and they can expect encouragement from other writers.’’

So you have children, ages 1 and 3, at home. How does that work with writing?

“I don’t really do a lot of writing at home. Because I’m a teacher, my life is run by bells. I do know I will have a lunch period every day that should be free of interruptions. And there’s after school,’’ she says, adding that she may leave the house on the weekends to go write while her husband takes care of their children. She likes writing at a library or anywhere she can enjoy a good cup of coffee.

What’s been the worst writing advice you’ve received?

“Write what you know. It kind of traps you in your everyday life, and for me, writing is an escape,’’ she says. “Part of the fun is learning about new things or making up new things.’’

What’s been the best writing advice?

“Write the book you want to read.’’

Why?

“Because the more in love you are with the story, the better you will write it and the more fun you will have writing it.’’

To learn more about Anne Riley, visit annerileybooks.com.

The Authors Expo and Book Fair will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. Riley’s workshop, “How to Write While Having a Life,” will be held at 10 a.m. At 1 p.m., See Jane Write will offer practical tips on how authors can use blogging and social media to reach readers and promote works. Both events, which will be held in the Arrington Auditorium, are part of a huge expo that will feature nearly 100 authors selling their books.

For more about the Authors Expo, visit bplonline.org.

Chanda Temple is director of public relations for the Birmingham Public Library. Before joining the library in 2012, she worked as a reporter for 19 years. Her last reporting job was as a features reporter at The Birmingham News in Birmingham, Ala., where she covered everything from cops and courts to fashion and elections. She’s received several  awards for her stories and enjoys coaching students and adults on their writing, social media and networking skills. Follow her on Twitter @chandatemple.

Whether you’re a blogger, entrepreneur, journalist or author, social media should be part of your personal marketing strategy. Social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google + can help business owners connect with current and potential customers, authors and bloggers connect with readers, and journalists connect with editors and sources.

On Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. See Jane Write Birmingham and See Jane Write Magazine present I Tweet, Therefore I Am: A Social Media Panel Discussion. This event will answer the questions you have about social media and help you determine how to make social networking work for you.

I Tweet, Therefore I Am: A Social Media Panel Discussion will be held at REV Birmingham’s SocialVenture, 5529 1st Ave. South in Woodlawn.

The event costs $5 in advance, $10 (cash only) at the door. You can purchase advance tickets here. The event is free for official See Jane Write members. (Visit the See Jane Write Birmingham blog to learn how to become a member.)

By Chanda Temple

During a recent presentation on fall fashion, Arlene Goldstein, vice president of trend merchandising and fashion direction for the department store chain Belk, discussed how to wear the latest trends.

Goldstein suggested to look for fall clothes with strong lines and modern shapes that will create a fun style that exudes cool and confidence. She also stressed the importance of having the “basics’’ such as the crisp, white shirt and nice, black slacks.

Afterward, I asked her what’s one fashion tip she’d give women. Know what she said?

“Be more adventurous. Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Branch out.’’

Such words resonated with me because Goldstein was so right. There was a time when all I wore was black. I sometimes switched things up with grey or a splash of red, but the majority of my clothes were black, both for work and play.

Then someone told me that all that black didn’t fit me. They said it wasn’t my personality. I’m bright and bubbly and bold colors were a better fit for me. The black, they said, just weighed me down.

Reluctantly, I tried more colors. After a while, I started to see the light. Bright colors really did make a difference. People noticed. The compliments flowed. I felt lighter.

Just like how we try different things in writing, trying something new in fashion will impact your life. It will change you.

If you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone and do something different, here are some fall fashion tips from Goldstein that won’t break the bank:

Choose a statement piece and embrace it. Consider bold jewelry or long, layered necklaces. There’s something beautiful about having jewelry that frames your face. It sparks a conversation and can finish an outfit. Look at the item as an investment and see how many ways you can use it.

Turn heads with cool coverups for fall. A studded motorcycle jacket, a fitted blazer or a Chanel-inspired jacket could do the trick. The day coat, an oversized piece, looks good when paired with a sheath dress that fits close to the body. A baggy dress just won’t do underneath that large jacket. And don’t forget those cardigans. First lady Michelle Obama is a master at working them into her wardrobe.

If you’ve been wanting to try the ankle boot, a must-have for fall 2013, go for it. Pair it with short or mid-calf skirts, skinny jeans, or leggings and an oversized fashion coat. For a splash of drama, try the open-toe ankle boot adorned with hardware. They give your outfit a certain edge. Savor the moment of how good change makes you feel.

The heat is on right now, but start looking for a leather jacket. It’s a chic way to cut the chill when the temperatures start to dip.

Borrow from the boys.  Consider tweed, plaid pants, military jackets or a women’s officer’s coat with brass button details this fall.

Final note: When looking at pieces, ask yourself this: Does it add value to your wardrobe? Said Goldstein: “Fashion should liberate us and not fence us in.’’

Sherri Graves Smith always thought she’d be that doting mom who read bedtime stories to her children before tucking them in at night.

The bedtime stories never came for Smith, but she does still manage to help children have sweet dreams.

The Atlanta-based author writes children’s picture books that feature college mascots such as Big AL of the University of Alabama and Aubie of Auburn University. The mascots teach children about the alphabet, counting and manners. With titles such as Aubie’s Game Day Rules and Counting with Big AL the books are part of an ongoing series that’s published by Mascot Books Publishing Inc.

“I find it extremely exciting to read the book and to interact with children and see them laugh or watch them smile. Sometimes, children will come up to me and say I’ve written a really sweet book,’’ says Smith, 41.

The University of Alabama graduate started writing her first book, Big AL’s Game Day Rules, in 2011 after two bouts with cancer left it too risky for her to have children. Then, one day while undergoing chemotherapy, an idea hit her — write a children’s book using Big AL to teach children about manners.

At the time, the poisoning of the oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn, Ala., was in the news. She didn’t think that what one fan did to poison the trees was very sportsmanlike. She thought it would be good to show children how to have good sportsmanship. A lawyer by trade, she did a lot of research on how to write a book and get it published.

She ended up hiring someone to lay out her first book and hired an illustrator to give her samples to pitch to a publisher. When she submitted her complete package, the publisher was impressed.

As she prepared for her book to be published in November 2012, Smith decided to custom fit the concept to other school mascots. She secured approval to use mascots from other schools and incorporated them into their own books. She created books in which the mascot taught children about their ABCs and 123s.

When her first book was released in 2012, it was available in Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million and amazon.com. Today, her books can be found in nearly 60 stores in five states.

“I’m in hospitals, Christian book stores, boutiques… and the Atlanta International Airport,’’ Smith says. “That’s one thing I’ve been really excited about, how it’s really grown.’’

To date, Smith has written 25 books for 15 schools in the SEC and ACC. In the fall, she will start writing books for the Big 10 schools. In the works are books for the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. She’s also looking at doing books for historically black colleges and universities.

Also in the fall, she will launch the first of three books about a 6-year-old, African-American girl filled of encouraging messages of joy, hope and love. The first book from that series will be titled Is My Cup Empty?

Smith said that writing the mascot books gave her the opportunity to combine three of her many loves – reading, children and Alabama football. Each book is specific to a college, highlighting campus landmarks and the school mascot. She said the concept has been a hit with parents, children and alumni. 

“When people go through a devastation in life, they don’t think they have anything left. But I had a whole new world open up that’s been very fulfilling,’’ says Smith, a Tuscumbia native who graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in 1993 with a degree in finance. She was in the top 1 percent of her class. In 1996, she graduated from Samford University’s School of Law.

Staying in the game

In 2007 at the age of 36, Smith was an attorney for Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, where she was being considered for a promotion and a company move to Vienna, Austria. She welcomed the opportunity.

But soon, everything changed. Following a routine visit to the doctor, Smith learned she had Stage 4 colorectal cancer. The news came hard and fast, just like her treatments.

She started an aggressive round of radiation and chemotherapy and had two surgeries.

Treatments left her drained, tired and thin. She had to learn how to eat again. Times were tough but she endured with the help of family, friends and prayer, she says.

In November 2008, she got married and later went on her honeymoon in March 2009. She wanted to start a family with husband Charles Smith, and she went to see the doctor for a checkup. The news wasn’t good.

Doctors had found a spot on her lung. They ordered a biopsy. The results showed that the cancer from her colon had metastasized to her lungs.

She stopped work and resumed treatments. She was also told that if she got pregnant, neither she nor the child would survive the birth. Adoption was also not an option because of everything she was experiencing at the time.

As disbelief set in again, Smith again turned to God.

“I asked God to give me strength and peace to walk this journey. I asked Him to help me to feel His presence and comfort,’’ she says.

Today, Smith said, her condition is considered chronic, but she keeps on pushing.

She undergoes chemotherapy five days a week and writes in her spare time.

Her long-term disability has expired and she no longer works at Coca-Cola. But she still finds time to help raise money for the nonprofit organization, Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation, which uses a large part of its funding to help Atlanta-area cancer patients who are financially burdened.

Smith said her objective is to stay well, stay in good spirits and stay focused to help others.

“Every day that I wake up, I think, ‘Well, God has given me another day. So I try to use that day to the best that I can,’’’ she says. “While there is still life in me, I want to use it for a good purpose. That’s what really keeps me going.’’

For more information about Smith’s books, go to www.gamedayrules.com.