WRITING SAMPLES

Check out my "Rock Star Mommy" Column on Patch.com.

MY GRAPHIC WORK

Check out my design work on CarbonMade.

www.judydavids.carbonmade.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Last night the Mydols played Sounds and Spirits at the Magic Stick to raise money for C.O.T.S. Some of the best bands in Detroit were there. (I finally got to see the Satin Peaches!) As I was on stage looking at the crowd (some old friends from high school dropped by--see photo), I realized how lucky I am to be living my dream. Sure, the Mydols don't have gold records and Grammys, but we have had plenty of rock and roll moments (like last night)--maybe more than we deserve for 4 moms who have a hard time finding room to practice as much as we should.

With the release of our little 5 song promo CD, and our upcoming appearance on Gene Simmons Family Jewels next spring, I am looking forward to a great year for the band. In 2010 we'll be back in the studio recording more songs and hope to be everywhere there are moms and kids with dancing feet next summer!

FUN INTERVIEW

I just did a fun little interview with Raven Entertainment Promotions. Check it out:

http://blog.ravenentertainmentpromotions.com/2008/11/21/judy-davids-of-mydol.aspx

NATIONAL READING GROUP MONTH

Did you know October is National Reading Group Month. So, in celebration, I have joined with some other authors and Key Business Partners to help highlight these writers and authors here at “Books to Read” .

This event showcases a variety of wonderful works of writing on different topics including my book Rock Star Mommy and others like:

Mindful Marketing by Jenn Givler
The Soccer Mom Myth by Holly Buchanan and Michele Miller
Back to the Table Cookbook by Betty Lynch
Customized Style Guide for Coaches who Write by Linda Dessau
Web Business Success by Susan Daffron
The Celebrity Experience by Donna Cutting
Girl Talk by Gigi Garner

I would like to invite you to spend a few moments on this page (these books will be exhibited for the month of October) to support these great writers and authors.

This event showcases the books in two ways
1) You can receive a free downloadable book excerpt or one chapter of the books
2) You can click the url link to purchase the book

I hope you enjoy the time you spend reading about these books and perhaps you will find your next treasured book.

So if you wish you can go now to Books to Read.

STAND UP BASS

The Mydols are doing a couple of fundraisers this fall. We'll play at Gilda's Club on October 29 at Noogie Fest, and in November we'll be at AJ's in Ferndale for a fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Center at Beaumont Hospital.

Our bass player Wensdy is taking a little time off to welcome a new baby daughter. She's due TODAY. So....I will be playing bass! And a stand up bass! We practiced last night. Johnny (who normally plays drums) will play acoustic guitar.

April has the most amazing taste in music. We'll be playing some really cool folk songs with a '60s Austin Power-ish twist. We're going to record our next practice. I can't wait to let everyone hear our new sound.

GUITAR HERO

I was mentioned in a cute story about about moms who play Guitar Hero in the Detroit Free on Sunday. (They also plugged my book!)

Check out the story at: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/TWIST01/808240316/1025/FEATURES

SHE LIVES

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Carol Moxely for her blog "She Lives".

Carol is a Christian first. She's also a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, friend, neighbor, musician, nurse, Bible study leader, student, blogger, and woman. She blogs about life and music at "She Lives". Go to:

http://she-lives.typepad.com/she_lives/

I answered her great questions in my minivan on the trip from Rochester, MN to Minneapolis!

MEDIA UPDATES

Wow! It was a crazy weekend. Ohio Bike Week, a wedding, a graduation...more work on the new patio. AND! On Friday my story for Skirt Magazine (and a check) arrived in the mail. You can read my story here: http://mydols.com/skirtmag.htm

I also was on Weekend America. If you missed the broadcast you can listen to it here: http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/06/06/give_up

This afternoon I am doing a photo shoot for Strut Magazine and I am going to follow up with the ediotor for the Michigan Catholic.

ON THE SET OF SHOWCASE MINNESOTA

Me and Rob Hudson at the KARE 11 Studio.

ROYAL OAK PUBLIC LIBRARY

I've added a new library date. I'll be speaking at the Williamson County Library in Franklin, Tennessee on May 10 at 2:00 PM.

You can catch the Mydols at the Hazel Park Public Library this Sunday at 2:00 PM and I'll be taking part in the Writer's Life at the Royal Oak Public Library on May 6 at 7:00 PM.

WARREN PIERCE

Me and Warren Pierce at WJR!

FOX 2 MORNING VIDEO

INTERVIEW WITH BEVERLY MAHONE

This morning I was on the FOX 2 Weekend Morning with Deena Centofanti talking about "Rock Star Mommy". As I was sitting on the set, I realised I am really getting comfortable in front of cameras and microphones. I was more excited to meet beautiful Deena than I was nervous to speak. (I'll be posting the video soon!)

What did make me nervous was my 10 AM soccer game. I raced from my interview to Total Soccer. We tied our game 1-1. It's almost easier to be down 5 goals than to make sure a tie doesn't became a loss. Anyhow, the team we played is in first place and was undefeated so the tie was really special.

Finally I had the great pleasure of interviewing Beverly Mahone--an author and the the master mind behind the Baby Boomer Diva Nation of which I am a proud member. Here's my interview with Beverly.

Judy: What was your inspiration for Baby Boomer Girlfriends' Weekend Getaway?
Beverly: Initially, the idea was to have a Friday or Saturday night Pajama party for women over 40. We would fellowship, dance, do some karaoke and share our menopause stories. But then a friend of mine who is the General Manager of a TV station in Daytona Beach, FL offered me the opportunity to tape a Baby Boomer Town Hall Meeting and I just couldn't pass up that deal so, with the help of my wonderful event planner Carol King, we started working on an entire weekend of activities. I've been blessed to have members of my boomer diva nation group step up and volunteer their time and talents to help make this event a success. The Daytona Chamber of Commerce has been absolutely wonderful and Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Richey is issuing a Proclamation declaring Saturday, April 19 Boomer Diva Nation Day. To be perfectly honest, this weekend has taken on a life all its own but I believe that's the way God intended for it to be.

Judy: What has the response been like?
Beverly: The response has been incredible! It seems as though women have been waiting for an event like this. Usually, when you go to women's conferences, you have a lot of seminars and vendors and we're going to have some of that. But what makes us unique and different is we are treating this like a real Spring Break. The time has come for mature women to be able to getaway from the everyday hustle and bustle of life and throw caution to the wind. We are going to have some fun, hang out on the beach and party like it's 1979! (LOL) I can't wait to see who wins the dance and karaoke contests.

Judy: What are some of the defining characteristics of the Baby Boomer generation?
Beverly: We have lived through quite a bit: Vietnam, Kent State, Woodstock, The Civil Rights Movement, The 70s. All of these experiences have had a profound effect on who were are today and how our lives are different from our parents. We have access to more resources than any other generation before us and we have many more opportunities to do things our parents never dreamed of.

Judy: One of the proudest moments of my life was when I was accepted into the Baby Boomer Diva Hall of Fame! How many women have this honor? And how did you find them all?
Beverly: At last count, we were pushing close to 100. How did I find them? Well, let me first tell you how I got the idea. I was at a women's conference with R&B Singer Natalie Cole. We were both scheduled to speak. During the breakfast, I went up to her and asked if I could take a picture. Afterwards, I told her I was going to post it on my website as a Baby Boomer Diva and she said OK. After that, I thought it would be a neat idea to showcase other fabulous women over 40. The women selected for the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame are all women 40 and over who I have come in contact with (virtually and in person) who are on the move and making a difference in the world. Some I found on MySpace, the Ryze Network and right in my own community. The popularity of the site has resulted in some women contacting me directly and wanting to become members. I also get referrals from fellow members.

Judy: I wish I could come down for the weekend fun, but I have another commitment. Please tell me you have another weekend lined up!
Beverly: The Baby Boomer Girlfriends Spring Break will be an annual event. I believe next year we're going to take a cruise to one of the islands so stay tuned!

Yesterday if you missed the tour, click here to read about what Rosie Horner had on her blog at http://rosiesboomerreview.com/

Tomorrow, be sure to stop by the next place at Kathie Thomas’ blog http://www.proverbs31-woman.com/

THE WHEELS ON THE MINIVAN

I have been asked by the fabulous Tish Meeks to submit some material for a book she is doing on "Touring". This is something the Mydols aren't exactly experts at, but we have tried it.

The Wheels on the Minivan

After just a few short years my band, The Mydols, appeared on the Today Show and in People Magazine, we opened for some great bands and vise versa, and performed at all the hippest clubs in our hometown. And then the unthinkable happened. We were nominated for “Best Pop/Rock Recording” at the Detroit Music Awards for our CD Born to Iron. Considering where we started, a music award nomination seemed surreal. It seemed as though we were living the rock ‘n’ roll dream except for one thing—we never toured.

I’m in a “mom” rock band. That’s right, all the members are mothers. In addition to expecting our husbands to schlep amps, we also count on them to do the dishes, feed the kids, and clean the bathroom. Of course this only applies if we are sleeping in the same bed. If we’re in a hotel room somewhere in Iowa, we don’t count on getting much support. I know touring sounds like fun, but asking my husband to manage the kids while I gallivant from coast to coast to the tune of, “Honey, I’m running our credit cards dry,” (Hey, that's a good title for a song!) isn’t going to fly.

Hitting the Gravel
The closest The Mydols ever came to touring was a 3-day stint we did with a Norwegian all-girl band called The Launderettes. In Norway, they are huge, but in the United States the Launderettes need to ride some coattails or at a minimum some apron strings. That’s where we came in. We teamed up with another local band and were able to use our combined resources to book 3 shows—one in Chicago, one in Detroit and one in Cleveland.

Our mini-tour went something like this. I dragged my husband and kids to Chicago where we booked a hotel with a pool on a Sunday night. The kids got to swim AND miss school on Monday. They were thrilled. My husband was not overjoyed. He stayed back at the hotel while I played at a small club called Cal’s in downtown Chicago in front of maybe 50 people. The Mydols got paid $50. Our hotel room was $140.

Monday morning we drove back to Detroit. In addition to the kids missing school, my husband and I had to take the day off work. I slept in the car on the five-hour drive home so I would have enough energy to play again later. We did a small show at a club called Four Green Fields in the evening.

On Tuesday, after a full day of work, my band mates and I drove to Cleveland. It’s normally a 2-½ hour drive but there was construction and it took us almost 4 hours to arrive at a cool but small club called Pat in the Flats. We jumped out of our minivans to play and then jumped right back in to drive home. We got paid with a case of Red Bull, which came in handy. I arrived back in Detroit at around 3 am. I slept for 2 hours (in my clothes) and went straight to work smelling of stale beer and second-hand cigarette smoke.

I sat at my desk debilitated. “I’m too old for this”, I thought.

Our tour didn’t exactly have the energy of the Warped Tour. It was more like an AARP Tour.

It All Comes Out in the Wash
Our 3-day odyssey cured us of wanting to tour. Until we’re a mother act like Faith Hill, who can afford to bring her children with her on a luxurious tour bus, we are content with one or two out-of-town shows a year.

It’s fun to get away with the band; to not have to eat in restaurants with “Play Places” or watch cartoons in your hotel room. But the reality of getting everything in order before we leave (bringing us to the brink of exhaustion), hours in a cramped minivan and the expense of it all usually makes a road trip a wash.

I’m not saying it’s not worth. Of course it is. You really want to expose your band to as many potential fans as possible and out-of-town shows look great in your press kit. I’m just cautioning you. In the beginning, your little jaunt is not likely to resemble anything you saw in the documentary about Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour. Don’t count on Antonio Banderas coming into the green room to meet you. In fact, don’t count on a green room.

ROCK TO THE TOP

I had the pleasure of meeting Dayna Steel at SXSW. Dayna wrote this awesome book called "Rock to the Top". My short review is BUY THIS BOOK NOW! Want a little more information? Read on!

For almost two decades, Dayna Steele ruled the airwaves on KLOL in Houston. Not too shabby for a girl who at seventeen didn’t have a clue what she wanted to be when she grew up—other than to be a “star” at something. Well what a luminary she became. Dubbed the “First Lady of Rock,” Dayna has rubbed elbows with true rock royalty—such as the Rolling Stones, Sting, and Van Halen to name just a few.

In “Rock to the Top” Dayna shares the secrets of success she learned, as an award winning rock radio personality, from some of the world’s greatest rock stars. (Gene Simmons wrote the forward for gosh sakes—and he knows everything!) Rockin’ moms will learn much from this business guide that reads more like an issue of Rolling Stone magazine than the boring business section of your local newspaper. Dayna explains topics like branding, networking and technology in ways you are sure to understand. (Not to mention, there are some killer photographs at the end of the book with some of the world’s hottest rock stars. What a life. I’m jealous.)

If you have passion for music, Dayna will show you how you can apply that same zeal in the business world. It’s as easy as do-re-mi.

Visit http://www.rocktothetopbook.com/ for more information.

RADIO INTERVIEWS, VIDEOS & MORE

I went to Barnes and Noble today and I found about 8 copies of Rock Star Mommy in the "music memoir" section. I wanted to jump up and down! I am doing a book signing at the Royal Oak B&N on May 4. I got my confirmation today.

Tomorrow night I am doing the MommyCast podcast. The Mydols were the first guests ever on that show! They have come a long way and we have too.

On Thursday night I am doing a video interview for the Oakland Press and on Friday morning I am going to be on my FAVORITE morning radio show. I'll be on with Frankie C and the Zoo Crew in Salt Lake City, Utah! (Frankie is such a sweetheart.)

A ROYAL OAK MOM ROCKS

Gary Graff mentioned me in his story about SXSW in the Oakland Press today. He wrote:

Judy Davids of the Detroit "mom rock" band the Mydols was in Austin during SXSW to launch her new book, "Rock Star Mommy," which will be formally published in early April. She was, however, apprehensive about a book signing Saturday at a booth in the trade show, where she'd be appearing alongside former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.

"If no one shows up," said Davids, "at least I'll have a great conversation with him. I'm having this true rock 'n' roll moment."

Davids, 48, who lives in Royal Oak, spent SXSW with her friend, Go-Go's bassist Kathy Valentine, who was also housing Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

For the whole story see: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/031708/loc_20080317363.shtml

DAY THREE

I had a hard time sleeping on Friday night. To my surprise I worried about my book signing. What if nobody showed up? (I usually never worry about nuthin'.) Well I must have some sort of angel. Andrew Loog Oldham, the producer of the ROLLING STONES and best selling author had to reschedule his signing and on Saturday morning when I got to the Trade Show I saw on the board that I was signing with HIM! I ran back to tell Tiffany and who should be at the Rockin' Mom booth but Gary Graff of the Oakland Press. I talked to him. I could barely contain my joy. He said he got a copy of my book and is going to do a review of it and he is going to include me in his SXSW news.

We talked to lots more media types on Saturday. Laurie Lindeen stopped by again and hung out with me. She lives in Minnesota. I'm hoping she'll come and see the Mydols in April at the Minneapolis Convention Center. I am going to review her book for RockinMoms.com and I am also going to review Dayna Steele's Rock to the Top. (I met Dayna at the Trade Show too.)

I did a cool interview with Uncensored Interviews, won a free ad on Undiscovered Radio...It was my lucky day. After the show I stopped by the Bust Magazine Party for a little while. Later we hooked up with Kathy and Steven to see Clem Burke's band Magic Christian. They really rocked. Paul Kopf (the lead singer) is such a sweetheart. Went to another party with Kathy and I ended the night hosting the GoGirls Party at a bar called Trophy's.

It was quite a day!

http://womenforhire.tv/

I moved off the main page of www.womenforhire.com and land on http://womenforhire.tv/. I am listed under the category of "Dynamic Women".