Publicity that's downright scary

Not all of my clients are newspaper, magazine, website and newsletter publishers. I also handle public relations duties for a number of businesses across the country, including a creative entrepreneur from my neck of the woods who likes to give people nightmares. He operates a seasonal commercial haunted attraction during the Halloween season called Midnight Terror that attracts thousands of visitors every October. This is his third foray into frights-for-a-fee, and he's out to make a splash with his biggest and best haunted house attraction yet.

Learn more about this unnerving exhibition by clicking here and reading the news release I created for Midnight Terror, which is generating healthy placements in Chicagoland print and online publications.

Want a kitchen that makes a splash? Think backsplash

It may not cover as much surface area as your floor, countertops or cabinet fronts, but make no mistake: the wall above your sink is often the first place the eyes fix upon when looking into a kitchen. That's the backsplash zone, and it's important real estate when it comes to creating a focal point and key design element in the most used and valued room in your house. Learn more about how to create the ideal backsplash by reading my most recent article for HomeStyle Weekly, published in various papers across the country, available here.

Lower rates = more purchasing power

The mortgage interest rate you score plays a large part in how much money your lender will allow you to borrow and how much home you can afford. Which begs the question: How would your purchasing power change if rates crept up a half a point or even one full percentage point by the time you were ready to purchase? Much more than you might think, which is why it pays to shop for a mortgage now and lock in soon at a favorable fixed rate while mortgage interest rates remain near historical lows.

Learn more by reading my newest article for The Mortgage Reports, which you can access by clicking here.

Why home prices and purchases are up and inventory is down

The real estate market is in full comeback mode, per the latest data – thanks to strong sales, continued low interest rates, and more motivated buyers and sellers. That means both buyers and sellers will need to adopt shrewd strategies to improve their success in a market that decidedly favors sellers.

In my newest article for CTW Features (accessible by clicking here), I explore the latest real estate market data and how buyers and sellers can benefit.

Welcome to the wide world of wearables

Seventy years ago, Dick Tracy’s futuristic two-way wrist radio captured the imagination of a public intrigued by the limitless possibilities of technology—even if it was only a silly comic strip character’s fictional gadget. But as the years advanced, pop culture didn’t relent in its creative depictions of geek-geared gizmos, as evidenced by the popularity of the shoe phone on “Get Smart,” the Gadget Copter from “Inspector Gadget,” the TV glasses used in “Back to the Future II,” and the countless doohickeys and concealed contraptions worn by James Bond.

Fast forward to 2016, and it’s easy to see why wearables—from the Apple Watch and Fitbit Flex to Google Glass and the Nike Fuel Band—are all the rage among consumers seeking compact and portable digital resources to help them better manage their activities. Learn more about the wearables trend by reading my latest article for The Content Wrangler, which you can access here.

Bird baubles

Life for a pet bird can get pretty boring. That's why it's important to equip their cages with fun toys and accessories designed to decrease the monotony. I round up the newest avian amusement products in my latest monthly column for Pet Age Magazine, which you can read here.