Meet blogging mama Cecily Kellogg of Uppercase Woman

Cecily Kellogg is one of the most colorful bloggers you will ever meet. Lover of vampires and foul language, blazingly outspoken, a former junkie with 15 years of sobriety under her belt, Cecily will knock your socks off with her off-color humor and her brutally honest writing. Read on to learn more about Cecily and what it means to be an Uppercase Woman.

In Uppercase Woman, you talk about starting your blog through your infertility journey. Can you tell me a little about that?

I was spending all my time going to the infertility clinic — basically when you’re undergoing treatment you go pretty much every day — and I dealt with it using humor.

I’d come back from my appointments and send these long, funny emails to my girlfriends updating them on the latest escapades of my clinic adventures. Not long after that, I was introduced to some infertility bloggers, and it was pretty easy for me to make the leap from emails to blogging.

When you started your blog, did you have any idea you were going to become such a powerful force in the blogosphere?

Wait, I’m a powerful force in the blogosphere? No, I couldn’t possibly have predicted that so many people would read what I write on a daily basis.

When did you realize you were becoming an uber-blogger?

Again, I’m an uber-blogger? I’ve always felt very “D” list, like the Kathy Griffin of the blogosphere. Which I kind of love.

What does it feel like to have so many people interested in your life?

Well, it’s heartwarming, exhilarating and bizarre at the same time. But I get it; I read hundreds of blogs, too, and I’m just as invested in them as my readers are in me.

What other bloggers do you admire?

Oh, so many. I admire Heather of Dooce for her creativity and endurance and humor; Catherine of Her Bad Mother for her academic tone; Tanis at Redneck Mommy for her easy humor and grace; my friend Jo-Ann of Punkymama for her commitment to blogging daily; my best friend Sarah of Sad and Beautiful for her journey of self-discovery through photography; my friend Esther Crawford of ShePosts for her business savvy and honesty…I mean, I could go on forever and not begin to touch the number of bloggers that have changed my life.

What is it like to have a husband who also blogs?

Oh, it’s awesome. We met because of writing; I was scribbling poems at the bar, he was also a poet… it was meant to be. We both wrote poetry for years and hosted poetry readings for years before blogs came into our lives. I’d only been blogging a few months when I convinced him to blog too.

With over 80,000 hits a month and 2,300 subscribers, how you do handle responding to/interacting with your readers?

Well, I used to be very good about emailing back every commenter. It was my pride and joy, actually. Then Twitter, Facebook and of course being mom to a child that requires more of my attention as she gets older made it a challenge to continue to do that. I try to respond when I can, but it is tough. Part of it is just a silly technical glitch: my blog host changed the way they send me the comments via email and I can’t simply hit reply and respond anymore, which more than doubles the time it takes to respond. But it’s something I miss, being able to engage that way, and I hope to get back to it.

Do you ever feel like you need a break from technology?

Um, no? I feel kind of crazy when I take a break from technology. Which probably means I should.

Tell me about your love for all things artificially orange.

OMG. You do your research, don’t you? Yes, I love orange popsicles, orange candies, orange Gatorade, and even children’s aspirin (remember when they were orange flavored?). I also love orange things like Doritos and Cheetos. Orange is good.

Can you think of anything hotter than vampires?

Actually, I think werewolves are slightly hotter than vampires. Marginally.

What do you do when you’re bored?

I read blogs. Obviously. Or read novels. I do like a good vampire novel, or any paranormal urban fantasy, really.

How do you balance your online life and your “real life”? Or do you see a distinction?

It gets less separate with each passing day. Most of my real life friends blog, my blogging friends ARE often real life friends now and the handful of people I know that aren’t online, well, the stories all seem new to them, right?

What does your daughter think of your blog?

She likes that I get toys as swag because of it. And she calls me a “blogger mom,” which I love.

What are your goals and aspirations?

I’d like to write a book or two. I’d love to be on Oprah, which is growing less and less likely each week as she ends her show. I’d like to actually make a living blogging, although I’m enjoying doing consulting. I’d like to have enough money to not worry about bills, and to have a house big enough to accommodate my mom moving in with us.

What have you gained from blogging?

Everything. I found my voice. I found my community. I found my home. And what else could you want?

More about blogging

• Blogging is good for your health
• The hidden dangers of blogging
• How to start your own mom blog