When I was a little girl, I dreamt of being many things when I got to be a grown-up. A doctor or nurse. A teacher or scientist. Maybe an actress or handwriting analyst.

When I got older, I thought seriously about social work, psychology, and journalism. I actually studied broadcast journalism and radio/tv/film in college.

I was in graduate school for broadcast management when I took a little day job as a junior copywriter for a small medical publishing company.

It was an accident of fate. A fulcrum of serendipity. It was a perfect storm of talent and sensibility.

And I was hooked. I was an accidental marketer.

That’s the topic I chose for my contribution to the 2008 edition of Age of Conversation 2. It’s the topic that spoke to me deeply since what I do now wasn’t even remotely on my radar way back then.

Last year, I was one of 100 contributors. This year, over 200 marketing, web, and other conversants have contributed toward this year’s effort. They are:

A Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi
B Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich
C C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson
D Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner
E Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller
F Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson
G Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming
H Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber
J J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster
K Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski
L Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux
M Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel
N Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice
O Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz
P Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman
R Rachel Steiner, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen
S Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Sreeraj Menon, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood
T Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman
U Uwe Hook
V Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau
W Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff
Y Yves Van Landeghem

As last year, all profits go to support Variety, the Children’s Charity. And just so you know, part of the deal was for each contributor to pony up and buy a copy themselves. No review or gratis copies for us.

Yes, we write to pay it forward!

Please visit our Lulu Store to place your order.

• E-book: $12.50 ($10.00 going to charity)
• Paperback: $19.95 ($8.02 to charity)
• Hardback book: $29.95 ($6.04 to charity)

The holidays are coming! Perhaps a nice AOC2 as a client gift or something for your children’s teachers. This labor of love (link and otherwise) was all about doing good. Here’s your chance to do likewise. The need is greater than ever.

I AM an accidental marketer. You can read my story, so amusingly told, and hundreds of others. Buy a copy of AOC2 and let’s keep the conversation going. I’m doing my part, now it’s your turn!