editorial

Social Networking - A Venue to Get "Hit On."

Irene Watson

For me, Social Networking  was just taken to another level.  I don't know if I should run, cry, laugh, report, or be flattered.

I received a friend request with the following message:

l must confess, your profile has really captured my attention and i will love to share in the joy of your smile, in fact i want to get to know you if you don't mind. Wow, I like your striking smile, could surely make an angel with broken wings go an extra mile. I miss being in love and after staying away from the love scene for long time due to reasons I will tell you later on as we get to know more about each other, I have finally decided to give love one last shot. You might be wondering why I am writing to you with distance between us. I am looking for my soul mate and I will look everywhere in the world for her. You have got the spark and smile and that's the first thing I look for. I will be glad if we get to know each other and become friends. You never know we could become the next success story on here as good couples. If you like, you can reach me by messenger or email. Please let me know if you wanted to talk and I will share my info with you

Wow, I'm being "seeked out."  It's obvious this man is on a mission but he didn't read my profile - he just looked at my smile.  If he would have glanced past the smile he would have found out I'm married and have been for 44 years.  Certainly not in the place of looking for a soul mate. I have one and I'm not on the hunt for another one.

So, what do we get from this? What is the purpose of social media? For us, as authors, our purpose is to inform potential readers of our books and ultimately sell them. His is to find a soul mate. Each one of us has a different purpose.

Social media is the big buzz right now and everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon.  Of course, why wouldn't you?  A video like the Old Spice commercial has brought in near nineteen million hits. On the surface it looks like the was an easy feat to attain but it's far from that.

As social media marketing continues, it takes a lot more than to just post a video.  And, it's not as easy as setting up a profile on FaceBook, having Twitter, or posting your book video on YouTube and cross your fingers you'll get viral success. You have to engage your network. People want to help and share.  After all, social media has the word "social" in it. Answer questions, ask opinions, and share your thoughts and ideas.  Potential readers need to get to know you first and certainly don't want to be "tricked" or "pushed" into buying your book. Create credibility.

So, what all has this got to do the guy that wants to be my friend?  Probably not much, except he was using a strategy of engaging me.  (That's just another way of saying he was hitting on me.)

What successful "engaging" strategies have you had?  I want to hear from you. Tell me here.

Tools to Make Most of Your Twitter Experience

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Beaver’s Pond Press (2010)
ISBN 9781592983407
Reviewed by Sophia (age 7) and Madeline (age 9) McElroy for Reader Views (07/10)

Synopsis

Nancy wants to be a farmer. She imagines doing field work with the newest modern farm machines. Her kitty, Dusty, helps her out. Nancy's neighbor Tommy wants to be a farmer too. He and his dog, Rex,would do their field work with dependable old farm machines.

If I Were a Farmer: Field Work by author Gordon W. Fredrickson, follows the characters from tilling through harvest. The neighbors work in fields side by side. They may not agree on the best way of doing field work, but when they get into trouble,they do what all good neighbors do: help each other out.

Read review of If I Were a Farmer: Field Work
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Kim Chatel

Guardian Angel Publishing (2010)
ISBN 9781616330613
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Synopsis

Burgher and the Woebegone by author Kim Chatel is a choose-your-own adventure chapter book for children ages 8-12. At the end of each chapter, the reader has one or more choices to further the story. It begins with Burgher in his grey garden. When he discovers that spring is coming back after many years he decides he must cut down the queen apple tree to drive away the Apple Tree Man, Jonny Gold. Readers have the choice to learn about the legend of Jonny Gold, read about how Burgher tricked the pixies into driving Jonny Gold away once before or the mystery behind Burgher’s dislike for Spring.

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Spotlight - reader views literary awards winner

Kick Start Guy Book of the Year Award

Saffron Dreams by author Shaila Abdullah

Modern History Press (2009)
ISBN 9781932690736

Noted as "Word Artist" by critics, Shaila Abdullah is an award-winning author and designer based in Austin, Texas. Her creative work focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of Pakistani women and their often unconventional choices in life.

Abdullah's new novel Saffron Dreams explores the tragedy of 9/11 from the perspective of a Muslim widow. She received a grant from Hobson Foundation for that body of work. Her debut book, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, is a collection of stories about Pakistani women struggling to find their individualities despite the barriers imposed by society. The collection won the Norumbega Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction and the DIY Festival Award, among other accolades.

Synopsis: From the darkest hour of American history emerges a mesmerizing tale of tender love, a life interrupted, and faith recovered. Arissa Illahi, a Muslim artist and writer, discovers in a single moment that no matter how carefully you map your life, it is life itself that chooses your destiny. After her husband's death in the collapse of the World Trade Center, the discovery of his manuscript marks Arissa's reconnection to life. Her unborn son and the unfinished novel fuse in her mind into one life-defining project that becomes, at once, the struggle for her emotional survival and the redemption of her race.

Read review of Saffron Dreams
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