Writing and Publishing News from

I got some new cover design samples from my publisher yesterday for my latest upcoming book, Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More. I did not like the cover they had planned for this book and I argued hard against it. They heard me and went back to the drawing board. There’s one design among the three they sent yesterday that I really like. It is unique and attractive—appealing. Can’t wait to show it off to you. They’re telling me the book will be released sometime in the fall. You can be sure I will announce it far and wide. So stay tuned.

This blog site is also the place where you can get advice, guidance, information and resources on the subjects of writing, publishing and book promotion. If there’s anything you want to see discussed here, just let me know: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

If you have a manuscript that needs editing or you’d like an editorial evaluation, contact me. I give free sample edits and free estimates. PLFry620@yahoo.com

Download my FREE ebooklet, 50 Ways to Promote Your Ebook at http://www.patriciafry.com

Order one of my many books for authors. Among them are, 50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book; Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author; Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author; The Authors Repair Kit, Heal Your Publishing Mistakes and Breathe New Life Into Your Book and others.
http://www.matilijapress.com

Also, check out the resources and articles at this website.

Spend some time at the SPAWN website and consider joining SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org SPAWN is a networking organization for anyone who wants to publish their works. SPAWN is about the business of writing. Sign up for our FREE monthly enewsletter, SPAWNews.

Email me your publishing and book promotion questions: PLFry620@yahoo.com

If you’d like to know more about me and my work, read my recent interview at the Dabbling Mum website:
http://thedabblingmum.blogspot.com/2012/08/interview-with-patricia-fry.html

You may recall that my FaceBook profile was stolen a while back. All of my “friends” were approached by the hacker who tried to bilk them out of money. Some of them actually thought it was me contacting them even though the emails were written in poor, broken English. Most, however, were smart enough to realize it was a scammer and not me.

My hacker has moved on to someone else—maybe you or a friend of yours. I no longer have a FaceBook account. But I have information that could save you the stress of being hacked and the embarrassment of having your friends think you are pressuring them into doing something stupid and costly.

Those of you who were reading my blog during that disturbing time may recall what the hacker told one of my friends who confronted him (or her). They said that “hacking was a right to be used to draw cash from the ‘overclasses’” That’s the mentality and belief system of these people.

Here are some links where you can learn what scams are being launched on unsuspecting FaceBook users and how to better protect yourself.

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/best-practices/facebook.aspx

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pf_article_112364.html

http://www.cio.com/article/696212/4_Facebook_Security_Tips_to_Stay_Safe_in_2012

Now go do the right thing on behalf of your security and those of your friends and colleagues.

Tomorrow I’m starting a short series of blogs, each focusing on one of the points in my most recent post—Authorship is a Business. As you will recall, I listed 7 things the author must control if he or she expects to achieve publishing success in this fiercely competitive publishing industry.

Tomorrow and every day through next Tuesday, I will expand on one of the 7 points to give you an even better idea about how you can take charge of your project and maintain CEO status of your book.

Today, I’m celebrating my birthday with my 3 daughters with a hike and a picnic out at our local islands. Tonight four generations of family will gather to celebrate with me—20 in all. Life is good.

1: Contact friends, acquaintances, neighbors, coworkers, associates, colleagues and others who are interested in writing and let them know that you plan to start a writers’ group. Ask them what sort of group they would most like to join and what they would hope to get out of meetings. Not only will this process guide you in designing your club or organization, it will help you to establish a support team.

2: Find a free place to meet. This might be in a bookstore, at a local college, in a library or in someone’s home. Meetings might also be held in an office building, at the local recreation center, in the community center at a mobile home park and so forth. Think about places where you have attended meetings in the past. If you must pay for space, consider charging a small fee for each meeting at the door.

3: Plan your first meeting. This might be a brainstorming meeting where all interested parties discuss the type of group to establish. Or invite a popular guest speaker—a local author who just got some media publicity, an agent, a publisher, an editor from a local magazine, a printer or someone who can talk about book promotion, for example. It helps to know the needs of potential members when planning your meetings.

4: Set a date and time for your meeting. If you have had a lot of input from other writers, try to choose a time that is convenient for the majority.

5: Make simple flyers announcing the first meeting and post them in bookstores, libraries, local colleges, senior centers and on community bulletin boards. Include a phone number and email address where people can request more information.

6: Send flyers to everyone you know who might be interested in meeting with other writers and/or who might be a good candidate to speak at a meeting.

7: Send announcements to local newspapers at least 10 days prior to the meeting. Check with each newspaper to learn their submission requirements. Community announcements are usually free.

8: Visit other writers’ groups and senior centers, etc. and announce your meeting. Be sure to take material with you to hand out.

Help! My reputation and my friends’ financial security are at stake.

On May 27, my Facebook account was cloned. I thought someone was just using my Facebook account to impersonate me and I closed it. I thought that would protect me and my friends. But no, this creep cloned my account. While I am no longer on Facebook, he continues to operate as me, using my profile, photo, etc. And now he is starting to ask for money, using poor grammar, from what I understand.

If I’d known that closing my account wouldn’t stop this, I would have alerted all of my “friends” as to what was happening. But when I killed my Facebook account, I also eliminated my friend list. So I am trying various other methods of reaching those people who had agreed in good faith to be my Facebook friends and warning them about this imposter.

If you get anything from me through Facebook, it is not from me. Do NOT respond to any pleas for money from anyone using my name or Facebook persona.

Yes, we have contacted the “Facebook team.” I think they are on vacation or taking an extended martini lunch because they have not responded in any way. We left a message on their phone. We have gone through all of the things they suggest online to alert them to this scam. We have heard nothing and nothing seems to have been done.

A few friends have reported this scammer. We are trying to reach others to warn them and to ask them to report him. If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, please, if you receive something from this creep, do NOT send him money or even give him the time of day. And DO report him to the “Facebook team.” Perhaps they will eventually wake up from their afternoon naps and take action to protect their members.

Reach me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com

First a high note: We talked about freelance writing a while back. Here’s an article you might want to read. It’s in the print edition of the Freelance Writer’s Report. It tells you how to ask for more money for your writing work by Devyani Borade in the UK. This author gives you 14 tips for getting more money for your writing. Subscribe to this useful print newsletter here http://www.writers-editors.com

Still no satisfaction from the Facebook team with regard to the fact that my account has been hacked or cloned or something sinister. I am no longer on Facebook. But there is an imposter using my Facebook photo and bio and pretending to be me. He (or she) is using my identity to spread his word—whatever it is. Aggravating. And I guess this is not an isolated case. I’m hearing from others who have had their Facebook identities stolen. Some of them also closed their accounts. Well, what other choice do you have when there is virtually no team support. And a recent article in the LA Times indicates that this problem is growing. Check it out here:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook-scams-20120531,0,7188241.story

The article mentions the Grandparent Scheme. Have any of you had the call from the Grandparent Schemers? I did—but I had heard about it and knew what it was—so I played with the criminal on the other end of the phone for a while—before telling him what I think of him and hanging up!

My mother was the first to get the Grandparent call. She couldn’t understand how her 14-year-old, well-supervised grandson ended up in some foreign country without his parents knowing his dilemma and needing quick money. She halfway believed the young man on the phone—but not quite. Finally, she asked for proof that the caller was, indeed, her grandson. She asked, “What is your middle name?” He hung up. Yay Mama!

The most common scheme I’ve been subjected to is when I receive an email from someone I barely know—a client or colleague, perhaps—asking for large sums of money to get them out of a jam in another country. They’ve lost their luggage, been mugged, or??? Of course, it is someone impersonating them.

I still get a lot of those “Dearest One,” emails from someone in a part of the world I didn’t even know existed (maybe it doesn’t) saying they are the wealthy ruler and need to get a large sum of money out of the country or some such nonsense. I am the only one in the world they can trust, don’t you know?

I guess people do fall for some of these schemes, which is why the criminals keep working them.

My message today is beware. Be smart. You truly don’t know who is at the other end of an email or a social media account. I mean, look at how many unsuspecting young people are harmed or nearly harmed by “nice” people at the other end of emails who turn out to be lecherous, dangerous predators.

Everyone has a Facebook page these days. As is the case with most things new, I resisted, drug my feet, refused to get involved with Facebook for the longest time.

But I eventually caved in to the hype. Friends, colleagues and experts said, “Social media is good for business.” “It’s a great way to get exposure.” “You meet potential customers and clients.” “Everyone who is anyone has a Facebook account.” I’d say it was about three years ago that I got my own Facebook account.

This week, “friends” began contacting me to say they had received strange messages with misspelled words from my Facebook account, but they were sure these things weren’t from me. And they were right. I rarely use Facebook, and I certainly don’t promote hearing aids and other things this imposter was promoting.

I’ve spent way too much time these past few days trying to discover what is happening—my account was apparently cloned/hacked. And I’ve been stressing over what to do about it—Facebook offers very little help that is useful.

I changed my passwords for Facebook and Yahoo. But the abuse of my account continued.

I followed the Facebook help instructions. I made a few calls—left messages, sent emails. After hitting nothing but dead ends while attempting to stop the imposter and after consulting people who know more about Facebook than I do, which is practically everyone, I closed my Facebook account.

But guess what? A Facebook account resembling mine, with my picture and profile, but with different contact information, is still up—the one that was started May 27, 2012—5 days ago.

Now we are spending valuable time trying to jump through the Facebook hoops to close that bogus, imposter account.

Has anyone had a similar experience? How did you handle it? Help!

PLFry620@yahoo.com