Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 42
August 31, 2015
Never Let 'Em See Your Card
Earlier this month, I wrote about my credit card being stolen. The thief charged $500 twice at a series of fast food restaurants, totaling more than $5,500. Here were a few of the charges:
Everyone was so supportive in the comments, but it seems that a few people didn't realize when your credit card is stolen, the bank covers it. As much a pain in the butt getting your card stolen is, it isn't nearly as painful as actually being forced to pay for $5,500 worth of someone else's Big Macs.
When your card is stolen, you hope for a warning call from your bank. Some banks just cancel the card and let you learn from your cashier when you try to pay for groceries.
Then the real work begins. You have to go to the bank and dispute every charge on a computer screen. You could have printed it out and handed it over, but usually they conveniently wipe out your online statement as if you never had a credit card at all.
If the stolen card was a credit card, the bank has 30 days to "provisionally" take it off of your credit card. They can still investigate after that, but it becomes permanent if they haven't found after 90 days that YOU were the one who bought all those Big Macs.
Having a $5,500 balance on your credit card sucks, but it isn't the end of the world. However, as the bank employee pointed out, if it's debit, $5,500 is gone from your bank account for a full ten days. That's the amount of time they have to put the money back "provisionally" if your debit card is stolen.
Fortunately, we've always followed fraud experts' advice to use our credit cards for all our purchases and pay the balance off every payday. But I'm now afraid to shop online, since I'm pretty sure it was stolen from Shutterfly as part of a widespread security breach. (And neither I nor the fraud investigators know why anyone would want $1,000 worth of McDonald's food!)
Have you ever had a credit card stolen?
Everyone was so supportive in the comments, but it seems that a few people didn't realize when your credit card is stolen, the bank covers it. As much a pain in the butt getting your card stolen is, it isn't nearly as painful as actually being forced to pay for $5,500 worth of someone else's Big Macs.
When your card is stolen, you hope for a warning call from your bank. Some banks just cancel the card and let you learn from your cashier when you try to pay for groceries.
Then the real work begins. You have to go to the bank and dispute every charge on a computer screen. You could have printed it out and handed it over, but usually they conveniently wipe out your online statement as if you never had a credit card at all.
If the stolen card was a credit card, the bank has 30 days to "provisionally" take it off of your credit card. They can still investigate after that, but it becomes permanent if they haven't found after 90 days that YOU were the one who bought all those Big Macs.
Having a $5,500 balance on your credit card sucks, but it isn't the end of the world. However, as the bank employee pointed out, if it's debit, $5,500 is gone from your bank account for a full ten days. That's the amount of time they have to put the money back "provisionally" if your debit card is stolen.
Fortunately, we've always followed fraud experts' advice to use our credit cards for all our purchases and pay the balance off every payday. But I'm now afraid to shop online, since I'm pretty sure it was stolen from Shutterfly as part of a widespread security breach. (And neither I nor the fraud investigators know why anyone would want $1,000 worth of McDonald's food!)
Have you ever had a credit card stolen?
August 28, 2015
Best Books of August
It's the last Friday of the month, which means it's time to share all of the great books I read this month.
August was a catch-up month. After this crazy summer, I needed it! I was able to finally get caught up on my work and my reading...only to be piled down with more work and a growing to-read list. But I did manage to mark a few to-reads off my list!
The first book I read this month is from a fellow Aladdin M!x author. She's one of my favorites, too, because I was a fan BEFORE I got published with that line. Her latest book is another example of why Aladdin M!x has the best covers!
The character development in The Sister Solution is phenomenal. Trudi has captured perfectly the dynamic that exists between two sisters. Instead of going for the typical "my sister is more popular and I feel inferior" storyline, the author has made the sibling relationship complex and, therefore, realistic. Sammi is on the fringes of being popular but feels just average while her younger sister, Jorgianna, is quirky and artistic but excels at everything. I loved this story and it inspired me to write, which is always a sure sign I've read a good book!
Another of my Aladdin M!x favorites is Cindy Callaghan, whose earlier Aladdin M!x novel is now a TV series! There is an interesting story with this one. I downloaded it from Edelweiss months ago but waited to read it until release month. When I started reading, it was immediately apparent that the book, marked "Lost in Rome" at the top of every page, was not that book at all. The main character was a boy named Zeke who was called by the President of the U.S. to battle aliens. I read a little of it before I went to Amazon and downloaded the real book. What do you know? No mention of aliens at all!
Lost in Rome is the next in a series of books that both educates and entertains. I love the way Cindy works the hotspots of every location into each book. In Lost in Rome, the main character, Lucy, travels to Rome for the summer to work in her aunt's pizzeria. Warning: you will crave pizza and spaghetti while reading this book! Lucy has a talent for matchmaking based on the pizza toppings customers order...and her talent manages to attract quite a few customers to the once-dying restaurant. Add in a restaurant saboteur and you have a fun read for kids of all ages!
I finally got to read Medeia Sharif's 52 Likes, which I've been dying to read all year! Just a few pages into it, I realized I've been missing out. This is an incredibly riveting read.
After a high school student endures a rape, she isn't sure if life will ever get back to normal. Making matters worse is the fact that her fellow students regularly bully and taunt her based on a mistake she made the previous school year. But soon, mysterious messages begin showing up on her phone, begging her to solve a mystery that could be tied to her rape. You'll find yourself thinking about this book in between reads, wondering what will happen next. Medeia is not only prolific--she's jaw-droppingly talented.
You can tell the next book is going to be fun from the second you look at the cover. Doesn't this just make you want to read the story?
In I Live in a Doghouse, Beverly Stowe McClure hits you right in that soft spot. She manages to capture exactly what it feels like to be a child dealing with a combined family and an absentee dad. Nick is a sweet, lovable character you can't help but cheer on. Most importantly--it has something every middle grade book needs: a sweet dog!
And now for something completely different. My audiobook this month was this oldie but goody:
I heard about this book when I was reading about author Ann Rule's death. She and Ted Bundy worked side by side at a crisis center in the early 70s and became good friends. I admittedly knew not much at all about Ted Bundy before reading this book, but between reading this book and watching this interview, I now realize he isn't quite the Mark Harmon-ish charmer I'd always heard he was. I LOVE audiobooks that make me forget I'm doing boring household chores and this was one of the best at that. Highly recommend! It was also made into a movie you can rent on YouTube.
What books did you read in August?
August was a catch-up month. After this crazy summer, I needed it! I was able to finally get caught up on my work and my reading...only to be piled down with more work and a growing to-read list. But I did manage to mark a few to-reads off my list!
The first book I read this month is from a fellow Aladdin M!x author. She's one of my favorites, too, because I was a fan BEFORE I got published with that line. Her latest book is another example of why Aladdin M!x has the best covers!
The character development in The Sister Solution is phenomenal. Trudi has captured perfectly the dynamic that exists between two sisters. Instead of going for the typical "my sister is more popular and I feel inferior" storyline, the author has made the sibling relationship complex and, therefore, realistic. Sammi is on the fringes of being popular but feels just average while her younger sister, Jorgianna, is quirky and artistic but excels at everything. I loved this story and it inspired me to write, which is always a sure sign I've read a good book!
Another of my Aladdin M!x favorites is Cindy Callaghan, whose earlier Aladdin M!x novel is now a TV series! There is an interesting story with this one. I downloaded it from Edelweiss months ago but waited to read it until release month. When I started reading, it was immediately apparent that the book, marked "Lost in Rome" at the top of every page, was not that book at all. The main character was a boy named Zeke who was called by the President of the U.S. to battle aliens. I read a little of it before I went to Amazon and downloaded the real book. What do you know? No mention of aliens at all!
Lost in Rome is the next in a series of books that both educates and entertains. I love the way Cindy works the hotspots of every location into each book. In Lost in Rome, the main character, Lucy, travels to Rome for the summer to work in her aunt's pizzeria. Warning: you will crave pizza and spaghetti while reading this book! Lucy has a talent for matchmaking based on the pizza toppings customers order...and her talent manages to attract quite a few customers to the once-dying restaurant. Add in a restaurant saboteur and you have a fun read for kids of all ages!
I finally got to read Medeia Sharif's 52 Likes, which I've been dying to read all year! Just a few pages into it, I realized I've been missing out. This is an incredibly riveting read.
After a high school student endures a rape, she isn't sure if life will ever get back to normal. Making matters worse is the fact that her fellow students regularly bully and taunt her based on a mistake she made the previous school year. But soon, mysterious messages begin showing up on her phone, begging her to solve a mystery that could be tied to her rape. You'll find yourself thinking about this book in between reads, wondering what will happen next. Medeia is not only prolific--she's jaw-droppingly talented.
You can tell the next book is going to be fun from the second you look at the cover. Doesn't this just make you want to read the story?
In I Live in a Doghouse, Beverly Stowe McClure hits you right in that soft spot. She manages to capture exactly what it feels like to be a child dealing with a combined family and an absentee dad. Nick is a sweet, lovable character you can't help but cheer on. Most importantly--it has something every middle grade book needs: a sweet dog!
And now for something completely different. My audiobook this month was this oldie but goody:
I heard about this book when I was reading about author Ann Rule's death. She and Ted Bundy worked side by side at a crisis center in the early 70s and became good friends. I admittedly knew not much at all about Ted Bundy before reading this book, but between reading this book and watching this interview, I now realize he isn't quite the Mark Harmon-ish charmer I'd always heard he was. I LOVE audiobooks that make me forget I'm doing boring household chores and this was one of the best at that. Highly recommend! It was also made into a movie you can rent on YouTube.
What books did you read in August?
August 26, 2015
The Key to Celebrity? Dimples
I've noticed something recently. It started when I was observing this former supercouple, both of whom are known for being among the most adorable people in entertainment:
Dimples! Miranda Lambert only has one on the right side of her face (in that picture anyway), but Blake Shelton's dimples are fairly prominent, even when he has facial hair.
It isn't just the two of them, either. Check out the dimples on some of Hollywood's most beautiful.
Jason Sudeikas and Olivia Wilde:
Rachel MacAdams:
Two of the women on People's top 10 most beautiful people list...
...Ariana Grande...
...and Gabrielle Union...
Leighton Meester:
Jake Gyllenhaal:
and Evangeline Lilly:
In fact, if you go to the movies or watch TV, you'll see lots of dimples. Which makes me wonder...are dimples the key to beauty?
Or are they a birth defect, as implied by this article?
Interestingly, dimples eventually diminish in people as they age. Which makes it all that much more interesting when you see adults with them. I propose that check dimples, like chin dimples, make a person's face more interesting--which makes them much more watchable on the screen.
People's Most Beautiful Person, Sandra Bullock, may be missing cheek dimples, but she has that chin dimple going for her:
Do you think dimples are a birth defect...or a beauty mark?
Dimples! Miranda Lambert only has one on the right side of her face (in that picture anyway), but Blake Shelton's dimples are fairly prominent, even when he has facial hair.
It isn't just the two of them, either. Check out the dimples on some of Hollywood's most beautiful.
Jason Sudeikas and Olivia Wilde:
Rachel MacAdams:
Two of the women on People's top 10 most beautiful people list...
...Ariana Grande...
...and Gabrielle Union...
Leighton Meester:
Jake Gyllenhaal:
and Evangeline Lilly:
In fact, if you go to the movies or watch TV, you'll see lots of dimples. Which makes me wonder...are dimples the key to beauty?
Or are they a birth defect, as implied by this article?
Interestingly, dimples eventually diminish in people as they age. Which makes it all that much more interesting when you see adults with them. I propose that check dimples, like chin dimples, make a person's face more interesting--which makes them much more watchable on the screen.
People's Most Beautiful Person, Sandra Bullock, may be missing cheek dimples, but she has that chin dimple going for her:
Do you think dimples are a birth defect...or a beauty mark?
August 24, 2015
Changing the Romance Cover
For years, romance novels have had a bad reputation. This isn't helped by the fact that some of the covers look like this:
But in recent years, this has started to turn around. It was helped by the brief (but impactful) popularity of chick lit. Chick lit covers looked like this:
And this:
Although chick lit is (mostly) gone, its legacy lives on in some of the romance covers you see today. Like this:
And this bestseller:
But mostly romance covers still fit in the "bodice ripper" category. It sucks, especially since few women wear clothing with rippable bodices in 2015. I searched and searched and searched for more contemporary covers. I searched small presses and big publishers. Avon still comes the closest. They've always sprinkled a few fun covers in with the grabby-couple ones.
And this one:
Close, but not 100 percent. I think it's time we reimagine the romance cover. There's no reason they can't all be more like this:
Do you know of any romance covers that break the stereotype?
But in recent years, this has started to turn around. It was helped by the brief (but impactful) popularity of chick lit. Chick lit covers looked like this:
And this:
Although chick lit is (mostly) gone, its legacy lives on in some of the romance covers you see today. Like this:
And this bestseller:
But mostly romance covers still fit in the "bodice ripper" category. It sucks, especially since few women wear clothing with rippable bodices in 2015. I searched and searched and searched for more contemporary covers. I searched small presses and big publishers. Avon still comes the closest. They've always sprinkled a few fun covers in with the grabby-couple ones.
And this one:
Close, but not 100 percent. I think it's time we reimagine the romance cover. There's no reason they can't all be more like this:
Do you know of any romance covers that break the stereotype?
August 21, 2015
Introducing Hot Pink in the City By Medeia Sharif
One of our favorite bloggers has a new book on shelves this week! She's extremely prolific...I picture her writing like this:
Medeia Sharif's latest book is Hot Pink in the City. It has everything a reader can love--80s music, New York City, and an exciting adventure. Plus, it's only $4.99! Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post.
Blurb:
Asma Bashir wants two things: a summer fling and her favorite '80s songs. During a trip to New York City to stay with relatives, she messes up in her pursuit of both. She loses track of the hunk she met on her airplane ride, and she does the most terrible thing she could possibly do to her strict uncle... ruin his most prized possession, a rare cassette tape.
A wild goose chase around Manhattan and Brooklyn to find a replacement tape yields many adventures -- blackmail, theft, a chance to be a TV star, and so much more. Amid all this turmoil, Asma just might be able to find her crush in the busiest, most exciting city in the world.
Bio:
I was born in New York City and I presently call Miami my home. I received my master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. After becoming a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer dabbling in many genres in college, I found my niche writing for young people. Today I'm a MG and YA writer published through various presses. In addition to being a writer, I'm a public school teacher. My memberships include Mensa, ALAN, and SCBWI.
Contact info:
Buy | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon
Enter the HPITC book blast giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Medeia Sharif's latest book is Hot Pink in the City. It has everything a reader can love--80s music, New York City, and an exciting adventure. Plus, it's only $4.99! Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post.
Blurb:
Asma Bashir wants two things: a summer fling and her favorite '80s songs. During a trip to New York City to stay with relatives, she messes up in her pursuit of both. She loses track of the hunk she met on her airplane ride, and she does the most terrible thing she could possibly do to her strict uncle... ruin his most prized possession, a rare cassette tape.
A wild goose chase around Manhattan and Brooklyn to find a replacement tape yields many adventures -- blackmail, theft, a chance to be a TV star, and so much more. Amid all this turmoil, Asma just might be able to find her crush in the busiest, most exciting city in the world.
Bio:
I was born in New York City and I presently call Miami my home. I received my master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. After becoming a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer dabbling in many genres in college, I found my niche writing for young people. Today I'm a MG and YA writer published through various presses. In addition to being a writer, I'm a public school teacher. My memberships include Mensa, ALAN, and SCBWI.Contact info:
Buy | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon
Enter the HPITC book blast giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 19, 2015
Stop Talking Like That!
There's a scene in a movie called In a World where the main character, a voiceover artist, passes a girl on the street. The girl says something and the voiceover artist hands her a business card.
"I just want to give you my card. I'm not a vocal coach anymore, but I would make an exception for you because you sound like a squeaky toy. And I don't mean that in a bad way."
Squeaky-toy voice is annoying. But there's a voice issue that has been bothering me for a while. When we went on vacation, it seemed every 20-something female I met was speaking this way. It's called vocal fry--that sound that has apparently caught on thanks to Kim Kardashian's mind control of America. Here's are some samples of it if you'd like to hear it.
As the woman explains in the video, speech pathologists consider it a disorder. It can actually damage the vocal cords. Yet they'll continue to do it as the rest of us roll our eyes.
Studies have shown that speaking this way makes someone less hirable. Interestingly, though, a separate survey found that someone who speaks this way is seen as more urban and intelligent. See...told you Kim Kardashian has brainwashed them all.
Apparently she hasn't yet infected the brains of hiring managers across America, though. So if you think your creaky voice is cute, 20-something women, you might want to disguise it before you try to land a job in an office.
Have you noticed anything odd about the way young people talk?
"I just want to give you my card. I'm not a vocal coach anymore, but I would make an exception for you because you sound like a squeaky toy. And I don't mean that in a bad way."
Squeaky-toy voice is annoying. But there's a voice issue that has been bothering me for a while. When we went on vacation, it seemed every 20-something female I met was speaking this way. It's called vocal fry--that sound that has apparently caught on thanks to Kim Kardashian's mind control of America. Here's are some samples of it if you'd like to hear it.
As the woman explains in the video, speech pathologists consider it a disorder. It can actually damage the vocal cords. Yet they'll continue to do it as the rest of us roll our eyes.
Studies have shown that speaking this way makes someone less hirable. Interestingly, though, a separate survey found that someone who speaks this way is seen as more urban and intelligent. See...told you Kim Kardashian has brainwashed them all.
Apparently she hasn't yet infected the brains of hiring managers across America, though. So if you think your creaky voice is cute, 20-something women, you might want to disguise it before you try to land a job in an office.
Have you noticed anything odd about the way young people talk?
August 17, 2015
Writing for Young Readers
First off, I have to take a moment to thank all of my blogging friends for supporting me on last week's cover reveal! This is the best community anywhere.
I should also take a moment to thank all of the non-writers who stopped by every day just to say hi. Thank you for your patience.
Today I'm guest-blogging at this talented writer's blog:
I'm discussing the difference between writing for young readers and writing for grown-ups! Go check it out.
I should also take a moment to thank all of the non-writers who stopped by every day just to say hi. Thank you for your patience.
Today I'm guest-blogging at this talented writer's blog:
I'm discussing the difference between writing for young readers and writing for grown-ups! Go check it out.
August 14, 2015
Piper Morgan Cover Reveal: Day Three
It's day three of my big cover reveal blast!
It's the last day, but I still have a few great blogging buddies to introduce you to. Also--there's a fun guest post about the circus. Check them all out!
The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow--Guest Post: Learning About the Circus
Mason Canyon--Blurb
My Creatively Random Life--Blurb
Elizabeth Seckman--Blurb
Beverly Stowe McClure--Blurb
Megan Whitson Lee--Blurb
It's the last day, but I still have a few great blogging buddies to introduce you to. Also--there's a fun guest post about the circus. Check them all out!
The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow--Guest Post: Learning About the Circus
Mason Canyon--Blurb
My Creatively Random Life--Blurb
Elizabeth Seckman--Blurb
Beverly Stowe McClure--Blurb
Megan Whitson Lee--Blurb
August 12, 2015
Piper Morgan Cover Reveal: Day Two
It's day two of my big cover reveal blast!
It's the second day of my cover reveal blast and I have a few great blogging friends for you to check out!
Jeffrey Scott--Interview
Ro--Interview
The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow--Blurb
Beth Ellyn Summer--Blurb
Meradeth Houston--Blurb
Texas Revelations--Blurb
C.D. Gallant-King--Blurb
S.K. Anthony--Blurb
Kristin Smith--Blurb
It's the second day of my cover reveal blast and I have a few great blogging friends for you to check out!
Jeffrey Scott--Interview
Ro--Interview
The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow--Blurb
Beth Ellyn Summer--Blurb
Meradeth Houston--Blurb
Texas Revelations--Blurb
C.D. Gallant-King--Blurb
S.K. Anthony--Blurb
Kristin Smith--Blurb
August 10, 2015
Piper Morgan Cover Reveal: Day One
Today I'm doing a super-exciting cover reveal across the blogosphere, as well as on social media. Piper Morgan Joins the Circus is the first in a four-book chapter book series from Simon & Schuster's Aladdin line. Here's my fun new cover!
I'm so excited to have some of my best blogging buddies helping out for the next week. Check out today's blogs!
Diane Carlisle--Guest Post: The Day I Started Writing
Kelly Hashway--Blurb
Sandra Cox--Blurb
Medeia Sharif--Blurb
Nick Wilford--Blurb
Leandra Wallace--Blurb
Cathrina Constantine--Blurb
Cherdo on the Flipside--Blurb
I'm so excited to have some of my best blogging buddies helping out for the next week. Check out today's blogs!
Diane Carlisle--Guest Post: The Day I Started Writing
Kelly Hashway--Blurb
Sandra Cox--Blurb
Medeia Sharif--Blurb
Nick Wilford--Blurb
Leandra Wallace--Blurb
Cathrina Constantine--Blurb
Cherdo on the Flipside--Blurb
