Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 171

New thing on the site…OPEN FAQ

So I left Goodreads, and I'm shutting down my regular page on FB. But I promise I'm not going to disappear…I'm still around on twitter, although I'll probably be cutting back some due to deadlines.

Still, I'm around.

And for those who can't find answers to questions either at the FAQ page, on the What's New page or by checking on the page of the book/series page…there's now an open FAQ.  Please note… this isn't the open FAQ.  To avoid confusion…*G* today, there will be no comments allowed.

I want them at the FAQ page, which is a static page, meaning it won't eventually end up lost the way blog pages do.  So if you have a question, click on the OPEN FAQ.  The page can be found by hovering your mouse above the FAQ section in my link bar above as well.

Closing Shop…ciao, Facebook

Closing shop…

Okay, I've come to a decision.

This hasn't been a particularly easy decision…as in I know it's going to bother people.  But it's also not a hard one, because I realize it's the right decision for me.

In the next week or so, I'm closing my regular Facebook page.  My 'author' page, found here, will remain.  I've got Nicole who'll be around to help me with questions there and that has never been so crazy that I can't keep up and that page is more manageable.  My friend Erin also helps me there so I know that page is in good hands.

But with my regular Facebook page, it's a different story.  Too many inbox messages, too much author spam…just too much.  A lot of the time, these are questions that I've already answered via the FAQs or directly on the pages of books here on my website, on the What's New page of my site, etc.

I realize some people are probably thinking, Well, we are interested in the books—that's a good thing—why don't you want to answer those questions?

It's not a matter of not wanting to answer.  It's a matter of I've already answered them—sometimes to the tune of dozens of times.  It simply takes visiting my website and checking out either the FAQ or the What's new page.

When I'm constantly answering these questions for the twentieth time, one thing I'm not doing? Well…I'm not writing. A few questions here, a few questions there, it adds up to a lot of time taken out of the author's day and there are only so many hours, ya know?

Social networking is great for letting authors connect with readers… I love it, I really do.

I love connecting with the authors whose work I enjoy…I see Teresa Mederios on Twitter and I get all giggly when she tweets me back—two of her books are die hard favorites of mine and I love that she's there and I can say Hi!  I saw Mercedes Lackey on Twitter and my heart almost stopped.  And although it's not twitter, when I see Lynn Viehl drop in on my blog?  I have complete and total fan girl squeals.  You should see the way my husband looks at me when this happens.  And emails from her?  Um…well, it's kind of embarrassing.

I love being able to connect with authors.  I love being about to connect with my readers.

But social networking, if we let it, will eat up so much time and we've got to write.  In the end, we've got to write or we're not writers.

When I'm answering questions I've already answered, and they're coming in on Goodreads, on Facebook, on Twitter…I'm spending so much time keeping up with the social networking and I'm not writing during that time.  I'm paid to be a writer, I'm expected to be a writer…and I figure most people are here anyway because they have an interest in my books.

And because I'm big on honesty…yes.  Answering questions repeatedly does get tiresome to me.  I'm not trying to be rude and I apologize if I hurt feelings.  I'm a bitchy person even on my best days, but I don't set out to intentionally hurt anybody's feelings.  I'm sorry if I've done that.

But I imagine most people have those days when you have people constantly asking you the same sort of thing over and over…this is the tiresome aspect.

I blog, I tweet, I do Goodreads (or rather I did Goodreads), I Facebook and I have all of these questions coming from all of these venues and 98% of the questions asked are already answered on my site.

Again, it's not that I'm not thrilled with the interest, and if there's a question that somebody honestly can't find on my site, either on the book's page, the FAQ, or the What's New page, then I definitely want to hear so I can answer it.  God knows I'm an airhead and there are probably questions that I need to put up on the FAQ page.

But if you can try to understand… sometimes keeping up with these sites is almost like trying to keep up with individual websites…and the individual emails that go along with it.  And I'm done with it.

I love hearing from my readers and I hope you all know that.  I just have to cut back on some of the time I spend on non-writing business stuff of writing and streamline things.  This is one way to do it—if I'm not there on Facebook, people can either hit the author page or hit my site for the info.

And um…yay…if I'm not there on Facebook, I don't have anymore author spam coming at me on Facebook anymore either…yay!!!!  Double yay!!!  (I hate author spam-finding a way to be rid of that is almost enough to make me wanna do a happy dance.)

Somebody suggested I just ignore the questions that have already been answered, but that's not the answer, either.

Somebody else suggested that I just make the page for 'business friends and associates' only so they continue to network with me.  But…well, my friends know how to contact me if they need to and I didn't go to Facebook to network anyway.

I went to Facebook to connect with readers and with the author page, I can still do that.   People who want me to hang around to 'network'?  Basically this is a translation for… 'hang around so we can use you.' No, thanks.  I'll pass.  Go network elsewhere.

I honestly think the answer is to cutback.  I'm just spreading myself too thin and some things are going to have to give.  Facebook is the first one—the author page isn't going anywhere but by eliminating the regular Facebook, then I don't have the questions coming through that route—people can post them to the author page where Nicole can answer them, or they can check my site and hopefully find the info they need there.

I've got some killer deadlines coming up on me and after the stress of 2010, I know if I don't find a way to decompress in 2011, I'm going to turn into a babbling pile of useless goo…incapable of writing.

So…buh-bye Facebook.  I'd say it's been fun…but…well, I never liked it all that much.  You can still find me at the author page and I'll keep that up, but the regular page?  It's going the way of the Dodo…

(and don't worry… twitter isn't next on the casualty list…I like twitter).

Saturday Snippets…The Departed…

Not sure when this will be out, guys… maybe late 2011.  If not, then 2012.  This is a follow-up to The Missing, featuring Taige's friend, Dez & her boss, Taylor.

No doubt about it, she was gorgeous and when she smiled, she could make the hearts of the men around her race.

But right now, her smile was fucking freaky.

Under her feet, they suspected, were dozens of bones.  Unmarked graves.

The location of a serial killer's little playground.  Or maybe his burial ground.

But she smiled.  It was a peaceful, beautiful smile—a Mona Lisa smile, and it didn't belong in the place of death and decay, the tech thought.

Fucking freaky.

The Friday 56-Maya Banks' Linger

From Maya Banks' Linger, the print compilation of Stay With Me & Songbird

"Sit here," Rhys said as he eased her down on the bed.  "I'll be right back."

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

As Promised…another BEG ME update…

It's now available at the Kobo Store… and you can find it here. Hopefully that means it will be at the Borders Ebookstore soon.

For an excerpt and other info on the book, including questions about it's possible print status, please visit the book's page here.

Also, another review…(FYI, there's a coupon code for Smashwords…)

Babbling about Books

okay… i tried…

Quick question to those viewing in IE…is the underlining thing fixed?

Conversations (texts) with the DH

Last week I got this text from my guy:

The tomtom met with an untimely demise

(The tomtom is the GPS.  I bought it when I decided to upgrade the Garmin.  This was an error, folks.)

I texted him back:

Ooookay.  Were you the demise?

His reply?

No.  It was destiny.  I was merely the vehicle.

I'm now the proud owner of a new, updated Garmin.  And the tomtom is dead.  But I didn't like the tomtom anyway.  It kept getting me lost.  Garmin never got me that lost.

Update on last week's post regarding the Marine

Last week, I posted about a Marine and his unit-they weren't getting many letters or anything. I got another update from Kelley who'd heard from Joe's wife, Jennifer… she says:

Kelley,
Thank you so much for your support and offers!  I really appreciate evreything, and I know the Marines do, too.
Our guys are stationed in the north, so it is chilly.  Their buildings are heated, but they don't have real plumbing inside.  Baby wipes are big!    Thank you again, and God bless you and everyone you work with.

Jennifer

So… it sounds like baby wipes are a hit.  If anybody wants to send some baby wipes over there along with a letter or a Christmas card, the info is:

1stLt Joseph Mazzara USMC
1/10, Battery B
Unit 73330
FPO AE 09510-3330

At this time, I don't know if anything besides baby wipes or a card/letter could be used, so to be on the safe side, just stick with the baby wipes and cards/letters.  There are very often a lot of things these people could use, but a lot of stuff isn't allowed, baked goods, etc.  If I hear any more from Kelley, get a list of names, I'll let you know.

A quick note, and this isn't directed at any one person, but just in general, because I've had a couple of questions/notes offlist about people wondering if this info is up to date & legit, and yes… it is, to the best of my knowledge.

I get these names from Kelley G who works direct with an SOS unit.  She's been doing this for a very long time and the names she gets tend to come direct from soldiers and Marines.   I can understand people wanting to make sure, but I've been working with Kelley for a long time on these for several years and posting them for quite a while.

I'm not going to post something like this I know it's from a reliable person and Kelley has never shown to be anything but.

Thanks for understanding and for those who are sending letters and stuff, I'm sure those receiving them are very appreciative.

The Darkest Hour… Giveaway…

Soooo…last week, I mentioned I'd read No Place to Run by Maya Banks.

For those who haven't read the books?  Want to try the first one?

It's been one year since ex-Navy SEAL Ethan Kelly last saw his wife Rachel alive. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt over his failures as a husband, Ethan shuts himself off from everything and everyone.

His brothers have tried to bring Ethan into the KGI fold, tried to break through the barriers he's built around himself, but Ethan refuses to respond… until he receives anonymous information claiming Rachel is alive.

To save her, Ethan will have to dodge bullets, cross a jungle, and risk falling captive to a deadly drug cartel that threatens his own demise. And even if he succeeds, he'll have to force Rachel to recover memories she can't and doesn't want to relive—the minute by minute terror of her darkest hour—for their love, and their lives, may depend on it.

I'm giving away an unsigned copy of The Darkest Hour…book 1 in the KGI series.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment and tell me what you're reading.  Give away open across the globe, and reminder…if you enter, as per my disclaimer, that means you've read my disclaimer. O.o  So if you haven't, you might want to.

Standard, abbreviated run down…

don't post to twittersweeps or sweepstakes sites-if this happens, I reserve the right (and likely will) to end the contest without awarding the prize.  This annoys me.  These contests are for readers and visitors, not contest patrols.
it's your responsibility to check back and see if you've won-I don't notify the winner.
One entry per household
Open across the globe
You must enter via my blog, not goodreads, facebook, etc
For the rest… read the disclaimer .

Sigh… I hate lousy customer service…Chicstar

PSA for my twitter friends… since I tweet-shop so much and with the holidays coming up?  Well, I dunno if you wanna order from Chicstar.com or not.

That was one place I'd previously done a lot of tweet-shopping, but I just had a LOUSY customer service experience.

I'd ordered this gothic fishtail skirt-I loved it.  I was going to need get the waist taken in and I've only worn it like three times-it's not really something you can wear to just go grocery shopping and it's not really child-wrangling clothing, either.

But it's excellent for date night… or booksignings.

And I had a booksigning on Saturday.

On Friday when I went to go iron it?

One of the metal grommet loop thingies?  It was coming out of the seam and the ribbon was loose, too.

Now again… I've worn this thing three times.

So I emailed customer service at Chicstar.  It's a private business and generally, the customer service at those places?  Stellar.

Not so much here.  I was told… "t seems that this skirt doesn't fit you well, so when you wear it, it was splited, such this condition, i'm afraid that we can not refund your money."

Um… wrong.  It fits me pretty damn perfectly, save for the waist, where it's loose.  They can't make that determination by looking at a picture.  That sort of thing can also happen if the stitching isn't solid.  And the lower loop where the seam is ripped?  Nooooo… it didn't fit me poorly there at all.  That was below my big butt, thanks.

And I didn't want a refund.  I would have preferred them be willing to replace it, as the skirt should have held up for more than three damn wearings, and none of them were longer than a few hours.

Anyway… long story short?  The customer service doesn't seem all that hot.  Those who saw me tweeting about this place?  You might want to do your shopping elsewhere, folks.