Harassment through twitter lists and how to stop it

When you think of the many ways that you can be harassed on the internet Twitter lists probably didint even appear on your list of possibilities. It didn't appear on mine either until it happened to me.

The thing is I wasn't even aware it was happening for a long time. This is because of a major flaw in the twitter listing system.  A twitter user does not have to ask your permission to add you to a list and unless you regularly check all notifications ( I get hundreds everyday) you may miss this fact that you have been added to certain lists.

Lists can be great. I use them myself to categorize people I follow into lists such as "PR and Publishing" and "bloggers". Its a great way of keeping your feed organised. 

However I have also seen people be added to lists such as "Idiots" or "Stupid people". Not a very nice thing to discover. 

I myself was added to a list called "plagiarizers" . This person had no real evidence of any plagiarism other than a few generic tweets that were posted when my account was hacked. Never the less I was now stuck with this label. When your blogger or writer being accused of plagiarism is possibly the worst thing that can happen .

Whats even worse is there is no official button to remove yourself from these lists and the owner of said list refused to take me off it.

I wasn't willing to put up with this so I looked for a round about way to fix this and I found it.

First of all : Check what lists you have been added to 

So I've decided I don't want to be on the "Hablando de Apple Watch" list. 

How to remove yourself from a list 

1) Click on the author of the list. In this case "Juan Luis Martel"

2)Click the cog wheel beside the follow button

3) Click Block and then confirm

4) Hover over the blocked button to unblock them again. 

* That step is important. Just blocking doesn't remove you from a list . You must unblock again*

If you look again on lists your a member off that list should no longer be there. However this person can re add you to that list so to prevent that you must block them again 

Hopefully this solves your problem. If you found this post helpful please 

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How Authors Can Use The Internet To Interact With Readers

When it comes to authors reaching out to their readers, the landscape has certainly changed over the past decade. In the past, authors could only directly connect to their readers via book tours or written correspondence. Today, however, writers have many new channels through which to connect to their readers. Here are some innovative ways that authors can use to speak with their readers directly

Reddit

Many people may still be unfamiliar with Reddit. However, it's quickly

becoming a powerful marketing tool for many people, including authors. Lemony Snicket, a children's book author whose real name is Daniel Handler, used a Reddit post called "Asked Me Anything" to allow his fans to ask him questions directly. Handler was able to have a direct dialogue with fans who may not have been able to come see him on one of his book tours. It was an easy and free manner of promotion.

Goodreads

Goodreads is a platform for readers to create virtual bookshelves of the books they've read and to share their opinions with other readers. Authors can create author portals where they can receive reader feedback directly. This is an ingenious method for authors to be able to receive feedback directly on their work, in addition to an easy way for them to keep their readers posted on what they are up to.

Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media

When it comes to authors communicating with their readers, popular social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook work well. These platforms are not made specifically for authors, but they do work well for this purpose. Readers can "follow" their favorite authors on these platforms and can keep track of what their favorite authors are up to, in addition to being able to send them questions and comments.

The publishing landscape is changing across the board and it's important for authors to keep up. If authors use these tools to communicate with their readers and publicize their brand, they will be able to successfully compete in today's market. Plus, their readers will appreciate their accessibility.

How important do you think it is for an author to have an online precence? If you loved a book and then found that the author had no social media accounts, would that bother you? 

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Running with an Idea by @roisinmeaney

Running with an Idea

I was always a walker. From the time we could put one leg in front of another without falling over, my mother, an avid walker, would take us with her when she went on her rambles, and we all grew up with the habit ingrained into us. We used to spend our summer holidays in the house in the middle of nowhere in County Clare that my father inherited from his parents, and I have vivid memories of us tramping the grass-in-the-middle roads that rarely saw a car, the older kids (me among them) almost running to keep up with my mother as she wheeled the younger ones (one baby, two or three toddlers) in an ancient pram.



The walks seemed to last forever – mother had a lot of energy – and we went out in all weathers, so a fair few memories come complete with rain dripping from the end of my nose as I splashed in whatever puddles I encountered. Happy days, with a clutch of happy tired children at the end of them.

But while I would have regarded walking as my exercise of choice growing up, over the years I would also have flirted with running, I suppose just to ring the changes a little. These interludes would generally be short-lived, and would involve me and whatever pal I managed to rope in making our tottery, red-faced, gasping way around whatever green space was closest to us. We’d last two or three sessions before one of us would find an appointment that prevented the next run from happening, and that would be that for another few months.

I had some modest success for a few years in my twenties, when I was teaching in Dublin. I managed somehow to persevere with my runs until I was able to tackle the 10 kilometres that made up the Ladies’ Mini Marathon a few times. I would finish on the point of collapse, and vow never again – and then eight months later off I’d go, working my way up to it again.

When I left Dublin for a job in Limerick I left running behind too – until last year, after a running hiatus that had lasted for several years, I decided for whatever reason to give it another go – and this time, to make myself keep it up, I registered to run the half-marathon in the Great Limerick Run, which takes place annually in May. I can hear you laughing from here, and I can’t blame you. Registering for a half-marathon, with my track record (literally) was the height of lunacy, right? Right. Needless to say I’d given up my pathetic training attempts long before the run happened, and I kissed my registration fee goodbye. That was it, I thought. No more running for me; walking all the way.

And then something happened. Well, nothing happened really, apart from a niggling feeling that wouldn’t go away, a dissatisfaction that kept prodding at me. You wimp, it said. You failed – and finally, to shut it up, in November I made contact with a man whom I knew only by reputation. We were Facebook friends, and he often posted running-related messages that made it perfectly clear that he had a passion for the thing. Turn me into a runner, I demanded – and by golly, he did. He has.

He sets me weekly running schedules that started with three and four mile runs, four times a week, and now, three months later, I’ve graduated to five and six times a week, and my schedules involve runs of up to eight miles. By some miracle, I’ve managed to stick to the schedules – I think I’ve only missed two runs since November, due to various aches and pains, but in general I’ve been a very good girl indeed. I’ve registered for and run three official runs so far, a five miler and two 10ks, and I’ve once again registered for the Great Limerick Run half marathon on May 2.

I can’t honestly say that I enjoy the runs – I still regard them as a bit of an endurance test – but the feeling of achievement when I finish one is pretty good. And running is a brilliant antidote to writing – it’s pretty much its polar opposite, and it also provides a great opportunity to toss a few ideas around as I tramp the roads, trying not to look too much as if I’m on the point of cardiac arrest. I always run with music, but I’ve learnt how to let it settle into the background as I wrestle with a tricky plot point, or struggle with an awkward character.

So it’s a win-win. If you happen to live in Limerick, or happen to be visiting it on May 2, look out for me as I cross the finish line of the Great Limerick Run. I’ll be the one with the happiest smile plastered on my sweaty red puss.

A huge thank you to Roisin for taking the time out to write this great post for Go Book Yourself.

Her new novel "Two Fridays in April" in available now!

Click HERE to add it to your goodreads shelf

Click HERE to buy on Amazon

Cover Reveal: The Tears of Dark Water by Corban Addison

Tears of the Dark Water blurb:

"Daniel and Vanessa Parker are an American success story. He is a Washington, D.C. power broker, and she is a doctor with a thriving practice. But behind the façade, their marriage is a shambles, and their teenage son, Quentin, is self-destructing. In desperation, Daniel dusts off a long-delayed dream - a sailing trip around the world. Little does he know that the voyage he hopes will save them may destroy them instead.

Half a world away, on the lawless coast of Somalia, Ismail Ibrahim is plotting the rescue of his sister, Yasmin, from the man who murdered their father. Driven to crime by love and loyalty, he hijacks ships for ransom money. There is nothing he will not do to save her, even if it means taking innocent life.

Paul Derrick is the FBI's top hostage negotiator. His twin sister Megan, is a celebrated defense attorney. When Paul is called to respond to a hostage crisis at sea, he has no idea how far it will take them both into their traumatic past - or the chance it will give them to redeem the future.

Across continents and oceans, through storms and civil wars, their paths converge in a single, explosive moment. It is a moment that will test them, and break them, but that will also leave behind a glimmer of hope - that out of the ashes of tragedy the seeds of justice and reconciliation can grow, not only for themselves but also for Somalia itself."

Cover Reveal: 

Im really loving the sound of this. I love the cover too it reminds me of the old Wilbur Smith covers. 

If its as good as A Walk Across the Sun and The Garden of Burning Sand then ill be happy 

Add The Tears of Dark Water to Goodreads 

Review: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

             

Published: September 2010

Publisher: Little Brown / Poppy 

Format: eBook 

Didn't gel to this at all unfortunately. I found most of the characters really unlikable, which is not always a bad thing but they weren't unlike able enough at the other end to make any sort of an impression on me if that makes sense?

I love a book where I can detest a character but there's nothing worse than feeling "Meh" about a character or story.

Really I thought that Bianca was a bit thick. This idiot insults her constantly yet she still not only gives him the time of day, she uses him as a "distraction". Right. Also whining about an ex who took her virginity when she was 14!? Statutory Rape anyone!?? Maybe I'm not down with the young people anymore but I thought that was a bit excessive

I picked this up because I read that it was going to be turned into a movie and I wanted to read it first.


Movie Trailer: 

I just watched the trailer. It seems they totally changed the story. This, for me at least is a good thing as it would have been one boring ass movie.
This is probably the only time ill ever say this but skip the book and wait for the movie 

Rating:

★★ ☆ ☆ ☆