An Experiment

The days are getting longer and hopefully warmer, but I realize that life is short, and getting shorter every day.

So, I made a conscious decision to free myself from Facebook's powerful grip. Instead of spending hours at a time perusing my news feed for exciting posts by my friends and family, I will log on once a week, for only one hour, to post on my professional pages.

If I didn't manage my business page and author page, I would cancel my account, but I know that as a writer and small business owner, keeping an online presence is very important. One of the best ways is through Facebook.

I love reading everyone's witty posts, watching videos, and learning new ways to recycle egg cartons, soda bottles, plastic forks, and Christmas cards. I look forward to seeing pictures of old friends, new friends, and family members. Sometimes, Facebook is the only way I communicate with my daughter who lives about 1000 miles away. I'll be honest here--I even love to play Candy Crush, Pet Rescue, and Farm Heroes.

I really do love Facebook, but it's a huge time-sucking distraction. My house is cluttered and unorganized, my family is neglected, and my writing is suffering. I want to have a conversation with my husband outside of work. I want to spend more time with my mother and sister. I want to take my grandchildren to the Crayola factory. I want to plant vegetables and flowers. I want to clear out all my e-mails, read all the blogs that I follow, interact with my Twitter followers (hopefully, I don't develop a Twitter addiction.) I want to go shopping with friends and watch movies and read books. I want to WRITE!...but most importantly, I want to feel more alive!

I'm hoping that my Freedom From Facebook Experiment forces me to go out, do things, and get some fresh air, for crying out loud. Just imagine all the cool blog posts, short stories, and novels I can produce if I'm moving and shaking, instead of staring at a computer screen.

Truth be told, I'm scared. Not that I'll miss the next exciting new Zynga game or that awesome viral video that everyone is talking about, but because I'm so addicted that I'm scared I won't be able to abstain. It will take all of my willpower to ONLY post on those pages once a week without scanning my personal news feed and getting sucked back in.

I'm not cutting myself off from the world. I can always be reached by telephone and/or e-mail. If you know where I live, you're always welcome to stop by and visit.

So, if I'm friends with you on Facebook, and I miss something really important to you like your birthday, anniversary, new baby, book release, graduation, new hairstyle, new car, new job or heaven forbid, a loss of some kind, please know that I'm happy, impressed, proud of you, and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Wish me luck. I'll need it. I'll keep you all updated...

Have you ever unplugged yourself from social media? How did it make you feel?

Spreading The News--April 2012

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April has been busy, busy. 

I just spent two nights at my girlfriend's house, watching her toddler while she and her hubby went to the hospital to have their second child.

Welcome to the world, little Raymond! 
Anyway, I have a ton of things to do...

I am only halfway through Robert Lee Brewer's April Platform Challenge, so my weekend will be quite full playing catch-up. (Stop by and take a look. Even if you can't catch up to be in the running for the prize, every author should do these tasks in order to build a good author platform.)

Calls for Submission

Rattle publishes poetry, translations, reviews, essays, and interviews. Now through August 1st, they are reading for a tribute to Speculative Fiction poetry. This includes Fantasy, Horror, Alternate History, etc. but they accept regular submissions year-round.

Tor accepts submissions for Science Fiction short stories and poetry. They pay .25 per word!

Celebrate Life is looking for holiday-related material and commentaries. No fiction or poetry! They pay .15 to .25 word!

Event, Canada publishes mainly Canadian writers, but are open to anyone writing fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction in English. They pay a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $500. Check out their website as they only read during certain months.

Knowonder! is still accepting submissions even though the magazine is on hold until June 1st. They have increased their pay to $25 for 500-999 word stories and $50 for over 1,000 words.

Contests

WoW! Women On Writing is having their Spring 2012 Flash Fiction Contest. Entry Fee: $10.00 and the guest contest judge is Regina Brooks, founder and President of Serendipity Literary Agency. The Theme is Open, with a word count of 250-750. There's a limit of 300 entries, so act fast!

Family Circle's Fiction Contest ends September 7, 2012. Up to two (2) entries per person, of no more than 2500 words.

On The Premises's Contest #17 is open until May 31, 2012. Make them laugh, or at least smile, in 1,000 to 5,000 words.

Writing Retreat

There are still some spots left at the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop. Join Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest, and poet and author, Jessica Bell, August 2-8, 2012 on the beautiful isle of Ithaca, Greece.
Fee with accomodation and buffet breakfast is only 1,550 Euros!

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Oh, and by the way, my blog hit 5,000 views today! I'm so excited! Thank you to everyone who visits. :D

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