Tag: writing

Hacker Scammer wants your info

Be vigilant, scammers are on the prowl

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell27 Comments

And with this new year comes more vermin searching for an opening, no matter how small.Mouse and hole

I’m referring to scammers, hackers and trolls.

The more gadgets we have, the more avenues and opportunities for a criminal to find you. Don’t fall for these frauds. From our email, smartphones, yes iPhones too, computers, tablets, blogs, websites, Amazon Echo, Google Home, or even smart TVs, we are all susceptible to these damn crooks. AND, of course, we are vulnerable on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and any of the many social media sites. Scammers are trolling for any insecurity or vulnerability in your life, online and real.

Once upon a time, long long ago, Apple products were immune. Or so we thought. But that is not the case, not now. So don’t let your guard down just because you have an Apple product. Scammers are everywhere phishing for your information.

No need to live in fear. Just be aware! Be smart!

Some things you can do to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

  • Install good security and virus software.
  • Keep all software updated.
  • Do not click on an email that requests you verify account details.
  • Be careful about downloading free mobile apps. Know who and where it comes from.
  • Never click on an unsolicited email or alert that comes from a bank,  institution or company. Go directly to their website instead.
  • On smartphones and tablets, watch out for text messages requesting you click on them.
  • Don’t recognize the phone number? Hang up or better yet don’t answer. If it’s important they can leave a message.
  • Be aware of phone number scamming. Fraudsters are now spoofing legit company phone numbers. Be careful, the person on the other line may not be a real Apple, ATT, Netflix, agent.
  • Remember if it sounds too good… well you know the rest.

Last but not least…

Think before you click. Just like crossing a street, take your time and look both ways. Let’s start the new year aware and in control. 

Thanks to Terry Ambrose, Grace Sweeney and Kevin McAllister for these tips and their timely articles on the latest scams and fraudsters.

Below are links from these savvy writers to help you avoid falling prey to a scammer. Keep reading… 

Scam Tip – Apple users beware of Apple phishing scam By Terry Ambrose

New year, new scams: what to watch out for in 2019 By GRACE SWEENEY

Outsmart the Scammers: How You Can Avoid Fraud By Kevin McAllister

Apple iPhone scam returns as new model nears By Terry Ambrose

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A wish for the season to one and all

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

We’re coming to the happiest time of the year and… 

I want to wish all of my readers, far and near, a very happy holiday. However you celebrate, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy Kwanzaa may this year be the best.

               

No matter how you celebrate this time of the year, I hope your holiday is filled with joy and happiness.

And as we ring out the old and in the new year…

I wish a better and prosperous 2019 for us all.

Happy New Year!

See Y’all on the flip side of the New Year!

 

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How do you kill a dream?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

Dreams rarely die in a single moment.

No, most dreams die slowly, until like smoke, they drift away.

I do not have a green thumb. My house is where plants come to die. I forget to water, feed or give them the correct amount of sunlight. In other words, I fail to give a plant the attention it needs to thrive.

Lack of attention will kill a dream

That’s how a story dies too. The holidays sidelined my writing. I set aside my WIP to cook, clean and get ready for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving passed and so did another week. Now Christmas is upon us and next will be New Years.

A couple of days will soon turn into a couple of months. And here I sit. My muse is still whispering in my ear and my characters haunting my sleep. So, no excuse except I dropped my habit of writing every day. More fun to shop for gifts, eat, binge watch holiday movies or curl up with a good book in front of a roaring fire. Sigh…

Quite, reading a good book

Habits are hard to start but easy to break.

Life gets in our way and we stop writing. How to avoid the holidays sidelining your dream of finishing that novel?

  • Steal a few minutes to write just 50 words.
  • Do a quick brain dump of ideas. (I like to use colored sticky notes.)
  • Organize those ideas.
  • Write. Write every day.  If you’re like me, those 50 words will turn into 100 and then 1000 words. Soon you’re writing habit will return.

Sometimes a break from writing is unavoidable and necessary. No one wants to experience burn out. But as with all things in life, moderation is the key.

Don’t let your writing break kill your dream of becoming an author. 

Keep writing.

Want to read more inspiration on getting back in the writing? Click and read the links below.

Does your writing get sidelined by the holidays?

How do you keep your writing momentum?

Do you write every day, even throughout the holidays?

How often and for how long do you take a break from writing?

 

How to Keep Writing Day After Day Without Quitting (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It) By Ayodeji Awosika

 This is What Happens When You Take a Break from Writing By Lindsey Lazarte

Taking a Break from Writing By Jennifer Ellis

3 Reasons You Should Take a Break From Your Writing by Emily Wenstrom

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Do you want to write interesting dialog?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Even when your characters are a bit long-winded?

Well, thanks to Lisa Hall Wilson, I’ve got a few good tips that might help.

Adding beats to your dialog keeps the pace moving. Below are some of her suggestions to get the beats right and keep your reader engaged.

Make every beat count in a story.

  • Show what the character is doing as they speak.
    • Rocking
    • Walking
    • Picking at a thread, twirling hair…
  • Use tone.
    • Soft, loud, hateful…
  • Show how the character is feeling about what is being said.
    • Sad, thoughtful, tense…
  • Show the actions of other characters and ambient noises
    • A minor character walking away, clinching fists…
    • Strangers in the area
    • dishes clinking
    • People singing, arguing…
  • Internal dialogue
    • But, word of caution- don’t overuse or the action will slow down.
  • Avoid too much stage direction with dialogue
    • You don’t want the reader simply observing the scene taking place, like someone in a movie theatre.

Above all –

write beats that move the story forward and engage the reader.

Read more of Lisa’s suggestions for writing great dialogue at this link.

How To Use Beats To Keep Long Dialogue Passages Interesting Even If There’s No Action by 

Writers, what do you think?

Do you write a lot of beats in dialogue?

Get any good ideas for your current work in progress?

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