Social media – heatherfromthegrove

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“Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can’t change. Kiss slowly, forgive quickly, play hard, take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy!” – Unknown

Just the other day, I went online to research urological treatment options for cats and I came across a vet med site where other cat owners shared their advice and experiences. As I read down the endless list of back-and-forth comments, I was appalled. A subject as benign as “cats with bladder issues” unleashed a barrage of hateful commentary. Rather than giving constructive advice, empathy or encouragement, there were nasty comments like “You gave your cat that medication? You’re an idiot and an irresponsible cat owner!” And that was one of the nicer comments. These people didn’t even know each other, but were quick to pass judgment – all behind the shield of anonymity, of course.

It never ceases to amaze me how many haters there are out there. Blogs and social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn seem to be a breeding ground for these angry people, emboldened by the name “Anonymous.” Amazingly, I’ve only had one hater comment on this blog – since its inception in October 2011. I never published the comment, because my policy is to never give a hater any public platform to spew their hate. Criticism is fine. Venom is not. Sarcasm and dark humor is okay. Crass and ignorant commentary is not okay.

Apparently, hate is not relegated to social media. Just look at the ridiculous nastiness and vulgarity displayed during the recent GOP presidential debates. Opportunistic presidential nominees are feeding off the anger of a nation, as the world watches with amazement and disgust.

Now, there is nothing wrong with being angry. But when anger becomes rage and gives birth to a population of serial haters, then we’ve got a problem, folks. Anger, when properly channeled, can bring about positive change. Rage is a different animal altogether. It just festers. It becomes malignant.

The fact of the matter is, Life is too short.

Who in their right mind would choose rage and hate over happiness and love? Yes, I said “choose.” It’s all about choice.

Say “No” to hate. It simply takes up too much energy. It gives you frown lines and makes you bitter. It’s like a dark, murky cloud that follows you around everywhere.

I firmly believe that a positive attitude attracts good energy. So, I say “Yes” to love. And I’d rather have a face riddled with laugh lines, than frown lines – any day.

Cheers,

Heather (not “Anonymous”)

“A new book is just like any new product, like a detergent. You have to acquaint people with it. They have to know it’s there. You only get to be number one when the public knows about you.”
— Jacqueline Susann

For many authors, the mere idea of self-promotion fills them with dread, discomfort and distaste (the alliteration… not intentional). I was of the same mindset and so, recently, I approached a seasoned publicist and asked him how he would go about selling my book. Aghast, he said “I can’t promise book sales, only exposure.”

“E-x-p-o-s-u-r-e,” I repeated, speaking the word slowly, trying to digest its ramifications.

Sensing my skepticism, he went on to assure me that with the right exposure (which would entail a lot of dog and pony shows on radio/TV, book events and, of course, a social media blitz), my book will likely garner enough publicity that will eventually translate to sales. Note: the only word I heard was “eventually.”

In my naïveté, I (like Kevin Costner, in the movie “Field of Dreams”) truly believed that:

“If you build it, they will come.”

I thanked the publicist for his words of wisdom and decided to develop and implement a publicity plan for myself, starting with social media. Everyday, I learn something new. This wealth of knowledge will serve me well in the long run and, each week, I’ll be sharing some of my insights with all of you who may have a book, a product or a service to market. Perhaps it will be helpful. I hope so.

A few days ago, I launched a Facebook Page for my book, Casualties of the (Recession) Depression. I’m reserving judgment on this social media avenue, since it’s only been “live” for four days. Too soon to tell. Please drop by and let me know what you think. I sincerely welcome all feedback. At the top right sidebar of this blog, you’ll see the tally of “Likes” on the FB page. Hopefully, the number will increase exponentially.

I’ll sign off for now. I need to go and search through my pile of DVDs for Field of Dreams. Suddenly, I feel a bit nostalgic.