Yet another update:
I think I could get the registration feature to work now as the author of that plugin (Mark Carey) has told me how to fix things (my errors, not his). The advantage of registering would be that you wouldn’t have to fill in your name and email every time you want to comment. Or we could just keep it the way it is now, the Trusted Commenter route. Thoughts?
And because I am being so tiring, I repeat this offer…
Because y’all have been so patient and kind and wonderful while I struggled with the spam demons, here’s a little giveaway. Submit a comment to this post. You don’t have to do anything but say hi, but you could, if you like, tell me about your most memorable demon spam encounter. I’ll pick two names at random and those people will get a signed copy of the trade paperback of Tied to the Tracks when it comes out on July 3.
So if you take the time to comment on this post, you’ll be entered into the drawing TWICE. If that makes sense. Comment on the last post = one entry; comment on this post = one entry; comment on both = two entries.
And now I am going back to work.
You've stumbled across my official website and landed on the front page of my weblog.
Lucky, lucky Judy! Congrats!
Congratulations Judy!
Rosina,
It’s 5:19am in the morining, I’m getting ready to leave for a family reunion, had to check to see who had won and there was my name! :). Thank you so much, I’m so excited! :)
Judy
Rosina,
It’s 5:19am in the morining, I’m getting ready to leave for a family reunion, had to check to see who had won and there was my name! :). Thank you so much, I’m so excited! :)
Judy
Congrats Judy!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations Judy!
Either way is good for me!! :-) Do what you think will work best for you! Now I must go back to *cough* housecleaning!! :-)
Spam is evil. It is a serious drag on the Internet economy. And it’s not only the direct time and resources it devours, but the indirect effects in discouraging people from using email and the Web.
Yeah, nuff tweakin, back ta work :P
July 3? That’s my anniversary!
It would be nice not to have to fill it out each time, but if it means more work for you, then don’t worry.
I think I’m really naive to wonder why in the world someone would want to screw around with stupid emails, send viruses, etc. But it happens and those people should suffer cruel and unusual punishments, like sharing a jail cell with Paris Hilton.
Good news! If you click the box that says ‘if you want your computer’ it is now working and you won’t have to fill in your information next time.
I have been lucky and get very little spam on my blog! One of the forums I am in got an overwhelming amount of spam not too long ago, but fortunately that has been fixed now.
Baby two just walked over to me, saying, “can Baby have the milk container?” Baby one is whining from the top of the stairs at this point. The milk container isn’t such a treat, in my opinion. It’s a crushed plastic jug from the recycle bin. It’s saying something that your blog on crutches pulled me away from these crucial matters. No, am I being sarcastic? Only half…in our household, that’s known as being astic. Heavy on the assss. Point? Not really. Have a great day – glad things are working.
I am so so so looking for ways to procrastinate today. Thanks for helping out!
Two chances at a prize? Count me in!
For the record, I had someone explain the spam thing, so now I’m in the know. ;)
Most evil spam: my anthropologist friend who works with apes started getting nonstop porn about, er, zoophiles. Ick.
By the way they did, every 20th episode or so, have some crewperson on Star Trek make a gratituous (information dumping) reference to the Universal Communicators they all had implanted somewhere that automatically translated every possible language. Not the best way to navigate that particular plot bump, I know, but I thought you’d like the info.
I have an auto’ed TTTT so you can pass along the gift if you happen to draw my name.
Most evil spam: my anthropologist friend who works with apes started getting nonstop porn about, er, zoophiles. Ick.
By the way they did, every 20th episode or so, have some crewperson on Star Trek make a gratituous (information dumping) reference to the Universal Communicators they all had implanted somewhere that automatically translated every possible language. Not the best way to navigate that particular plot bump, I know, but I thought you’d like the info.
I have an auto’ed TTTT so you can pass along the gift if you happen to draw my name.
Sorry I don’t have an evil spam story, I have been fairly lucky with my mailboxes. I enjoyed Jenny Crusie’s recent blog entry about spam, though, and must admit that when I hear that word my mind immediately goes to the Monty Python Spam Sketch. Sheena
Ooo oo o! Couldn’t miss the opportunity to get a second chance in the draw for TTTT, and a signed one at that.
Spam is evil, evil, evil and needs to be exorcised! Best of luck to you Rosina in doing that.
What is the entertainment value for someone that spams? Just the knowledge that it was done? Does anyone really reply to it?
Thanks for explaining what is going on!! I’ve tried registering but the computer wouldn’t let me!! I thought it was just me!! :)
Hi
SPAM I hate it but worst I hate the bogus critical error messages that keep flashing up!
Anyway, you asked recently about topics you could post on. I have one – the ‘how to approach an agent process’.
I have just finished a first draft of a book so still have ahead of me polishing, revisions and feedback but I would like to hear from you re your take on approaching agents.
Do you send them a cover letter about yourself and a two page precis of your book? Do you send them a suggested back cover blurb? Do you send them the first three chapters or do you send them the complete book? Do you do this via email or old fashioned snail mail? What line spacing do you use in your novel as part of this process? Do you make the margins normal or are they wider than standard letter writing? My book is longer than the average novel, around 230,000 words, which I hear can be something that may work against you. Do I tell them that up front or do I just let them read it and hope that they like the story and forget about the length. My approach to the story has been to write the story and not to write to a set length.
I am an Australian living in Hong Kong while my novel is set Canada and Newfoundland during WWI. I am thinking of approaching agents in Australia… what do you think … or should I approach potential agents in Canada / USA. Is North America considered one market or two.
I was thinking of approaching agents who represent authors writing in a similar genre to my own. Is this the way to go? How many agents would you approach at the same time? How long is considered normal for an agent to look at your material and come back to you? Also what do you think about Manuscript assessors?
Keen to hear from you as to how you would navigate the next stage.
Thank you and Regards
Sherryl
Hey my comment never showed up! I want in please!
My worst spam story is kinda my own fault. Our former CEO who I still have regular contact with (I swear he still thinks I am his PA) is named Ralph. I am so conditioned to seeing his name and immediately opening the email thinking it might be vitally important that I never check the subject line/that it is the same Ralph. Many times I have found myself inadvertently reading about erectile dysfunction cures or penis enlargements :S
Throwing my name into the hat…;-)
Hope, everything is fixed soon!
Spam sucks. But giveaways rule! Whichever way you want to go is fine and dandy with me. I’ll continue coming and commenting regardless.
I’m in for a second chance at the giveaway!!
Wow! The system finally worked and I’m ‘remembered’ on my computer.
I don’t mind the trusted commenter route. But that is because I’m already set up as one. I don’t know how new people feel about it, but usually they understand.
A second chance for your book? Sign me up!
Evil spam! Somehow a mortgage company got my information. Roughly every three months they sell my information to another set of companies from India, Taiwan, Pakistan, who knows where all. I get numerous emails with my address in them and bazillions of phone calls to my cell and my home asking if I was to refi at a better rate.
Yes, I’m on the do not call list. They don’t seem to care. As a result, we only answer 1/2 of the phone calls that come in. Thank goodness for caller id!
Lisa
The registration feature sounds good to me. Spam is EVIL!
I’ve never had any problems with spam. Weird, right?
Hey Pam gotta purple box! I want Green! hehehe
Spam clogs up everything. Love your weblog.
Spam ruins my e-mail. I get tons of it and it is annoying. Your blog is great.
Your books are wonderful! All the best.
Have a lovely weekend. Spring is here finally.
I’d like to be in the drawing please. I’m a real (lurker) person :)
Great! Another chance to win! And the sun is shining, to boot! I must be living right…
Thanks!
I’m glad everything seems to be worked out now, Rosina. I’m sure it was much more frustrating and tiring for YOU than it was for us! :-/
Two chances to win? I’m in.
one more one more one more test
One thing that you can do to reduce spam is to change your e-mail address so that it is shown as an image rather than text. If the e-mail address is associated with the blog domain, that will open the spam up to the blog as well.
Rather than make a specific recommendation, searching on Google for “e-mail as an image” or something close to that will produce several free services that will transform your e-mail address into an image that can be placed fearlessly on your blog or web site.
Third time lucky for me I hope, kept getting some kind of error message before.
I get lots of spam on my old e-mail address, but none (so far – touch wood), on my new one.
I concurr – either way is good/fine for me –
Andrea