Today I welcome anothe inkwell guest, Mona Karel. She’s here to talk about social media, the IRS and Social Security. Heavy stuff! 🙂 Stick around for the end of the post where she has an excerpt of her latest. Take it away, Mona!
Has This Facebook Thing Gone Too Far?
In my non writing work life, I’m admin and bookkeeper for a small innovative solar related firm. Which means I do the non techie stuff–trust me what I understand about solar trackers was learned on the job, and resides in that small fuzzy space in my brain not reserved for writing or dogs. VERY small fuzzy space.
Even so, when I’m working, I’m working. That’s my personal contract concerning any job. So when I am sitting in my chair at PSTC, I’m concentrating on purchasing, bill paying, payroll and filing (the last only under duress, when I can no longer find anything.) Part of payroll includes filing state and federal taxes and reports. Lots of reports. At the end of the year, those W-2 forms everyone receives come from a bookkeeper or payroll admin filling out the little blocks, and the W-2s have to go to IRS along with the W-3 overall report. Goody, more paperwork to keep us all busy.
Fortunately there is SBO-that’s Small Business something with an “O” that allows us to file that paperwork on line, a blessing for part time bookkeepers who can get overwhelmed with deadlines. So, here I was at the end of January, merrily filling out the SBO forms, printing off the reports for our files, then clicking the “submit” button to send it all off to the government. And what do you think popped up on the screen? “Like” us on Face Book if you enjoyed this experience.
Really??? “Like” a government agency? Since when did Social Security become a social networking entity? Sure enough, Social Security has a Face Book page, complete with silly pictures of people in Star Trek uniforms. (https://www.facebook.com/socialsecurity)
But seriously, do we really want to get warm and fuzzy with the IRS? Which, by the way, does have a Face Book page, with 3,746 likes even though the page is only a definition from Wikipedia. What in the world is there to “like” about the IRS? Do people really think clicking that button is going to get them leniency in an audit? Even more interesting, the SSA Face Book page has 32,387 “likes.” For sure very few of those people are commenting on the postings. In fact some of those comments can be pretty funny.
What does this have to do with writing Paranormal Romance? Well, it was pretty surreal to see an autographed photo of George Takei on the SSA page. But more to the point, social media has become a major part of book promotion in this brave new world of boutique publishers, self publishing, and smaller budgets for the larger publishing houses. Whether we like it or not, we need to have an author page as well as a blog to keep our names in front of the book buying public. Problem is, with the barrage of information thrown in the faces of our readers, sometimes our messages can get lost in the shuffle. Especially when most of us would really rather be writing.
All we can do is the best we can, which is why I’m visiting today with Michelle–THANKS for inviting me! Having gotten that rant off my chest, let me use the last few words of my blog to introduce you to Mykhael and Kendra’s story “My Killer My Love.” Mykhael is an immortal enforcer for the Atrahasis, overlords of the sacred places in the universe. Unfortunately there’s a power struggle among the Atrahasis, and Kendra is singled out as someone who has desecrated one of the sacred places on Earth. Nothing could be further from the truth, but it’s pretty hard to argue with immortals who have unlimited power. Until love steps in, giving a jaded immortal a second chance at happiness.
EXCERPT:
Once the woman slept he moved more freely. With the stealthy tread of a stalking wolf he searched the darkening rooms, letting his senses hunt for a specific location. He settled in a corner window seat, bathed by the moonlight inching its way toward her bed. Many puzzles existed here, and he knew he was not yet prepared to face them.
He breathed deeply, then more slowly, his body becoming motionless. The atmosphere around him thickened, a silent wind lifting his hair away from his face, then dying abruptly. After a long moment of hushed tension, he emitted a sound of exasperation. The answers had never come to him easily before, why should now be any different?
He studied the woman. Even in her sleep, her thoughts spoke to him in unclear muttering, a not unpleasant sensation. He wondered about the part he had been sent to play, and knew the ending would not be as originally planned. He could no longer think of her as he had been instructed.
This small, fearful female had given him something he had forgotten existed. She had given him back his laughter. For that alone he would protect her beyond life.
Hi Mona and Michelle. Entertaining article, Mona. The government on a whole, either side, isn’t very likable these days, but the IRS? Yikes 🙂
I can vouch for My Killer, My Love. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Debbie
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂