BLOG-O-VERSARY RIFF ON 7 YEARS OF SPAM plus a GIVEAWAY by Sarah Raplee

Hi, I'm Sarah Raplee, one of the Blog Queens and the author of Blindsight, Psychic Agents Book 1. In honor of our 7th Blog-o-versary, I'm giving away a $7 Amazon E-Gift Card to one lucky reader who leaves their email address in a comment on this post by midnight PST on Monday, May 21st. I will not use your email addie for any other purpose.

 

Since it’s our Blog-o-versary Month, as one of the Blog Queens I thought it would be fun to riff on the evolution of SPAM comments. As writers, we are told to never annoy the reader. Although some SPAM comments are amusing, most are as annoying as a heroine who constantly swings her chestnut braid over her tanned shoulder. People are busy, and SPAM wastes our time.

Seven years ago, spammers were stupid and bold as hell. Unfortunately, SPAM filters on Blogger were also not real bright, so we occasionally had some stupid SPAM comments get through to the blog before we caught them. Luckily, Blogger’s SPAM filter was smart and learned from experience, so it improved quickly.

If you’ve been reading our blog since it began in May, 2011, you may have been startled by comments such as “Buy best Viagra online cheap at www.bestsexes .com” or “Male enhancement herb special 4U at www.longdong .com” or even “Best porn FREE at www.x-xxxxx .com.”

Apparently those early spammers thought Romance readers and writers must mostly be dumb, sex-crazed, inadequate men. They actually believed we’d click on their links, which had no relevance whatsoever to the posts. And they thought we didn’t know anybody can find free porn online.

FEMALE

Fast forward a couple years. Blogger’s SPAM filter got a lot smarter (THANK YOU, hard-working blog techs!), catching at least 95% of SPAM messages. We began to see fewer Viagra and male-enhancement spam messages caught in our spam filter, and more “Best vibrator best climax you like” or “Dildos, all sizes every female” messages.

Spammers had finally figured out most Romance writers and readers are female! (Snicker!)

Soon they also realized they could comment on old posts (many get paid for each “comment/ad” they post) and often bloggers wouldn’t know what to do to make them stop. Luckily, Judith and I know we have an option to show existing comments on a post but block new ones. Sometimes it’s a pain to have to update the setting in multiple posts, but well worth the effort because spammers move on easier pickings.

Notice that some comments were made in extremely questionable English, obviously done using a bad translator app. Some bloggers call the result "Spamglish".

Fast forward a few more years. Spammers began to try to disguise their nature by using general statements that mimic real comments. “This is the best blog I ever read on this subject! Thank you for sharing your expertise. I hope you will check out my blog at www.realperson.com . 

These are what I call ‘click bait comments’. The spammer is either being paid as some kind of affiliate and hoping you will click through their website to a company they are affiliated with (and paid by), or they are desperately trying to boost their pageviews to look impressive to visitors. In both cases, they are ‘fishing’ for their own gain and have no interest in your blog post.

Sometimes click-baiters try to play on your ego or your sympathy by claiming to need help with their own website and asking you to follow the link to it from their comment. Don’t be fooled!

TRAP CAM -  FOR PHOTOGRAPHING WILDLIFE

Fast forward to 2018. It seems the offspring of 2011’s stupid spammers have reached maturity. My post was titled THE JOY OF TRAP CAMS! Spammers’ tactics have circled back to bold and stupid!

THIS is what was caught in Blogger’s SPAM filter:

MY TESTIMONY ABOUT A GREAT SPELL CASTER CALLED (DR ALEKO) Your love spell has huge powers! I can’t believe what's happening to me! It's been only three weeks since you did that spell and Victor is already after me. Since the last week-end he phoned at least 5 times. I believe he seems to realize his mistakes. It's absolutely happening as you said!! Thank you! Your work is helping me so much…Without you I would feel so lonely and miserable…Thank you sir! Here is the Doctor contact in case you are passing through problem (followed by an email and What’s App phone number.)

Yeah, I’ll get right on it…after I check my Trap Camera for the cougar. I wonder if the Doctor has a spell to banish mountain lions?

Please share your SPAM stories below!!! 

Don't forget to leave your email addie in a comment to be eligible for the Amazon E-Gift Card drawing!

Seven Things I've Learned About Me In Seven Years #Authors4ALSA #ThinkBlue4ALSA #BlueCovers4ALS

Hi, I'm Pippa Jay, author of sci-fi and supernatural stories with a romantic soul. Since it's the 7th Blog-o-versary and we're blogging about things we've learned about ourselves in the past seven years, I thought I'd go one more seven and make a list of things that you may not know about me that I've discovered in those years, or at least not guess on meeting me in real life.

1. I'm addicted to chickens. What started out as a pet suggestion from hubs because I don't like dogs, we still remember the massive vet bills from our cats, we have no spare room for rats who like to be active at night, and neither of us are into rabbits or guinea pigs, has become a big obsession. I went from helping out but mostly leaving it to hubs to completely taking over, falling in love with, planning a massive run, hatching eggs and now collecting different breeds of bantams. I pretty much don't go a day without posting something about my little feathered fiends...I mean friends!

My newest babies, nine days old today!

2. Finishing a book is the hardest part but I can do it. I finished my first book when I was eighteen, prompted by the axing of Doctor Who. For three weeks coming up to Christmas I scribbled away at a DW story (I suppose it could be called fan fiction now, though I did submit it to the then publishers of the DW novels) and finished something for the first time ever at about 40K words. It took another twenty years before I was able to repeat that success, but I did it!

3. Music is my muse. I can't go a day without listening to it and have my mp3 on constantly when I'm alone. But I absolutely can't have anything on when editing.

My latest obsession, Starset, rock music with a definite scifi theme!

4. I love cosplay. I went to a couple of conventions dressed up as a teen, but it's not until my kids have got interested in conventions and cosplaying that I've taken it more seriously. Now I try to make everyone a new cosplay each year, although I've been stuck with the same one three years running...

Nor-Con last year, with a fellow Jedi.

5. I hate housework but I love it when it's done. I've never been particularly houseproud, but in recent years I've grown to hate it. It feels like such a time waste when within five minutes of the kids coming home the place is a mess again! But it is satisfying to sit down after a thorough session and look around a room to see it clean and tidy, however briefly!

6. Hubs is more romantic than me. That became very evident this particular year as our 25th wedding anniversary approached. Hubs suggested going away just the two of us (our monsters are now old enough for us to do that) but I was worried about the money. He insisted on going for a meal at the very least, and booked us a table at the pub we had a drink at on our first date (a fact he remembered but I didn't, oops!).

7. Don't be so hard on yourself. Last year I experienced burn out on the whole publishing process, and it's taken me a long time to recover, the more so because I felt I should be doing this, that and the other. I realize now that the guilt of not doing those things I felt I should only made the situation worse. Sometimes we really just need to give ourselves permission for time off, to give ourselves a break and focus on a little self care, even pampering. And we shouldn't feel bad about that. If we fall, we can't help anyone else so we need to help ourselves first, sometimes at least.

And speaking of helping others...May not only sees RTG's blogging anniversary and my wedding anniversary, but my anniversary as an author too. It's been six years since my debut novel Keir released, and this year my book is part of a special blue book event in support of ASLA.

Looking for Blue skies and smooth sailing to cure ALS

May is ALS Awareness Month and twelve sci-fi/paranormal/time-travel romance authors will be donating 25% of their May book sales to the National ALS Association (including me)! Help us raise money to support the ALSA in their mission to provide care for ALS patients and continue their research to find a cure for this heinous disease.

Look for these hashtags on Twitter to find and help support our efforts:

#ThinkBlue
#Authors4ALSA
#ThinkBlue4ALSA
#BlueCovers4ALS

Find more information and links to all the participating authors and their books on the landing page (Lea’s site):
http://www.leakirk.com/supporting-als.html

Or check out the Blue Book Cover Brigade Team Page on the ALSA Site (where you can also find more information on the condition, the association and their work, and more ways you could help):
http://webgw.alsa.org/site/TR/Endurance/GoldenWest?team_id=367681&pg=team&fr_id=12950
ALSA Twitter: https://twitter.com/napaALSride
ALSA Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/RidetoDefeatALS/?hc_location=group

Psst, if you buy any of my other blue cover books (like Gethyon, Keir's Fall, or Reboot, I'll add that money to my donation too). Happy reading, and may all your skies be blue!

And finally, in honour of our Blog-o-versary I'm also doing a giveaway. Comment below with something new you've discovered about yourself recently that the world may not know, and I'll pick one winner to receive a digital edition of my latest scifi romance release Unexpected, in whatever format the winner requires (to be chosen by random.org at the end of May).

Love can come when it’s least expected... 

When an injured alien crashes on her planet, Soraya follows her instinct to repair and restore it despite the challenge of their differing physiology. But as she gets closer to her patient and he recovers, Soraya confronts a whole new form of existence...and a desire that could destroy her completely. 

Yoran chose exile in order to release the woman he thought his soulmate from a marriage contract she had no wish to fulfill, and almost paid for it with his life. Now he finds himself drawn to his alien savior. But how can he ask her to give up the only existence she knows when he’s already suffered the consequences of such a sacrifice himself? 

7 Things about Me...

Well everyone knows, I love doughnuts, 

I’m a vodka wizard, (You can check out some of my magic on Thursdays on my blog)

Jelly Bean infused vodka

I have a ‘nice’ side that write young adult fantasy...

I have a 6-year-old that rocks my world   

The 1st book he wrote :-)

So what ‘interesting’ things can I reveal???? Things that you may not know but would like to know???

I wear boots year around… not snow boots but fashion boots????

My favorite pair... I have the gray and brown

Nope boring. Basically, I got nothing that’s why I write. I’m boring!!!!!

But my upcoming release – A Mermaid’s Wish – is full of secrets and more than 7 things are revealed... J

Burb:

Aislynn is a mermaid who has watched humans from afar for thousands of years.  A negotiator for Neptune, she wonders, remotely, what it would be like to feel anything but especially passion the way humans do. The truth is mermaids can't feel emotions of any kind and hot sex is one of those experiences she wishes for.  When the opportunity to become a human, temporarily, presents itself, she takes it.

Finley McCormock is a hard-core, tough as nails divorce attorney who represents rich women leaving their husbands. He has no time to do pro-bono environmental work like his colleagues or to fall in love himself. Why bother? He knows how marriages end.  But, his new housekeeper, as odd as she is, gives him a hard on he has to take care of.  The good news is Aislynn seems more than happy to oblige. She is his sexual fantasy come true.

But, when Aislynn's past catches up with her, Finley will have to decide if his attraction for Aislynn goes further than the surface of the water. Does he really want to get in deep with his mermaid?

Teaser:

Aislynn bit the cookie. A week wasn’t very long to mate with a human especially now that she knew not every male could make her moan. She wished the kiss with the stranger had been more satisfying. The experience proved to be less than she imagined. There had been no moaning, no sound that over the century she'd equated to passion. Sadly, it had only been a little different than kissing a merman. Clearly, this human male was inadequate in the art of provoking sexual responses.

But until A Mermaid’s Wish is available…you can check out the secrets in...

Young Adult Fantasy

Pirates, Magic, and...a Tiger

What lurks Behind The Mask...Love or Evil

New Girl On The Blog

It’s a thrill and a privilege to be here with the other genre-istas and especially to come on board during anniversary month!  Seven years is a long time to continue and thrive in the online world and my own journey as an author has certainly changed in that time as well. And now our paths have crossed.

When Blogging the Genres was born in 2011, I was a contest virgin and  had never submitted to an editor or agent. I was an unpublished author.  No, I'll use the term my writing group prefers - a pre-published author (gotta keep the positivity up).

I had many story idea and many started stories. But nothing finished. Too easily distracted by shiny objects - another exciting idea, seductive characters, a new sub-genre to explore. In 2012 I saw a call for short, steamy stories for an upcoming anthology with a small publisher. I’d never written short. Couldn’t get my head around it. But it was an opportunity to work to a deadline, actually finish a story and submit it for professional scrutiny.

Deadlines and submitting are scary, but apparently fear kicks my butt and I finished and submitted my story. Not too long after, the day every author fantasizes about - an email saying my story had been accepted! 

This was a small publisher and I certainly wasn't excited about any money I might make. I knew that would be minimal. It was the validation that someone 'in the know' saw my work as good enough. That maybe, just maybe, I had ability and should do something with it.

Two more short submissions to the same publisher were accepted and published and I made enough money to probably buy one celebratory lunch. But my confidence was sky-high and my motivation to do more about getting my work 'out there' boomed. I entered some RWAustralia competitions, finalled in most and placed second in one. 

Self-publishing has come so far in the past seven year and is now accepted as mainstream with many traditionally published authors also now taking the self-pub track. When my writing group decided to publish two consecutive annual anthologies I knew I could now write short and enjoyed collaborating with my writer friends in bringing those to publication (and we have two box sets coming out this year!).

I now have the rights back to all my previously published short stories and am working on putting my babies back out in the world by re-publishing them myself in a box set later this year.

In the seven years that Romancing the Genres came into being, has grown and flourished, I've become a contest finalist and published author. I've continued to learn about my craft (essential and ongoing) but am yet to submit a full-length book to a publisher or editor - but (putting it in writing here so I will be accountable) I will pitch at the RWAustralia conference in Melbourne next year.

Barbara Cartland had a thing for pink boas but, even though we share the same hair colour, I may or may not don my favourite pair of heels to write my steamy scenes because I'm a self-confessed stilettos addict . And in my writing I'm a self-confessed genre-hopper. For me, genres are like shoes - you can't have too many.  Most of my stories are contemporary but I have written (and have more ideas) in paranormal, historical and even a psychological mystery (those shiny objects just won't leave me alone). Like shoes, my stories need to be sexy. They explore that sizzling spark that attracts couples to each other and adds an extra layer to their love story.

So that's the writing me, but as well as being an author and not-so-secret shoe fetishist, I recently gave up my day job (to not have to get up at 6:30 a.m. anymore) and became a house flipper. It's a similar sense of satisfaction taking a tired house and giving it a beautifying make-over as it is to edit a first draft, knock off the rough edges and hopefully end up with something that's a vast improvement on the original. However my plan to indulge in sleep-ins sort of backfired. I realise that tradies start work at 7 a.m. which means (at least at the beginning of the project) I needed to be on site that early anyway. But at least I can come home and write (or go back to bed).

I'm thrilled to be here, among readers, new author friends and some familiar faces (waves to Michelle, Cass and Dora). Romance writers and readers are something special and it's wonderful to be here. 

Andra's website
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Seven...

As it just so happens, this month is the 7th celebration of the blog! *Happy Dance* While I have only been a genre-ista for a few months, it truly was an honor being able to share some of my favorite things with all of you. From stories of my kids, pets, to my own books, you've all been a fantastic audience, and I want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. However, this month will also be my last month. Ya know how the saying goes...life sometimes gets in the way. 

With that said, and to keep inline with the theme this month,  I'd like to share the top 3 things I have learned over the last seven years.

1) You know that old saying, "Patience is a virtue"? I am sure you do. Well, turns out it's totally true. The older I get, the less of a hurry I find myself in to pretty much do anything. This often translates into my writing habits. Sometimes the story just flows and it comes pouring out of me thousands of words at a time. However, there are other times that I get nada. Just...meh. I have learned that my best writing comes when I do not try to force it, and have a clear path outlined ahead. By being patient and creating a well thought out outline before I dive in head first, I am able to stay focused and get that book written. So yay for patience on that front!

2) Not everyone is going to like you or what you do. This is very true for us authors out there. When an author publishes a book, they are sharing a part of their heart and soul with the world. However, not everyone who reads their books is going to become a raving fan, and as a result, bad reviews happen—and a bad review hurts. I have learned to "shake it off", per se. There are things in this world that I don't like, therefore it's only logical others feel the same. To each their own!

3) Perhaps the strongest lesson I have learned over the last seven years though is, you have to work for what you want. Nothing falls into your lap without it. Perseverance and determination are my best friend!


Best wishes to all!

Yours truly, 

Ishabelle Torry

The Seven Year Itch!

Leaving a comment on this blog puts you in the drawing for a copy of By Design  http://a.co/eN0PQg as well as this lovely pillow.

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

What a difference seven years makes. Who would have thought that seven years ago the world of traditional publishing would have changed. The difficult decision was to keep plugging away writing proposals that were either rejected, or if accepted, the advances were abysmal.  It was either keep at it, hoping advances would increase, or wait out the rejections.

By then, I’d traditionally published over twenty five books, and admittedly I was something of a snob. I’d been published by Kensington, BET, St. Martin’s Press and Harlequin. I had come a long way from the woman who’d read for the Harlequin/Silhouette line in the early nineties. I was one of their readers (freelance) for seven years. I took  a deep, hopeful breath and went the Indie route. What choice did I have? It was either remain a snob, accept the paltry advances the publishers were offering, or not get published at all.

In 2012 my first self-published book Real Temptation was released.  Real Temptation was a story I hadn’t been able to sell.  I’d come up with the idea of a romance set in the world of a reality television show. Here’s the blurb you’ll find on Amazon - http://a.co/8SBUnXN

Rae Tyson is way over her head in credit card debt. Her personal assistant’s salary isn’t covering the bills.

Kael Whittingham’s ex wife turned him into the IRS. Now the IRS wants big bucks.

Can shopaholic, Rae and no-nonsense, Kael share the same living space?

$100,000 is the deal maker. But is the reality television show's reward more tempting than their sensual encounters? 

Encounters that leave them wanting more...much more.  

Following that effort was Truly Mine. This time I took the easy way out.  Rather than starting a new book, I republished my first book.  I’d gotten the rights back and with a little sprucing up, a change of cover, and title, Remembrance became Truly Mine.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Hey, Girlfriends!” The shout came from above. All four looked up and there she was. True to form Kimberly Morgan-Smith-Goldberg-Daniels-Rosellini – Morgan was surrounded by men. Even now Kim’s elaborately braided head peeked over the shoulder of a man so amazingly handsome, he made movie star Denzel Washington look like a troll. Rendered speechless, Charlie’s lips formed into an 0. Oh, God! Devin Spencer!

Time and place ceased to exist. Charlie no longer saw Kim. She’d been transported to a balmy spring day at Mount Merrimack. She’d sat next to that same man on a rolling green lawn, enjoying his kisses. Back the he was only a boy, barely nineteen and as gorgeous than ever. Plain old Charlie Canfield, zits and all had snared Mount Merrimack’s most eligible jock.

I had no idea what I was doing when I wrote that first book. I just knew I had to write it from the heart. Filled with mistakes, it remains one of more popular books.

Following that, I released Mine Forever, another book I had written and gotten the rights back to. It was the sequel to (Remebrance, re-titled Truly Mine.) In my traditionally published life, Mine Forever was titled A Reason to Love.

Several other self-published books and novellas followed, and not necessarily in the below order:

Baby, I want you          http://a.co/f8restY

Just You                        http://a.co/hpm3ZiL

Seducing Circe             http://a.co/6FVurHG

Islands Apart                http://a.co/aZS2TA0

His Call                        http://a.co/hKCjONp

Tempting Andie           http://a.co/i1cOjBr

His Golden Heart         http://a.co/4ZrQ2if

Loose in Las Vegas      http://a.co/hQCSPM

Naughty in New York  http://a.co/eADACoj

Rockin’ the Rockies     http://a.co/9MYnQ8z

And By Design,  http://a.co/eN0PQg my recent collaboration with Sandra Kitt

Going from traditionally published to Indie was a huge change, and a challenge. I was a business owner which meant I was in charge of marketing, promotion and distribution. But it was a change for the better, and a change that has helped me grow as an author.

A year and a half ago, four of my books were bought by Audible, and I continue to collaborate with several authors to produce books that would never have been published traditionally. When you traditionally publish, you are asked to produce  work that fits the guidelines of a particular publishing house.  .  

Now I enjoy the freedom of writing about topics that are near and dear to my heart. Yes, change is good and frees you to create projects you never thought you could!

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS