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Home » Archives for Steve Laube » Page 124

Steve Laube

The Perils of Social Media

By Steve Laubeon January 9, 2012
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Guest Blog by Tosca Lee

Our guest today is Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve. She is also the co-author with Ted Dekker of the NYTimes bestseller Forbidden. The next book in that series will be out this Summer. A sought-after speaker and former Mrs. Nebraska, Tosca was a senior consultant for a global consulting firm until turning to writing full-time. She holds a degree in English and International Relations from Smith College and also studied at Oxford University. Please visit her web site at www.toscalee.com.

_______________

Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. LinkedIn. Dopplr. Google+. Plaxo. Blogger. WordPress. Shelfari. Goodreads. Writer’s loops. Conference loops. Endless loops.

By the time I finish updating my status, writing my blogs, tweeting, pasting my bulletins, my newest pictures, my URLs and YouTube links, recruiting friends, recommending friends, sharing reads, rating reads, ranking reads, ranking friends, tagging friends, responding to posts, responding to friends, responding to blogs, ranting, reblogging, re-bulleting, re-accepting (plants, gifts, pinches, bits o’ karma, flowers, flare, tickles, candy, drinks, siege warfare by angry goats and lil green patches–what the heck is a lil green patch anyway??) it’s time to repost my status–and respond to those responding to my status who are reading their walls, shuffling friends, organizing bookshelves, recommending contacts and waging mob wars.

By then, the day is over. I have missed my hair appointment, my deadline and a conference call, needed to go to the bathroom three hours ago, blown off dinner, ticked off my friends (who live in town and did not check my wall to see why I never showed up), neglected my Significant Other, alienated my family, and defaulted on my mortgage.

I’m already grossly behind on an article and some reading, on projects for friends and the synopsis I owe my agent… and yet I cannot tear myself from Facebook because I might miss something important–say, another lil green patch–and then I will have gone from being behind with writing, reading and work, to being behind with the relational fiber of my life that is supposed to make the reading, the writing, the work all meaningful.

***
Bouncing back and forth between the social, networking and professional sites I signed up for to catch up with friends, connect with readers and promote my work, it’s plausible that I might never have time to write another book–or if I do, it’ll be 360 pages of 140-character one-liners.

I don’t know half the people in my extended network, but they came highly recommended. And even though I may not actually know Marlene in Dekalb, I’m fascinated by how white her teeth are in her picture and the fact that her relationship status just changed from “In a relationship” to “Single.” I’m wondering if they broke up or she forgot to change it before her last boyfriend. And if I know any friends of friends willing to dish.

I’m fascinated by hub friends, who seem to know and be on everyone’s page, horrified at how many colleagues know schoolmates who have seen me do stupid things, appalled friends’ exes who never had the decency to settle down more than one degree away.

It gets a bit uncomfortable–I worry if raucous friends will offend the straight-laced among my network (or vice versa). I wonder whether I’ll say something dumb that will haunt me forever–or at least until it scrolls off the new bulletin list, pushed down by the newest rants, requests, ramblings or reciprocal idiocy of others.

The only way to know, of course, is to stay pasted to the screen. I find that trolling for feedback is an especially convenient time to spy on high school friends and frenemies, the real lives of people I only see in suits, my exes, my readers (it seems only fair), my colleagues, my neighbors. And I am at peace with my virtual social life, holed up like a voyeuristic hermit, my picture neatly made up in the window as I sit stinky and unkempt at home in my sweats.

One of these days, God willing, I’ll start a new project. Crickets will chirp from the void that was my blog. The status line of my Facebook page will stare blankly at no one. Invites will turn kudzu on my homepage, and my Shelfari shelves will grow dust. Concerned friends will send notes like morose pings into the ether as I wrestle with metaphors and confront the empty page, wishing I could trade my Roget’s for the tiniest lil green patch or bit o’ karma.

***

Tosca just sent you a lil green patch.

[Accept] [Decline] [Ignore] [Wage Mob War Instead]

#caffiene

 

 

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Category: Book Business, Get Published, Guest Post, Humor, Marketing, Social Media, Writing CraftTag: Agents, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Time Management, Writing Craft

Fun Fridays – Jan. 6, 2012

By Steve Laubeon January 6, 2012
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Kevin Olusola, "Celloboxing" - the talent of playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time. Give it until the one minute mark and then try to keep your jaw from dropping.
Wow.

Kevin is also the "percussion" for the "Sing-Off" competition winning group "Pentatonix."

Read moreFun Fridays – Jan. 6, 2012
Category: Fun Fridays, SteveTag: Fun

News You Can Use – Jan. 3, 2012

By Steve Laubeon January 3, 2012
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Publishing Predictions for 2012 - Various industry insider look into the Crystal Ball. Including Randy Ingermanson, Julie Gwinn, Steve Laube, Jeff Gerke, Chip MacGregor, Mary DeMuth, and Thomas Umstattd. Save this link and see who was right 366 days from today.

Update the Copyright on Your Web Site - A good reminder!

Christian Publishers Anticipate Global Growth in 2012 - Don't forget that …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Jan. 3, 2012
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, SteveTag: Links, Publishing News, Trends

2011 – The Year in Review

By Steve Laubeon January 2, 2012
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It is a good exercise to reflect on the past year. Count the blessings, reflect on the hard lessons, and remember the good times.

The highlight was bringing both Tamela Hancock Murray and Karen Ball into the agency in late May. I was and continue to be very excited about the talent and work these two are doing on behalf of our clients.

That hard work had visible results as we secured …

Read more2011 – The Year in Review
Category: Agency, Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, SteveTag: Agents, Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, Year in Review

Fun Fridays – Dec. 30, 2011

By Steve Laubeon December 30, 2011
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The Darmouth Aires sing "Shout!" Three and a half minutes of pure joy. The perfect song to carry us into a New Year's Eve Celebration.
Happy New Year everyone!

Read moreFun Fridays – Dec. 30, 2011
Category: Fun Fridays, SteveTag: Fun, New Year's

News You Can Use – Dec. 27, 2011

By Steve Laubeon December 27, 2011
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Independent Bookstores are NOT Doomed - Farhad Manjoo rethinks his position after the reaction to his previous article about the demise of bookstores.

Dr. James Dobson to Write Fiction - You can hear the gnashing of teeth by full-time novelists who already face a crowded field.

Beware of E-Book Scams -  You have a new e-reader and you see a promising "how-to" book for only $1.99 so you buy …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Dec. 27, 2011
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, SteveTag: News, Publishing News, Trends

The Perfect Christmas Tree

By Steve Laubeon December 24, 2011
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The Perfect Christmas Tree!

Merry Christmas!

Read moreThe Perfect Christmas Tree
Category: Agency, Humor, PersonalTag: Humor, Personal

Fun Fridays – Dec. 23, 2011

By Steve Laubeon December 23, 2011
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I just love the delight in this young man's performance of "The Little Drummer Boy." He is sixteen years old who plays in his church band.

Read moreFun Fridays – Dec. 23, 2011
Category: Fun FridaysTag: Fun

News You Can Use – Dec. 20, 2011

By Steve Laubeon December 20, 2011
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Don't Support You Local Bookstore - An outrageous and inciting article from Farhad Manjoo, Slate's technology columnist. Great responses from Tim Redmond and Will Doig.

The Rise of the Cowboy Romance Novel - Time magazine article on secular cowboy romance novels.

Pirates are Stealing my Books! - Karen Ranney is justifiably angry. I am surprised her publisher is not doing more to help. Maybe …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Dec. 20, 2011
Category: Book Business, Get Published, News You Can UseTag: News, Publishing News, Trends

Fun Fridays – Dec. 16, 2011

By Steve Laubeon December 16, 2011
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This fun video was put together by the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat 5th Grade class in Quinhagak, Alaska. They spent 10 hours shooting the video over a weekend. Originally intended only for an audience of the 200 residents of Quinhagak village.

Read moreFun Fridays – Dec. 16, 2011
Category: Fun FridaysTag: Fun
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