My Twitter Account Was Hacked, Now What?

October 10, 2016October 22, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 21 Comments

Pixabay

Well, aren’t we special?! It seems there’s an epidemic of Hackers running around wrecking havoc on all of us. Or, is it clowns? Guess it’s hard to tell the difference these days. Relax, I’m not going to discuss the obvious “hacking” incidences occupying the headlines. Instead, I’ll bite my tongue and explain what happens and the steps you need to take if you think your Twitter account has been hacked.

I began to notice a couple of weeks ago strange tweets coming across my timeline from people I didn’t know or follow. Some were blatant spammers, sending pictures of beating hearts, balloons, or invitations to get to know me better (if you get my drift). Other tweets had me questioning why I was receiving so many tweets in foreign languages that could not be translated. Initially, I deleted and blocked, but they seem to multiply like rabbits. It was not only annoying but concerning, and I notified the Twitter help center.

The help center explained it appeared a third party app connected to my account might be the culprit. Below are a few of the tale tail signs.

Signs Your Account has been compromised:

Tweets you didn’t write coming from your account.
Direct messages you didn’t send.
You notice other tweets you didn’t make or approve (following, unfollowing, or blocking).
Twitter notifies you of a compromise.
You receive notice from Twitter about a change you didn’t make.
Your password no longer works, or you’re prompted to reset it.
You can’t log in.

What to do:

Open the settings on your device and update the email associated with your account. You can find the instructions in this support article. Make sure the email you use is secure. Go to your Account settings – you can find help here.
Change your password immediately from the settings menu. Use a strong/secure password. For instructions, click here.
Although you change your password, it doesn’t automatically disconnect any third-party apps you may have connected. You’ll have to go to the Apps section in your settings and revoke access to any third-party apps you don’t recognize. For those you want to keep, update the password in that application – an example is Tweetdeck.
If you use teams on Tweetdeck or another app, it’s advisable to review all members and delete those who are unfamiliar.
Delete any tweets or unwanted posts that appeared during the time in question.
Scan your computer for malware or viruses.
Consider login verification as additional security.
Check out Twitter’s Safe Tweeting help page or contact support if problems persist.

While working to resolve this issue, I came across TrueTwit – a validation service for Twitter which helps manage followers and weed out spam, so you don’t have to. Nice!

Pixabay

Security is a serious matter; consider youdelf warned and for any of my followers who may have received strange tweets – I apologize. Things will be back in order soon.

Have you ever been hacked? I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

How to Cope With Life Stresses and Get Back to Writing

September 30, 2016October 22, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

As an adolescent, whenever I began to feel overwhelmed, I’d take off for my secret hideaway – the Cow Pasture. I’d pour my heart out filling page after page in my journals about life’s injustices. You know all the kind adolescents experience – mean teachers, homework, bratty younger siblings, a mother who shelled out discipline like an Army Sargent to new recruits, and of course, the heartache of first loves.

God, what I wouldn’t give to trade the stresses of today for those of long ago. The stresses now are more serious and personal and at times difficult to shrug off or get past. Sometimes they stop me in my tracks. My writing takes a dive. My muse packs her bag and gets out-of-town. Call me when you get your s&#% together, she says. A blank screen stares back at me until I give up and put my WIP aside. It’s time for a break, a breather, or plain old escape.

Now, I’m not a Pollyanna, type person. I’m well aware of the ups and downs of life and for the most part, have always worked through the tough times. The truth is for those of us getting older, facing health issues, among other things, it takes a bit longer to regroup. I understand time is not my friend. We can’t avoid all things life throws our way, but as a writer, if I didn’t want to leave projects unfinished, I needed to develop a methodology for handling the kind of stress that takes me away from writing or worse robs me of the desire to write. I know I’m not alone in this struggle. Over the last month, I’ve given this lots of thought. Here’s a few of my suggestions.

10 Methods for Coping with Life Stresses

Give yourself permission to take a break. It is okay to put your computer away for a time.
Set a time limit on the break. Take a day, weekend, or vacation, but a timeframe will help get you back in the game when you’re ready.
Enjoy the time like a kid at the end of the school year.
During your break do something you enjoy – as in movies, family, friends, or nothing at all – chill out and focus on the moment.
Give yourself permission to say “No,” and say it like you mean it. This time is your break, so do what you need to rejuvenate your mind and spirit.
Don’t try to play catch-up when the break comes to an end; it’s a time waster. So, don’t fall into that trap; the world won’t end if you let a few things go.
Reevaluate your writing goals and write them down.
Work on one project at a time.
Acknowledge you can’t be all things to all people – be what you need for you.
And, last but certainly not least, limit your access to the time-sucking internet.

Meg Dowell in her post, Why Writing is Hard, at Ryan Lanz -The Writer’ Path, said it best:

“You have to be able to recognize when you’ve pushed yourself too far, back down, and then jump back into writing… That’s discipline. That’s resilience.” Meg Dowell Tweet This

How do you cope? I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

6 Tips For Avoiding Burnout(returnofkings.com)

Want to Know More About Writing Flash Fiction?

September 29, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

I love writing flash fiction. The stories are a quick read and an excellent tool for improving my skill as a writer.

If you’d like to learn more about writing flash fiction, check out The Writer’s Path and Neil MacDonal d’s guest post – FLASH IN THE PAN – TIPS FOR WRITING FLASH FICTION. Also, be sure to click on the link for 12 hints on writing flash fiction by Claire Fuller.

Want to know where to send your work? Check out my Calls for Submissions in the sidebar and look at The Flash Fiction 500 Competition – but hurry, submission deadline is Friday.

Do you write flash fiction? Share your own tips or what you like about the genre. I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Will You leave the Important Things Unfinished?

September 28, 2016October 22, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 9 Comments

DAILY PROMPT: Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt – Unfinished

Pixabay

I’m not a fan of surprises, but life has a way of jumping out from behind the curtain like a room full of people at a birthday party and scaring you half to death. At unexpected or traumatic times we think about the things lying unfinished in our lives; whether it’s business, unfinished manuscripts or expressions of love.

Currently, I’m working on a short story collection (coming out soon, I hope), two novels, and a memoir. I haven’t pushed to get these completed. Like many people, I believe I’ll have plenty of time to get things done. But, time is elusive and slips through our fingers like sand in an hourglass.

I don’t expect to rock the literary world with the stories and novels on my computer. I simply want to leave a tiny fragment of myself to those I leave behind and a small reminder to the world that “I was here.”

Many great writers left behind unfinished manuscripts. John Steinbeck, Truman Capote, C.S. Lewis, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, and Charles Dickens to name a few. You can read more about these authors and their unfinished works, here.

The only thing we have in our control is what we do this moment, this hour, this day. I’m trying to get my words out and pray when I leave this earth not only will my manuscripts be finished, but more importantly, my loved ones will know they were loved, appreciated, and my inspiration to write – those are the words that shall not be left unsaid or unfinished.

What about you? Do you have unfinished business?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.