My Twitter Account Was Hacked, Now What?

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

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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!

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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.

What’s In a Name?

September 19, 2016October 22, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

Do you always name the characters in your stories?

I’m not talking about the character who passes through a story or scene, but main characters.

Although I have a couple of novels in the works; I also write flash fiction and on occasion my characters remain nameless.

Suzanne Vincent, the Editor-in-Chief at Flash Fiction Online, doesn’t like the idea of nameless characters. In fact, I think she said it made her roll her eyes – a language I understand well.

She made some good points, and her comments got me to thinking about my stories. I appreciate Ms. Vincent’s candor. It’s rather nice to have an editor share a perspective from the other side of submissions.

In her article from the Slushpile Avalanche: Why You SHOULD Name Your Main Character, she discusses why she rejects and dislikes a story with unnamed characters. You can read her post here.

“… not naming a main character in a story makes very little sense to me. And if you’re just doing it for the hell of it–if you don’t know WHY you’re doing it–you shouldn’t be doing it at all.” Suzanne Vincent

I imagine Ms. Vincent has most likely rejected one of my stories but does every editor feel the same way about names? Typically, I agree with what she had to say; especially with longer stories or novellas. But, what about flash fiction? Does the genre make a difference? For me, I think it does. I’ve written stories without naming the characters and I did so precisely because of the story.

For example, in one of my stories a serial killer preys on lonely women. I did not name either the killer or his victim and here’s why – the point of the story was the random act of a killer and his nameless prize. Here’s an excerpt from Maybe Next Time – you be the judge.

“He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Confidence and sexuality draped her curves like a second skin. Men flocked to her side, but she turned them away; it pleased him. He liked a discriminating woman. Maybe, this time could be different.

He waited for the perfect moment before making his move. There it was — the downward shift of downcast eyes. It didn’t take long for her to respond; it never did. He had his approach down to a science. The right suit, subtle cologne and brief penetrating eye contact worked every time.

A nervous smile parted her red lips. He stood as she slid from the stool and walked toward his table. Ever the perfect gentleman, he pulled out her chair and smiled. They always took the bait.

Like every fucking woman out to catch a first-class meal ticket, she thought he was hers; it’d be a crime to let her think otherwise.” From Maybe Next Time.

What do you think? Do you agree with the editor? Are there exceptions? Give me your thoughts. Do you always name your characters?

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.