Energy SPAM

By Michael Seese

This one was pretty good.

Why it almost works:

1. With that whole deregulation thing, does anyone know who his or her energy carrier is? OK, I do, because I pay attention. But perhaps some of you...
2. There is an amount due.
3. The "bill" is conveniently past due, which creates the sense of urgency that social engineering ploys often use.

But what do we always do?

1. Look at the "From" and ask, "What does a travel company have to do with my energy bill?"  
2. Hover over the links and see that they would take you to  http://www.manresaturisme.cat/request/QnkAh1fKMq4tjKnAsiH4k4jytThymkZ3qfsr91ZMOv4=/environment   That doesn't look like an energy company.

Always be vigilant.

Triple Play SPAM Day

By Michael Seese

At the risk of jinxing myself, I don't get all that much SPAM. So I was surprised to find not one, not two, but three SPAM emails waiting for me yesterday.

If I may go into MST3K mode:

Yeah, my bank's employees all have names which require the Cyrillic alphabet.

This one almost got me, to be honest, mainly because I did just book airline travel. But it was not with American Airlines and, as I suggest when I teach "Infosec 101," hover over the link to reveal where it goes: hivewebdesign.com.au. Hmmm. That doesn't sound like American Airlines. (I intentionally did not show the images, since that potentially can be risky.)

I like this "Reply To" email address: 

r-ykqzmplmqbcvtkqgmgglkcpmcjkvgwwzptczmwkpyzldbjvqpl@members.playboystore.com. 

They say that size does matter, after all. 

Until next time...

Goodreads

I don't know if you've ever heard of Goodreads. To use a simple analogy, it's kind of like Facebook for authors and readers. (Though, to my knowledge Goodreads doesn't have a rapidly declining market capitalization.) 

I believe my friend Donna turned me on to the site about six months ago. So I created a profile. This is me, if you want to "friend" me here. But I didn't really know what to do with it.

And then super-agent Janet Reid, the source of so much of my knowledge about the publishing biz (truly, I so owe this woman a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates) mentioned it in her blog yesterday, and talked about "giveaways."

So I did a little research. As it turns out, authors can sign up to give away a number of copies of their books. Interested readers put their name "in the hat." And when the "contest" ends, the folks at Goodreads pick the winner(s). Then it's up to the author to mail it.

The hope (though not a requirement) is that those who enter will put the book on their "to-read" list, and the winners will post a review.

I am offering two copies of Scrappy Information Security and two copies of BUGS, up until July 1. So far -- after less than 24 hours -- I have 61 and 26 interested parties, respectively.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Scrappy Information Security

by Michael Seese

Giveaway ends July 01, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Goodreads Book Giveaway

BUGS

by Michael Seese

Giveaway ends July 01, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I'm sure an update will follow. If you're interested, please click on one or both links, and sign up.

Win My Book! Or, Out-And-Out Bribery...

As much as I hate to beg, plead, and cajole, I would like to ask for some help in increasing the number of my blog's followers. If you look to the left and down just slightly from these words, you'll see my followers. I've had the same eight boxes staring back at me for pretty much the entire year to date. Actually, one was just added, between the time I first started writing this entry and my posting of it. 

Bear in mind, I'm happy to see your faces; I just want to see MORE, for two reasons:

1. Well, ego. I've been doing this blog for more than six months. It would make me feel good to know I've got a growing audience...
2. But this one really is the big one. I'm trying to interest an agent -- and eventually a publisher -- in one or more of my books. One of the things that both of these constituencies will try to determine is whether I have a following. And one way they'll determine that is by looking at my blog.

So, if you subscribe, but are not publicly following, please consider doing so. If you have a Google account, e.g., GMail, I think it's as simple as entering your Gmail account name (and perhaps your password). Then, please write to (at least) two friends and ask them to look at my blog. If they don't like it, so be it. If they do, please ask them to follow.

To sweeten the pot...

I'll tie this effort to a contest. I will offer an autographed copy of one of my books, your choice, to anyone who adds his or her name as a follower. If you're already a follower, refer someone, and have him or her post in the comments "I was referred by X." I will then put both of your names in the hat. If you don't have a Google account and don't want to create just for this purpose, I suppose you could just subscribe by choosing one of the "Subscribe To Absurd Person Singular" options just above the followers; you'll have to post a comment telling me that you subscribed in this manner.

The books are:

Haunting Valley
Scrappy Information Security
Scrappy BCP

The deadline is 9:00 p.m. EST Tuesday.

Let me conclude by stressing that I really would appreciate the effort. And I really do -- always -- appreciate the support.

.

Administrivia....

I took a little time today to take care of a few "administrative" details regarding my books.

In a recent blog, agent Rachelle Gardner said:

I’ve heard from several sources that Barnes & Noble is paying attention to authors’ blogs and websites, and specifically, they’re interested in which links you include so that people can click through to buy your book. If you are linking only to Amazon, Barnes & Noble may choose not to carry your book.

I thought, "Haunting Valley isn't available on barnesandnoble.com. But I've been meaning to make it a Nook book." So I took care of that. Here is a link to it, should you want it for your Nook. (It makes a great Christmas gift.)

I also updated the "Fiction Stuff" page of my blog site to include the aforementioned URL. And while I was at it, I also added the URLs for Scrappy Information Security and Scrappy BCP on B&N, as well as their links on Books-a-Million -- which is another book-selling site that Rachelle recommended -- to my "Nonfiction Stuff" page.

Switching gears a little, I added myself as an author on Goodreads. So I now can be "liked" in a whole new place. Or, not liked, I suppose.

Sometimes, you have to do the little stuff in order to make a career of the big stuff.