Children and Facebook

Warning: These are MY points of view. If you disagree with them, that's fine, but please keep them to yourself.

This weekend my son, The Bug, turns 9, his last year before double digits, and as he's grown older I've become a little more sensitive to him and his use (and future use) of the internet.

Over the last year I was stunned to find several of my friends, who have children younger than 13, allow their sons/daughters to establish Facebook presenses. How did I find out about this? They sent me friendship requests. Needless to say I was stunned! Not only at these children, but at their parents who have allowed this. And yes, the parents knew about it and gave their blessings.

Yesterday a friend came over and told us about how his girlfriend's child of 9 goes onto these chat boards on the internet. I was horrified!

I understand that Facebook and the internet at large is the best way to keep in contact with loved ones, but so few have any knowledge of privacy settings or consider the implications of posting certain things up. There are trolls and dangerous individuals out there who prey on the innocence and lack of comprehension children have regarding such actions. Regardless of how things are set up on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pintrest, etc., there is still the ability to completely fabricate who you are and what you intend towards others. Children do not get this. Maybe some do, but, really, I'm not going to trust some stranger over the internet to converse with my child, whom I do trust. 

My son is NOT on Facebook and DOES NOT have email, etc. His computer is in the livingroom so I can keep an eye on what he does, which, thank the Universe, is play video games on it.

These situations also stirred up long held in feelings about people using their children, or other people's children, as their Facebook Avatars, etc. I understand the exhilleration of having a new child and wanting to let everyone in the world know, posting photos the the newborn and details up on Facebook, etc. It's euphoric to be a new parent, and maybe that, coupled with sleep deprivation, caused the new parent to not consider the implications of posting that information up on the internet for everyone to see. I'm glad that Facebook was born the same year and month as my son, not getting real huge momentum until later, thus the temptation to post about my child, etc., wasn't there.

As many of you know, I very rarely, if ever, post any photos of my son, and I never reveal his name. I don't use his image as my avatar on Facebook. If I do post photos of my son they are sent to only those I've chosen to send them to through my privacy settings. If I post about my son, I don't mention his name - EVER.

My son is entitled to have privacy. My experience on Facebook and the rest of the internet is mine, not his. When he is interested, and my husband and I deem he's responsible enough and old enough, then he will be allowed an email address and to go on Facebook. But one thing's for sure, I will honour and respect Facebook's guideline that no one under 13 is allowed on. That, I believe, is one smart thing that Facebook has done.

End Rant

Dark Dragon Publishing: $.99 KINDLE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SPECIAL on THE CHOSEN CHRONICLES!!!

Dark Dragon Publishing: $.99 KINDLE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SPECIAL!!!: We of Dark Dragon Publishing  are happy to offer you a wonderful  Christmas /Hol iday Season Present! From Saturday, Decembe ...

DDP has all three of my AWARD WINNING novels:  
Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles
Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles
Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles

on Holiday special for $.99 EACH on KINDLE! So make sure you pick up your copies before the price goes up! Just click on each of the Titles!

Dark Dragon Publishing: Submissions: How to Submit

Dark Dragon Publishing: Submissions: How to Submit: If you follow Dark Dragon Publishing on Facebook or Twitter, you may already know that we are now open for query submissions. In that announ...

This article by my publisher, Dark Dragon Publishing, is wonderful and gets right to the point. I hope that you will click on it and read it. It's a must read for any author who is interested in submitting queries to them or to any agent/publisher.

Cheers! 

The Dark: A Short Story for Hallowe'en

THE DARK 

I wrote the following flash fiction to see if I could. I hope you enjoy it!

The freezing stone floor set off a spasm of shivering and she awoke, unknowing of her surroundings for they were as pitch. Panic set in. She had been walking to her car. Where was she? How did she get here? Don't panic, she thought in an effort to quiet her malleate heart. Turning over, she crawled on all fours, her hands burning on the cold as they fluttered to feel what she could not see.

Knees aching, her hands scraped against a wall as firm and steadfast as the floor. She whimpered. She needed to get out; needed to be free; needed to bathe in the warm summer sun. 

Following the right angled path of wall and floor, she scrabbled to gain purchase of her surroundings. No sound except for her panicked breath, rasping clothes and tapping fingers, filled her consciousness. She flailed about, searching for a break in the wall, a difference between frozen stone and a possible wooden door, but found none. 

Stumped, unknowing how many circuits of the small room she had spun, she grasped the wall before her and pulled herself up. If there was no indication in the blackness of a door near the floor, then maybe there would be one higher up. Again, hands outstretched before her, she circumambulated the midnight stone room. 

Nothing.

No door. No window. No way in. No way out.

How did I get here? WHERE AM I?! Her mind cried out.

A rasping sound, far above, followed by a chuckle. Something hard hit her on the head before a wash of fluid cascaded, splashing, over her. More laughing, deep and male, before it was cut off by the same rasping sound.

Her back sliding down against the frozen stone, she crumpled to the chilled floor, hugging herself, her tears mingling with the droplets eking their way down her face. She knew now she was captured, that far above, in the darkness, was the door she must have fallen through into this place, this oubliette. It still did not explain why she could not see, why all around her was atramentaceous.

Numb from the cold, her fingers brushed away a droplet threatening to fall in her eye and halted the motion at the strange feeling before her finger tips. Breath staggering, she brought both hands to her eyes and felt –

Nothing.

Her eyes were gone!

Only empty sockets remained!

Mouth opening, she screamed into the darkness. Her tongue was gone, too.

Hallowe'en Skull and Cross Bones Cookies

Last night I mentioned that I made 6 dozen skull and cross bones cookies in my update.

Then people started asking to see photos, so I posted a couple of them of the cookies.

I was then asked to post the recipe, so here it is!

Plain and Simple Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter(softened)/margerine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 cups of flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk

1. In a lage bowl, cream together butter/margerine and sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs and continue beating until creamy.
3. Stir in flour and baking powder alternately with the milk, to make a fairy stiff dough.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed a few times by hand to make it smooth and workable.
5. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
6. Preheat oven 350F.
7. Cut dough into 4 peices.
8. Work 1 peice at a time.
9. Roll onto lightly floured surface to an even 1/4 inch thickness.
10. Cut out shapes and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
11. Bake 13 to 15 minues until the cookies are very slightly browned on the bottom, but still light on top.
12. Let them cool before decorating.

HALLOWE'EN GIVEAWAY!!!

Hallowe'en is around the corner and what better way to celebrate than having a Giveaway!

There are THREE prizes to win for THREE lucky winners, but to win one of them, you have to enter.

The prizes are:

•   a signed limited edition of Angel of Death (includes Changeling)
•   a Kindle/ebook version of Angel of Death
•  a handmade Angel of Death Doll!

So make sure you enter!   a Rafflecopter giveaway