What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): I didn't do as well as I'd hoped last week - only 11 pages of new material. I'm pretty sure I've written myself into a corner or at least am some place where my characters don't think they should be. I going to back track a bit and see if I can't pick up the momentum again.

News from the publishing world: Any author will tell you finding ways to promote their books that actually work is hit and miss. Here's an article that may help. 3 Ways Indie Authors Can Use Social Media to Attract Readers

Quote of the week: "Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope..." ~ Bradley Whitford  This reminded me of something a friend would always say when I would get a case of the "I wish..." this would happens. She would say, "Pray to God, but row for the shore."

Health news: According the the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, women who eat 2 large bananas a day lived longer than their counterparts who eat less of the fruit. Bananas are high in potassium and vitamin B6 which are essential to a healthy heart. Vitamin B6 also helps regulate sleep patterns. (I think I'm in trouble - I absolutely hate bananas. :(  )

Random things: I recently discovered the Tara Holloway series by Diane Kelly. Each book is titled Death, Taxes, and (then something). The first book in the series is Death, Taxes, and A French Manicure. The main character is an agent in the IRS' criminal investigations division. The books are upbeat and sometimes laugh out loud funny. And just what I needed. 

 Random photo of the week:

 This is a picture a friend sent to me. She found it on the internet. I love the picture, but can't imagine how painful it was as it runs up the person's spine. 

You CAN be sued...

A very informative post about using photos/pictures in blogs, on Facebook, Pinterest and other social media sites and the consequences of copyright infringement was posted to one of the  loops I belong to.  

I received permission from the blogger, National Bestselling Author Roni Loren, to post an excerpt here along with a link back to her original post.  
 

Bloggers Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Pics on Your Blog - My Story

So today I'm forgoing the usual Fill-Me-In Friday post to talk about something that I've been wanting to blog about for a while but couldn't until the situation was wrapped up.

For those of you who are super observant, you may have noticed some changes on my blog over the last few months. Tumblr posts went away. Fiction Groupie disappeared. I deleted most of my Pinterest boards. The Boyfriend of the Week has changed format. And all my previous posts from the past three years--all 700 of them--now have new photos on them.

Why is that? What happened?
Well, you've probably figured it out from the title, but it's because I've been involved in a case regarding a photo I used on my blog. Like most of you, I'm a casual blogger...

Please click on the title of Roni's post (underlined above) to read the rest of her experience.  I'm also including another link here in case the first one doesn't work.  Link:  http://www.roniloren.com/blog/2012/7/20/bloggers-beware-you-can-get-sued-for-using-pics-on-your-blog.html

If you post pictures or photos on any of your social media sites using photos/pictures you've found on the internet, please read her entire post and the comments.  There is a lot of really good information included in the comments section.