It has certainly been quiet around here lately. You may be wondering where I've been. Well, I have some good news and some bad news.
The bad news: On February 28th, I discovered that an online critique group I was in got hacked and my manuscript, The Beast of Bannock, was stolen and leaked to the internet. Yes, my pride and joy, my baby, my product of five years of hard work, was just sitting on the internet, available for all the world to use and abuse.
It was awful.
The good news: After several stressful weeks of submitting letters, seeking legal advice, clearing caches and shedding many tears, I am happy to say that my manuscript is finally safe, sound, and mine again.
As you can guess, this situation consumed much of my time and energy over the past month. I am very fortunate, though, that I caught the theft and was able to take action before more serious damage was done.
If you are a writer, please Google yourself and your manuscript titles right now. Make sure your work is safe and secure. I don't want this to ever happen to you. Words can't do justice to how truly wretched it feels to have your hard work taken from your hands and exploited by others. This experience made me feel so vulnerable and helpless, frustrated and devastated. I felt like a mama bird with an empty nest; like a shepherd who failed his sheep; like macaroni without any cheese.
Coincidentally, words also can't do justice to how truly wonderful it feels to be "whole" again. :)
The bad news: On February 28th, I discovered that an online critique group I was in got hacked and my manuscript, The Beast of Bannock, was stolen and leaked to the internet. Yes, my pride and joy, my baby, my product of five years of hard work, was just sitting on the internet, available for all the world to use and abuse.
It was awful.
The good news: After several stressful weeks of submitting letters, seeking legal advice, clearing caches and shedding many tears, I am happy to say that my manuscript is finally safe, sound, and mine again.
As you can guess, this situation consumed much of my time and energy over the past month. I am very fortunate, though, that I caught the theft and was able to take action before more serious damage was done.
If you are a writer, please Google yourself and your manuscript titles right now. Make sure your work is safe and secure. I don't want this to ever happen to you. Words can't do justice to how truly wretched it feels to have your hard work taken from your hands and exploited by others. This experience made me feel so vulnerable and helpless, frustrated and devastated. I felt like a mama bird with an empty nest; like a shepherd who failed his sheep; like macaroni without any cheese.
Coincidentally, words also can't do justice to how truly wonderful it feels to be "whole" again. :)
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| It feels just like this... |
Soon, I will be posting about the actions I took to resolve the many issues that resulted from this theft and how you can fight copyright infringement. I couldn't have done it alone, though, and I am extremely grateful for my support system and everyone who helped me through this difficult time. Muppet movies and Chinese buffets work wonders for turning frowns upside-down. An extra-special thanks also goes to my hubby who handed me tissues, listened to my curses, and administered hugs in large doses.
I'm looking forward to putting this all behind me and getting back to my normal life--including lots of blogging! Here's hoping to brighter days, more smiles, and smooth sailing from here on out.
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