Social Networks by Margot Justes

I will be the first to admit the social networks are a mystery to me.

They are the way to get your name out there, wherever out there happens to be. That magical special entity that will get your book noticed, name recognition established, word of mouth will travel in that magical land of space and suddenly you've gone viral. Sort of like a virus but in a good way.

Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter are the primary sources of sharing quick bits of your life, activities, and whatever else you want to share with the world at large.

I belong to all three, it is time consuming but rewarding, not in the magic of going viral and suddenly becoming a best seller, but in building a community, meeting some terrific and interesting people. You pop in for a visit, say hello and pop out again and in the process you develop relationships.

It takes time, but I've noticed I'm getting more comments on FB, more friends, more people following me on Twitter, my blog readership is steadily growing and Amazon is showing movement in sales. Progress is slow but consistent, and in the process I'm learning how to become more active, more social and that is not a bad thing.

In part my involvement in the social networks allowed me to grow, and become more open to sharing details of my life I never would have dreamed I'd ever do.

Next is tackling query letters and pestering agents. Sounds like fun

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

A Revolution by Margot Justes

Recently we witnessed a revolution in Egypt, what made it historically so remarkable is that it was relatively bloodless.

We watched it happen right in front of our eyes; the assembly of the masses in Tahrir Square, the essential communication role the social networks played in the organization of the revolt, and the ingenuity of the masses when that network was shut down.

It was fundamentally a demand for freedom and a right to be heard, and heard they were.

The government stepped down, the military took over and the people are awaiting their democratic right to vote and select new leadership. It almost sounds too simplistic, the events unfolded in a public square in Cairo.

I heard someone say that it was a non-event, because little blood was spilled, the military didn't fire on its own people and the leadership did step down.

A non-event? It was a huge event. The power of the people brought down a government.

The power of the people demanded democracy, and they were willing to take that unknown step forward and demand it. It certainly was a gargantuan event.

I found it absolutely engrossing, watching the events unfold, the willingness of the Egyptian people to stand firm and fight for what they believed. That was history in the making.

We're so used to seeing blood and gore everywhere, that when we see a remarkable event without bodies strewn everywhere, some of us think it's not important. Why is that?

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

Roman Ruins in Rome by Margot Justes

Isn't alliteration wonderful.

According to an article written in Yahoo News, the third-century Roman sculptures were found in Rome. While excavating a public site, the archeologists discovered six marble statues. The five heads were found in an ancient fountain in what was a lavish Roman villa.

The belief is that the villa belonged to a high-ranking official to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, dating back to 193-211 A.D.

I find it amazing that almost two thousand years later give or take a century or two, we're still finding such incredible treasures.

What makes this find so wonderful, other than the busts of course, is that the dig was financed by private entrepreneurs.

I'm sure more information will become available as the sculptures are restored and more information is gained from the archaeological site.

If I'm lucky and the site is open to the public, I hope to pay a visit in October.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris