How Selling Homemade Goods Work

Have you ever thought "I'd like to sell my homemade (insert item here) someday"? You may find it a little harder than you thought, but it isn't impossible to do. What you have to understand about it is this; it takes consistency to make it a business and takes work to make an object worth buying (unless you are an adorable child). 

Courtesy of Chicago Tribune

So, you want to sell your handmade whatever for extra money. Before you rush into making ten million handmade whatever and expect major sales, you first need a vendor's license to go to craft fairs. You also need to take into account that there is sales tax to turn in at one point in the year, another thing to keep track of based on county and state. My dad does this as a side business, as a carpenter who makes toys, cabinets, and doll furniture. It paid for some of my wedding and the rental of his tux, as well as giving an extra boost to the family finances. Is it worth it? Absolutely, but depending on what you sell and where you choose to sell your wares success varies. 

One factor in success is how often you show up to craft fairs. Your first go at selling at a farmers market or flea market, when nobody knew you were going to be there, may not be the most successful. What you want to do is give it a month or two before you expect more sales. Again, it depends on your product, too. Also, your audience makes a difference. Some craft shows there are people who literally walk around and buy nothing, while other times you see people come to buy. Note the craft shows that few show up to and avoid getting involved with those shows. The more foot traffic, the better your chances of actually selling your wares. 

How To Get Started

First, the vendor's license. How do you get that? Let me help. Click here to go to the online process. This is for Ohio, because I write from Ohio, but I'm sure that you can easily find other states' licensing websites via google. Make sure it is a legitimate website before you put in all your information. 

Next, set up a way to track sales. Excel, notebook and pen, word document......As long as you have a way to track what you sold and for how much you are in business. Sales tax should be calculated after every craft fair based on county and state. If you need a basic guide on what sales tax is, start at this link. 

Courtesy of theneocom.com

To get into some craft shows you have to get on a waiting list (if it is a crowded, big show) or just keep your eyes open for the advertisements that say "vendors wanted". Keep in mind that foot traffic is a must if you intend to sell anything at all. If no one walks through everyone is in the same boat, and no one is happy at the end of the night. You can start with flea markets and farmers markets every weekend if the option is open to you. Once people start noticing you are there often they may come back to you. You have to pay a fee for doing a show, farmers market, or flea market to use the space. Keep that in mind. 

Pricing is another point that makes a big difference. How much do you charge for an item? As a general rule, it is this; pricing is how much time you spent and the resources it took to make the item. Keep in mind sales tax takes some of your gains away from you. It is a good practice to have some expensive items out, but to keep the less expensive items out on your display so that those with only a limited supply of money can still get something from you. You can negotiate prices if you want, just don't cheat yourself. You know how much time it took to make that. You should be paid for your time. 

What To Make and How Much

The items you are making may cost more to make. You could also take a long time to make something. Don't short yourself because one person thinks it is too expensive. The truth is that a lot of people will go by your stall or display and not intend to buy anything, or worse, say they can make it themselves. The majority of the people probably won't and you should never give them the pattern if they ask for it. You are selling it fully made. A lot of patterns also aren't free and forbid you from giving it away for free. 

That being said, what you make can either make you blend in or stick out as interesting. The more common the item you are selling, the less likely the people you are trying to sell it to will be interested. The unique items get more sales. Anything that someone can't commonly handmake is also a major plus. Is it hard to handmake and not many people have the time or tools? Then you should sell it. Given that, you can still sell your crocheted cats, hat and glove sets, wreaths, and knitted sweaters to your heart's content and make a living. It is more how you sell it in the long run, not what the item is. Sell what you want to sell. It may take trial and error to see what sells better. Determine whether you are doing custom orders or not and stick to your decision. 

Sell what you want to sell. Keep in mind that people want something that improves their lives. If it is easy to carry out the door (minus furniture that people get at flea markets), has a reasonable price, and is either a need or want you will do well. Reasons someone buys usually have to do with self-improvement, how we are seen by others, and purposeful products. It may benefit you to sell something easy to carry or offer to take it to their car when it is heavy. They can also pick it up from you at the end of their shopping trip. Again, put a range of prices out there. Some people only have a twenty left in their wallet or have bills to pay later. Focus on your specialty and go from there. You'll want to create a brand for yourself and not hide behind your table. Make your display look good and welcoming. Grab attention with what you put out in your space. 

What Crafters Hear and What Is A Problem

As someone who has several family members who sell craft items and someone who has put out crochet for sale, you hear a lot of things people should keep to themselves. This includes those that decide to say out loud that they could make it themselves or their friend could make it. Do they mean to insult you? Maybe not, but it doesn't come across well. Most crafters feel anger toward the ones that say it out loud and have to hold it in. 

Some people ask whether they can get a discount because they got there before opening, according to madeurban.com, but I haven't ever heard that one. Still, it isn't a good thing to ask. This scenario is when you aren't set up yet. 

When asked whether you could copy another vender's work, please don't. Anyone saying this should be pointed in the direction of the vendor that has that product made. It is insensitive to say the least. If you need someone to stop taking pictures at your booth say something. If they don't stop, you might want to get your hand in the way of the picture and warn them again. Keep getting in their way and they may give up. 

If someone wants to know how you made it, hesitate to answer unless you can give vague descriptions (ones that aren't enough to make it). If they are curious and don't intend to make it themselves it is not a harmful question. If they push for detailed descriptions, well, say you can't reveal all your secrets and stop talking. Also, speak up when they take pictures with intent to copy, even put up a sign that says please don't take pictures. 

Complaints about price are common. Some lowering of price may be okay. For instance, if a small child only has so much money to spend and you can lower the price slightly to allow them to buy it (without devaluing your item) it is probably okay. Manners also go a long way toward whether someone gets a discount. That is a scenario that depends on the item you are selling and the attitude of the customer. An adult trying to haggle lower than the lowest price you are willing to present is a problem. You can say no. You can say that is the price and it goes no lower. Your stuff is worth the money, if the price is set correctly. Don't let someone devalue your work or you. 

Requests such as whether you deliver, last minute shoppers asking how soon it can be done, and general discount questions are what you will find in the craft shows everywhere. Define what you won't and will do. Stick with the discounts you'll be willing to give and whether you do or don't do custom orders. The scenario and item being sold will adjust what you are willing to do. 

Another issue highlighted by many people is touching and breaking merchandise. Do exactly what the stores do in this scenario. "You break it and you buy it" will probably keep people from touching it, too. Speak up. It is your booth and not theirs. Touching with intent to buy is one thing, but touching with intent to break in order to get a discount is whole new issue. 

Courtesy of imgflip.com

I released my first novel Wrenville! If you'd like to check it out, here is the Amazon link: https://a.co/d/4CtAXn3

You can get it in Paperback and Kindle ebook form. 

Sources:

Business Formation - Choose a Business Structure: LLC, DBA, Corporation, Sole Proprietorship | LegalZoom

Craft Fairs and Sales Tax: A State-by-State Guide (avalara.com)

Craft Calculator – How To Price Handmade Products - Nevue Fine Art Marketing

10 Times a Craft Show Vendor should say NO - Made Urban

What you need to know about Craft Shows | Turning for Profit | Woodturning | Lathe |

Wrenville has been released!

 It is done, ladies and gentlemen! I released a book on Amazon after a year or so of editing and lots of pre-planning for promoting it. Today is a glorious day. 

Courtesy of Cathy Baker

Many of you have been following the saga of my getting ready to publish this novel. It is called "Wrenville" and will be linked at the end of this blog and on my website (which is linked to this blog website). Share this blog everywhere. Share the post that goes with it everywhere. Tell the world! I need your help, loyal blog readers. 

Do you want the plot? Here it is (without giving you spoilers). A private investigator named Jack Thomas moves into a small town in Illinois after he stumbles upon a complicated case. He thinks he's safe in this small town of Wrenville, but the case he ran from follows him here. From there you can check out the book itself. You aren't getting more than the teaser. 

This blog post is going to be super short. I have been editing and writing this for so long that I thought I'd never get here. Here I am! I am ecstatic to be here and be an author. Check out my book at this link. It can be bought in kindle and paperback form on Amazon.com. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

More Flower Meanings

 I did it before and I'll do it again for kicks. Flower meanings are back because I have gotten into darker topics and need lighter ones. I'd like to dedicate this to Mom, because this was a good idea that I can pull out of my hat whenever I need a lighter topic of discussion. Thanks Mom! 

Watercolor carnations courtesy of Pinterest

Gerbera, Carnations, and Peony are my focuses today. I'll go in just that order in this post. I picked 3 common flowers that get put in bouquets because almost everyone will know what they are.

Gerbera

Gerbera Daisy is found native to South Africa. The victorian meaning is happiness. Egyptian meaning is like it, but slightly different. They said it meant closeness to nature and devotion to the sun. Celts said it lessened sorrows and stress. If someone gives a gift covered in these it might be suspected they are hiding something. Mostly the meaning comes to the innocent happiness of children. These are playful and celebratory flowers that give energy. 

Gerbera Daisies courtesy of blogspot.com

Much like other flowers, the colors do matter. Orange represents the sunshine of life, red means unconscious in love or fully immersed in love, white means purity and innocence, pink is admiration and high esteem, and yellow is cheerfulness. 

Fun fact, a man named Robert Jameson discovered these at a South African mine while on a trip for mining. These also turn toward the sun, much like sunflowers. 

Carnation

Carnations are often dyed in all different colors all the time. They don't cost too much, either, and are used to fill holes in bouquets. This makes them popular and easy to work with in florist shops. 

Their mythology gets very weird, though. According to floraqueen.com, this is the myth they are attached to. 

One of the stories of the carnation comes from the tale of the goddess Diana. Diana, the goddess of the hunt, was out on an expedition when she returned home empty-handed. On her journey home, she came across a shepherd playing the flute. In her opinion, her prey was scared off by this music, so it was his fault her hunt was unsuccessful. She could not control her temper and attacked the shepherd, cutting out his eyes. Where blood was shed, carnations grew.

In a less gruesome tale, some scholars believe carnations history lies in the Latin word carnis, which means “flesh.” They believe this refers to the pink color of the flower. Some also believe that it comes from the Latin phrase incarnacyon, which means incarnation. In Latin, this means “God made flesh.” This may be a very fitting explanation because carnations are often called the “flower of the gods.”

I'm not too sure if that is their origin mythology. They were commonly used for garlands, too. 

Again, we dive into colors. I'll give you a chart because this might be a long one. 

light red - admiration

dark red - deep love and affection

white - good luck and pure love

yellow - disappointment and rejection

purple - given to sudden and unaccountable change

pink - the power of a mother's undying love or gratitude

This one we can dive into countries, holidays, and faith, too. 

Netherlands - (White carnations) opposition to WWII and to honor veterans

France - (purple) used in funerals

Spain and Slovenia - the national flower

Christianity - the virgin mother's tears as Jesus died on the cross

May Day - (red) the labor movement and socialism

Carnations are part of the beauty industry, medical industry, and floral industry. 

Peony

Peonies can mean honor through success (to families), wealth and riches, romance (with focus on love between strangers), all forms of beauty, and shame. Mythology says that Zeus had to turn a student into a flower when they surpassed the teacher and got his wrath. 

Peony courtesy of Flickr

Chinese tradition says this flower is an emblem of China. It ties to honor and royalty. The Chinese name translates to "most beautiful". 

However, the greek myth says nymphs hid their naked forms in Peonies, making the meaning shamefulness and bashfulness during the victorian era. If you dug up one of these shrubs during the middle ages it was frightfully unlucky because fairies weren't known for kindness. 

Colors are a short list for the Peony due to the variety of colors. Pink is the most romantic, ideal for weddings if you need a wedding flower suggestion. White or pale pink represents regret or embarrassment. Deep red conveys honor and respect, especially in China and Japan where it is also wealth and prosperity. 

This one is medicinal in use for the Paeonia herb, which allegedly purifies against evil spirits. It's also great for all kinds of other needs, but only in the pure extract form. 

Sources:

Gerbera Flower Meaning - Flower Meaning

Carnation Flower Meaning: Understanding this Common Flower | FloraQueen

Peony Flower Meaning - Flower Meaning

Further Updates on Wrenville

 As some of you know, I am releasing a suspense novel in January of 2023 - that's this month! I am ecstatic to inform you that I have created a website that links directly to my blog and social media accounts. 

Above you see the synopsis (with no spoilers) of the novel I'm releasing this month. It is titled Wrenville and takes place in a small town in Illinois. A private investigator named Jack Thomas is running from a previous case, only to have it catch up to him. Want more information? You'll have to buy the book when it comes out (or get it from the library if I can get it into the Stark county or Carroll county library system). 

The news this week isn't the actual release, since I am clearly teasing you with the vague plot line, but rather the creation of my website. I have it prepared for the release of my novel, Wrenville, and I will keep it updated on any projects I'm currently working on, including the editing of the next novel or novella I will be releasing, which will happen when it happens. I believe in editing thoroughly and making it look good. I will keep you all updated on the website. 

The website itself is this: cathybakerauthor.zyrosite.com   

If you would like to go see it now, click right here. I am going to say in honesty that it is nothing fancy. After the release of Wrenville the link to buy the Kindle version and physical book will be on the website. This is basically a place where I will have information on current projects, as well as a place you can easily find my social media links. Feel free to share it with others around you and on social media. I have a contact me page included.  

Without further adieu, I will let you explore the website. I made it super easy to navigate, so much so that it is hard to miss what you are looking for. 

Data most apps collect

 I was recently told that TikTok collects invasive data, but can we talk about how much data other apps also take? Truthfully every social media takes data from your devices and your own devices learn what you like and don't like. Let's talk about what data gets sent out from your device every time you log in. 

Courtesy of versedtech.org

So, I did in fact join TikTok to promote my future book, but one comment that sounded unlikely had me looking up if the Chinese stole TikTok data. There were articles about it, yet we all still sit on our social media platforms that also take our data. Really, we should be wary of all social media by that standard. The cold, hard reality is that we were made more for face-to-face contact than for online communication (although some of us prefer written messaging). 

Why am I on social media after knowing it isn't entirely healthy? You're reading the reason. I couldn't do this without my social media. I couldn't promote my future book without my social media. It is the way of the future, whether we like it or not. It has good qualities that allow me to communicate with friends and simultaneously can waste my time if I sit and scroll (which is not good for your brain in the long run). It is a balancing act. There are good and bad qualities about this technology and media, but it just is without human involvement, which is to say it is good or bad based on what is done with it. Keep that in mind. 

Apps taking data

What? Apps take data? Shocker! We should all know this by now. They ask our permission to get into our contact lists, sync our data, get our pictures, use our names, and use our emails. I hate to tell you that we've been tracked since we started using our social media a while ago, but it is absolutely true. TikTok is not the only one giving information to others. Sadly, our favorite webpage Google is tracking even more data. 

To put this in perspective, quite a few apps take down a few facts to function, including where you are (GPS on phones), your face and name, your activity on the app, your IP address, and your email. Your apps also track what you like and don't like, which helps them reel you into scrolling on various social media forms. We like when Youtube gives us videos we want and streaming services suggest shows we might want to see. In the process, they learn our habits to get that data. It is a trade-off in the end. 

Worried? Some of you might be. Most of us should be. Sadly the apps taking more data than they need are commonly used and used by all ages at that. Do they legally have to ask? Yes, they do. Regardless, some have not at times. Internet safety says don't give out personal information on the internet and especially if it looks a bit suspect. This is why all my blog readers didn't hear about my wedding until after and we were back from honeymoon by that time. This is why I don't go bragging about my address on the blog and have blocked some of the people who have messaged me inappropriately. Think before you give out personal info. Pushy people are often scam artists. If you are afraid to use the internet, go get a VPN to scramble your data and you'll be fine. It can even give you media from other countries, which is insanely cool.

Courtesy of cybersecurity.att.com

Why Apps Take Data

There are three main reasons that apps need the data, starting with identification. Why can your face or your fingerprint scan open your phone? It has the data to identify you, of course. If you want that you get some added security in case someone steals your device, while also trading some data in return with your permission. 

Reason two is simply that it requires something to work at all, like access to your pictures and camera to post TikToks and Instagram photos, or access to contact lists to send a message through a chat app. It'd be rather hard to call mom if the connection wasn't there. Uber can't get to your house without an address, much like pizza can't get to you without an address. You've got the point by now. 

The third is where you might want to be a bit more careful. They do track you and third parties get information from these apps. Those pop-ups from a website you just visited are not coincidences. This is called ad targeting. It doesn't need much explanation. Apple is famous for tracking data that it didn't need to track. Apparently, so it TikTok. Scarily enough, a lot of them do this. Count how many times ads from websites you visited pop up on your social media and Google homepage. Go ahead. You'll be slightly scared by Google's reach. 

There is a fourth reason, which includes marketing research, public relations research, and generally seeing if the app works correctly. So, general function is a factor and gets tracked. This is why they can fix the app and website when it goes down. They can also improve the app or website with this data, which is good. 

There Are Laws

You know what's great? Communication and transparency, which people want more of as the world starts to show its true colors. This is why you have to be entirely transparent about data use to get your app in an app store. That doesn't mean people don't track data on the sly (some do). It does mean that you can avoid data being stolen from you if you read the fine print. Most of us don't have the patience if we're truly honest. 

What isn't great is that selling to third parties makes money, which means the transparency we cry out for is not what the businesses want to do. Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Snap.......They all lost money due to transparency. Those transparency rules lead to a better internet and fewer invasions of privacy for us, though, so I'm all for it. Hackers can skirt this law, obviously, but hacking is a whole new issue. 

Courtesy of memegenerator.net

Is this data dangerous? Maybe if you don't have a backbone. People are out to influence other people, surprising no one who has ever encountered the human race. Fake news and personalized ads are out there. Some of us can identify it some of the time. Some of us just can't and look like total idiots after we find out we've been duped. Some don't even acknowledge that they were duped, which is far worse than admitting your imperfection. Do your research before believing any headline you come across online or anything that shows up online. Don't rush to believe what you've been told. Con artists want you to rush into things headlong. Slow down and check the facts before you react. Think, breathe, and then make decisions. 

               Some Data To Prove You Are Being Tracked

When you look at the data out there on who is tracking whom you might be forced to admit that you've been tracked since you started using social media, or since you went onto google or shopped online. The internet is tracking you. I'm sorry. TikTok could be taking data to another country, but they are not the first to sell your data and will not be the last. Facebook is actually worse than TikTok on this count. 

According to Artem Risukhin, who collected research on personal data on December 12, 2022, Google has eyes everywhere, as in 85.6 percent of the websites. There are google trackers on 85.6 percent of websites. Facebook has trackers on 33 percent of websites. Ad tracking is real. Also, google wants to show you personalized content. All analyzed social media forms also store and sell your information to advertisers, vendors, and business partners. Wechat and Facebook messenger are the biggest offenders of taking data in the messaging category. Wechat gathers content and media on your device.

The general things social media tracks include name, age, site interaction, transaction info, device info, location, search history, camera data, third party related trackers, and ad interaction. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok track all that. Youtube tracks all except camera data. Twitter tracks all except the device, third party trackers, and camera data.  Messengers take less data, but still take impressive amounts of data. If you need a chat app avoid Wechat, as it takes chat content, while other messenger apps don't. Stick to texting if you are legitimately nervous about chat apps. 

Third parties can include advertisers, ad-affiliated sites, law authorities, research/academics, data measurement companies, and vendors/service providers. Facebook and Instagram give to all these third parties. Youtube only gives to advertisers, ad-affiliated sites, and law authorities. TikTok gives to advertisers, law authorities, and vendors/service providers. Twitter gives to advertisers and law authorities. So far, Twitter gives the least to third parties and TikTok is not the worst social media when it comes to selling to third parties. It turns out that anyone on the internet using Google has probably been tracked. Now you know how they know you bought (insert object here) off of (insert website here). Mystery solved!

Sources:

App Tracking Transparency: what Data do Apps Collect and why? (apiko.com)

Your Personal Information: How and Why Social Media and Messengers Collect It (macpaw.com)

How your personal data is being scraped from social media - BBC News

dealing with DMs

 I started this blog to get attention drawn to my writing career, not my love life. I seem to be getting a few more random DMs these days from people who didn't read my bio. Word to the wise, I am married. Today we're going to talk about how all of us should respond to the people who randomly DM us online.

Courtesy of YouTube

People with a blog or any consistent online presence may get random direct messages (DMs) from strangers. Celebrities (of which I am not one) and other people with larger names get the odd letter or odd message at times. I didn't think having a blog, with a bio clearly stating I have a significant other,  would lead to unwanted flirtation DMs, but here we are. I am not going to post pictures of these DMs for the sake of privacy and my unwillingness to humiliate others. I will leave the roasting to those YouTubers who do it for comedy.

Unwanted DMs

What are unwanted DMs? Any strange human who contacts you in a creepy, flirtatious, or unsolicited way. In other words, you didn't ask for their contact and they made contact with you. The unsolicited messages that help my writing career, or are related to posts where I asked for someone's help, don't count for my definition. Those were prompted by other posts, as opposed to Mr. X over here who says "your profile picture is cute" and he wants to get to know you. 

I have found multiple other women, almost exclusively, who get these messages from their social media. Yep, it may be because I'm female. Both genders surely get these, but it seems that women get more of them. I have had only one female contact me like this, only one, and they respectfully left me alone. Some people did stop after the courtesy message I used to put up. This message basically said I am on social media for my writing career, I stated my current relationship status (married), and said I wasn't interested. The majority of the six or so decided to leave me alone. Only three tried to keep messaging and got blocked immediately. 

I put myself on TikTok for future book promotion purposes and I have gotten four unwanted DMs as of the last time I looked, all from Facebook and not TikTok. So many guys I don't know have friend requested me. That is why this blog post is going out with my project update post. Click here for my update on my novel.

What you could do

You see all these online personalities roasting these DMs. I could literally take a picture and post it all over my blogs, but I refuse. That is an invasion of privacy. You'll notice that the YouTubers generally edit the names so they are not viewable. This is why.  While it would feel good to really expose the creepy men on the internet I doubt it'd do that much good. I'd just be dropping to a new low. Experts say this only fuels unbalanced individuals. Don't do it. The fire doesn't need to be fueled by a response.

Chat them back? I could, but no thank you. Just because one person chatted with you doesn't mean you have to return the favor. The internet allows you to ignore them, a blessing I take advantage of. The silence they get in return douses the fire. 

Send them the rejection hotline or any other false phone number? I have been tempted to. Yet, that would require chatting them back. So no, I won't be doing that. 

The best option 

Some feel that messages must be returned, but do they really have to be? No, not when it comes to unsolicited, unwanted flirtations. The best option is to leave the chat alone and/or block them. I have decided I am no longer sending courtesy messages. Crickets and ghosting seem to work just as well. Don't waste your time when you get these DMs. I certainly don't have time to waste, and neither do you. 

 

The truth is that they want a reaction, much like gossipers do. Ignoring it is the advice experts give. In the case of harassment, you can directly message them to leave you alone, which is probably what my courtesy message served as. Again, the block button always works. Instagram will even let you delete a message before you open it. In the case of someone legally stalking you, call law enforcement to report it and go from there. I have never been stalked by any of the random DM senders I've encountered, but I also don't put all that much personal info out on my blog or my social media. Internet safety is not just for kids. 

Examples of unwanted texts

Should you not understand why this is distressing, let me give you a rundown of what some women have received in the past and present. I have not seen the worst of these, but I did for sure get asked if I needed a sugar daddy. He got blocked. The block button is my best friend in this scenario before they get even one message past that. I'm not posting my own DMs. I don't let them get past "you're cute" or "hi" before I block them in most cases. 

One scenario that women get is a "hi" message and then dick picks or unwanted selfies. Another is the "you're so pretty", "your name is so beautiful", and "Can I get to know you?" line. Nothing good comes of responding in all scenarios, as even a polite rejection can get a violent, cussing response. Distressing? Yes, especially if you respond. Don't give them the fuel for the fire. 

A Courtesy Message 

I suspect my blog may or may not have attracted some of those DMs and for that reason, I am putting out a courtesy message. If you have questions about my current novel and want to DM me, state your business in the first message and I will respond. Family and friends are also free to DM me anytime. I am leaving this warning here for anyone who intends to DM me with anything flirtatious. The recent four messages I received and the friend requests from strange men seem to make this message necessary. 

I will be straight with you. Do not direct message me if you don't have a writing career-related purpose or you intend to slide into my DMs.  I have to be friends with you outside the internet or you have to clearly state your intentions for me to respond, especially if I don't know you in person. I will no longer be putting out courtesy messages individually. You should read my bio before you hit send because I am married. Consider this your courtesy message. Expect crickets and silence when you do hit send, and expect to be blocked if you start with any type of flirtation. Thank you for understanding. 

Sources:

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/creepy-slide-into-dms-advice

https://www.shethepeople.tv/home-top-video/direct-messages-men-send-women-social-media/

https://www.bolde.com/dont-respond-guys-slide-dms-neither-you/

What To Do When You Receive Unwanted Sexual or Provocative Messages from Admirers – Phil Cooke

An Update On My Current Project

 Hello! I don't know if you know, but I am completely finished with the editing process of my current project. I have been working on a suspense novel titled Wrenville for a year or more. Today you're going to hear an update on the entire project and what comes next. 

Courtesy of shiq4.wordpress.com

I went through the editing process and finally finished it at the end of this year. I intend to release Wrenville in January of 2023. Right now I am working on a marketing plan. 

I intend to wait to release Wrenville in 2023 because I would one, like to enjoy my holiday season before jumping in with both feet, and two, need a plan set in place for the sake of my sanity. I would like to have some clear steps set before me prior to the novel's release. I will be creating a website and announcing the name of that website on a future blog post. Keep your eyes open for further updates amongst the rest of the blog posts.

Courtesy of coolpun.com

There are a few ways you can help me promote my future published book and one of them is to subscribe to the blog, as well as find me on social media. After you do that, I would greatly appreciate sharing any and all social media posts I put out there. I need to get as many people to see my posts as possible. I am on TikTok as "theintroverteddetective" and I am on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as Cathy Baker or Catherine Baker. Click here for a blog on dealing with DMs.

*I have gotten several direct messages that seem to be flirtations. Anyone reading this should know that I do not blog to get that attention, and furthermore, am married. I will respond to for-sure flirtations by hitting the block button. If you do direct message me about my current writing project please announce your intentions clearly. I do not have time to deal with flirtations and may not respond to you at all otherwise. Thank you for understanding.*

Aside from that warning, I  promise that I am approachable as a human being. I am just tired of flirtatious direct messages that prove people didn't read my bio. I appreciate all of you that read my blog. 

 I will be announcing the coming of Wrenville on Amazon with a blog post, much like the future website blog post that will come before it. Today's update isn't long. I simply want to be clear and open with all of you who look forward to the coming of Wrenville. Some of you know how long I've waited to get this far on the project.

If you've read this far down, you deserve a sneak peek of the ebook cover and the synopsis. 

The ebook cover of Wrenville
Created by Cathy Baker using Canva

Jack Thomas, a private investigator on the run from one of his past cases, found Wrenville in an effort to hide. Is he safe here, or has his past caught up with him?