Friday, January 31, 2014

Yahoo Email Accounts Hacked; Not Certain How Many

Yahoo reported that the email accounts of an estimated 273 million users may have fallen victim to a hacker. If you have a Yahoo email account, you are being advised to change your password immediately. It is unclear of just how many of the users have been directly affected by this attack, but it is believed that the hacker was able to gain access to the accounts via a third-party database compromise.

Scenarios such as this are becoming all too familiar in the world we live in today. With advances on technology, becoming the victim of a hacker is all too close for comfort.

Target found itself in the middle of a security breach back in December, when the credit card information of an estimated 110 million people was loosed into the hands of a hacker. Adobe even found itself the victim of a security breach in which the information for millions of users was compromised.

Neiman Marcus was slowly hacked over a three month period.


It is a pretty scary thought. But in the technology driven world we live in, these types of things are to be expected.

So, how do you protect yourself from becoming the victim of a hacker? How do you keep your information from falling into the wrong hands? I found a very informational article that you may just want to check out over at Wired.com's Innovation Insights.

In the mean time, be careful out there my friends.

Until next time,


Monday, January 27, 2014

How To Control Your Finances As A Freelancer

If you are self-employed as a freelancer and you offer one to one services to clients, more than likely you also have to play the role of being a bookkeeper. And that isn't always an easy feat.
Our money is not certain and overspending for the month could mean the difference between paying a bill or buying food for the month.
It is important to get your finances under control. And I think I may have found the perfect solution.
 I joined a program called Financial Fitness Club. Doing so has helped me to finally get my finances in perspective so that I can do more in my business.
If you are a freelancer or any form of an entrepreneur, you probably base your income on how many clients you have booked for the month. Assuming all the clients pay their invoices on time, you can pretty much bank on the amount you will have to spend. But, if you don't have a budget in place to help you get a grip on that spending, you will soon find yourself broke and living from client to client. If you're like me, you can't guarantee when the next client is coming or where they are coming from.

That's one of the reasons why this particular program is so important.

The Financial Fitness Club is a program that teaches people how to get their finances under control, as well as how to make some extra money online.

They have a program called 'Every Dollar Counts', where you have to account for every single dollar that you spend each day. I was able to get a mental picture of where my money was going and how much of it. I saw that as soon as I made money a big chunk of it was already spent, and what wasn't already spent would soon be on a pair of cute shoes or a handbag. There was no real budget in place. I spent whatever I wanted without regard.

The Financial Fitness Club was started in July of 2013 by two friends in Oklahoma and since then, the program has helped transform the lives and finances of thousands of people across the globe.

To join the club, you have to make a one time investment of $50 and after that, you get access to the 'Every Dollar Counts' program and some other programs and services the company offers. And if you share the program with others, you are paid a referral fee of $5-$10 for each person that you refer. What a way to sweeten the deal.

It's in the best interest of everyone to get a grip on their finances so you can know how much you're spending and to start saving for a rainy day.

Until next time,








P.S. Interested in learning more about The Financial Fitness Club? Click here.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The Fairy Daughter Teaches Kids About Lying

Children don't always understand the dangers of lying. They also don't understand how 'telling stories' can hurt people.

"The Fairy Daughter" by Aaliyah Gates tackles the issue of lying.

Isis is a young fairy who likes to get her way, and when she can't she lies on other kids to get them into trouble.
When the Great Fairy Locket turns up missing, the entire land of Icedome is forced to stay in their homes until the locket is found.
Isis knows where the locket is, but doesn't tell because she doesn't want to get into trouble. So she does what she knows best--she lies.

'The Fairy Daughter' is written for school-aged children with the hopes of encouraging them to always tell the truth.

The book is available on Amazon.

Until next time,


Sunday, January 5, 2014

The Self-Published Life: Have A Young Reader? Consider This Book From Six Y...

The Self-Published Life: Have A Young Reader? Consider This Book From Six Y...: Aaliyah Gates has written her first book, and has a second book set to be released in January 2014. The unique thing about this author...

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Crimson and the Frost:January Author Showcase




Co-authors and cousins John Williams and James Colletti have been collaborating creatively since they were youths. The pair share a long and successful history that includes writing music, playing in rock bands, writing screenplays, producing shows and music videos for broadcast television, and directing an internationally released movie. Now, John and James have joined forces again to write their first novel, ‘The Crimson and the Frost.’ They are currently developing  two more novels in this series which will ultimately become known as "The Polaris Odyssey."

Here is a sample of "The Crimson and the Frost" for your enjoyment.



KING OF WINTER
The Journal of Whaling Ship - Wyvern Song - Entry # 714 – April 28th 1627
It is approaching a fortnight since last we have seen her. I do not know how long I can give chase as the men are growing weary…

An urgent knock at the door interrupted the captain from his thoughts.  “Enter,” he called, leaning back in his chair.
The door swung open and the ship’s first mate appeared. “Sir, she’s been spotted again!” he exclaimed.
The captain carefully placed the quill in the ink well and smiled.
a
Emerging from below, the captain stepped onto the wet, slippery deck. He squinted against the driving rain, eyeing the storm that was brewing overhead. Charcoal colored clouds twisted and clashed; erupting in a brilliant, white glow with every flash of lighting.
The captain rubbed his chin, perplexed by this sudden turn in the weather. No more than thirty minutes ago, the sky was clear to the horizon and riddled with stars. But it did not matter. Their prey had re-emerged and nothing was going to keep them from their bounty.
The ship cut through the black, churning waves of a wide channel, chasing after a massive humpback whale. The mighty beast charged through the frigid waters as fast as it could move its massive body. The men on board hefted their harpoons, preparing for a killing throw.
The whale thrust its enormous bulk skyward, breaching the surface of the water. It twisted its body in midair then dropped back toward the waves. Its entire length slapped the water sending a wall of salty spray back toward the ship.
The captain watched as the whale disappeared beneath the inky surface, but something else drew his attention…something terrible off the port side. A large twister of wind and ice was bearing down on them. 
The funnel’s tail cut through the waves, kicking up pieces of ice in its wake.  As it approached, the temperature plummeted enough to chill the bone.  The steady rain instantly changed over to a driving snow and the waters of the channel began to transform into a soupy slush.  Jagged chunks of ice bobbed up to the surface and were driven against the ship’s hull by the swells.
The men looked over the railing and marveled at the phenomenon unfolding before their eyes. Nothing they have come to know, from their many years at sea, could explain this rapid freezing of the waters beneath their boat.
The whirlwind suddenly stopped its forward progress and changed direction, circling the boat as if it were toying with it.
“Lower the sail!” shouted the captain and the men quickly went to work. As they tucked the sail away, the man in the crow’s nest shouted, “Iceberg!”
The captain wrenched the ship’s wheel, maneuvering it around the glacial mass, but soon the Wyvern Song ground to a halt as its hull groaned, threatening to splinter apart.  He rushed to the edge of the quarterdeck and stared at the rough-hewn mass of ice that was once the sea.
The crew crowded around the railings and stared in awe at the blanket of white that formed all across the channel. A crew member hoisted his harpoon and took aim at the frozen waters. His muscles tightened as he thrust the weapon with every ounce of his strength, sending it soaring into the night. But even with the power behind the throw, the missile only glanced off the solid ice and bounced harmlessly away. 
The ship’s first mate ran breathlessly to his captain’s side, a mixture of fear and intrigue on his face. “Sir, what is happening?” 
“I’ve not seen the likes of it in all my years,” the captain admitted. 
Everyone onboard was bewitched by the hypnotizing dance of the whirlwind that was circling the boat with increasing speed. Suddenly, the twister stopped and spun furiously in place as if gathering its power. Then, to the crew’s horror, it raced directly at them.
 “Take cover,” and “Hold on for your lives,” they screamed.
Every crew member held on for dear life as the cyclone was almost upon them. Right before impact, it rose up and soared above the masts, gyrating like an airborne serpent. The crew looked to the sky in horror as a sinister cackle, as deep as thunder, echoed out across the channel.
“By the Gods!” shouted one crew member.
“What magic is this?” cried another.
The whirlwind touched down on the opposite side of the ship and spun away toward the shoreline. Trembling, the captain retrieved a looking glass from his inside coat pocket and peered through it. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing; a shadowy, human-like form began to take shape within the veil of the swirling vortex.
The wind and ice dissipated and what was left was a lean figure with a long white mane, sharp features, and a complexion of pearly, iridescent blue.  Brilliant silver eyes that resembled polished steel, glared back at the captain, sending a rush of icy fear through his soul. The strange being bellowed a wicked laugh at the sight of the ship sitting crooked and helpless in the frozen waters.
“W…who is that?” whispered the nervous first mate.
“'What is that?’ would be a question more befitting,” replied the captain, lowering his spyglass.  Although his voice was even-keeled, he was terrified, fighting back waves of nausea. “I have heard many stories of the King of Winter and not one of them ended well.” Hands shaking, he brought the spyglass back up and watched the unearthly being laughing…mocking them.
Suddenly the laughter ceased, cut off by a gasp.  The King of Winter paused, shuttered and stared up at the sky, caught up in a haunted daydream. He vaporized back into a whirlwind and spun away, moving with unnatural speed.
a
Somewhere in the middle of a vast, moonlit winter landscape, a colossal, glistening tower stood tall against its surroundings like a solitary titan. At the very top of the obelisk was a small, empty chamber.  Standing on the spire’s small platform, a mysterious figure shrouded in a crimson cloak reverently held a large, red jewel before the chamber. With a powerful thrust, the figure inserted the jewel…
…AND THE EARTH SHOOK!
A hum resonated from the jewel as it began to glow from within. The humming grew stronger and the glowing brightened until finally, a streak of light erupted from the top of the tower toward the sky and then spread out in all directions. Drifting to the ground was a dome of rich, warm hues of rosy pink and golden amber that shimmered and flowed like the Aurora Borealis. The thick cloud-cover directly above the tower, suddenly morphed into a soft mist. From it, artistically cut snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground.
Off in the distance, specks of ghostly blue light appeared on the horizon as a wind picked up. Harder and harder it blew, as a whirlwind approached. When it reached the edge of the protective dome, it sputtered and stalled, spitting the King of Winter’s solidified form violently to the ground.
He shook off his disorientation and jumped to his feet in a rage. His steely eyes moved across the terrain looking for the source of the impact. Never before has his power been utterly thwarted, especially in the heart of his realm.  To his disbelief, what he saw in his path was a subtle, shimmering veil of energy. He reached his hand out to touch it but snapped it back when a stabbing pain shot up the length of his arm.  He looked skyward and noticed that this strange force was cascading from the top of a tower. The beauty of it was lost on him. 
His lip curled with an angry sneer as he whispered, “Who dare…”

To purchase your copy of "The Crimson and The Frost", click the link:



To contact the authors: crimsonandfrost@gmail.com

Until next time,






P.S. Want to see your book featured here on this blog, and be read by thousands globally? Click here for all the details.