Inbox Blues

Author Anne Manning joins us today. I so feel her pain!

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When Marci invited me to blog here at this fabulous place, and told me that I was free to rant, I started thinking about what my topic would be. What really ticks me off? Ah, so many things, so few words....

Since I spend so much of my life on-line, my major irritations are to be found in my email inbox.

1. I’m on several yahoogroups and there’s always someone who simply must respond to each and every post. Usually in a condescending way that ends up irritating everybody. That’s right, people who don’t know when to shut up tick me off. Doesn’t matter what the subject is, they know more about it than you. Blah-blah-blah... Now, I myself believe that “if I explain it long enough, often enough, and in enough detail, you will agree with me that I’m right.” But I’m in the 12-step program and doing quite well, thank you. Of course, before you can get help, you have to know you have a problem, and some people just don’t know they have a problem. I wonder if Intervention takes cases like this?
2. Extremely loooooong signatures. You’ve seen ‘em. The post says “me too” and is followed by a signature that’s ten lines long. Do we really need to know your entire curriculum vitae with every single post? Do we need to read a blurb for your book and the wonderful review quotes every frickin’ time? Cut it down, for Pete’s sake! Think of how many little electrons sacrificed themselves for your shameless self-promotion.
3. Spam!!! “Anne Manning...get cheap Viagra®!” Or the ones from the darling little girls from Eastern Europe who are willing to show me everything they got and how they can use it. Okay, I know these are from spambots, but can’t someone program the things to figure out that a person named “Anne” probably won’t be interested in Viagra®? Send me spam about where to get cheap chocolate...I’d probably click on the link for that!
4. Chain emails, especially the ones that promise you everything you’ve ever wanted if you’ll just inflict the danged thing on ten of your best friends...and have them send it back to you. I didn’t want it the first time! Sometimes a friend will include me on one that celebrates our military service members. “If you love the troops you’ll send this to ten people!” Nobody ever explained to me exactly how sending a chain email helps the troops. I’m thinking they’d really rather get a care package with books, playing cards, baby wipes (no kidding, they love these), and letters of support.
5. But what really grinds my cookies to a fine powder are chain emails that tell you a sweet story of a religious nature. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a Christian. Maybe that’s why it really galls me to read an email with said sweet story, then get to the end of the thing and see what amounts to “if you love Jesus, send this to ten of your friends. If you break this chain, God won’t love you anymore.”

   Does God really monitor our email? I thought only the National Security Agency did that!
   
   But that’s another rant.

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Anne Manning writes all kinds of romance—paranormal, historical, contemporary—from her secluded bunker in San Antonio, Texas. She also writes with the sister of her heart, Kathryn Overton, as Taylor Manning. Anne and Taylor’s books are available from New Concepts Publishing, Uncial Press, and Hard Shell Word Factory.

Anne’s favorite of her own books is still The Raven’s Lady. Rational scientist Eibhlin Fitzgerald crosses a shimmering time curtain and winds up in 11th century Ireland. She wants to go home, but an Irish warrior has other ideas. This 2000 EPPIE winner is still available in eBook and print from New Concepts Publishing. It has absolutely the best time-travel romance cover ever!