Fact: Liz is addicted to her Crackberry Blackberry. Whether she's working, playing or pretending to be paying attention in a meeting, she's always just waiting for that little red asterisk to pop up. And Lisa's not much better-she loves her iPhone so much that's she's found a way to send emails from it while pumping breast milk. Now that's talent!
So when Save as Draft by Cavanaugh Lee landed on our doorstop last month-we were intrigued to read about Izabell's online adventures. And we were happy to discover it was a fun and sassy read that we gobbled up in just a few days.
A love triangle evolving over e-mails, texts, and Facebook messages that makes you wonder if the things we leave unsaid—or rather unsent—could change the story of our lives. Izabell is a wactress (waitress/actress) turned lawyer who lives her life online. (Don’t we all these days?)
She's got this problem. . . . There’s this guy. His name’s Peter. He’s her best friend and co-worker, and she just started dating, which is potentially a huge mistake. But, that’s not all. There’s this other guy, Marty. She met him on eHarm, and he ran with the bulls in Spain. She can’t get him off her mind. What a mess.
Sounds fun, right? We have FIVE copies to give away! Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win! we'll choose the winners Sunday March 13th after 1pm PST.
And we're thrilled that Cavanaugh is sharing her Do's and a Do-over for the Electronic age. Because, I think we all have a few friends on Facebook that could benefit from her advice!
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: CAVANAUGH LEE'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER
5 DO’S
1. DO make sure you’re actually communicating and not just “communicating.” I mean, really, say what you mean and mean what you say. Ask yourself these questions as you type any critical email:
a. Has all this technology made it easier or harder to communicate?
b. Are we using it to express ourselves more fully, or to edit/fabricate ourselves?
c. Are we communicating more when we write hundreds of emails a day, or are we actually not saying anything at all?
d. If we spend hours crafting the perfectly witty email, have we told the truth?
e. Are we hiding behind an “electronic spine” as our fingers press the keys?
f. Have we sacrificed a genuine connection in favor of a wireless connection?
2. If you like someone, DO email: “I like you” (or something to that effect). If you don’t like someone, DO type: “I’m just not that into you.” You may only get one shot to “just hit send,” and email is not the place to toy with someone’s emotions. Along those same lines, DO think twice before asking someone out via email (same goes for asking for someone’s hand in marriage) and DO think twice before breaking up with someone via email. How about doing it in person instead? I mean, don’t you want to see their face? J
3. DO use the Bcc (“blind carbon copy”) button wisely – it’s a rather devious mechanism. It can get you in trouble as can the “Reply to All” (Oops!).
4. DO delete anyone who has broken your heart from your Contacts page. Not deleting them can result in emailing “under the influence” which can further result in massive disaster. DO avoid it at all costs. In fact, install “Mail Goggles” which you can find in G-Mail under “Settings” + “Labs.” Again, delete, delete, delete… and don’t look back.
5. DO empty your Trash folder every so often. It is masochistic to re-read it.
DO-OVER
DON’T “Save as Draft,” unless it’s a nasty-gram to your boss (of course if you’re about to quit your job for a better one – send it – kidding). See #1 under DO’S for the reason. All of this electronic technology is both good and bad, depending on how we use it. Saving as draft means you’re holding back. Life is too short
Thanks Cavanaugh! xoxo, L&L
To read more about Cavanaugh, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.