I’m back

Getting back on Facebook and setting up a new account is a lot of work.  I’d worked on my old one for 10 years, the second (benefits youknowit) for about 7-8 years.  I rarely used the 2^nd one except as back up to post when I was in FB jail.  Yes, I post a lot but I do have a lot to post.  Not only my books but my author’s books for Shadoe Publishing and in the past couple of years, those posts for the Lesfic Bard Awards and Gay Scribe Awards.  You lose the contacts you have made over those years, the interactions, and even the games!  Heck I was up to 11 BILLION on slots!  Oh, if that were only REAL money…but losing that would have made me suicidal.

I was happy when, a few years ago I found a service through Fiverr to post for me and my books, because I was in FB jail far too much and what happened to me with FB (while deserved) was what I was trying to prevent.  These PA (personal assistant) posts for me and many other lesfic authors and I appreciate for the cost of a good cup of coffee, they can post in the many groups.  If I pay a little more, they can post in even more groups.  I think this is business smart.  There are other services on Fiverr, I’ve used them to make my charactures of me before the craze even started on FB.  I’ve used many posters on all the social media to get my and my author’s books out there, because you have to see them to buy them, right?

Anyone can and does hire these people, and I think they should.  It’s a great way for someone or someones to make some money doing something part or full time with the skills they have.

I also like to post silly meme’s and entertain my friends, fans, and audience on Facebook and Twitter.  If you don’t like it, then scroll on by, just like anything else.  I do a lot of work not only having fun, but promoting myself and those I’m contractually obliged to help, but also because I like it and I’m good at it.  We play to our strengths.

If you think that I’ve set up fake accounts to do all that you aren’t realizing the amount of time and effort involved and let’s face it, there isn’t that much time in the day for me to do all that.  Btw, just so you know, I haven’t set up these PA accounts, that is someone else.  Also, if you think about it, I crank out far too many books in a year, normally, to have the time to do ALL of that! Seriously, I’m not Wonder Woman but sometimes I wonder, women?

Have I had fake accounts?  Well, define fake?  Yes, I had two in my name when FB eliminated fake names like the benefits youknowit account and I changed that to KAnne Meinel without the apostrophe.  I’ve explained that in previous blogs.  At the same time, that was when I had my regular K’Anne Meinel account.  I do have one just for family that I rarely go on but I want them blocked from my K’Anne accounts anyway because they don’t read my stuff, they don’t need to know what I’m doing anyway.  So, if that is a fake account, then yes, I have had them.  But I assure you, not only am I REALLY K’Anne Meinel as it is on my birth certificate that way, but I do have a legitimate FB account and only one under my REAL name.  I even outlined my REAL name in a blog post a few years ago here.

I hope that people enjoy my books, enjoy my efforts on their behalf to promote their books (contractually or because I like other authors), and follow along.  I’m funny as hell so why the heck not?  lol

Instagram

As many of you may know, Instagram is owned by Facebook. Since my FB account was deleted by them before Xmas, they also deleted my Instagram account. Since then, I’ve learned a few things.

A week or so before FB deleted my account, my Instagram account was hacked. Since I don’t use it often, I didn’t find that out right away. I’m thinking this ultimately led to FB’s deletion of my account along with the other infractions they felt I had been doing.

There is a K’Anne Meinel Instagram account out there pretending to me…I don’t think it is my original one. Unless FB didn’t delete it and is simply not letting me access it? I don’t know, I can’t see it. Frustrating and a bit of catch-22?

Two of my Google mail accounts were hacked. Fortunately Gmail was not compromised, but I did have to change passwords. The report stated there were attempted logins from Russia. I haven’t left the Northwoods in quite some time and I’m pretty sure I have never been to Russia. Nyet!

I’m not wallowing in self-pity here, some of this I did deserve, after all I posted too much (according to FB). I apparently am an influencer (as if I have any power of any kind there), and I’m a socially prominent lesbian (yeah, right). Let’s face it, we all know FB is homophobic. The frat guys that started it are still in power, still living that mentality, and homophobic. Also, when the Asian farms they contracted with to run FB when the Earth is turned and in their hemisphere (and America is asleep), it’s actually illegal in some of those countries to be a homosexual. So then, they put their social mores, some of their country rules and regulations on the rest of us. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

Anyway, thought I’d let you all know what’s going on now…sigh.

Facebook has suspended my ‘new’ account

As many of you know my K’Anne Meinel account on Facebook was deleted right before xmas. If you didn’t see the blog, the link is here.

I don’t know if this is a new thing with them as no one else I know is going through this, but on the ‘new’ account, which I’d had as a back up for years (Benefits Youknowit), but now they are requesting/requiring my identification. No problem, I sent them my passport which didn’t go in their darn bad programming. As a former programmer the errors I see on FB are frustrating to no end. Someone isn’t following through when they redo their site and as a result, there are a lot of errors. One of them occurred when I went to put in my passport, uploading it so they could straighten out my identification. After repeated attempts for days, it was a no-go. I finally found a back-door (as a former programmer, there is ALWAYS a back door) and was able to upload the passport. Finally, it uploaded and I had a foot in the door, or so I thought. They rejected it.

Then, I uploaded my driver’s license, a couple of times actually because they had trouble with the photograph or something (again, another programming error?). Things seemed to be going well, I started adding friends and fans that I could remember and a lot of new ones who had friends in common. Let’s face it, with over 5000 friends and an equal number of followers, I couldn’t remember all the names. Some sounded familiar, and I befriended them, others I recognized.

Then, the other day I updated my profile with real information. Just so everyone knows, I don’t REALLY live in Timbuktu, Mali. That’s a joke folks and if you haven’t realized I have sense of humor, well, that’s sad. I also added an avatar of mine that I had made up before the craze started on FB. Well, that seemed to trigger them and they REQUIRED, not REQUESTED my identification, AGAIN. In the meantime, my KAnne Meinel (notice there is no apostrophe) account has been suspended. Sigh.

I don’t know if this is the work of ‘just’ FB. I have stepped on some toes over the years and if you are still butt-hurt about that, I am sorry…not because I did it, but because you haven’t gotten over it and are being vindictive. I made mistakes, I’m human.

However, this has also taken away from my communication with a lot of really cool people that I ENJOY talking to from time to time. I’m a social animal, from the safety of my quiet little home in the Northwoods. This gives me an outlet from working all the time. Yes, I do have Twitter as well, but I’m more familiar with FB and enjoy the people I have met through there. If you haven’t already, please LIKE and FOLLOW my author page, you can even inbox me there to chat.

This is not a ploy to get more ‘likes’ or attention. This is simply me keeping people in the loop so they know why I disappear from time to time. It isn’t me, really. I don’t do things like that for attention. I’m not attention seeking except when I come out with a new book or have news to share of importance from my publishing company, the awards companies, or those who have taken a genuine interest in me. Fortunately, FB doesn’t have a say about my blog here and can’t shut THAT down (I hope).

I’m still here, I’m still queer (lesbian actually), and I’m not going to sit down and take this quietly.

Follow me and keep in the loop.

~K’Anne (with the apostrophe) Meinel

Blown Away The Alternate Cover ~ Audiobook

Ellen Christenson escaped from an abusive life, but can you ever truly escape the scars on your soul?  You try and move on, but life’s patterns tend to repeat until you have learned their lessons.
Ellen’s life choices bring her full circle to the scenes of her abuse, and she will need to deal with the past in ways she never anticipated for the healing to begin.  She must repair her soul and all the people she has devastated along the way.
Ellen hadn’t intended to end up in the high-tech world of Silicon Valley, but she finds herself the head of a start-up.  Cool, calculating, and efficient—this is the mask she shows to the world.  Few people, if any, know the real Ellen. 
Nearby San Francisco provides Ellen a never-ending supply of girlfriends, but are her internal scars concealing her desire to find that one special woman … a kindred soul … her soul mate?
For years, Ellen has borne the guilt of her decision to allow another to die for their sins.  Now, Ellen is blown away by the feelings and emotions she has suppressed for so long!

Year of reflection

As I started to write this, I began to think back over the many years I’ve been on Earth and this blog began to take too serious a tone.  I want and need positivity in my life, although, sometimes when I’m writing, I use realistic and sometimes sad things to write the stories.  That can be depressing and I don’t want to bum you out.  I love laughter and want to entertain my readers, but leave them wanting more.  I rethought writing anything negative as I want something positive to end the year with.

Something I do when there is a lot of bad happening in the world, is I hunker down, hibernate, and write like crazy to avoid the news, the barrage of it, and, of course, popping on and off social media.

This year I was able to crank out twelve books.  Let me correct that, that is, three complete books, and nine novellas.  No, I am not bragging, I have no life when I’m writing voraciously, it’s like a mania that I can’t control.  I definitely get aches in my joints from sitting too long, my shoulders and elbows too!  My fingers have been known to actually tingle from the intensity of my typing and, I apparently clench my jaw when I write.  This means my teeth hurt!

The first that I came out with was Inn the Dog House.

I often wonder if every lesbian loves dogs and cats and secretly wishes to have a day-care center for them?  Nah, just like everyone doesn’t like human kids, not everyone loves fur-kids.  That’s okay.  Diversity is what I like about our community.  Besides, who would have this kind of money to indulge like my character did?  It helped that I was in the Pet Industry for 30 years and had a bit of inside-knowledge…oh, and Pininterest helped a lot!  Check out the page on my website because I put the designs for the doggie daycare on there that I myself cobbled together.  Was pretty proud of that too!

The second book I came out with was Flight.

Now, THIS one was to be only a novella.  I finished it, and then, my girlfriend said, no, I think this should be a novel.  But, I was DONE with it! <insert whine here> (rolling my eyes at her influence).  And yet, that niggling doubt created a whole ‘nother tangent that I went off on.  It also added a year to the release!  Now, my editor (who does not help me with these blogs, punctuation and other errors are my own), does not like this cover.  Apparently those with phobia’s about flying have reason not to like this cover.  However, that shouldn’t keep you from reading this awesome mystery.  Maybe you shouldn’t read it when flying or waiting for a flight?  I’m imagining the expressions of other passengers as you read this and they see the cover?

My third novel this year was An Island Between Us.

I loved the idea of doing it all yourself and these women, after WW2, were discriminated against enough that they decided, let’s make our own world.  That would be so scary, their families had reason to become alarmed, and, what an amazing story they became.

I did actually ‘write’ another story that is not available to the public.  It was for my mother’s family and I’m very proud of it.  However, since it was only for family, it is not available for sale.  Still, at the family reunion and to those generations of cousins and their kids, it will prove to be an invaluable resource of dates, pictures (I did it in color), and stories that we shared.

That’s my mother in the middle of her parents, the youngest of four.  The stories that came out in the completion of this book were amazing.  Sharing the pictures in this manner made me nostalgic for a time that no longer exists.  All of these people pictured here are gone now, the gentleman on the far left of the front cover, my Uncle Eugene was the last to go at 92!  That was in 2018.  My mother has been gone 19 years now and I wish I had written down every single story she told of her family, youth, as well as wisdom.  If you have the opportunity to do so, do it!  I am now working, of course, on the Meinel side of the family.

After my three (four) books I had some time ‘off’ as my main editor was back at school and unavailable.   I was in a creative mood and my back up editors were working on other things for me.  So, I decided to come out with a series…in fact, these stories had been in my head for YEARS and YEARS and I decided to do a creative spin from the various points of view of the women I so wanted to write about.  Some of it worked, other’s didn’t like it, but overall, I enjoyed writing them.  I released FOUR at once!  Then one a week for a while a month or so later.  I have more planned, but I was pleased to use these terrific pieces of art that I found and manipulated to my needs.  I think these covers are so eye-catching, you would never know what they looked like originally.  I think I’m getting better, not only at my writings but at my illustrating.

Welcome to A Woman Down Under series:

There is nothing like a strong woman!  I’ve got several heroines in these books and wait, there is more to come!

Lastly, I must not forget my faithful Alice.  She’s still whispering in my ear as I came out with her latest antics.  Don’t worry, I have more of her planned too.

She’s an insatiable bitch for a lesbian serial killer, but she’s the kind of woman who keeps on giving…and killing, and more…

Well, in this year of reflection, I must NOT forget that my wonderful book Pioneering, won for Best Historical Lesbian Romance!  YAY!

and Cavalcade was an Honorable Mention!

In researching and setting up various pages on my website to showcase these honorable mentions, finalists, wins, etc, I found several that I had ‘forgotten’ or been unaware of.  Check out all this here.  I’ve had at least (that I could find) TEN honorable mentions/finalists in the past years, many that I didn’t even know about!

So, overall, I’d say I had a pretty good year!  You should see what I have planned for 2020!  Thank you to all who follow me, read my works, and send me emails, inboxes, and reviews. 

I hope that it all makes your life a little better for having me and my works in it, because I know I appreciate you!

Mandating Malice ~ Book 25

Who is Alice Weaver?  The CIA believes they are about to find out…but are they?  Do they really want to meet the real Alice Weaver?  Perhaps, some things are better left hidden.  Some agents think they already know who Alice is.  After all, they have a file on her and so does the FBI.  But what they know is only what Alice wants them to know.  When Alice Weaver shares information with those in authority, they will be left scrambling for cover!

and coming soon to:

Outback Bred

Because I put the first FOUR of this amazing series up on Amazon Kindle Unlimited, I’m able to offer this to new readers who I want to get hooked on my writings!  On September 15, 2019 for only ONE day, we are offering this book to those readers!  You can read these first four in any order.  Give it a try, I’m sure you will love it.

Get your copy here.

Find out what others are saying about this particular book in the series:

K’Anne’s books get 5-stars!

DR

4.0 out of 5 stars Mel recreates herself

September 6, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I enjoyed reading how building a sheep station took its toll on Mel and the challenge of Alinta learning a new language and culture. This was similar to Alinta’s story as there were many passages that came from the first book. Mel’s coming into her own in mannerisms, dress, and love was a good read. The stories surround Alinta, Mel, and Carmen. So it’ll be interesting to read the last book in the series.

Jennis Slaughter

5.0 out of 5 stars A great part two of a new series

August 29, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I received this series as a gift, and I want to let you know. You’re in for a wild ride. The settings are all described with such detail that you can smell the eucalyptus trees. The characters are so rich and well thought out. The story is written in such a way that you are transported. The author is stepping up to the plate and it’s gone, folks. A great read.

svincent

5.0 out of 5 stars Great continuation of this series!

August 30, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating description of life in the Australian Outback and it continued the story which began with Shanghaied, although you didn’t necessarily have to read the other one first. The main character, Mel, is a strong woman facing difficult situations. It’s a great series so far and I can’t wait to read the next outback book!

Amazon Customer Barb

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read recommend this series

September 4, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

Good book. The characters are very well developed. The author describes the scenery very well. Very well written book. Recommend this book.

An Island Between Us ~ New release

Imagine it’s 1945.  You are waiting for your husbands to return from WW2…and they don’t.

Fast forward to 1949.  You work in a mill where you aren’t appreciated.  You hate it, and people are beginning to wonder why you don’t remarry and give up the traditionally male jobs you do now that you need to support yourself in the burgeoning after-war economy.  They want you to go back to your kitchens, take care of your existing children, remarry, and have more children…the American way.

But what if you don’t want that traditional way of life?  What if you have fallen in love with another woman and wish to make a new life with her?

Marion Whiting and Barbara Jenkins are two such women.  They are stuck in dead-end jobs in a mill, sharing a life they believe no one would understand…and each other.  After finding an ad in the local newspaper, they decide to give up everything for a dream.  They take their children and go. But the work involved in creating their dream just might quash the dream, their relationship, and the life they are building together.  How can two women alone with their children on a secluded island make it all work?

On my website, as they become available in the various distributors, they are listed here:

Audiobook ~ Love of my LIFE

A short-story mystery!

When I meet the love of my life, a whirlwind romance of love, passion, and happily ever after will follow, right?  Marriage…until DEATH do us part.

  

Coming soon:

Flight

A tragic explosion results in the death of over 200 airplane passengers.  Was the explosion caused by pilot error, or was it a conspiracy? 

Pilot Cathalene (Lena) Penn, accused by the airline of being a smuggler, died in the tragedy, and her wife, Jessica is desperate to clear Lena’s good name. 

When Jessica travels to Belgium, her wife’s home away from home, she discovers diamonds, a second family, and a mystery…

Sometimes, choosing between what is safe and what is right isn’t easy, and running away is always an option…Flight!

Get your copy here~