One reason I chose to set The Sheepwalker in the 1950s was so the only technology my MC would have to deal with would be a telephone and a typewriter. Burgeoning social media dominated the conversation at the 2012 Christian Writers Guild Conference. It’s a steep learning curve.

Just as I nestle into smugness over my mastery of Facebook and WordPress, along comes Photoshop Elements 10 and Pinterest. Literary agents are blunt: If I Google you and I don’t see you name, I won’t look at your stuff sums it nicely.

While I’m way beyond stressing over privacy issues I did send up some disgruntled prayers:

 God, if we have to spend so much time talking to each other, when will we find time to talk to You? When will we write? I blog, therefore I am not outlining my next novel.

My life may be Twitter-less (not for long) but I do blog, post my status, comment occasionally and pin an image on a virtual board for reasons I can’t fathom. Then the  agent upped the ante:

And if you don’t have at least 1,000 friends—10,000 is better—you don’t have enough platform.

 As I nursed my wounds I overheard the following exchange:

How many do you have?

Twelve thousand.

You’re kidding! That’s so much!

Turns out they were comparing farm acreage but that was little comfort.  Then I heard the still small voice:

Just do it.

That’s the same voice that started me down this novel path.  I can’t visualize the rare air that would produce galaxies of friends but I can take the next steps. When I figure out how to create a fan page that links to my blog, I hope you’ll be my friend. I promise I won’t abuse the privilege.