I blame Google Alerts!

I set up Google Alerts as a way of knowing when somewhere on the Internet makes a mention of me (narcissistic? Moi?) or 'The Extremely Very Scrambled Up World of Little Doogs' (I say that knowing that Ian will now also be alerted to the fact that someone has mentioned the book and will be forced to take a look at the blog!) Hah! GOTCHA!

Anyway, I digressed there in a very childish manner - where was I? Oh yes...google alerts...well inevitably lots of random stuff comes up, who knew that 'scrambled world' features in quite so many newspaper articles from reports on fish (I didn't bother to read that one) to the state of the financial markets. But a recent GA threw up a mention on www.jacketflap.com. So of course I logged on to see that I had profile as 'a writer of young adult fiction', so of course, intrigued, I delved deeper to discover it is a 'networking site' for everyone connected with children's books - from authors through to booksellers with a few agents thrown in along the way (painful!)

Now if I'm trying to get 'Extremely Very...' out there, as of course I am, then logging on to such a site is not to be passed by. There's always the chance that you're going to meet someone who loves it and will help 'build the brand' (Look Ian I'm talking the talk!) and of course there is the real chance of meeting like-minded people.

I have dutifully uploaded my 'bio' panicking as always about what to put, and was gratified to see that when uploading the ISBN for 'Extremely Very...' a whole load of 'Sleepovers' also came up. But now there's the stressful bit about 'friends' - what if no-one likes me, should I make the first move, what should I say??? And of course I have that nagging feeling that I'm just not making enough of a great opportunity because I simply do not know how to.

All offers of help gratefully received. Are you still there Ian?
Ian?
Coo-ee Ian????