Facebook is a venue for networking, for keeping up with friends and family, for reaching out and expanding your horizons, and therein lies the danger.

Since my book was released in late 2011, I have had the opportunity and privilege to connect with authors from all over. These folks have expanded my horizons in so many more ways than I could ever have imagined. On a daily basis they teach me, make me laugh and make me think. I don’t even mind if they try to sell me one of their books – though I’d prefer a soft sell to some of the more in-your-face promotions. Having said all of this, I do have one major complaint.

When I receive an invitation to connect with someone I don’t know – I just naturally assume they’re an author. On several occasions I have been sadly mistaken and have been subjected to the stalky advances of some sniveling creep. Here’s the one I received this morning:

Hello,I am Kenneth, i love your good looking,How I wish words could express the thoughts that I have towards you. If I should say I love you then the greater percent of my words are still unexpressed.But of course, I must say something. my heart beats for you, and my heart longs for you.Can we have a conversation on. Thanks

Chat Conversation End

A number of my other Facebook “friends” have experienced a similar kind of stalky message, and we all find it unnerving. Perhaps this is why they do it – to make us feel unsettled.

I have a message for all of you Kenneths. Crawl back into your hidey-hole. You do not intimidate us – you sadden us. And to paraphrase a line from The Big Bang Theory, “you will never get a woman, that’s right, we all got together and took a vote!”

And as for everyone else – hell yes, I am going to de-friend him ASAP!