122 Rules by Deek Rhew

Monday, October 24, 2016

Domestic Violence Awareness Month


This blog entry has been a long time coming, but it took a while of thinking about what to share. This subject is very different from the usual happy-go-lucky blogs I write and I don't want it to be a downer or just a rant--though it could have easily digressed to that--but I do want to get the message out.

If you didn't read Erin's post about her experience surviving Domestic Violence, you should. Erin has a strength that I admire and a fortitude that's inspirational. Erin is a fighter. Erin is courageous.

Erin is a survivor.

The anger I feel over what happened to her in the past is palpable. The chronic pain she's in from the abuse at the hands of her ex is so beyond unjust it's off the charts. Fortunately, we've recently found someone that is helping her deal with the physical pain--pain that dogs her constantly--but even in the healing, I keep coming back to how incredibly unjust it is.

Anyone that knows her knows that Erin is the kindest, most tender-hearted person to have ever walked the Earth. She's giving to a fault and will fiercely fight for those she loves. But those that live with or have lived with an abuser will know the cost of being giving. An abuser will take and take and take and only return misery. They steal a giver's precious time, love, and willingness to do anything for them and twist it around to fill their own depravities. They will use whatever you say, whatever you believe, your own feeling and thoughts, even scripture taken out of context to control you. Nothing is off limits.

It's narcissism in its ugliest form.

Erin and I have talked about her past. She has shared with me all that was done, and it makes me nauseated and furious. Her friends and family told me they knew something was wrong and they were scared for her. But no one knew what really happened, they could only suspect, and no one knew how to help.

I think about those times she suffered, and I want to wrap my arms around my tender-hearted bride. I want to hold her forever. Shelter her from the pain and protect her from anything that might hurt her. Yes, she's strong. Yes, she's a fighter. Yes, she got herself out of the situation. But the instinct to protect this beautiful woman is sometimes overwhelming.

So, for those of you stuck in a similar situation, you need to know that there is help. There are people that will listen and help you get away from him. They will protect you and help you deal with financial uncertainty. It is possible.

You don't have to live like that.

Erin posted these links in her blog, but I think they bear repeating:

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: http://www.ncadv.org/
National Domestic Violence Hotline: http://www.thehotline.org/
Battered Women's Justice Project: http://www.bwjp.org/
Futures Without Violence: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence: http://www.ncdsv.org/

Remember: You don't have to stay. There is help available.

I'm so glad that this gentle, intelligent, stunning woman chose to trust again. And I'm honored that she chose me to trust. She didn't have to--she could have rejected all men--but she didn't. Just another example of her remarkable strength. Erin is my best friend. I never knew that such an amazing person even existed, and now I couldn't imagine my life without her.






'Til next time,

Deek

Sunday, October 9, 2016

The Trouble with Twitter


Let me begin by saying that I love Twitter. No, for real. It was the first platform where I started building my author brand. I've met people from all over the world, made friends, and met my wife, Erin Rhew. Wut? I kid you not. Erin and I actually met on Twitter! Here's a blog post my beautiful bride made shortly before we exchanged nuptials in 2014.

This social media platform introduced me to the most beautiful person--with the kindest heart, the gentlest spirit, the sharpest mind--that the world has ever known.

Uber lucky Deek and Erin

Deek and Erin on adventure

Deek and Erin in The Matrix

Erin makes Deek the luckiest man in the universe!

So really, what else can I say but, "Thank you, Twitter!" Thank you for bringing me this wonderful person. I'll never be able to repay you.

Twitter has rocked it, and up until lately, I've never had a lick of problem with it. But there is now trouble with Twitter.

The trouble with Twitter.

My problem started a couple of weeks ago when Erin noticed that she no longer received notifications of my Tweets. A little more digging turned up that no one received notifications of retweets, likes, comments, messages, none of it. In fact, if I reply to a tweet, that message never even shows up in the thread.

Wut the wut?

Yep, for me the social media that's all about social interaction is no longer interactive.


I work for a company that makes online software for a living. If one of our customers has an issue, we have a process for handling it. So, for someone as large and developed as Twitter, this should be no big deal, right? Put in a ticket, a helpful staff member will assist in the situation, and things will be handled. Just another day in the office and part of their Standard Operating Procedure.

Only it's not.


Twitter has a fantastic looking support system titled Help Center. The key word here is "looking." If you have a simple problem, such as needing your password reset, or you need to learn how to make a tweet, create a direct message, or other basic functionality, this is your place. Hands down, they've got your covered.

But what if you've got a deeper issue that isn't addressed?

According to their website, you are supposed to submit a ticket. Google has a ton of information about submitting tickets and replying to the emails Twitter sends you as they diligently work through your issue. The problem with this information is that it is old and Twitter has changed its policies.

So when I submitted my ticket I expected an automated reply and an email. Instead I got this message:
Twitter's new reply when you submit a ticket
   
No email either, just this message.

Really.

Okay, so we need to escalate things. Something is broken, and I need five minutes of a helpful technician's assistance to take care of it. A little more time on Google and I discovered Twitter's support number. Sweet! Dialed 415-222-9670 expecting a long wait time, but okay, at least I'll get some help.

Or not.

Instead, an automated recording informed me that they no longer provided phone support. The only route to assistance is through their automated "Help" Center.




More Google time. It turns out that there's lots of frustration about this new "Help" Center. It doesn't really take care of the problems people are actually having, but simply runs them 'round and 'round until they give up and go away.

If you Tweet @Support, you'll get no response. If you message them on Faceboook, you'll get no response.


I get it. Twitter is GINORMOUS. They have billions of people registered, and if a few have problems, <shrugs>, so what? It's a free platform, albeit a VERY profitable one, but free nonetheless.

But for those of us that have spent seven years building up a platform, where interacting with people is the point, it's more than a little frustrating. According to some reports, sometimes problems magically go away, but that's not usually the case.

I could cancel my account and start over. It's taken me years and years to build up the following that I have, but it's not out of the realm of possibilities. And really, it's a first world problem. I know it. But as a geek that has provided technical support for most of his professional life, it seems like Twitter has lost its human element. They've gotten so big that they just don't care anymore.

It saddens me to see this behemoth become just another automated system with a robot at the wheel. Twitter introduced me to the greatest person in my life, so it has always had a special place in my heart.

I'd love to hear from folks who've had similar experiences. Were you able to resolve your problem, or did you just give up?

Thanks for listening to me gripe, peeps.

I'll see you online, even if you can't hear me.


About the Author
Deek Rhew
Deek Rhew is a transplant from a rainy pocket in the Pacific Northwest. Deek now lives in a sultry corner of the US of A where the sun shines bright, the sweet tea flows, and the hush puppies are hot and delicious.

He and his brilliant, but stunning author bride, Erin Rhew, live a simple life with their writing assistant, a fat tabby named Trinity. They enjoy lingering in the mornings, and often late into the night, caught up Erin’s fantastic fantasy worlds of noble princes and knights and entwined in Deek’s dark underworld of the FBI and drug lords.

He is the author of two books:

122 Rules

A federal assassin grows a conscious just when he's about to pull the trigger.

He has decision to make: Finish his assignment, or follow his gut and save his quarry.


Read #122Rules to join the fray.


Birth of an American Gigolo

If you've even been betrayed.
If you've ever been cheated.
If you've ever wanted to serve up a can of whoopass on someone that desperately deserved it
but never got the chance...
​It's time for you to get the revenge you so truly deserve.

A Husband.
A Mistress.
A #WifesRevenge

Get your revenge.
Read

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Deek Crashes a Book Signing

My beautiful bride, Erin Rhew, had a book signing this weekend. It's certainly not her first, but it's the first one we've been to since our journey back across the country. We spent two years in the Pacific Northwest and have recently relocated to the beautiful South. Erin had several very successful signings while in the land of coffee and beatniks (Portland, Oregon) so we were both very excited to see how she'd fare back in her home turf.

My beautiful bride next to the library flyer.
#HubbaHubba

The signing was in a Q & A format at a library along with four other authors. The genres were fantasy and sci-fi, but when the librarian found out I was an author, she invited me to crash.

I *might* have brought copies of my books with me... just in case. *Maybe*. ;-)













Deek brings copies of his book... just in case.
Also couldn't but help doing a
#BirthSelfie



One of the great things about being at something like this is that you get to meet other authors. Even though there are a million people writing books, the writing world feels like a small, close-knit community. Everyone faces the same struggles, deals with the same demons, and has to overcome the same obstacles.


Erin and I goofing off before the signing.

Getting our game faces on!
Who could resist a selfie before the festivities begin?

O.M.H. Is she smart and smexy or what?



We got to hobnob with other writers one of whom is the awesome, Chrissy Lessey also of Pandamoon Publishing!

Note: If you haven't read her Crystal Cove series, you should stop right now and go order it. Just be sure to come back and finish this blog post afterwards. :-)

Erin and local celebrity, Chrissy Lessey

Deek and Chrissy Lessey
She was gracious enough to take a few pictures with us.
Chrissy agreed to a picture with us!

And then we Rhewined her...
Chrissy Rhewined
She told us that she'd been preparing and psyching herself up to take pictures with us. She even practiced making "Rhew" faces, but alas was not quite prepared when we were snapping a thousand pics. LOL! 

Local authors in da house!
Here's the guest list of the party I crashed:

Twitter: Erin Rhew
Web Site: Erin Rhew

Twitter: Chrissy Lessey
Web Site: Chrissy Lessey

Twitter: Dave Atwell
Web Site: Dave Atwell


Twitter: Josh Leone
Web Site: Josh Leone

Everyone was so fun and open; I totally dug it. I also really appreciate Erin, Chrissy, Dave, Kaisy, and Josh who let me crash their party. Thank y'all!

So what's next? Well this same group of peeps is going to be at Crystal Coast Con on October, 22. So be sure to stop in and say hi.

Crystal Coast Con is coming!

Though it was fun to get to meet other people, the best part about it was that I got to spend the day with my best friend. Erin is the axis upon which my world spins. I couldn't ask for a better partner, a kinder soul, or a more pure spirit to go on these crazy adventures with.

Wow. Just. Wow.
#HubbaHubba
I'm beyond lucky to have such a fun, caring bride. She makes me, and my life, complete.

Until next time, peeps, adventure on!



About the Author
Deek Rhew
Deek Rhew is a transplant from a rainy pocket in the Pacific Northwest. Deek now lives in a sultry corner of the US of A where the sun shines bright, the sweet tea flows, and the hush puppies are hot and delicious.

He and his brilliant, but stunning author bride, Erin Rhew, live a simple life with their writing assistant, a fat tabby named Trinity. They enjoy lingering in the mornings, and often late into the night, caught up Erin’s fantastic fantasy worlds of noble princes and knights and entwined in Deek’s dark underworld of the FBI and drug lords.

He is the author of two books:

122 Rules

A federal assassin grows a conscious just when he's about to pull the trigger.

He has decision to make: Finish his assignment, or follow his gut and save his quarry.


Read #122Rules to join the fray.


Birth of an American Gigolo

If you've even been betrayed.
If you've ever been cheated.
If you've ever wanted to serve up a can of whoopass on someone that desperately deserved it
but never got the chance...
​It's time for you to get the revenge you so truly deserve.

A Husband.
A Mistress.
A #WifesRevenge

Get your revenge.
Read