I don't have anything lined up for this week, I'm afraid, guys. I've been busy getting a novel manuscript ready to go out the door, writing up a synopsis of one in my agent's hands -- and I've been dealing with a stalker.
Yeah, you heard me. A stalker.
He's local, here in Huntsville, and he doesn't seem to get the word "no." He tagged my Facebook page, asking for money (I don't have a job, I need money to go to the con, send money to me through Paypal, get your friends to do it too -- just about in those words), until I blocked him. Then he sent me an email asking for money. I replied with a bit of a rant, explaining that what he was doing was rude and I wasn't going to reward it. (If someone is truly hurting and approaches me in the right way, and if I can afford to do so, I can and have help(ed). This was NOT the right way, this was brazen and bold and self-indulgent.) I told him I'd already blocked him on Facebook and now I was blocking his email. I sent the email and then blocked him.
THEN he posted -- to my Facebook fan page. A very awkward "apology" that really wasn't one. You know the type I mean. And he did it in such a way that Facebook won't let me block him from the page or report him.
Then, THEN, he applied to join my private Facebook fan group, Lady Osborn's Pub. I saw it and killed the request...the first time.
Yeah, "first" implies "second." He did it again, and this time it was my admin who saw it and either didn't know, or didn't recognize the name. And he got in, for a couple of days, until I saw it yesterday and threw him out and put a permanent ban on him.
And I won't bother you with the way he shows up at events and conventions and invades one's personal space and... I think I'll go to a room party. Oh darn, there's X. I better move on to the next party. Oh look who just came in behind me. Moving to the next one...so did he...the next one...maybe I'll just go back to my room...
I hear he does this to lots of authors, some a lot better known than I am. But it isn't a compliment no matter how you look at it. And it isn't fun for the people being stalked. Guys like this? They don't get the concept of boundaries, of limits. Those things can't possibly apply to them, can it?
D@#^ straight, skippy, it can and does. Tomorrow I plan on calling the Huntsville PD and discussing it with them to find out what can be done. Cease and desist, restraining order, something of the like.
Meantime I'll just keep writing. It's what I do.
-Stephanie Osborn
http://www.stephanie-osborn.com
