My novel, Flying Wires, is mentioned in this week’s issue of the Howard County Times and Laurel Leader newspapers. In his column, John Hayes highlights the books published by four members of the Savage Writers’ Circle. The writers meet at the Savage, Maryland library on the second Monday of each month. John – also an accomplished writer – has had poems published and a couple of his plays performed. Read about these five writers’ accomplishments here.
Archive for the ‘Virtual Assistant’ Category
Document Conversion
Monday, March 2nd, 2009Thanks to open source software, affiliate marketing, and paid advertising, document conversion is literally, free and easy. Open source software like Open Office allows you to open a Microsoft Word document, for example, edit it and then save it in a variety of document formats. Most useful is the option to save the document as a PDF [portable document format]. The Open Office Suite software [word processor, presentation, drawing, database and spreadsheet programs] is free. I use the word processor and spreadsheet functions almost exclusively; rarely venturing to the Windows side of the fence.
In the realm of paid advertising and affiliate marketing, there are a number of online document conversion software companies that will let you convert electronic files for free. The advertisers help to defray the cost of using the bandwidth and web servers. These web sites offer a broader spectrum of file conversion. For example, audio, video and archive file options are available. One such company is Media-Convert. The only caveat I’ll mention is, check the company’s limitations on file size. You’ll probably find the file conversion format you want, but – using the example of Media-Convert – you’re limited to a file no larger than 150 Mb.
Angie’s List
Friday, February 20th, 2009Yesterday, Chrysalis Publications, LLC registered with both the Washington and Baltimore chapters of Angie’s List. One of their slogans, “Get reliable feedback before you hire.” accurately describes this professional online resource for matching contractors, medical professionals, mechanics and secretarial services – to name only a few – with customers.
With more and more people flipping through web pages, like they used to flip through the pages in a telephone book, an Angie’s List contractor’s current information and detailed profile is paired up with favorable [or not] reviews of Angie’s List members. Members subscribe to the list on a monthly, yearly or longer basis. The staff at Angie’s List read all of the reports submitted by members before the reports and the businesses are posted online. Companies do not pay to be listed on Angie’s List.
In fact, although the Chrysalis listings won’t actually appear in a current vendor search at the Angie’s List web site, when a customer submits a report and it’s posted on the List, it will give future and repeat customers a report card and additional information about Chrysalis Publications, LLC. We will post an update as our customers post their reviews.
As manager of Chrysalis Publications, LLC, and a potential customer, I also paid for a subscription. I now have the opportunity to look up and review local computer repair or phone services, for example, via Angie’s List before I contact someone for service.
For more information about Angie’s List, click here. For stories in the news, here.
Privacy ‘n Protection in a Public World
Sunday, February 15th, 2009Like many people who search the Internet, send E-mail or work online, I’ve occasionally been the target of SPAM and viruses. Over the years, I’ve found an easy way to help cut down on the SPAM attacks and viral volleys. Let’s cut to the chase – if an e-mail address is visible, it can be “mined” from a server or from the address book of a computer that’s been hit with the kind of virus that copies all e-mail addresses, replicates itself and then mails its offspring to those addresses. When you receive the E-mail, the From: address may be that of a friend – unaware their computer was infected. The number one way to prevent this is to BCC: [blind carbon copy] your recipients. Servers won’t “see” these addresses *and* when the e-mail arrives, none of the addresses will be deposited onto your friends’ computers. Many E-mail programs save or collect E-mail addresses, whether you record them as a separate address in your address book or not. Try this way of sending E-mail for awhile and tell your friends – particularly the ones who send all their friends and family members E-mail addresses in the To: or CC: fields. In the case of SPAM, it may not harm your computer, but it’s cyber junk mail. It’s up to you if you want to encourage it or not.
For some folks, not only are the SPAM/virus attacks an issue, privacy is, too. They don’t want their e-mail address popping up in unknown e-mail boxes or such public meeting sites like Facebook. One sure way to discover what’s been in your E-mail “collection” bin – and the E-mail accounts of your friends and family, as well – is to join Facebook. Talk about an E-mail address miner! You’ll see “potential” friends pop up that you haven’t a clue as to who they are. Your best guess is that they were on the To: or CC: E-mail list that was attached to an e-mail from one of your friends or family.
To wrap up, whether you’re concerned about privacy or not, viruses are a big deal. Occasionally, even with a current update of Norton AnitVirus or McAfee, a virus or trojan, et al will sneak in and cause trouble in the chicken coop. Aside from not opening any attachment from anyone you don’t know – and even those people you DO know – hiding E-mail addresses in the BCC: field will make it more difficult for the buggers to spread. Do your part and remind your friends, colleagues and family.
On the Wires
Friday, February 13th, 2009I spent some time this week contacting people about their virtual assistant needs. Hopefully, the more folks I contact, the better my chances that Chrysalis Publications, LLC’s new division will attract some clients. Tomorrow’s another day.
Virtual Assistant Services
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009New Web Site Online
Saturday, February 7th, 2009Our new web site is online! If you visited our old site, you’ll notice a number of changes. Foremost, is the ability to pay for and then immediately download the PDF version of Carol Plotnick’s Flying Wires – still offered at the low, introductory price of $4.50. We want to thank Arron Rasmussen at iDEVSPOT for, DigiVendor, a software package that made the magic happen! Arron helped this newbie over the hurdles I encountered while working with html in cyber space.
Perhaps the most notable addition to the Chrysalis Publications, LLC organization is our new virtual assistant division. The company is now offering various services online which a few years ago were only performed in an office environment. I will post our services, along with the hourly rates. Depending on the project, some services may be negotiated on a fixed fee basis. If you need the services of an experienced administrative assistant, please complete the online form and we will call you back within 1 to 2 business days.
Another important part of the web site is this blog. So as not to update and re-publish the web site frequently, this blog will serve as a bulletin board. In addition to announcements about the latest changes, services and products, there will also be note-worthy personal posts. I have been doing volunteer community service for a number of years and it means a lot to me to be of service to people in my community. With hard economic times facing most of us, I will share with you some of the activities I’ve been involved in and I will write a few good words about the organizations I feel make a difference in peoples’ lives. I feel that now, more than ever, volunteer service is so important.
As for a brief explanation of the blog for visitors not familiar with the news format, you may see what looks like a hodge-podge of unrelated posts and comments. However, by using the Search, Categories list and Archives features, you will be able to view a page with only the posts you want to read. For example, you want to see what was written about “self publishing.” Type “self publishing” in the Search box and click the “Search” button. If you want to browse the Category list, click on the arrows next to “Select Category” and a drop-down box will appear. Choose a category and all posts labeled for that category will appear. If you read a post in January, but aren’t sure what category or word to search for, click on the January archives and you’ll see only the posts written in that month.
Along the right side of the blog, you’ll find links to various web sites – some specialized and some of personal interest. Under the W.W.W. heading – what we refer to as the World Wide Workplace – is a list of clients or organizations we have worked with. A few of these will also appear under other headings because of the nature of their business.
Feel free to look around and become familiar with our web site and blog. Bookmark our web site and subscribe to our blog – we look forward to hearing from you!
Flying Wires
Sunday, January 25th, 2009I’ve received questions about the status of Flying Wires. Is it available and in what format is it available? Flying Wires was published as a PDF so that Chrysalis Publications, LLC could get it on the market before Christmas 2008. Since then we have been exploring other formats. The Kindle format is high on our list. We are also exploring a possible relationship with the Read How You Want company. We’ve had requests to see Flying Wires in other formats and our goal is to make that happen as quickly as possible.
Needless to say, with the work involved to start up the virtual assistant department of the business, we have a full agenda. We’ll keep you informed of our progress on both of these fronts. In the meantime, if you have any questions, suggestions or job requests, please contact us.
