It's Not My Birthday

I don't fake much. What I write about me and bear and DH is absolutely true. As you can tell from the last few weeks, I don't do well at elaborating when nothing much is happening. However Sybil isn't the name on my driving licence, and neither is Lyssa. 

I've always been a bit twitchy about birthdays. It used to be one of the easy ways to steal your identity. Things have moved on since then, but apart from bear, whose birthday is ridiculously close to Christmas, I try to avoid mentioning birthdays for any of my family that are still alive. When I created the Facebook page for Lyssa Medana, I lied about my birthday, because of course I did. I put down 22 September 1968 as it was nearly my age although not very near my birthday. The birthday wishes have already started coming on Facebook. 

I always feel hugged by a birthday wish. Sometimes I feel bewildered as I listen in British to someone giving me wonderful good wishes in American - bewildered but completely appreciative of the kindness. I also always feel guilty. Last year I had over a hundred good wishes. I have something like 4.8k friends on Facebook. I have met, I think, one of them or perhaps two. Some may not have met me in person, but are very dear friends. Others are something of an enigma. 

This is the page for the writer so I'm extremely undiscriminate about who I accept. I have had far too many encounters with sleazeballs and scam artists. Sometimes it's people who have got caught up in the algorithm that recommends me as a potential friend. Sometimes it's about the writing business. There are also some truly lovely, wonderful, kind and generous people who I've 'met' there and now adore - rather like this blog. It's wonderful fun for me. I still feel guilty when I get the birthday wishes. 

I'll fudge over a few things here and there to try and stay vaguely anonymous, but I'm well aware that anyone who wanted to find me wouldn't have much trouble. I'm more comfortable being honest about who I am. But I'm kind of glad to have a cobweb thin layer of a different name between me and people who aren't keen on my books or who are not acting in good faith. It's something of a sanity saver. 

So if you are on Facebook, don't worry about my birthday. If you aren't already a friend and would like to add me, or want to follow me, the link is here, but it's all about the writing and I don't stress about it. This blog is for friends. I'm quite boring on Facebook. I mainly share funny posts, info from fellow writers and an occasional reference to my writing. 

(I also have a Facebook page in my real name, but it's mainly mums from bear's primary school so I don't check it very often)

And this is the pic for my personal page. I guess I should update it with something fancy, but I kind of like it.

Hugs and good health to all.