If you type my name into a search engine, you’ll get hundreds of hits about me. All me, all the time, since Senate isn’t a common last name. The first link is always to my website, then Amazon, then usually review sites or media mentions and then countless online sites where my books are sold. So, if, say, an old boyfriend is bored at work and types all his former girlfriends’ names into Google, he’ll get an eyeful about me.
I’ve been a published author since 2001. In those four years, many blasts from the past and total strangers have Googled me, found my website, and emailed me. Some have been thrilling, some I’ve been ambivalent about, and some have been just plain startling.
In the thrilling category:
My first best friend, a beautiful girl named Vassia, who I met in third grade. We lost contact when we both moved to different states after sixth grade at age eleven. This year, on the cusp of our fortieth birthdays, she happened to see a book of mine in Barnes & Noble, Googled me to see if the author could be the same Melissa Senate she once knew, found out from bio information that I was, and emailed me, much to my joy.
My first serious boyfriend, my college sweetheart, who I last spoke to when I graduated in 1987. He grew up in Maine, and one of his favorite expressions was: “I’m as happy as a clam in high tide.” Being a city girl, I would either roll my eyes or snicker. Now, of course, I live in Maine, and when my three-year-old, Max, asks me if I’m happy, I often say: “I’m as happy as a clam in high tide,” and he laughs hysterically. Being a tiny Mainer, Max’s preschool field trips include the beach to learn about the tides and the moon and our under-water friends, and he understands exactly what the expression means. Anyway, it was fun to hear from this ex. In the coincidence category: my favorite bookstore is in the town in which he grew up.
Fans.
In the ambivalent category:
The three other ex-boyfriends (two of whom I hadn’t spoken to in almost twenty years) who emailed ONLY because they just happened to have manuscripts I might be able to help them with…. One, I made excuses to. Two others I helped. I gave “horror/supernatural Ex†(with whom I was once crazy in love in my early twenties) the names of three editors, all of whom rejected him. Never heard from him again. I gave “funny Ex†the name of my agent, who rejected him with: “I’m afraid I couldn’t fully embrace your vulgar sensibility.†I couldn’t either, which is why I broke up with him in the first place, but he was so talented!
Also in the ambivalent category, since part of me feels it’s annoying, but part of me feels it goes with the territory: e-mails from total strangers asking if I’d read their manuscript and/or offer advice on the path to getting published. By “total strangers” I don’t mean people from listserves/loops who I don’t know personally who email for advice; I’m very happy to offer advice to anyone from the online community of aspiring romance/chick writers. It’s the people who have no connection to me in any way who elicit a raised eyebrow.
In the (very) startling category:
The email from someone I’d never met, which began: “I was Googling my last name and came across you. I think you might be my half-sister.†Turns out I was. Am. Suffice to say that this one stopped me cold for a good two weeks. Still stops me cold four years later. Then again, I see a book plot forming . . .
Eh, it’s strange to be right there at anyone’s fingertips. I like it and don’t like it. Writing is such a solitary pursuit, such a solitary profession, yet publication makes you so . . . (where was my first clue?!) public.
No related posts.
It is really amazing how accessible the Internet makes everything and everyone. I’m afraid I’m one of those people who Googled an old friend and finally found her after 12 years.
And strange as it may seem, unknown half-siblings are a common occurence. Since it happened to me too. Changes your perspective on a lot of things.
..the last time I googled my name I found out I was dead….
Hmm… I haven’t had any old boyfriends contact me, darn it. I get a kick out of googling myself sometimes. Prior to publication I used to get numerous listings for a hotel in Italy, a 16th century nun, any article that mentioned Paul McCartney’s daughters Mary and Stella and, finally, my prep school’s alumni pages. Now it’s always a kick, when in addition to sites for my book, I find that my blog has showed up on someone else’s blog, particularly when it isn’t connected to writing or reading. This happens more when a hurricane is heading for Florida. Bloggers in other parts of Florida go looking for blogs from the Keys that mention the hurricanes.
Beware that you are out there online for anyone in the world to find you indeed!
I’ve been contacted by several of my coworkers from technology career days, especially HP coworkers. Very cool! I love hearing from old friends. I’ve heard from some people I went to school with, too.
What a story about the half-sister business. Truth is stranger than fiction.
I have no books on the shelves yet, but I did get an odd email from someone with my exact name who was a writer on the East Coast and was very upset that I had bought HER name for my domain. She wanted to know how I “thought up” Allison Brennan. Hmmm. My mom gave me Allison, my husband gave me Brennan.
Regarding the half-sister . . . I found my half-sister in 1988 (way before google) through the telephone book when I was looking for my father (who doesn’t have my last name — I had my mom’s maiden name). She didn’t know I existed (she’s four years older than me).
I didn’t realize there were so many unknown half-siblings out there, either.
My best Google story involves a very contrite email from some guy who’d seen my photo on my website and was absolutely positive I was the same Karen Templeton he’d treated very shabbily many moons ago, when we both went to the University of Delaware. I assured him I’d never been anywhere near the University of Delaware, but apparently he wasn’t convinced (or assumed I was giving him the brush off), since he wrote me a second time, even more contrite. I guess I finally got through that, no, he had the wrong person, because I never heard from him again.
Never did find out what he did that was so terrible, but he sure was ashamed of himself, whatever it was.
I was googling myself in all my incarnations (I have had three last names!) and discovered that I’m not very googleable at all. Although, as AngieW, there are a few correct hits but many more that aren’t me!
Last time I googled my own name, I discovered “I” was the heroine of a Harlequin Temptation! Gee, and there I’d been, spending Friday nights watching TV for all this time.
I contacted the author with how amused I was by the cooincidence, and she kindly sent me an autographed copy of the book, bless her heart.
It’s pretty amazing, what can be found on the Internet.
I come up on Google, but not as often as Amy Jacques Garvey, Marcus Garvey’s wife. And my maiden name is way too common.
Amazing stories, Melissa. The Internet is indeed a weird thing.
Okay, I’m not an author or anything but I decided to google my name. My married name is so common that no one would be able to find me. My maiden name is unique enough that I don’t use it on the net because then if someone really wanted to find me, they would. I kind of enjoy my anonimity on the web. I tried my sign name and got so many results that it wouldn’t matter
As to the half-sister phenomenon, at first I was all shocked. How in the world? Then I realized that my very favourite cousin who is 15 years my junior came about with no man in sight. She once asked me if I knew who her father was but I didn’t and my Aunt is pretty private. My mother told me once that she figured that the man was married. I guess that means my cousin could have half-siblings out there. But, I’m not sharing my baby girl with no one!! (and she just turned 20 but I still call her my baby girl)
CindyS