Hi friends,
Anyone out there having a crazy-weather spring?
After a few beautiful days, we suddenly dropped below freezing again and a shivery dump of snow piled onto the spring blossoms.
Can’t shut the heater off quite yet! I hope everyone out there is doing all right whether it’s hot or cold where you are. If you have perfect weather . . . well, don’t brag. 🙂
And a quick note: If you want to be notified when my new books come out – hop over to Amazon and click the “Follow” button under my pic on my author page:
https://www.amazon.com/author/mistyzaugg
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Stranger to buddy in an instant? Warning Signs #5
Here’s the fifth tip about behaviors that can warn you an attack is imminent from the amazing book “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin deBecker.
Remember, no single one of these seven behaviors predicts that an attack will come, but if you see multiple ones, be warned.
Here’s the list of the ones I’ve discussed so far:
- Discounting the word “No”
- Too many details
- Charm and Niceness
- Loansharking
And for today:
#5 Forced Teaming (Or Stranger to Instant Buddy)
An attacker will find common ground with you to quickly change from a stranger to someone you can relate to and might drop your guard around. He’s trying to force himself onto the same “team” as you.
Example #1:
You’re in the grocery store and one of your kids keeps insisting they want candy. Someone nearby chuckles and says, “I can’t believe they put all those treats right where the kids can see them, can you? My kids did the same thing when they were young.”
See how he changed from a stranger to someone who has also struggled with kids during a shopping trip? When he makes his next move, like offering to help you carry your bags to the car (Loansharking) or asking for a ride somewhere, are you going to refuse?
Example #2:
You’re visibly frustrated with your cell phone while waiting at the bus stop. A man, also waiting, holds up his own cell phone and says, “For all the money I spent on this thing, you’d think it be easier to use, wouldn’t you?”
When he happens to get off at your stop, and heads in the same direction as you do, will his forced teaming put you more or less at ease?
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These are examples of how someone can move from a stranger you’re wary around, to someone you feel the beginnings of a connection with.
The technique doesn’t necessarily mean an attack is imminent. Salesmen and charismatic people who seem to make friends easily will also use this technique.
Just make sure to watch for other tactics trying to convince you to do something you wouldn’t normally feel comfortable doing.
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Stay safe out there and I hope you’re enjoying some nice weather wherever you live!
All the best,
— Misty 🙂
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Misty’s Writing Update:
Deadly Lockdown is back!
Now that only editing is left to do on our Aftermath series, Steph and I have dug up the computer files for our virus series and we just started rereading the first book.
You would think that since we wrote the book, we would remember the characters and all the storylines . . . but apparently not. 😀
Yes, it’s all very familiar and comes back quickly, but both of us are rereading the first two books so that we can outline and begin writing the third book.
Hopefully by next week we will be working on new material.
What is very eerie and crazy is that the two of us began writing this in late 2019 before COVID. We based a lot of our research on the Spanish Flu Epidemic which was something many people had never heard of at the time.
Now, though, having lived through the COVID pandemic, it’s very strange to read how many pieces of our fiction mirror real life.
Hopefully, it will still be well received, though both of us wish we’d been able to publish it before COVID instead of afterward. LOL
I’m curious what you think. Would you read a pandemic, post-apoc book right now? Or is it too soon?
Happy reading this week!
— Misty 🙂
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