GUEST BLOG: Pretending to Be Who We Aren’t Online and Its Consequences by Grace Chen

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If you could lie and get away with it, would you? What if it were a harmless lie? A white lie that wasn’t meant to hurt anyone? People lie all the time. They embellish the truth in interactions with acquaintances, friends, and spouses… But most people have limits.

What is a good lie? What is a bad lie? What is a white lie or a black lie? There are some that would say lying is lying. It’s bad either way. Because lying is withholding the truth from someone else, it is robbing people of information that they could’ve used themselves to make better decisions. Even if you call someone dumb, you may be doing them a service to let them know something is wrong rather than to let them make a fool of themselves. Think of those people who went on American Idol thinking they could sing but couldn’t.

In real life, when we lie there are consequences that are very apparent. Liars are called out quickly because there is fact-checking. The world around us swims in information and thrives in truth. If, for example, you were to run around claiming to be tall but were in fact short or strong but in fact weak, people might laugh at the absurdity because they have eyes and can see. But online, there is no barrier to what you can claim to be. The virtual world is a digital cloak, which hides the physical you from view. What you present to others becomes the only version of truth that strangers know.

There is an Internet meme that says a lot of people at home are armchair gangsters because trash talking in person is too dangerous. From safety behind a computer screen, people may feel comfortable saying whatever it is they want to say; being what they want to be. They can unleash their inner troll. They can do harm that normal social convention would disallow. Most people know that hurting others intentionally bad… but what about unintentionally? What if you are just pretending to be someone else and want someone to like you?

If you add into this mix love or lust, the inevitable collision course of romantic entanglement is a fiery inferno that may very well burn someone to a crisp. Either the liar or deceived will have a reckoning and decisions will need to be made. When we lie to deceive, it is a dangerous web we weave. It’s impossible to say what is harmless in an artificial environment that strips away all the barriers of reality.

People can easily take advantage of a digital mask online. They can troll. They can cheat. They can bend the rules that reality would otherwise dictate. It’s tempting to be a more glorious or powerful version of yourself to someone you don’t know. You can say whatever you want to whomever you want. And they can choose to believe you. But, if they believe you, will they still trust you when they see you when you based everything first on a foundation of lies?

About The BookRelease Date: December 1, 2020

A twist on a tale as old as time…

Brilliant but shy seventeen-year-old Ava Pierce is locked away and forgotten by parents embarrassed to know her. Online she makes a connection with someone sharing her humor and deepest desires.

Seventeen-year-old Dylan Albright poses as his hunky older brother on a dating website for profit. Little does he realize, he’s put his own heart at stake.

Popular eighteen-year-old soccer star Alec Albright is loved by all but troubled by a dark past. What happens when he ends up falling for the same girl as his brother?

Gorgeous classmate Taylor Ford is used to getting what she wants, but what happens when what she wants is the one thing she can’t have?

Praise

“My God, I could not wait to write about the plot. IT IS JUST GORGEOUS. I love so much the genre and similar stories that I couldn’t wait to finish school to come home and continue reading. If I didn’t have to do my homework and get up early, I would have spent all night reading the book and learning the ending.” ~ Angelina Gusarova

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About The Author

Grace ChenGrace Chen is a published author of three books so far. A research scientist by day, Grace also runs her own publishing company. This multi-talented woman also has a bachelor in biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as a master in chemistry. Grace likes to pursue her passions for helping the world through multiple avenues and has a diverse array of hobbies. She has even appeared on a TV reality show as a contestant for cooking.

Grace Chen’s latest book The Beast of Bellevue is a compelling story of a young girl, who inevitably sets off on a journey of independence, only to discover that all that is shiny is not always gold. This compelling story will hook you in from the first few pages, and be a book that you cannot put down till the end.

Grace’s ability to illustrate special moments in her words will capture your heart and soul from the moment you pick up this book.

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Blog Tour Organized By:
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Dayna Linton
Dayna Lintonhttp://dayagency.com
Dayna is the owner of not only Novels Alive but of Day Agency, a full-service self-publishing agency for independent authors. She has been assisting independent authors to achieve their dreams of becoming published authors for over 15 years. From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors to the first-time author to every author in between. Dayna is a self-professed bibliophile. While dancing has always been her first love, reading came as a very, very close second, with gardening coming in as a close third. Dayna is also the divorced mom of four adult children and a very proud grandma. She is also a web designer, social media specialist, book blogger, and reviewer. She's a long-time Disney lover and a Utah Jazz, Utah Utes, and Dallas Cowboys fan. See Dayna's reviews here: Dayna's Reviews

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