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Jordan Dane | Sweet Justice Is Coming
January 29, 2009
Imagine the horror of going to your teenager’s
bedroom one morning only to find her missing. Her bed hadn’t been slept in and
her clothes are gone. In 2000, that’s what one mother in Florida faced. Her only child had conspired
against her and ran away. And worse, she later discovered that her daughter had
left the country—without having a passport. From the moment I read this news
story, I was hooked and had to know more about how such an atrocity could
happen. The teen’s trail might have gone ice cold, but her mother pushed
authorities in a direction. She knew where to start looking. Only six months earlier, the girl had received a computer for a gift—a
thoughtful present from a mother who wanted the best for her child. But this
gift soon brought a virtual menace into their home. A charming and anonymous
stranger lured the 14-year old girl to Greece—a man she’d met in a teen chat
room. We’ve all heard stories like this. But after researching the facts behind
this case, I was amazed at the audacity of this Internet predator. And I wanted to shed light on the shrewd tactics of online predators in my
upcoming book—Evil Without
A Face (Feb 2009, Avon, $7.99)—the first book in my Sweet Justice
series. The online predator not only manipulated the teenager in Florida, but he also
convinced law-abiding adults to cooperate with his schemes. These people
thought they were helping an abused kid, but they didn’t know the facts, check
with her family or contact local law enforcement. This stranger duped an
employee of the local phone company into arranging for a private cell phone to
talk to the girl directly. His slick manipulation scored him a purchased
airline ticket (without a direct connection to him) and a clandestine ride for
the girl to the airport. But after he bribed a child pornographer to acquire an
illegal passport for her to leave the United States, the girl was out of the
country before her mother knew she was gone. And the chase to save the girl was on—a mother’s worst fear. Now I know what some of you are thinking. This happened in 2000, before the
added airport security measures were implemented after 9/11 in 2001. The girl
would never have been allowed on a plane without proper ID. But after
contacting a source in the airline industry, I was shocked to learn how many
children travel unaccompanied and without a valid ID on domestic flights these
days. So this extraordinary Florida case became the framework for my novel, Evil Without A Face. And I
chose to set part of the story in the unique venue of Alaska where I had lived
for ten years. My novels have the feel of being ripped from today's headlines because real
crime inspires me. Who says crime doesn't pay? Violence is like the ripple
effect on the surface of still water. The wake radiates out from the victim and
touches many people. In my books, I give a voice to the many victims of crime. In Evil Without A Face,
an illusive web of imposters on the Internet lures a deluded teen from her
Alaskan home and launches a chain reaction collision course with an unlikely
tangle of heroes. A new kind of criminal organization becomes the faceless
enemy behind an insidious global conspiracy. And the life of one young girl and
countless others hang in the balance. This is the initial driver to my new
series. With an international setting, these thrillers will focus on the lives
and loves of three women—a bounty hunter operating outside the law, an
ambitious vice cop, and a former international operative with a mysterious
past. These women give Lady Justice a whole new reason to wear blinders. And their brand of justice is anything but sweet. After researching the case in Florida, I became more concerned for naïve kids
socializing in cyberspace—young people like my nieces and nephews. Savvy online
criminals lurk in anonymity and carry on without fear of repercussion. I’m an
active member of MySpace and Facebook and know how they operate. But these
social networks aren’t the problem—the criminals are. And as you’ve seen in the
headlines and on TV, the online community has become a real hunting ground for
predators. Why not? It’s easy pickings. For the most part, the Internet is an invaluable tool. And it breaks down the
barriers between countries, allowing many of us to have international friends.
But the anonymity of cyberspace attracts all sorts of users with criminal
intent. Terrorists have found new high-tech ways to recruit online and they
have duped some Internet users into funding their activities or have resorted
to outright stealing through subterfuge. And since crimes that cross over
jurisdictions and international borders are harder to prosecute, offenders
often get away with their schemes. That's why I wanted to write Evil Without A
Face and dole out my brand justice. After all, who couldn’t use a liberal dose
of ‘Sweet Justice’ when reality becomes stranger than fiction? How has your use of the Internet changed over the years? Have you become more
suspicious of certain behaviors from online strangers? And if you have children
who use online resources, can you share some tips on how you keep them safer? Click
here to enter Jordan's one day blogging contest 1/29 - FIVE winners!!!! www.jordandane.com
Comments
24 comments posted.
Re: Jordan Dane | Sweet Justice Is Coming
I don't have young children in the home now to worry about them being on-line, but my own habits have changed as I've gained experience with the internet. I am much more careful (to the point of being paranoid) about what sites I visit and how I show my name and other personal information.
(Karen Haas 12:13pm January 29, 2009)
I tend to be cautious about what sites I make purchases from (I worry about fraud and identity theft), but I use my name and email address at numerous sites. It's eye-opening to read about online predators and the dangers out there.
(Denise Powers 1:28pm January 29, 2009)
I use a separate e-mail address for family/friends and shopping/blogging.
(Karin Tillotson 1:41pm January 29, 2009)
Man, you guys are giving me great ideas here. My sister made sure that her teens use their computer in a common area where they didn't have a door to shut for privacy. And the identity theft issue is a major one. In some of my research, I had seen where ID thieves "build" your portfolio and sell it online piecemeal until they have enough to draw money. Dateline did a report on this. Then they use your account to buy items online and ship into foreign countries (who don't prosecute) and sell the items for cash that fund terrorism. It's a crazy world out there...and a dangerous one. Thanks for your comments.
(Jordan Dane 2:04pm January 29, 2009)
This just makes my blood boil that there are people who do these kind of things! Yet in an attempt to understand them, I love to read these type of books. I do not have children so I do not worry about the intrusion at my home, yet I do throw up flares where my friends kids are concerned and always share what recent tidbit I may know. For myself luckly I have not had to be concerned with online intruders and if I do or when I do, I just delete them and refuse to answer their emails.
Thank you for the book offer, I must read this book!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
(Darby Lohrding 2:08pm January 29, 2009)
Hey Darby--Thanks for stopping in and providing a comment. I share your concern and many times it's up to the kids to be wary. They have to know what is out of bounds, but in my book I present a case that a kid might not know about or suspect. And I see my own nieces and nephews online and wonder how guarded they would be. The only thing a parent can do is keep the lines of communication open and hope their child will come to them if they run across something that doesn't feel right. This also comes into play with people they meet and unfortunately we live in a very dangerous world.
I also learned about how Amber Alerts work for teens who are my character's age - 17. That's a borderline age and some states only do Amber Alerts for younger kids so not every state will broadcast an alert. And if the kid has a history of running away, then the case is treated like a missing persons case with less urgency. My parent in this book is a single mom with a fragile spirit, worn down by a tenuous relationship with her headstrong daughter. I felt her pain when I wrote this book and I feel like she did everything to keep her daughter safe, but bad things still happened. And I show the missing girl in this book--her journey from a naive girl to the harrowing journey she is forced to take.
A theme I like to write about is giving a voice to the victims of crime. So many people are affected by one act--and it's important to tell the whole story. Thanks again for your comment.
(Jordan Dane 2:39pm January 29, 2009)
Thanks for posting. The idea of this happening makes me sick. I am really careful about what I do online. But with the invention of myspace and facebook I get really nervious about what younger people who arent as careful could be posting, since while there is a age requirement for these sites it is easy to get around and no one to do a check and balance system on it.
Your book sounds really good and I cant wait to read a copy.
(Donna Simmonds 2:47pm January 29, 2009)
The stories about online predators is timely, and I hope that some of it is reaching the teen audience. It is spooky-scary what is happening, and your book is really spooky-scary (hope I'm spelling that right...)
(Betty Cox 2:48pm January 29, 2009)
I wrote the book with my own family in mind and I hope it finds a younger audience too. Another author friend of mine had written in a book that online predators can look at pics posted on a site and eventually determine where the kid lives and where they hang out by the backgrounds of the pics. To research this, I looked at my nieces and nephews sites for tell tales clues and they are there. For the predator, they see things with different eyes and a devious mind.
But having said that, I love what the Internet brings. It allows me to have friends all over the world and it's a wealth of information. Does the good outweigh the bad?
And with the increase is spamming and sites loading spam tags on your computer that embed executable files onto your computer or keystroke loggers to track your activity, it makes me want stronger controls on criminal activity. At a minimum, I think the perpetrators should be tracked down and ID'd for prosecution if they break the law. But you know how we are about our freedoms. There won't be an easy solution.
(Jordan Dane 3:06pm January 29, 2009)
I have teenage granchildren that are very computer literate unlike me LOL I have been concerned over the years but their parents have been vigilate but still the predators are so creepy!
I'm reading one of your books at the moment and look forward to this new one!
(Barbs Ferris 3:12pm January 29, 2009)
Jordan, I read this to my 14-year-old son. It had some timely information in it. Thanks.
Everything has its pros and cons and so it is with the Internet. I do believe we have to exercise caution. Lot's of scams out there with some incredibly intelligent people behind them. I've often thought if they used that brain to do legitimate things how far they'd be able to go. So much personal info is on the Internet about each of us. Protections through encryption, virus programs (since many get their info through those means) are constantly being updated to stay on step ahead. It's insane. I’ve done investigations of people at work. It’s amazing what information can be had by anyone on practically anyone, with a click of a few buttons.
With my teen my rules are simple. I’ve told him and shown him, how easy it is to find someone on the Internet and how important it is that we are careful of the info we divulge. Rule #1, I must have the passwords on any social network or game site he’s on or he doesn’t have an account nor will he use my computer. I don’t make it a big deal but I do regularly check out who he talks to and his email. I do it quietly—not hiding it, but not blowing a trumpet ahead of me either. If see something questionable, I will make it a point to lead a general conversation in that direction and see if he’ll talk about it. Sometimes he does. If not, I’ll ask directly. Sometimes I share how I’ve been approached and how I handle it as a jump to conversation. He’s seen IM pop ups of porn invitations come up on my screen and how I handle it. Seen just how easy it is to find someone’s personal email addresses. For example, I network, as most of us who write do, on places like FaceBook, MySpace, etc. I recently had a nasty minded person ‘befriend’ me on one. Within two hours this jerk had found my personal email and IM address and requested I accept him as friend. I was shocked, as I don’t use my married name only my writing name—yet he
(Sia McKye 3:43pm January 29, 2009)
Hey thanks, Barb--And thanks so much for supporting a new author. It means a lot.
My brothers and sisters are not as computer literate as I would like them to be when it comes to knowing what their kids are doing online. But again there is a trust factor between parent and child that is hard to question and it takes both sides to keep the family safe. In my book, the poor mom resorted to some high tech stuff and things still happened.
The main character in this book is my bounty hunter Jessica Beckett. She had her own childhood taken away by a predator and she sees things through different eyes--as a victim and as a victim's advocate. She can make you laugh and cry. I love writing about her. And she's stolen my heart. I hope readers will come to love her as much as I have. She will play a strong part in this series.
(Jordan Dane 3:45pm January 29, 2009)
(part Two--hey I'm a writer, lolol!) Within two hours this jerk had found my personal email and IM address and requested I accept him as friend. I was shocked, as I don’t use my married name only my writing name—yet he found me. My son watched how I dealt with it.
We have to be cautious regardless of who we are. I research via the Internet as well. I’m careful of the info I leave behind. I run several programs daily to erase tracks and destroy cookies that lead back to me.
I like the premise of your book and I really like the three heroines you’re using. Sounds like a cool set of stories, J I plan on adding them to the leaning tower of Pisa beside my bed, otherwise known as the TBR tower, lolol!
(Sia McKye 3:46pm January 29, 2009)
love the idea of your book and that would scare me todeath. I have two boys 12 and 19. The nineteen year old bascially does his thing on the computer whenever. He's a little to old to censor. But the 12 yr old if he's on the internet he's in the living room or kitchen with me all times. I can just read over his shoulder at any time and I do lol
(Pam Kinsey 3:52pm January 29, 2009)
Hey Sia--Great to see you out here. And thanks for stopping by. I like your rules and I think they teach your son that you care and want to trust him to do the right thing. But also I see this through the eyes of a skeptical author and as a once rebellious daughter who was my mother's terror. If I felt like there were too many controls at home, I'd find other places to do what I wanted to do. So a child trying to pul something over on a parent might use a friend's computer where the parents aren't as vigilant as you. But again it all boils down to the relationship that is cultivated between a parent and a child. I also remember that if my mom treated me like an adult and was honest with me, we made a pact and I abided by it--because I didn't want to let her down. None of this is easy. And by the comments today, I can see that there are a lot of concerns out there. But there are also a lot of good solutions. Thanks for the tips.
(Jordan Dane 3:53pm January 29, 2009)
Hey Pam--Your story about your 19 yr old reminded me of my older bro. He was over 6 feet tall and my little mom (5 ft sopping wet) confronted him about going out one night. She stands in his way and points her little finger at him telling him he wasn't going to go out. All he did was look down at her and he picked her up and set her aside, then walked out the door. We all held out collective breaths, not sure what she was going to do after my brother's big rebellion & display of independence. My mom stood there stunned until she broke down laughing. It was a moment I still remember as pivotal for me and it brought my mom and I together in a special way. We're very very close.
(Jordan Dane 4:14pm January 29, 2009)
My use of the computer has changed over the years and probably not for the best...oh well! I'm really looking forward to reading this new title.
Sandi
(Sandi Shilhanek 5:18pm January 29, 2009)
I've always been careful about what my girls were doing on the internet. Now that they are adults they are still carefull about giving out their email etc to people they don't know.
(JoAnn White 5:32pm January 29, 2009)
It's a tough balancing act for a parent with their child. They don't want to make them fearful, yet they have to instill caution. I'd love the world to be a place where everyone can be an "open book", pardon the pun.
You've probably all heard that phrase - WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW - well, I write what I fear. And I write what I love & hate. Emotion is the key that makes resonate with readers and all authors struggle with how to do this.
(Jordan Dane 5:50pm January 29, 2009)
I'm a lot more careful when I'm shopping online. I make sure the page is secure before I type in my credit card information. I'm also more award of phishing emails that are supposedly from my bank or Paypal accounts.
(Jane Cheung 6:25pm January 29, 2009)
My kids are older now, but one chose to interact via email as a teen with someone who quit smoking and was in their 20's. Nothing happened but I sure cautioned against sharing info.
(Alyson Widen 6:28pm January 29, 2009)
I have four children, and we don't let any of them online unless we're right there in the room to watch/see what they are doing. They can only go to approved sites at this point. Later on, I will use the method my own parents use...putting the computer in a busy area of the home...most likely the kitchen, so they are less likely to try to hide their activity online. We don't have personal computers for any of our kids and will keep it that way until college.
(Sandy Lapp 6:47pm January 29, 2009)
Home computer supervision is
important, but there are other ways
kids can get on line. They can find
friends who are not supervised and go
to internet cafes. Most public libraries
have computers with internet access.
At the small library where I work, you
must be 18 to access sites such as
Facebook and MySpace. Our firewall
also makes an over ride necessary for
sites with "adult" content. It is not
perfect, but it is a start. Some parents
don't want the controls. Some have
even come in with their children,
gotten the over ride, and then turned
the computer over to their child and
left. They see the "fun" aspect of the
chatrooms, etc. and don't want to hear
about the dangers. Before the
firewalls were installed, we did have
one 13 or 14 year old who was
conversing with a man and trying to
set up a meeting. We can't stop the
over 18 set, but we have tried to
explain to some of the young women
the chances they are taking, but they
don't want to hear it. We can have
them get off sites that are visually
offensive, but the written word is
another matter. We don't want to
become the internet use police, but
the lack of common sense by some
users is scary.
(Patricia Barraclough 7:38pm January 29, 2009)
I don't have small children but my son has been on the internet sense he was about nine years old and we mostly just supervised him for a few year, but he does fine now.
I have found out when I don't have internet its like I lost my best friend. We have been without power for the past three days due to a winter storm and just got the power back tonight. The first thing we did was start up out computers.
(Gail Hurt 11:46pm January 29, 2009)
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