Market manipulation.

A couple of items on the Internet have caught my notice this week. Yes, just a couple. It's only Tuesday, after all.

The first was an article about how authors can try to game the rating system on amazon.com. Naturally, this was of interest to me. Perhaps it will be of interest to you, as well.

My takeaway: Authors use their networks to create marketing opportunities for their books. At face value, this is basically what I'm doing, but some of the other tactics described in the article made me feel creepy. I hope people will say nice things about my book on amazon.com, but I'm not going to do anything weird to ensure that. Just so you know.

The second was an entertainment piece in the horoscope section of msn.com, sharing what kind of friends we all are, based on our star sign.

My takeaway: As a Capricorn, I use my friends to get what I want.

Yikes. (See amazon.com link, above.)

But, there is good news, too. Apparently, I give back just as much as I get. So when I'm famous, I will try to carry all my supporters right up the ladder with me.

That's a relief.

[Interesting note on the amazon.com article; it mentions how Wall Street was being "pilloried" in the press in 2002. How quickly we forget....]