My Top Ten Internet Things (IRL), a guest post by Danika Stone

Today, author Danika Stone joins us to talk about her favorite places to spend time online. Her newest book, INTERNET FAMOUS, also releases today. 

When you’ve written two books that take place almost entirely online, it becomes obvious you spend a lot of time there. Yes, I admit it’s true. Years ago, almost all the fights I had with my parents came down to “hiding away” in my room rather than “hanging out” like the rest of my friends. Nowadays, I have the successful excuse of “networking” to explain the countless hours I spend online. And while there’s truth to that, there’s far more truth to the Internet being a really FUN place to be.

Here are my top ten online time-wasters:

10. PicMonkey: This free online site lets you alter images with Photoshop-like ease, at no cost. If you ever wished you could polish your photographs, but didn’t know how, this site lets you. While some features are “Royale” only (read: pay to use), most are free. I’ve spent DAYS playing with this site.

9. The Way Back Machine: Ever lost a website and wish you could go back in time to find it? Now you CAN. (This is actually part of the plot of Internet Famous.)

8. Tumblr: I’ve used Tumblr for nearly four years, and it never ceases to amaze me how many things I’ve discovered while there. With a searchable database of tags, it doesn’t matter what your current fixation, you’ll find a hit on this image-heavy site. And once you start curating your searches, and following specific blogs, you’ll find even MORE to enjoy. Even my All the Feels characters have blogs:
   1. Liv: http://livoutloud.tumblr.com/
   2. Xander: http://steampunkxander.tumblr.com/
   3. Brian: http://starveilbrian1981.tumblr.com/
   4. Joe: http://joeswoesstarveil.tumblr.com/
   5. Kelly: http://spartangrrl.tumblr.com/
   6. Awkward Family Photos: If you haven’t wondered ‘what’s the worst family photo ever taken?’ then you haven’t lived. Go here. Bring tissues. You’ll laugh so hard you’ll cry.

6. On the opposite end of the scale is Post Secret, which allows you to read through the secrets of people across the world. Some are funny, some are heartbreaking, and the site is addictive.

5. You ever have a day when you just couldn’t get out of bed because you felt so awful? Then Baby Animal Cam is for you. I don’t care WHAT is happening, there are moments of joy to be found on these links from around the world!

4. Mental Floss: There are times when you want to read something, but don’t have time for a book. Your parents are showing up for dinner in fifteen minutes, or you’ve got an interview and don’t want to be late. Mental Floss is the perfect alternative. With plenty of random information, you can jump into a post without any intention and find something intriguing that you never knew. Unexpected benefit: You will sound smarter at parties when making small talk.

3. Love to make things? Depthy is a new 3D Anaglyph creator. You ‘paint’ in the closer parts and the online program does the rest. You can save as a 3D picture, or export it as a video or gif. Believe me, you’ll spend HOURS on this site.

2. The Oatmeal is (almost) my favorite place to spend time online. The next site barely shades it out, but it’s also on this list because it has a post that’s my all-time favorite posts on the Internet ever. Whenever I’m having a terrible day. You know, the day your editor calls and tells you “I like the story, but let’s redo everything after page 50” kind of day… I reread this post about Gene Roddenberry. It’s perfect.

And that brings me to my MOST favorite place to waste time online…

1. Hyperbole and a Half: I’m not sure why this isn’t required reading for everyone in university. (Seriously though, the explanation of depression could help everyone.) It is funny and poignant and one of the best things around. If you aren’t following the posts, start today.

So how about you? What are YOUR favorite places to hide online? Comments are open and I’d love to hear your answers. 😀

Want to enter to win a copy of Danika Stone’s new book, INTERNET FAMOUS? Of course you do! Head on over to the Rafflecopter to enter to win one of three copies. Giveaway is open to the US, UK, and Canada! Contest ends June 10, 2017. 

Meet Danika Stone

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both adults (Edge of Wild, The Intaglio Series and Ctrl Z) and teens (Internet Famous, All the Feels and Icarus). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.

Ms. Stone is represented by Morty Mint of Mint Literary Agency

Filed under: Guest Post