AboutVena McGrath Expertise As the author of a novel about my life online in chat rooms specifically, and a few adventures into online dating, I can answer almost any question anyone could ask about chatting online. The excitement, the adrenalin rush, the manipulation of the mind, the corruption of morals, the danger of stalking and harrassment online and offline, the lies, the secrets. The reality of this `fantasy` is frightening. My book tells a story that hopefully will make anyone who reads it more wary and chatwise than I was when I stumbled upon chat in late 1999 as a naive woman who didn`t have a clue what a chat room on the internet was. I have spent many hours online counselling men and women with broken hearts, wounded pride, and yes, very real fear. My passion is to try to help eradicate the not so good factors out of chat rooms and make them once again fun places where people feel safe.
Experience My experience commenced in June 1999 in international chat rooms and then a move in late September 1999 to chat rooms in Australia. I am still online, have my own chat room, and my first novel titled 'Secrets, Lies & Chat' was published by American-Book Publishing in 2005 and is now available from my website www.secretslieschat.net.au for a very competitive price. I have also released on my website an eBook which is a revised version of Secrets, Lies & Chat and only costs $4.95 5o download in either word or pdf format.
Organizations I belong to many writing organisations online and I belong to the chat room community of BigPond.
Publications Communique - a monthly newspaper produced by the NSW Government Department of Commerce
SMH ICON liftout 'The Net Effect' April 2004
Numerous articles in PoynterOnline
Numerous letters to the editor, SMH
My profile and short stories and articles are all online at AuthorsDen.com and some are posted on my website.
Education/Credentials High School Educated
TAFE Secretarial
Numerous OH&S certificates
Numerous Computer related courses
Expert: Vena McGrath Date: 3/26/2008 Subject: Married Chat rooms
Question The question you answered about a married woman who wants to chat was helpful. However, I would really and truly like to find a chat room that has parents as well as married people in it so I can ask advice, swap stories, and just make some friends. Does such a site exist? It seems that the entire cyber world consists of singles or married people who privately wish to be single. I don't have many friends who I can talk to so I would like to find some others who are married or are new parents. Thank you!
Answer Hi Aisha
I'm really sorry but I don't know of any room to send you to where you can chat with others your own age about your children, family issues etc. The married rooms I have visited out of curiosity are full of people flirting and acting like they are single or have no respect for their wives or husbands.
All I can suggest is that perhaps if you do some research on the internet for chat rooms that are family oriented you may find some to visit. Each person is an individual and what I might like in chat, you may well hate and vice versa. Chat is a very personal past time and only you can decide what rooms you like and don't like by visiting as many as you can find and just sitting and watching the chat.
I am sure there would be rooms like you are looking for but I haven't stumbled on any in the 9 years I have been online. Do your searches using key words that are relevant to what you are looking for such as 'family chat rooms' 'married but not flirting rooms' 'chat rooms for parents' etc etc.
