No one else’s promo items were touched. Laura was targeted. I also don’t believe the Hotel was being “used”. What intelligent business would wade into that no-win trap if they were being asked to serve as a decoy? No, the Hyatt made the first fuss and then RT made the crucial error of not standing up for Laura; not standing there and saying, “Excuse me, but aren’t WE paying YOU here?”

The thing is, regardless of RT’s opinion of bloggers, we’re here to stay. Perhaps tomorrow my blog will be gone, but another will just pop up to replace it. At least twice a week I stumble on a new romance related blog. Authors, publishers, editors, etc just need to accept it and move on.

Re-reading my post, I just wanted to clarify that by support I meant financially – which seems to be what is being implied. I am only too happy to sing the praises of any author that I love all over the internet, whether they’re a newbie or a fan favourite.

As for the attitude to gay romance, I’ve also read Laura Baumbach’s post and if I were anything to do with the convention I’d be deeply ashamed. There really does seem to be a double standard here.

I agree with Lesley.

I actually put far more faith in blogged reviews than I probably do any others – ones I follow are Dear Author, Smart Bitches / Bam’s. Because I trust that if there are problems with the book that they are going to tell me about them. Any reviewer who consistently gives books 5 stars I don’t trust because I believe most books have some faults in them – even if it’s only a matter of personal preference.

As someone who is trying to write herself, boy do I appreciate how tough it is. But I want people to enjoy what I write, not to feel cheated that they’ve spent their hard earned money on a story a ten year old could have written.

Readers are not here to support new writers (personally I believe that’s a luxury that has to be earned, there are writers I will travel long distances to see and who I’m prepared to buy multiple copies of, but I can count those authors on the fingers of one hand). Bottom line we’re here to be entertained. That’s the contract we enter into when we pass our money over at the cash register – take me somewhere new, teach me something, scare me, make me laugh, make me cry, make me think. Just don’t waste my time.

Been there–under different circumstances–heard that.

Susan Murphy, RT staff
“said it was thought that it *The promo material taken down* was more risque that anyone else's.”

Seems RT does NOT support ALL women writers or women publishers.

At least not the ones doing Gay Romance.