This was a very interesting thread as an introduction to the site. Lots of insightful, well thought out and POLITE comments. Also *squee* comments from some authors I adore. How wonderful to see that these authors are such classy people. As are the non-author commenters. I’m impressed all-around.

I work at a new & used bookstore. The first question most of my regulars ask is “Have you read this?” The second is “What did you think?” I try to be honest without being insulting because not everyone shares my tastes. If I haven’t read a book but I’ve gotten raves from other customers I usually pass them along. If I read and didn’t like a book I usually limit myself to “It just didn’t grab me” unless the customer wants specifics.

I think of the books I read as mini-vacations (and I take a lot of them *grin*). Even if the book didn’t thrill me I appreciate the author allowing me a little peek into their world. Without authors and readers I wouldn’t have the best job in the world, so thanks.

Sorry you had a rotten egg dump on you, Trish.

This is why I know a lot of reviewers who refuse to review self-published books; their authors are not professional, and seem to think the purpose of a review is publicity for them and not an opinion to share with readers.

I’m sure it doesn’t really help, but please try to calm down, and know that there are people who stand behind you.

That coupled with the fact that ‘her’ reviews all have different styles, different grasps of the English language, the inability to spell in some and be quite eloquent in others…nope, there is no Harriet Klausner.

I’ve also always hoped that if the author read my review s/he would have a good idea of what didn’t work for me and why. Honestly, if my book wasn’t getting good reviews I’d like to know where I went wrong.

I’m actually glad to see a few of my previously-reviewed names on this discussion… all acting like grown ups and knowing books are not babies. Books don’t need to be potty-trained, walked to school or rushed to the emergency room at midnight because their brother jammed a q-tip in their ears. I think we do have do have the sex talk with them, though. Hmmm.

As for the drinking game, I’d lose. I quit drinking when I became a mom and I think I would have snorted my shot out my nose when Nora chimed in anyway. :)

There is something unabashedly skewed about professional authors posting their own book reviews “in disguise” let alone having the poor taste to berate and argue with anyone who gives them a negative review.

I write historical and paranormal romance but if I were into psychological thrillers (I am so not), there are a few very intriguing plot lines in all of this that cry out to be developed further. So, on a lighter note …

The electrical storm raging outside was nothing compared to the fury building inside Jacklyn as she read yet another negative review of her romantic novel. How dare they criticize her writing – she was a professional author. Why, the lot of them were insufferable idiots with no more right to a having a literary opinion than her pet iguana. An idea began to penetrate her racing thoughts. Despite the lightning that crackled the air around her, Jacklyn refused to pull away from the computer screen. Fingers flying across the keyboard, she typed like the madwoman she was slowly becoming. She’d show them. Jacklyn Sue Sommers would show them all.

Loretta

I gotta learn to be less wordy.

Bottom line — your book exists to amuse me. Your kid does not.

Sure, as authors, we’d like for everyone to fall all over our books with love and gushing and positive praise. But let’s come back to reality. Ain’t gonna happen :-). Yes, the pressure of the publishing biz sucks. But that’s no reason to slap around a reviewer simply because she doesn’t agree with a book you’ve written. The prima-donna writer went out during the 1950s and there is no excuse for that kind of behavior.

Amy “Adding my Two Cents’ Worth” Sorter