I coudn’t help myself; with the stealth of a panther, I moved the copies of Tabke’s book somewhere else in the store, and replaced them with a few copies of a new title by an author I enjoy and respect.

I did something similar the other day when I saw Deborah MacGillivray’s books in Borders. I hid them in three different sections in the store, including the black history section.

Yes, it was quite a naughty thing to do, (apologies to store assistants) but it felt really good.

Was it the right thing to do? No. I won’t do it to any other author, but I’m sure Ms. Tabke will appreciate the co-opting of the Karen Co-op.

Now that shit’s funny.

back again, thanks, gennita.. I have been accused of trolling before, mainly because I am not afraid to put up a dissenting opinion. and I tend to be sporadic so I am sure that it does look like I am just being a shite stirrer (they may be right occasionally)…

I save my disgust and horror for things that truly merit it. War, famine, etc. The reshelving issue, while petty, stupid, prone to backfiring(see nonnys post above,lol) and just a wee bit desperate just didn’t raise to the level of disgust…. For me personally… Others mileage may vary…

Was it the right thing to do? No. I won’t do it to any other author, but I’m sure Ms. Tabke will appreciate the co-opting of the Karen Co-op.

And if one’s team is that large, then I’m thinking the whole strategy is moot. :)

So not only do I find such tactics disturbing, for many reasons — not the least of which is the implication that one can’t succeed without resorting to such overt, sometimes downright squirrelly manipulation — I find it a bit disingenuous.

I certainly understand, and sympathize with, authors feeling pressured to get the word out — you know, because nobody will buy the book if they don’t know it exists — but I’ve also seen a lot of flashes in the pan over the last dozen years, authors whose first books were pushed out the wazoo but who never really caught fire and ultimately (sometimes with embarrassing speed) fell off the radar.

Perhaps force-feeding might work with a first book, to some degree, and perhaps those sales will garner an author a subsequent contract. But ultimately, it’s all about matching up an author’s WORK with readers who dig her voice/stories/characters/whatever. And all the manipulation in the world can’t forge that relationship.

Not in the long term, at least.

Not that long ago people were incensed at DAM’s clickies. So what’s the difference between DAM asking people to click “unhelpful on reviews” and Tabke reshelving and asking readers to do the same?

Yeah, the whole thing leaves a icky taste in my mouth. Bluh.

I have several times gone into Borders looking for a book, having the computer insist it’s on a certain shelf, and still not being able to find it. How the hell many people are engaging in reshelving, because it’s not just insulting (and IMO totally unfair play) to other authors, it’s also frustrating to me as a reader, because it’s a potential wasted trip to the bookstore. And we already know it’s a waste of resources for the bookstore and for the publisher who pays for placement.

Not that long ago people were incensed at DAM’s clickies. So what’s the difference between DAM asking people to click “unhelpful on reviews” and Tabke reshelving and asking readers to do the same?

(There are some great Aphrodisia books out there, however.)

You’d think she should have been able to get enough books sold via national exposure…

So now she’s trying street teams and encourages her readers to do something that’s both morally questionable and illegal and she’s dismissive about people who point that out.

There’s a new entry in my ‘never-to-be-bought(again)-list that just keeps growing and growing and growing.

It’s A-grade dickery.

Freakin’ ditto. WTF? Fucking around with shelving in an attempt boost one author’s sales at the expense of other authors won’t just get you yelled at–it can and will get you banned from stores. And if I was a store owner and caught someone doing this, and found out it was encouraged by the author–well, guess what author I wouldn’t be stocking anymore?

This woman is a piece of freaking work.

Is it okay if we criticise her now? Because you can make all the special pleading you want because she’s a nice person and she was doing a favour to someone or other etc – but what it comes down to is, she’s behaving like an ass on this issue. I can’t for the life of me see why she should get a free pass when no other author on the planet would if they did this, or encouraged it. It’s A-grade dickery.

I wonder how she would feel if she discovered people were moving her books to, say, the Books in Spanish section?

I’m not suggesting anyone do this, because again, it simply creates more work for booksellers and that isn’t right. I just wonder if she would still think there was nothing wrong with moving books around the store to suit a whim.

Ladies, I love you all, and I do appreciate your fierce defense of me and our Street Team. But from the many emails I have received this morning not only from several of you but others it seems this is becoming a blood pressure issue for many of you.

I want you ladies to take a big deep breath and walk away from the keyboard. We have nothing to defend to anyone, because we are doing nothing wrong. Let the people say what they will and let us be on our merry way.

Hmmm… so taking up paid for placement from other authors is not wrong. Whoddathunkit.

Since the list and its posts are public, I will quote Tabke directly here (she’s referring to this op-ed post and its comments, BTW):

lol, another friend just emailed me. I told her to chill, i’m enjoying the buzz.
as far as those ladies getting their panties in a snit about reshelving books? I’ve been doing it for years for my friends. I call it Karin Co Op.

So, not only is she encouraging others to reshelve books, but she does it herself. Okay.

If there is any question as to how ‘tongue in cheek’ she was about the suggestion, her street team Yahoo list is completely unlocked for nonmembers to read, which might surprise a few ppl given the unguardedness of their comments.

But I sure as hell take one message away from your dramatics – you think your sons are disgusting, but unethical shafting of authors and publishers and booksellers isn’t.

What? you scream. You never meant that? But it’s what you said.

See how easy it is to take ‘tongue in cheek’ remarks the wrong way?

It happens a lot on the internet, to make a post memorable, the tone of the posts get more and more dramatic until you would have thought that the original poster advocated some heinous crime… and thats pretty much my last word on this subject because I am notoriously short attention spanned..

No matter how rationally or deliberately worded or well-thought-out anyone’s replies to you are, you still keep saying we’re all overreacting and taking this way too far and having a “slam dance session”. It makes me seriously wonder what you’re seeing that the rest of us aren’t.

It also makes me see that it’s absolutely pointless to attempt to have a discussion about this with you, because rather than respond to what we’re saying you just keep accusing us of being nutjobs who take our livelihoods way too seriously and are going after Tabke with knives and burning her in effigy all over the internet (instead of simply expressing our opinions here calmly and articulately). It’s silly, and it makes me believe your intent here isn’t to calm people down so much as it is to stir them up by being deliberately accusatory, combative and obtuse.

I didn’t miss anything, in fact I am well aware of product placement (it also happens in the grocery store)… my bemusement comes more from the seemingly out of proportion reaction to the offense… thats all..

Ann, I get pretty irritated(not really irritated, more really amused) by people taking someone they disagree with and blowing what they say way out of proportion… Lets just say I save my digust and horror for crimes that truly merit it. Moving a book (however wrong) just doesn’t rise to the level of shock and Awe for me… sorry, that upsets you… by the way, I am no arbitrator, I have always been more likely to toss gas on the fire.. but like you, I also have a right to express my opinion. And thats it…