I have to say I think beth and jane of Dear Author are both swell people and personally I like them, even though I have only emailed with beth like twice. (yes candy, I still owe smart bitches a guest bitch)
I also think it is totally cool to dislike them or think they are evol. Because I think it comes down to opinion and not everyone is going to like everyone. And hey, I think you can think, say or post how much you hate me so why would I care if you hate others.
Every author takes a risk of people hating their book when they publish and by extension them. They put it out there for the world and need to take the good with the bad.
Every blogger/reviewer/message board poster takes a risk of people hating their opinions and by extension them when they post in a public forum. We are putting our shit out for the world to see and we need to take the good with the bad.
Saying that 😉
THIS comment I so don’t get…
Whew. Now Robin’s question about Beth’s review. I believe I made a pretty strong distinction between the content of a review, the subject of the criticism (the book and not the author) and matters of tone. Tone has to do with personal style (see above), with the established relationship between the reviewer and the reviewer’s known audience, and with the format. Beth’s review was written for her own weblog, not for a website that advertises itself first and foremost as a book review ‘publication’ (and I use that word loosely). And her tone fit into her overall approach when she does talk about books: she’s outrageous. She’s emotive. She puts it all out there. Her review of ABOSAA is not professional or meant to be taken that way. If a newspaper called her up and asked her to write her review up to be printed on their Books page, I am certain the approach and tone would change.
Are we paying for Dear Author? When the hell did they become anything more than a reader blog?
Me thinks she just doesn’t like Jane… so call a fucking spade a spade and say jane sucks if that is what you think. But wrapping it up as beth’s review which states:
“I dunno, can you even tell your ass from your elbow anymore, woman?”
speaking directly to the author (who prolly only saw it after minons emailed her) is peachy keen lil reader opinon and jane is the big bad evol, seems uh dumb.
But beth is pretty fucking direct and there is that ever famous Foley review (which starts out… Dear Gaelan Foley… just saying). And sara donati seems to be speaking in circles approving of people she likes and slapping the wrists of people she doesn’t.
That or Jane really is just an ignorant slut. hmmm or I am… damn me to hell!
I, too, am wondering how Dear Author became a professional review blog. I mean, we do offer reviews and opinions but I never saw it different than so many other reader blogs out there other than we don’t blog alot about our personal lives.
I don’t know where the animus arose by Sara Donati but I am cool with her not liking me or my opinions or my website. That’s just life. I just thought it was quite ironic how she wants everyone else to be professional and respectful but can’t seem to be that way herself. Very two faced, it seems to me.
Maybe review blogs that receive arc’s from publishers are considered more than just reader blogs? Reader blogs usually talk about the books they pay money for, not ones they get as freebies from publishers marketing departments. That usually makes them professional reviewers.
Jane (and Sybil), you ignorant slut(s)!
Couldn’t resist. Sorry.
I have to say, though, that I know Sybil, Jane, Nicole (of Blog Happy) and even Alyssa and myself have all gotten ARCs from the publicity departments. I’ve actually given ARCs of books to Sybil and Jane from Samhain. None of those blogs would I consider a professional review site (especially not mine, for Pete’s sake!)
I think the distinction between a professional review site and a reader’s blog isn’t that they receive ARCs. The number of ARCs that Dear Author (or other reader blogs) review and get is small compared to the books they purchase themselves and review. Review sites solicit books for review, they operate based on the ARCs recieved, they sell advertising space, do promotional opportunities for authors, the proportion of books they bought and paid for reviewed is miniscule (if not non-existant) compared to the number of books given as ARCs reviewed.
Donati/Lippi should just admit, she doesn’t like Dear Author and have done with it. Her assertion that the Ja(y)nes are more than mere readers is tosh and she knows it. I’ve noticed that her rhetoric seems to change depending on who she’s talking about.
By the way, what the hell is Beta blogger?
I agree with Angiew.
Karen blogger is updating and beta testing it now. You should have an option to upgrade to the new version (which will have labels!) in your dashboard.
I haven’t really had time to play with it yet.
Yep we have received ARCs but out of the 40+ reviews we put up each month about 2 of them are ARCs and the rest are books we bought. If getting ARCs is the key to being a professional review blog, then I guess we are guilty of being “professionals”. bad professionals though as evidence that I can barely get the names of the authors, book, or characters right half the time.
Jane IS an ignorant slut… but I still love that bitch.
Karen, gurl, you don’t even want me to get started on that whole Donati/Lippi thing. I done already told you what I think about that.
You did? Bam you ignorant slut, you didn’t tell me!
you suck… oh wait… never mind
*eg*
Bam, you should totally review one of her books. You know, just for kicks. Anybody in possession of one?
I WILL NOT BUY THAT BOOK!
especially since I spent the last of my pin money on an Anya Marina EP. yes, I still buy CDs. FUCK YOU, ITUNES!
hmmmm I might have one… off to look if I do it is yours since I will not be reading it now.
I am pretty sure she writes historicals, of course you will prolly end up liking it and becoming her bitch.
I have an ARC of Fire in the Sky that I have not read these many years since the ARC was given to me by another reader who did not read it. lol. I know that Jayne read one of hers and liked it but apparently not enough to keep buying her.
And I wont read Fire in the Sky just for kicks because it is way long. And I only read really long books if they are written by George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey.
I do have Into the Wilderness, that I bought USED, that I gave my one year old niece to play with but she didn’t do enough damage to it. I might just read it since it’s supposed to be a good book. You just never know.
Keishon