Steph Sinclair > Status Update

That bitch had the sense to respond.

At least it makes me feel better that she fessed up.

Stephanie, I'm sorry you had to go through this.

No, she's didn't send me the original email. Someone tipped me off to it and sent it to me.

But she did email me directly apologizing, which I do appreciate.

"bitch" "big nose" really? I'm not advocating anything but being rude about appearance and using the word bitch is ridiculous. You guys think you are any better than her acting that way?

Adam 'Archer' wrote: "This is what I received from Stephanie.

Dear Stephanie:

I owe you a message and an apology. I sent a private email to two close friends and I’ve learned that that email somehow found its way to..."

That's such Bull!

Pam wrote: ""bitch" "big nose" really? I'm not advocating anything but being rude about appearance and using the word bitch is ridiculous. You guys think you are any better than her acting that way?"

I agree.

Pam wrote: ""bitch" "big nose" really? I'm not advocating anything but being rude about appearance and using the word bitch is ridiculous. You guys think you are any better than her acting that way?"

I agree Pam there are classier ways to support Steph. Go on Amazon and Goodreads and like her review and join her blog. Don't resort to nasty name calling. You stoop to the level of the email.

Pam, just because one person wrote that about the author doesn't mean everyone in this thread feels that way. Others tried to ask her to stop saying those things. And I agree it's not a cool thing to do, despite what the author did.

More hugs for Stephanie. Goddamnit.

The author did the right thing owning up to it, though. I know that doesn't make up for it, but taking responsibility is important and commendable.

Pam wrote: ""bitch" "big nose" really? I'm not advocating anything but being rude about appearance and using the word bitch is ridiculous. You guys think you are any better than her acting that way?"

I agree. Misogyny is not really needed. I know she was misogynistic too in the email but doesn't mean you have to be in reply.

This is terrible! I can't believe that an author would insult you like that! I love your reviews and I think that it was insulting for the author to just insult you like that just because you were only stating your opinions!

Rachel wrote: "More hugs for Stephanie. Goddamnit.

The author did the right thing owning up to it, though. I know that doesn't make up for it, but taking responsibility is important and commendable."

Yes, I do appreciate her coming clean about it and apologizing. That is worth something. There has been so much drama lately. *sigh* I love authors, I don't hate them.

Stephanie wrote: "Rachel wrote: "More hugs for Stephanie. Goddamnit.

The author did the right thing owning up to it, though. I know that doesn't make up for it, but taking responsibility is important and commendabl..."

Hang in there! I send you MAGICAL staff of courage through interweb. You get it, yes? Be strong, Hun :)

WOW.

Just...wow.

It was really her who wrote the email.

I'm absolutely appalled. What a completely disgusting way to behave. Things written in anger are more often than not written without inhibitions, therefore are true of how the person writing them truly feels. I know that; MOST OF MY ONE STAR REVIEWS ARE WRITTEN IN ANGER. Now, let me look at that again:

Your review hurt my feelings.

So. The. Fuck. What.

Ironically, that sounds a lot like Meyer. "Choo Hurrrt ma feeeeeLins!!!"

This flare-up of disgraceful author behavior is an enormous hit to the YA community. As I've said before; this is why people on the outside don't take it seriously. It's like a fucking school play. Or an episode of Home And Away. Just drama after drama after petty drama.

Stephanie, as I've said - I'm so sorry you have had to put up with this. I would say I hope it never happens again, but we all know it will.

I'm angry at myself for giving this author the benefit of the doubt. I should've known; this is just typical kneejerk behavior. Ugh.

Stephanie wrote: "Rachel wrote: "More hugs for Stephanie. Goddamnit.

The author did the right thing owning up to it, though. I know that doesn't make up for it, but taking responsibility is important and commendabl..."

Well, right. It would have been really easy - and must have been extremely tempting - for her to say, oh noes, someone hacked my e-mail or someone's been impersonating me or something.

I'm glad that the author apologized, but it doesn't make up for what she did to you. I'm truly shocked. I may not be a fan of her book, but she seemed like a nice person before. *sigh* I hope you feel better, Stephanie.

Nooo way! That is ridiculous. Don't listen to her because you are not any of those names that she called you. You're not the only one who didn't like her book...I couldn't even finish it. She needs to understand that there will always be people who don't like her books-that goes for every book published. Not everyone is going to like it but by insulting/bashing readers is not the way to go about it.

I don't really want to get sucked into this but what can you do eh?

I totally get it. I really do. I get why everyone is mad and angry and upset. The way Leigh reacted to the bad review was uncalled for and unprofessional. And I get why she was upset, I mean, I don't suppose any author wants to get a 1 star review of their book which basically tears it to shreds. Bad enough a crap review on one social platform, but for the same review to be posted on numerous other websites and for that review to be the most popular. Ouch. That has got to hurt like fuck.

BUT

You have to take the bad with the good. When you put something out there for public consumption, you can't be that conceited to think that every single person is going to love your book. That's ridiculous and is never going to happen. Every one is entitled to their opinion and they should be able to express this in whichever way they choose to do so. Which is what you did. I agree that you did not one single thing wrong, all you did was express an opinion that seems to be shared with a lot of other people.

And yeah, Leigh should never have said those things about you. But I can see she sent that email to close friends under the assumption that no one else would see it and she was just venting and trying to make the positive reviews more accesible on amazon. Why should she not be able to have a private discussion about anyone she chooses with her friends? We ALL bitch about people. ALL of us. We all do it. Heck. If it was my book you had given a one star review, I won't lie, I would be calling you every name under the sun. I totally would. And you know, it wouldn't be a personal attack because I don't know you from eve, but I would still bitch about it to my friends.

I think it took Leigh a lot of guts to apologise when she could've easily ignored or denied it. She did the right thing in apologising and I have respect for her for doing that. Imagine if your private convo's about someone went public on the internet? Y'know? I would be fucked, let me tell you. Royally screwed because I vent about drama ALL the time to my friends.

Also, yeah she cussed you out, but then everyone here has cussed her out and made it personal to her, calling her personal appearance. You know, I can't take insults about one's appearance seriously when you have a cartoon avatar, just sayin.

The truth of the matter is yeah, she did this horrible thing and she'll pay for it. I won't be reading her book not because she called a blogger, but because it sounds rubbish. Simple.

She made a mistake, a BIG BIG mistake that will cost her readers and no doubt get her in trouble with her publishing house and her agent. She will suffer, in sales and reviews and in the eyes of reviewers. And I think that's enough without people calling her nose, because then you're just acting like an immature 12 year old who relishes in drama, which is sad.

I think we all need a drink.

I don't think anyone should feel bad about giving the author the benefit of the doubt, we all want to believe the best, and no one wants to think she's capable of behaving like that. It's human nature.

Here Steph's Amazon link take a minute and help her improve her status again click like and leave her a comment.
http://www.amazon.com/review/RQVRUQYP...

Anyone else think this is funny how she's (Leigh) is so insecure about her book enough to get her fangirls to do this? I mean, if your book didn't suck and was so good none of this would happen, right?

OK. Wow. I've been gone over the weekend, and I'm glad I was. Missed a lot of drama. And this is horrendous. I'm glad the author owned up to it, but I can't believe she was so horrible in the first place.

Guess I'll be taking that book off my TBR list. No way will I support an author who behaves in that manner – whether it was intended to be public or private doesn't matter!

Carla wrote: "I don't really want to get sucked into this but what can you do eh?

I totally get it. I really do. I get why everyone is mad and angry and upset. The way Leigh reacted to the bad review was unc..."

I understand, and no doubt I would react the same way if I was venting to a friend. But she didn't just take offense at it. She wanted to take action.

I just read through this whole thing...and I'm legit speechless.

Honestly, there should be online tutorials, or maybe panels at conventions teaching authors (especially newly published authors) proper etiquette on social media. It's gotten to the point where they are literally destroying their own careers because they cannot get over their fragile egos.

I don't know how many times we have to say this. Authors: not everyone will like your books. Not everyone will write their negative reviews in exactly the way YOU want them to. Reviews aren't for you, they're for readers from readers. Please get over yourselves. If a negative review hurts your feelings, let yourself feel bad about it, but DO NOT REACT ONLINE. Just brush it off and move on. It's apart of being a writer. I just don't get why this is so hard for people to understand.

Stephanie, I'm sorry you had to go through this. I agree with everyone else that our support of you should be as classy as possible (ie not stooping down to Leigh's level). I commend Leigh for coming clean, but I wonder if she would have done so if her grotesque email weren't exposed. I don't think she would have, honestly.

Authors. Grow up. For your own sake. We WANT to like you. We buy your books and read in hopes of finding a gem. Don't denigrate or bully us for our own subjective feelings about your work. We're entitled to them.

Vi wrote: "Authors. Grow up. For your own sake. We WANT to like you. We buy your books and read in hopes of finding a gem. Don't denigrate or bully us for our own subjective feelings about your work. We're entitled to them."

yep and here's the biggie:

Reviews are not written for the authors!
They are written for people who want to read the book-and you know what? if someone likes Twilight, they may like this book, so a 1 star review may not turn off a potential reader

Well said Vi!

Ceilidh wrote: "I think we all need a drink."

Hahaha, any excuse. Sounds like me :-)

Carla wrote: "Also, yeah she cussed you out, but then everyone here has cussed her out and made it personal to her, calling her personal appearance. You know, I can't take insults about one's appearance seriously when you have a cartoon avatar, just sayin. "

Two people (or one, I can't remember) commented on her nose. No more than several have called her a bitch. 85 people have liked this status.

I can only speak for myself when I say this, but I don't bitch about my friends in emails and I don't bitch about my work getting negative reviews, critiques, comments, whatever. Even in private, it feels tactless to call someone I don't know a toe-rag or a bitch because they gave my book a low rating. I commend Leigh for fessing up to it, but I try to remain tactful, even in the private areas of my life because you never know when karma will bite you in the ass.

And I honestly don't know why anyone would get so mad about one review on GR. It's petty, IMO.

Wow I was going to post my review of this book tomorrow....now my review is going to look a lot different.

Paige wrote: "Am I unusual in that when my writing is criticized, I do not want to think badly of them or fuss about them to my friends or anything like that? The person I look to as the problem is me. I did not..."

You aren't. It's ridiculous to call someone a bitch because they didn't like your work. Even in private.

It's really hard for me to have a concrete opinion (team reviewer vs team author) because up until September last year, I was a reviewer with an agent but no book deal. And now I'm a reviewer and an author with a book coming out this year. When the Tempest thing happened, I was disgusted. Never is it okay to lead a public hate campaign against someone and make them feel belittled or intimidated. Never is it okay to band fellow friends/authors around to all make someone feel bad.

I'm a little split with this. Anyone who knows who I am knows I blog alongside Leigh. It's not going to be a surprise to find that I'm going to support her. However, unlike what happened in the Tempest thread, I'm not going to come into this thread and start throwing my weight around and acting like a douche. What I do want to say is that while the terms Leigh used weren't nice, and probably very hurtful to Stephanie, she never meant for Stephanie to see it. She sent it to two trusted people and doesn't know how it got out.

I don't agree with the names used in that email, but I also don't agree with the names being used in this thread. This isn't any different to the twitter intimidation yesterday on Kira. This is exactly the same. You're publicly making someone feel horrible about themselves. Leigh has apologised to Stephanie. You have to remember that her writing is part of her livelihood now. The main point of the email was to try and boost positive Amazon reviews above the negative ones (which Stephanie had every right to write and post), because when people first click on that book, they're going to see that negative review and be put off. When you're a writer and you rely on clicks from Amazon as well as other marketing devices, you'll know where she's coming from.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion about this. I would never suggest otherwise. But maybe if we keep in mind that Leigh is a person too. She didn't mean for Stephanie to see these things and we ALL say things in anger, or frustration that we later regret. She didn't make a blog post, twitter comment or reply to the review and call Stephanie these names. Her privacy was violated leading to hurt for Stephanie.

Carla wrote: "she was just venting and trying to make the positive reviews more accesible on amazon."

That's as bad as browbeating a bunch of friends into saying nice things about your book. It's deceiving to potential readers and not legitimate. I think people underestimate the intelligence of readers.

Wow... Authors can be scary! I'm sorry, Steph. I admire your level head right now. You're handling this in a very mature, very respectful way. This just goes to show that so often the reviewers are nicer and more honest than the authors are. To me, you've shown all of us that you care more about books and reading than the author does. If we can't be honest in our reviews, then why even read? I hate how political the world of books is! I had no idea until I became a reviewer. It's all just one big popularity contest, with gossip and painful words that hearken back the the high school days we all prayed would end soon.

Leigh Fallon? Wow. Your review was not harsh at all, I've seen some much harsher reviews for the book! I read 12 pages of it and actually threw it across the room because it was so bad!

Cory wrote: "Carla wrote: "Also, yeah she cussed you out, but then everyone here has cussed her out and made it personal to her, calling her personal appearance. You know, I can't take insults about one's appea..."

What I mean is people making snide remarks about her apperance totally negates the issue with what she said in her email. Two wrongs don't make a right, and yes Stephanie didn't make the comments. In fact, she has dealt with this in such a classy and non aggresive way, which is more than can be said for a lot of these comments. People contradicting themselves like omg can't believe this what a bitch! < aren't they then just as bad as her.

And wow, hands up, you are a better person than me. Mad props to you for being so calm and collected. I am a hot head and act rashly and yes would cuss someone out if I got mad about something they said. And she's not cussing her friends out, she's bithcing about a stranger she doesn't even know - big difference. No one said she had tact, it's quite obvious she has none for this to have happened in the first place. And just like people are entitled to their own opinions, people are entitled to feel whatever they like about said opinions. You can't pigeon hole everyone to the same box as you, because everyone is different, hence differing views.

Cory wrote: "Pam wrote: ""bitch" "big nose" really? I'm not advocating anything but being rude about appearance and using the word bitch is ridiculous. You guys think you are any better than her acting that way..."

I agree Pam has a point.

I also want to point out that she is this Pam: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx7n8v...

Ceilidh wrote: "I think we all need a drink."

And I am off to get one.

For the record: I commend her for fessing up. That takes guts. She could have lied about it, but she owned up to it. I probably won't read any more of her books, but only because I don't think I could read them without a bias opinion. However, I am not saying you all should not read them. That choice is up to you.

I know my reviews can be hash and I'm sorry this has gotten blown so out of wack.

Again, thank you for all the support. It is my sincere hope that we can somehow build better relationships between reviewers and authors regardless on how much we hate or love a book.

Carla wrote: "I don't really want to get sucked into this but what can you do eh?

I totally get it. I really do. I get why everyone is mad and angry and upset. The way Leigh reacted to the bad review was unc..."

Such good points Carla!

I have to admit, I'm completely shocked. I would have never thought Leigh would do something like this, but then again it was done with the intention of it remaining private.

That being said...let this be a lesson to us all, if you don't want someone to know what you're talking about behind other's backs then don't write it down...anywhere! Perhaps Leigh should have taken a page out of Stephenie Meyer's book after the email was sent out with her partially finished book, Midnight Sun, and not emailed her friends. Pick up a phone for goodness sake, or simply do what your mother's always tried to teach you and "Don't say anything unless you can say something nice."

No matter what happens everyone in this situation is hurt. From Stephanie and her reviews going forward to Leigh and her potential career. *Big hugs* and thanks to Stephanie for handling this professionally and trying to keep your cool when you were obviously entitled to be hugely upset. I for one definitely hope you'll keep reviewing and loving reading as much as you always have. The book reviewing community and those that support us will absolutely be here for you!

Jane wrote: "I have to call BS on the author's statement that she shared this with only two other authors. Author was asking for people to make a difference by down voting a negative review. 2 down votes do n..."

I was thinking this too. It seems so much ado about nothing. I've yet to see any hard evidence that shows a direct correlation between bad Amazon/GoodReads reviews and a slump in sales.

Adam 'Archer' wrote: "Private between two friends my arse. If it were intended to be private she wouldn't ask people to get their family and friends in on altering the reviews rank"
That's exactly why I said you shouldn't say anything at all. Just pick up a phone or don't say anything. It never accomplishes anything good and people simply don't keep it to themselves.

"What I mean is people making snide remarks about her apperance totally negates the issue with what she said in her email. Two wrongs don't make a right, and yes Stephanie didn't make the comments. In fact, she has dealt with this in such a classy and non aggresive way, which is more than can be said for a lot of these comments. People contradicting themselves like omg can't believe this what a bitch! < aren't they then just as bad as her."

Carla (and Chanelle), I believe several commenters have addressed the issue since it was raised. Many of us have already reprimanded the few who decided to lower themselves by insulting Leigh in that way, as Bookalicious Pam first brought up. I do not agree with trying to paint every commenter here with one broad stroke, as many authors and book bloggers attempted to do while using the #goodreadsslogan hashtag, as can be seen in the link Lucy provided.

Carla wrote: "What I mean is people making snide remarks about her apperance totally negates the issue with what she said in her email. Two wrongs don't make a right, and yes Stephanie didn't make the comments. In fact, she has dealt with this in such a classy and non aggresive way, which is more than can be said for a lot of these comments. People contradicting themselves like omg can't believe this what a bitch! < aren't they then just as bad as her.

I agree with you, but two people don't speak for the entirety of the thread.

And wow, hands up, you are a better person than me. Mad props to you for being so calm and collected. I am a hot head and act rashly and yes would cuss someone out if I got mad about something they said. And she's not cussing her friends out, she's bithcing about a stranger she doesn't even know - big difference. No one said she had tact, it's quite obvious she has none for this to have happened in the first place. And just like people are entitled to their own opinions, people are entitled to feel whatever they like about said opinions. You can't pigeon hole everyone to the same box as you, because everyone is different, hence differing views.
"

Friends/strangers, it doesn't really matter. In fact, I'd say it's worse to call a complete stranger a bitch because they gave your book a low rating. I think it speaks volumes about the person, especially if they rally others to get their Amazon rating up. That's what I really find wrong about the situation.

I don't think the email should have been sent to Stephenie, but I know that I'd never send any email like that to my friends about a random reviewer who may or may not decrease my sales. It's how she chose to refer to Stephenie, not the fact that she was upset, that bothers me. I expect authors to get upset at criticism. We all do. But when it bothers you so much, that you resort to calling reviewers bitches in emails to your friends, perhaps this isn't the right profession for you.

Ceilidh wrote: "Jane wrote: "I have to call BS on the author's statement that she shared this with only two other authors. Author was asking for people to make a difference by down voting a negative review. 2 do..."

I totally agree with both of you. That was absolutely not a private email meant for two or three friends. There's no way they could have created the numbers to rock Stephanie's review down. That email had to go out to multiple people and then be forwarded from there. It probably went out to people who reviewed the book positively which is how it eventually ended up in Stephanie's hands, someone who was more loyal to reviewers than to a single book they liked. Why do authors think there are only two types of readers -- blind fans with stars in their eyes or haters?

While I do not know you personally, in reading what has happened I just want to say that under no circumstances is it okay for someone to call you the things they did, Stephanie.

Also, it does ring false this notion of the author sending it to only a few friends as ... she was relying on popular support to vote up the positive reviews. :/

Adam 'Archer' wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Adam 'Archer' wrote: "Private between two friends my arse. If it were intended to be private she wouldn't ask people to get their family and friends in on altering the reviews rank..."

Exactly -- for people who are feeling bad about Leigh's private correspondence getting out there, that woman was not simply moaning to her friends about one bad review. I think we can all agree that an author can complain to her family and friends in private about that without losing any respect for them. What Leigh did was send out a message meant to tamper with the ratings on amazon and cancel out any work Stephanie put into that account. It was abhorrent and absolutely not private.

I came across this on my homepage and I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you had to go through this and even worse at the hands of an author.

As a writer your work is out there for the public consumption and sometimes a negative review feels like an attack on your person. It's a piece of you and for someone to not like it can hurt.

BUT

This is bullshit. If someone doesn't like something you take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass and call your friends. Do something else that your good at to make yourself feel better. You never stoop to attack another person on the basis of an opinion.

That's called an ad hominem attack. Otherwise known as logic fallacy.

Otherwise known as the lowest form of an argument.

Yeah she was hurt but it doesn't give her the right. Fallon should know better on so many levels. I do hope that the repercussions are larger than just our distaste.

I don't know you but I'm sending you a big virtual case of whisky and a box of chocolate.

Cory wrote: "Carla wrote: "What I mean is people making snide remarks about her apperance totally negates the issue with what she said in her email. Two wrongs don't make a right, and yes Stephanie didn't make ..."

I won't even comment on the rallying people to up the rating because that is just wow. And maybe it does say a lot about someone's character when they react this way, but whatever, like I said, everyone is different. I mainly act rash in the heat of the moment and then regret it. Don't act all high and mighty like you've never done something stupid that you've regretted. There is no excuse for the way she acted, it was wrong and she made it personal when it needn't have got this far. But everyone is acting like they've never made a mistake, which I can assure you, everyone has at some point.

Adam 'Archer' wrote: "CJ - You Carry On As If I Don't Love You wrote: "I came across this on my homepage and I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you had to go through this and even worse at the hands of an author.

As ..."

It's a shame that recently there is a plethora of authors that are not.

Lauren DeStefano is another author that is being weird about reviewers, not as harshly as Fallon but still...what's going on?

This status is being liked all over, so I couldn't just ignore it. And when I read it, I immediately "liked" it and your review.

I liked your review mainly because it was entertaining and VERY informative ;)

I don't know how I would have taken it if it were me, but remember this, Misery Loves Company. Do Not accompany her on that ride!

~Your fellow Goodreads reviewer!~

you know... i'm not all that surprised that Fallon acted like this. when i still followed her on twitter, despite not liking her book, she said something about how she shouldn't be getting negative reviews. or something like that. it was like three months ago and my memory is hazy. she seems to be on her high horse a lot regarding her book--like it's the best thing ever. and it really isn't. i was expecting so much more from Carrier when i read it, and Fallon DID write Twilight 2.0--i'm sorry if she can't see it. and i like Twilight. i'm sorry if i don't want to read a rip-off of Twilight.

i'm sorry you had to deal with this, Stephanie. :( it sucks that lately YA authors think they are all high and mighty. they need to stop right now and apologize for this nonsense.