Ryan Field's Blog, page 563
April 15, 2011
Sex and Taxes
It's that time of year again. I heard this morning on the radio we have until Monday to get the taxes in because it's Emancipation Day in Washington, DC. How this holiday thing works, I don't know. It's only a holiday in Washington. But at least it gives people a few extra days. And if you're in the mood for something to read that blends well with taxes, this anthology might be perfect. I have a short story in there, and I know a few of the other authors as well.
Nothing is more boring than computing how much you owe the government. In honor of this grueling annual task, we've brought together 9 sizzling hot tales of wicked ways to distract an accountant or conduct your own special audit with the IRS.
After reading about these vampire accountants (yes, you read that right) and tax cheats on who cheat on their wives, doing your taxes will take on a whole new meaning.
This anthology includes stories by:
Jen Bluekissed
Lisa Lane
Ryan Field
Hobert Glasse
Peter Sheehan
Eve Carpenter
Bryce Wood
Rachel Kenley
Jamaica Layne
Does Grammar Matter All the Time?
I'd like to think grammar matters all the time in books. But I do know, and understand, language and communication change all the time and grammar evolves. I went to private school, with old guard teachers. Ending a sentence with a preposition was strictly taboo. But I do it now, sometimes, because I know what it's all about.
But I'm not talking about grammar in books right now. I'm talking about grammar in every day communication, especially on social networks. In most cases, grammar doesn't seem to matter much anymore. Just watch Judge Judy once in a while and listen to the way people speak. Even Judge Judy rolls her eyes and lets them get away with it. If she didn't she wouldn't have enough time to make a judgement. And, in all fairness, the people on Judge Judy aren't promoting publishing related notices. The world has become more casual in every respect, and I don't expect perfect grammar from everyone.
But this morning I received a facebook notice from someone who should know better. This is how the sentence was worded:
What do you think of the blank blank me and Betty Loo are trying to do at blank blank?
I would imagine this sounds harmless to most people reading this blog post right now. But it's wrong. So I pulled this from a web site to show why it's wrong. And, from what I remember in grammar school, we're talking about the very basics here.
Grammar mistake number two: Me and my boyfriend went to the beach, is incorrect. You wouldn't say, Me went to the beach, so why say, Me and my boyfriend.... A way to correct this is to put the person you did whatever with first. It becomes harder to say, My boyfriend and me went to the beach, because when you say, ...me went to the beach, it won't sound right and you will automatically think, I went to the beach. Then you will say it correctly. My boyfriend and I went to the beach. (Me and (whoever)... is gaining more and more acceptance and may someday be considered proper grammar.)
We all make mistakes. I do it all the time (God bless my copy editors). And I'm not trying to sound like the grammar police. But when you're sending out a notice to hundreds of people who are authors, and this notice is publishing related, it might be a good idea to double check the grammar before you hit send.
But I'm not talking about grammar in books right now. I'm talking about grammar in every day communication, especially on social networks. In most cases, grammar doesn't seem to matter much anymore. Just watch Judge Judy once in a while and listen to the way people speak. Even Judge Judy rolls her eyes and lets them get away with it. If she didn't she wouldn't have enough time to make a judgement. And, in all fairness, the people on Judge Judy aren't promoting publishing related notices. The world has become more casual in every respect, and I don't expect perfect grammar from everyone.
But this morning I received a facebook notice from someone who should know better. This is how the sentence was worded:
What do you think of the blank blank me and Betty Loo are trying to do at blank blank?
I would imagine this sounds harmless to most people reading this blog post right now. But it's wrong. So I pulled this from a web site to show why it's wrong. And, from what I remember in grammar school, we're talking about the very basics here.
Grammar mistake number two: Me and my boyfriend went to the beach, is incorrect. You wouldn't say, Me went to the beach, so why say, Me and my boyfriend.... A way to correct this is to put the person you did whatever with first. It becomes harder to say, My boyfriend and me went to the beach, because when you say, ...me went to the beach, it won't sound right and you will automatically think, I went to the beach. Then you will say it correctly. My boyfriend and I went to the beach. (Me and (whoever)... is gaining more and more acceptance and may someday be considered proper grammar.)
We all make mistakes. I do it all the time (God bless my copy editors). And I'm not trying to sound like the grammar police. But when you're sending out a notice to hundreds of people who are authors, and this notice is publishing related, it might be a good idea to double check the grammar before you hit send.
April 14, 2011
YOU NEVER CARED by Michele Montgomery...a Free Download, Too!
I had the privilage of reading Michele Montgomery's new story, YOU NEVER CARED, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm a fan of a lot of Michele's books, which include one of my all time favorites, TONY AND RYAN. But this book, YOU NEVER CARED, really drew me in because the storyline revolves around young adults, social images, and bullying. And, as always, Michele's books are written with a neat style that keeps the story moving forward at all time.
This line hit me fast: I never realized what my words and actions could do to another person. This is where the magnitude of what he's been doing hits Jordon, the one who is telling the story.
This time the story is told from the bully's POV, and how he regrets his decisions. He's tired of being what his father thinks he should be. And he's tired of trying to live up to everyone's expectations of what they think he should be. But more than that, he knows in his heart he's been wrong all along. And, this is why I love Michele's work. It's filled with emotion on all levels.
Another line that stopped me short for a moment was this: That was the worst of it for me at that moment, watching Samuel deal with the loss of the guy he loved, and it was all because of me. Jordon's talking about Sammy's dead lover, Casper. And I could feel Jordon's regret as I read this.
Once in a while we read something that inspires us. YOU NEVER CARED did this for me. This is a story about facing demons and regret, growing up and learning tolerance...even if it's a little too late in some cases. And that every single action in the universe...karma...casues a reaction in one way or another. But most of all, it's a story about redemption. And it's never too late for that.
Here's a quick blurb, and the story can be downloaded for free here.
I can't recommend it enough to all readers.
Jordan is a golden child—wealthy, popular, the self-professed ruler of the senior class. Jordan is also a bully, a bully whose group of friends mercilessly tormented seventeen-year-old Casper for being different, for being poor, for suffering silently. Random acts of abuse from his classmates were par for the course in Casper's life, until one night, the bullying evolved into a hate crime and he, unable to endure, longing for peace, finally took his own life.
You Never Cared is the heartbreaking tale, told in Jordan's words, of a life stolen, of love lost, and of a soul compromised. But ultimately, it is a story of forgiveness and redemption. As Sammy, Casper's friend and lover, attempts to cope with the anguish of his boyfriend's loss, Jordan attempts to own his part in the crime, trying to make amends but knowing his only hope is to carry on Casper's legacy, to work to build a better future for boys and girls who, like Casper, just need a strong voice to encourage and stand up for them.
Purchasing Used Books on Ebay For More Money...
Here's something I don't get. If anyone wants to comment and explain, I welcome their thoughts.
Sometimes people point me to web sites where my books are being sold. And this morning someone pointed me to ebay, at this link, where bidding just ended for THE VIRGIN BILLIONAIRE.
I have no problem with anyone selling my books on ebay. But what I don't get is why anyone would spend more money on ebay for a used book when they can get a new book on amazon cheaper.
Maybe I'm missing something here. If I'm not, then I hope readers are aware of the fact that most my books can be purchased at amazon in print, not just as e-books. And from what I've seen today, they can be purchased cheaper.
I'm not sure, but I would imagine my used books are also for sale on amazon. Which makes me wonder even more why anyone would bid on, and buy, a used book on ebay for more money.
This might fall under the category of reader beware. If it does, please check out all your book buying options before you make a purchase. As a reader, I never buy the first book I see, print or digital. I shop around first to see who is offering the best deal. Most of the time, like them or not, it's amazon when it comes to print books.
Sometimes people point me to web sites where my books are being sold. And this morning someone pointed me to ebay, at this link, where bidding just ended for THE VIRGIN BILLIONAIRE.
I have no problem with anyone selling my books on ebay. But what I don't get is why anyone would spend more money on ebay for a used book when they can get a new book on amazon cheaper.
Maybe I'm missing something here. If I'm not, then I hope readers are aware of the fact that most my books can be purchased at amazon in print, not just as e-books. And from what I've seen today, they can be purchased cheaper.
I'm not sure, but I would imagine my used books are also for sale on amazon. Which makes me wonder even more why anyone would bid on, and buy, a used book on ebay for more money.
This might fall under the category of reader beware. If it does, please check out all your book buying options before you make a purchase. As a reader, I never buy the first book I see, print or digital. I shop around first to see who is offering the best deal. Most of the time, like them or not, it's amazon when it comes to print books.
New Release Today: Young, Hung, and Hitched...A Gay Honeymoon Romance
First, a little back story. This book, YOUNG, HUNG, AND HITCHED, was originally titled, "Gone With A Wink." (Nothing to do with Gone with the Wind.) It was actually a suggestion from a reader on facebook. I liked it. The publisher liked it. So they contracted me to do it.
But as time went on, in the middle of writing the book, both the publisher and I decided the original title wasn't right. So I sent them ten different title suggestions: five romance oriented and five more erotica oriented. I asked them to decide and said I'd be fine with anything they chose.
Being that this book is about two young gay men in love who are planning their wedding and honeymoon, I thought the title worked well. And the fact that they are taking a cross country road trip with a huge silver trailer makes the "hitched" part even more symbolic. And, once again, as with most of the titles of my books, this one was chosen with a certain amount of humor as well.
April 13, 2011
Freedomtomarry.org
I came across this web site a short time ago and fell in love with it. At the time, I was doing a little web research for a book that concentrated on gay marriage, GAY PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and I've been following it ever since.
On March 8, Ron Wallen lost his husband and partner of 58 years, Tom Carrollo, to leukemia.
Even as he grieves, Ron also faces the loss of the home he and Tom shared. Unfairly denied the Social Security coverage his husband earned -- payments he would receive were it not for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act's "gay exception" -- Ron cannot afford to keep his home.
The sad truth is that Ron's story of discrimination isn't unique. Doug Gentry, married to a Venezuelan citizen named Alex Benshimol, faces the possibility of being torn apart from his husband because DOMA treats their marriage with contempt. If Doug and Alex weren't gay, Doug could sponsor Alex for American citizenship but, because of DOMA, they are treated as strangers under federal law. "It's gut-wrenching," Doug says.
Couples send us stories like these -- each heartbreaking, each infuriatingly unjust -- and the remedy is clear: We must overturn DOMA now.
http://freedomtomarry.org/OverturnDOMA
Freedom to Marry has worked closely with members of Congress on a bill to repeal this discriminatory law, which denies married same-sex couples federal protections that touch every area of life -- from birth to death, with taxes in between.
We stood with congressional leaders a few weeks ago when they introduced the repeal bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, in the Senate and House. But now we need to grow the support, make the case, build momentum, and add co-sponsors to the bill.
Will you take action now? Ask your senators and representative to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act. Send a letter today:
http://freedomtomarry.org/OverturnDOMA
On behalf of couples like Ron and Tom and Doug and Alex, and because discrimination has no place in America, Freedom to Marry will not stop until we've wiped this discriminatory law from the books. But we can only do it with your help.
Thanks for all you do,
Evan Wolfson
President, Freedom to Marry
On March 8, Ron Wallen lost his husband and partner of 58 years, Tom Carrollo, to leukemia.
Even as he grieves, Ron also faces the loss of the home he and Tom shared. Unfairly denied the Social Security coverage his husband earned -- payments he would receive were it not for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act's "gay exception" -- Ron cannot afford to keep his home.
The sad truth is that Ron's story of discrimination isn't unique. Doug Gentry, married to a Venezuelan citizen named Alex Benshimol, faces the possibility of being torn apart from his husband because DOMA treats their marriage with contempt. If Doug and Alex weren't gay, Doug could sponsor Alex for American citizenship but, because of DOMA, they are treated as strangers under federal law. "It's gut-wrenching," Doug says.
Couples send us stories like these -- each heartbreaking, each infuriatingly unjust -- and the remedy is clear: We must overturn DOMA now.
http://freedomtomarry.org/OverturnDOMA
Freedom to Marry has worked closely with members of Congress on a bill to repeal this discriminatory law, which denies married same-sex couples federal protections that touch every area of life -- from birth to death, with taxes in between.
We stood with congressional leaders a few weeks ago when they introduced the repeal bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, in the Senate and House. But now we need to grow the support, make the case, build momentum, and add co-sponsors to the bill.
Will you take action now? Ask your senators and representative to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act. Send a letter today:
http://freedomtomarry.org/OverturnDOMA
On behalf of couples like Ron and Tom and Doug and Alex, and because discrimination has no place in America, Freedom to Marry will not stop until we've wiped this discriminatory law from the books. But we can only do it with your help.
Thanks for all you do,
Evan Wolfson
President, Freedom to Marry
Digging Through the Vines
It was a long, cold, snowy winter here in Bucks County, PA. And there haven't been many sunny, warm days yet. But at least the daffodils are in bloom. I have a difficult property, two acres of woods, and I get a little obsessive about it...the same way I get obsessive about my books. Each year in the fall, I try to plant at least three hundred more bulbs. And I plant them in out-of-the-way places, so I can see them in bloom from every room in the house in the spring. This was the batch I planted this past fall, in the middle of an ivy/pachysandra patch that wasn't easy to dig through. I was worried I didn't go deep enough because of all the roots and vines. But they popped up, as usual, without any problems. It's just too bad they won't last more than another week.
I can't help thinking about how these bulbs always remind me of writing and publishing. When you're a writer, you dig through vines and rocks and all kinds of obstacles all the time. I won't even get into the rejection all writers deal with. But, sooner or later, if you keep digging, it's always worth the effort!!
April 12, 2011
Philadelphia Book Fair
Here's a list of events going on this week at the Philadelphia Book Fair. I'm going to try to make a few myself, with any luck. And here's a link for other events later this week.
Harry Potter Film Festival: The Chamber of Secrets
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 3:30PM
Northeast Regional Library
This event will be held in the Meeting Room. For information, call 215-685-0512.
Northeast Regional Library | 2228 Cottman Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19149-1297
Drawing and Comics Workshop with Amy Ignatow | The Popularity Papers
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 4:00PM
Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library
Local author Amy Ignatow is an illustrator and teacher with a storied past that includes stints as everything from farmer to air-brush body artist. Her bestselling debut novel, The Popularity Papers, follows fifth-grade best friends Julie and Lydia on their quest to become popular. At this special comics workshop, Ignatow will teach children the art of drawing comics, as well as discuss and sign her own work.
For additional event information, call 215-685-7424.
Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library | 125 South 52nd Street | Philadelphia, PA 19139-3408
Poetry Writing & Dance Program with Barbara Tait
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 4:00PM
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library
Come dance with us and express yourself writing poetry! Barbara Tait—a dancer, poet, and playwright—will present a poetry writing and dance program for children ages 7-11.
For additional event information, call 215-685-2150.
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library | 68 West Chelten Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19144-2795
Music by MTM (Many Thoughts of Music) Band
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 5:45PM
Parkway Central Lobby
Featuring Eric Mabley on keyboard, Ron Starley on drums, and the Free Library's own Alfred "Moe Joe" Moore on bass, Many Thoughts of Music is a gospel and jazz jam band that has performed throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. With a sophisticated and well-polished sound, these talented musicians get the crowd moving for a reliably good time. Find out more about them on their MySpace page.
Philadelphia Noir with Carlin Romano, Asali Solomon, Duane Swierczynski, and Jim Zervanos
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 6:00PM
Skyline Room
Deemed "corrupt and contented" by journalist Lincoln Steffens in 1903, the City of Brotherly Love's underbelly is exposed in this anthology of brand-new crime stories by local authors. Part of Akashic Books' award-winning series of original noir anthologies that started with Brooklyn Noir, Philadelphia Noir is "a collection enhanced by an unerring sense of place [...] that will please the most discriminating lovers of the dark side," according to a reviewer for Kirkus Reviews.
Critic-at-large for the Chronicle of Higher Education, editor Carlin Romano was a literary critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 25 years. Asali Solomon is a West Philadelphia native who was selected as one of the National Book Foundation's "5 Under 35" for her first book of short stories, Get Down. Duane Swierczynski is the former editor-in-chief of the Philadelphia City Paper, the author of several crime thrillers including Expiration Date and Severance Package, and a writer for Marvel Comics. Jim Zervanos is the author of the critically acclaimed novel LOVE Park.
Donald Bogle | Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel Waters
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:30PM
Festival Main Stage
A professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the University of Pennsylvania, Donald Bogle is the foremost authority on African Americans in film. His books, which include Dorothy Dandridge; Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks; Primetime Blues; and Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams have won awards and wide critical acclaim. In Heat Wave, Bogle traces screen star Ethel Waters' life from her childhood years of poverty in Chester, PA, to her success in Hollywood—where she became the second African American ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. Bogle recounts with detail her stint in black vaudeville, her turbulent personal life, and her hard-won success as a Broadway musical comedy and dramatic star.
Harry Potter Film Festival: The Chamber of Secrets
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 3:30PM
Northeast Regional Library
This event will be held in the Meeting Room. For information, call 215-685-0512.
Northeast Regional Library | 2228 Cottman Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19149-1297
Drawing and Comics Workshop with Amy Ignatow | The Popularity Papers
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 4:00PM
Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library
Local author Amy Ignatow is an illustrator and teacher with a storied past that includes stints as everything from farmer to air-brush body artist. Her bestselling debut novel, The Popularity Papers, follows fifth-grade best friends Julie and Lydia on their quest to become popular. At this special comics workshop, Ignatow will teach children the art of drawing comics, as well as discuss and sign her own work.
For additional event information, call 215-685-7424.
Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library | 125 South 52nd Street | Philadelphia, PA 19139-3408
Poetry Writing & Dance Program with Barbara Tait
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 4:00PM
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library
Come dance with us and express yourself writing poetry! Barbara Tait—a dancer, poet, and playwright—will present a poetry writing and dance program for children ages 7-11.
For additional event information, call 215-685-2150.
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library | 68 West Chelten Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19144-2795
Music by MTM (Many Thoughts of Music) Band
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 5:45PM
Parkway Central Lobby
Featuring Eric Mabley on keyboard, Ron Starley on drums, and the Free Library's own Alfred "Moe Joe" Moore on bass, Many Thoughts of Music is a gospel and jazz jam band that has performed throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. With a sophisticated and well-polished sound, these talented musicians get the crowd moving for a reliably good time. Find out more about them on their MySpace page.
Philadelphia Noir with Carlin Romano, Asali Solomon, Duane Swierczynski, and Jim Zervanos
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 6:00PM
Skyline Room
Deemed "corrupt and contented" by journalist Lincoln Steffens in 1903, the City of Brotherly Love's underbelly is exposed in this anthology of brand-new crime stories by local authors. Part of Akashic Books' award-winning series of original noir anthologies that started with Brooklyn Noir, Philadelphia Noir is "a collection enhanced by an unerring sense of place [...] that will please the most discriminating lovers of the dark side," according to a reviewer for Kirkus Reviews.
Critic-at-large for the Chronicle of Higher Education, editor Carlin Romano was a literary critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer for 25 years. Asali Solomon is a West Philadelphia native who was selected as one of the National Book Foundation's "5 Under 35" for her first book of short stories, Get Down. Duane Swierczynski is the former editor-in-chief of the Philadelphia City Paper, the author of several crime thrillers including Expiration Date and Severance Package, and a writer for Marvel Comics. Jim Zervanos is the author of the critically acclaimed novel LOVE Park.
Donald Bogle | Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel Waters
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:30PM
Festival Main Stage
A professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the University of Pennsylvania, Donald Bogle is the foremost authority on African Americans in film. His books, which include Dorothy Dandridge; Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks; Primetime Blues; and Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams have won awards and wide critical acclaim. In Heat Wave, Bogle traces screen star Ethel Waters' life from her childhood years of poverty in Chester, PA, to her success in Hollywood—where she became the second African American ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. Bogle recounts with detail her stint in black vaudeville, her turbulent personal life, and her hard-won success as a Broadway musical comedy and dramatic star.
Results for TRS Treasure Hunt...
I received an e-mail this morning About the results for the TRS Treasure Hunt and wanted to post the winners.
First, thanks to Vivi Dumas for organizing and running the event. She worked hard on this. Second, thanks to all the people who particpated, including the authors who gave a way free books. It was fun to do. I can't find any links, but this was the information I received from Vivi.
The winner of the Kindle is Jean Patton. I will reach out to her to get the Kindle shipped to her. Then at random from all of the participants, I pulled Darcy Johnson for the $25 GC. TRS is going to pull the winner of the print books.
Why On Earth Would Grandma Read and Review An Erotic Romance?
(Update to post: Please read Julie's comment on the thread. I can't thank her enough for pointing this out. The Grandma caricature is obsolete now, and this post was more about prudes than today's Grandmas. Thanks, Julie!)
This is one of those touchy topics I usually stay away from. One, because life's just too damn short. And two, because in the grand scheme of any writer's career it's not all that important.
But whenever I read a negative review on a book review site or blog that isn't typically geared toward reading erotica or erotic romance, I'm always floored by the way the reviewer didn't seem to get it. And I'm not talking about my own books. I'm talking about all erotica and erotic romance written by other authors just like me. Although it has happened to me, I've seen it happen to so many authors of erotica and erotic romance I wanted to post something about it, especially for the self-published authors out there wondering what the hell they did wrong.
First, if you receive a bad review (or a snarky, sarcastic review) from a book reviewer who typically loves pg-rated, Grandma romances (formula romance with very little sex), please don't take it seriously. Why these book reviewers even bother reading erotica or erotic romance passes me by. I think one reason they do it is to have a little sadistic, snarky fun at someone else's expense. And I think the other reason they do it is because they have their own personal agendas about what they'd like to see in erotica or erotic romance and they want to push that agenda to as many readers as possible. I also think the problem could be they just don't know any better because they haven't been exposed to much. I've been around a lot longer than most of them and I can see through the flaws and mistakes where most people can't. Some on the Internet fake it better than others. But I can always spot them.
Now, I have nothing against Grandma romances. I love them; I can't get enough of them. I'm talking about chests heaving and pants getting tighter, without getting into anything that's truly erotic. I also like books that focus on love and emotion more than sex sometimes, if that's what they are supposed to be doing. I've even written a few myself with pen names. But erotica and erotic romance are supposed to be concentrating on sex as much as love and emotion. This is why people read erotica and erotic romance. In many cases, it's more about the erotica than anything else. And this is why people buy them.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the readership for erotica and erotic romance read with great discretion, especially when it comes to m/m erotic romance. Many gay men are still in the closet: this is a fact. Many women who read m/m erotic romance don't want anyone to know they are reading it. Even grandmas read erotic romance, but very discreetly. I receive e-mails from people all over the world, all the time, giving me wonderful comments. And yet these people would never leave a review for an erotic romance in public. And I fully understand this, and appreciate them all for buying the books. I even like the personal contact better.
I've talked with other authors who write m/m erotic romance, and they all tell me the same thing...that they get tons of e-mails from readers, their sales are great, but they don't get tons of good reviews anywhere on the Internet.
So this leaves us with the snarky reviewers who don't typically read erotica or erotic romance. They do it once in a while, usually whenever they see a freebie or a .99 e-book on amazon. And they never like the books...never. What sparked this post was a book review I read the other day, where the reviewer slammed a woman author who had written a hetero erotic romance. But while I read the review, I noticed that the reviewer wasn't actually reviewing an erotic romance at all. I had to wonder why on earth Grandma was even reading an erotic romance! (I'm not a huge fan of historicals and I stay away from them.) But this reviewer was reviewing the book in question, and knocking the book, for not being a Grandma romance. And the same qualities found in a good Grandma romance are not going to be found in a good erotic romance. And the difference is the amount of sexual content, which this particular reviewer despised in the book I'm talking about.
So I hopped over to amazon and bought the book myself; just to see what the reviewer was talking about. Maybe she was right? What do I know? And sure enough, the reviewer who typically loves Grandma romances was dead wrong once again. This erotic romance was excellent, and I left an amazon review, with my name, letting the author know how much I enjoyed it. As far as erotic romance goes, the author nailed it in every respect, and I wanted her to know it.
This author writes very well, too. I mentioned that in my review as well. But there was no mention of this writing ability by the reviewer who loves Grandma romance. She basically laughed in the author's face, which I thought was extremely unfair. Though we can all learn from negative reviews (I have), there's no way an author can learn anything from a snarky review based on the reviewer's dislike for erotica and erotic romance.
There's no way this is ever going to stop. There will always be reviewers, and haters of erotica and erotic romance, who love Grandma romance and live to knock and laugh at erotica and erotic romance. I have my own theories about this, with regard to how these reviewers relate to sex in general, on a psychological level, but that's for another post. In this post, I'd like to ask all authors who write erotica and erotic romance to support each other. In other words, when you see a snarky, nasty book review about and erotic romance that's been written by someone who normally reads and reviews Grandma romances, please check the book out yourselves. If you like it, and nine times out of ten you will, leave the author a good review on the site where you bought it. I'm making this a goal from now on, and I hope others start to follow.
This is one of those touchy topics I usually stay away from. One, because life's just too damn short. And two, because in the grand scheme of any writer's career it's not all that important.
But whenever I read a negative review on a book review site or blog that isn't typically geared toward reading erotica or erotic romance, I'm always floored by the way the reviewer didn't seem to get it. And I'm not talking about my own books. I'm talking about all erotica and erotic romance written by other authors just like me. Although it has happened to me, I've seen it happen to so many authors of erotica and erotic romance I wanted to post something about it, especially for the self-published authors out there wondering what the hell they did wrong.
First, if you receive a bad review (or a snarky, sarcastic review) from a book reviewer who typically loves pg-rated, Grandma romances (formula romance with very little sex), please don't take it seriously. Why these book reviewers even bother reading erotica or erotic romance passes me by. I think one reason they do it is to have a little sadistic, snarky fun at someone else's expense. And I think the other reason they do it is because they have their own personal agendas about what they'd like to see in erotica or erotic romance and they want to push that agenda to as many readers as possible. I also think the problem could be they just don't know any better because they haven't been exposed to much. I've been around a lot longer than most of them and I can see through the flaws and mistakes where most people can't. Some on the Internet fake it better than others. But I can always spot them.
Now, I have nothing against Grandma romances. I love them; I can't get enough of them. I'm talking about chests heaving and pants getting tighter, without getting into anything that's truly erotic. I also like books that focus on love and emotion more than sex sometimes, if that's what they are supposed to be doing. I've even written a few myself with pen names. But erotica and erotic romance are supposed to be concentrating on sex as much as love and emotion. This is why people read erotica and erotic romance. In many cases, it's more about the erotica than anything else. And this is why people buy them.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the readership for erotica and erotic romance read with great discretion, especially when it comes to m/m erotic romance. Many gay men are still in the closet: this is a fact. Many women who read m/m erotic romance don't want anyone to know they are reading it. Even grandmas read erotic romance, but very discreetly. I receive e-mails from people all over the world, all the time, giving me wonderful comments. And yet these people would never leave a review for an erotic romance in public. And I fully understand this, and appreciate them all for buying the books. I even like the personal contact better.
I've talked with other authors who write m/m erotic romance, and they all tell me the same thing...that they get tons of e-mails from readers, their sales are great, but they don't get tons of good reviews anywhere on the Internet.
So this leaves us with the snarky reviewers who don't typically read erotica or erotic romance. They do it once in a while, usually whenever they see a freebie or a .99 e-book on amazon. And they never like the books...never. What sparked this post was a book review I read the other day, where the reviewer slammed a woman author who had written a hetero erotic romance. But while I read the review, I noticed that the reviewer wasn't actually reviewing an erotic romance at all. I had to wonder why on earth Grandma was even reading an erotic romance! (I'm not a huge fan of historicals and I stay away from them.) But this reviewer was reviewing the book in question, and knocking the book, for not being a Grandma romance. And the same qualities found in a good Grandma romance are not going to be found in a good erotic romance. And the difference is the amount of sexual content, which this particular reviewer despised in the book I'm talking about.
So I hopped over to amazon and bought the book myself; just to see what the reviewer was talking about. Maybe she was right? What do I know? And sure enough, the reviewer who typically loves Grandma romances was dead wrong once again. This erotic romance was excellent, and I left an amazon review, with my name, letting the author know how much I enjoyed it. As far as erotic romance goes, the author nailed it in every respect, and I wanted her to know it.
This author writes very well, too. I mentioned that in my review as well. But there was no mention of this writing ability by the reviewer who loves Grandma romance. She basically laughed in the author's face, which I thought was extremely unfair. Though we can all learn from negative reviews (I have), there's no way an author can learn anything from a snarky review based on the reviewer's dislike for erotica and erotic romance.
There's no way this is ever going to stop. There will always be reviewers, and haters of erotica and erotic romance, who love Grandma romance and live to knock and laugh at erotica and erotic romance. I have my own theories about this, with regard to how these reviewers relate to sex in general, on a psychological level, but that's for another post. In this post, I'd like to ask all authors who write erotica and erotic romance to support each other. In other words, when you see a snarky, nasty book review about and erotic romance that's been written by someone who normally reads and reviews Grandma romances, please check the book out yourselves. If you like it, and nine times out of ten you will, leave the author a good review on the site where you bought it. I'm making this a goal from now on, and I hope others start to follow.
