Dutchess’s review of Kiss Fuck Marry Kill > Likes and Comments

I want to tell you a true story. I was at a literary conference in a panel with a high-profile agent answering questions from the audience. (She is the agent for N. K. Jemisin). Some joker asked 'what is the worst query letter you ever received?' - she then described the exact plot of Mellick's The Haunted Vagina. Everyone in the audience was laughing in an embarrassed, horrified way.
Later I was a talking to two agents who were gossiping about this supposedly unbelievably bad query letter, telling me it was the worst thing they had ever heard in their life.
I pulled out my phone loaded up Goodreads and showed them how the book has around 5000 ratings. I said, "Carlton bought a house in Oregon off the proceeds of just this book alone." They gave me this disgusted look and said, "I can't believe you rated it four stars."

I laughed out loud at the final line of your comment. I've had a similar experience where I had to explain to one of my friends why The Haunted Vagina has more literary merit than Outlander. No matter what I said, their response was always the same: "But how can THAT book be better?" Many people--including literary agents, apparently--have a difficult time looking past the layer of shit to uncover the gold beneath. A shame, really.