Geez...
I guess I just don't get it.
I stayed home from work today, having caught whatever Chris had, although so far so good this afternoon. Roadrunner was down most of the morning, too, so I haven't posted those auctions from last night yet, but I'm getting there.
And then I wake up to discover that a good online friend of mine (names are being withheld) is being accused of writing what I thought was just a review on Amazon, and not signing it, and now it has escalated to World War III status with my friend being called a stalker and insecure, and worse. Now this friend of mine has said more than once that she did not write this review. She merely sent an email to Amazon saying she thought the review was fair and should not be pulled. Amazon then decided not to pull the review.
You know what? If I had thought about it, I would have sent an email to that effect as well, because unless there's some hidden message in that review that I just don't see, it's not a personal attack against the author. Sure, it's not a great review, but neither is the one from Publisher's Weekly which, in my opinion, I think is much worse!
Okay, people, chill out here!! There is pettiness and there is complete and utter ridiculousness.
I read the review. (I'm not going to post a link to it here, because honestly, those of you who read this and know what I'm talking about already know where to find it.) I searched for some hidden meaning, some essence that made it a personal attack against the author, and I couldn't find it. I've read some really nasty reviews on Amazon. This wasn't one of them.
I did read the book in question, or most of it. It was okay. I'm not a big fan of this author's latest work anyway; I didn't particularly care for the trilogy that came before this book. But that's just my taste, nothing personal. I'm more of a Charles DeLint/Neil Gaiman type reader anyway. I don't go for much "normal" fantasy at all.
What I don't get is this insistence that my friend wrote this review. I want to see proof before the lynch mob forms up, people. And one or two people telling me that she wrote the review when she has said more than once (in public and private, btw) that she has not will not deem her guilty in my eyes. She has no reason to lie. If I wrote that review (and I have written unsigned ones before, btw, just in case anyone is wondering), I'd admit it and move on.
Oh, hell. Here's the link. Read it for yourself. It's the one that starts out "I wonder if we're all reading the same book."
Anyway. Just to set the record straight here:
I will not believe a person is guilty before they are proven guilty.
If said person insists she is innocent and I have no reason to believe her guilty, I'm going to believe her.
I will go on record saying that I didn't think it was a personal attack review on the author.
I will also go on record saying that I think this has gone on long enough. It was a review, people. ONE REVIEW DOES NOT MAKE OR BREAK AN AUTHOR. At least it shouldn't. And if it does, well... there's something else wrong there.
Lastly, I will go on record to say that I do not agree with this lynch mob mentality, and I will not be party to it. I have writing to do. Isn't that what you should be doing?
And I think this is all I'm going to say on the subject, unless it escalates further. This sucks. Big time.
I guess I just don't get it.
I stayed home from work today, having caught whatever Chris had, although so far so good this afternoon. Roadrunner was down most of the morning, too, so I haven't posted those auctions from last night yet, but I'm getting there.
And then I wake up to discover that a good online friend of mine (names are being withheld) is being accused of writing what I thought was just a review on Amazon, and not signing it, and now it has escalated to World War III status with my friend being called a stalker and insecure, and worse. Now this friend of mine has said more than once that she did not write this review. She merely sent an email to Amazon saying she thought the review was fair and should not be pulled. Amazon then decided not to pull the review.
You know what? If I had thought about it, I would have sent an email to that effect as well, because unless there's some hidden message in that review that I just don't see, it's not a personal attack against the author. Sure, it's not a great review, but neither is the one from Publisher's Weekly which, in my opinion, I think is much worse!
Okay, people, chill out here!! There is pettiness and there is complete and utter ridiculousness.
I read the review. (I'm not going to post a link to it here, because honestly, those of you who read this and know what I'm talking about already know where to find it.) I searched for some hidden meaning, some essence that made it a personal attack against the author, and I couldn't find it. I've read some really nasty reviews on Amazon. This wasn't one of them.
I did read the book in question, or most of it. It was okay. I'm not a big fan of this author's latest work anyway; I didn't particularly care for the trilogy that came before this book. But that's just my taste, nothing personal. I'm more of a Charles DeLint/Neil Gaiman type reader anyway. I don't go for much "normal" fantasy at all.
What I don't get is this insistence that my friend wrote this review. I want to see proof before the lynch mob forms up, people. And one or two people telling me that she wrote the review when she has said more than once (in public and private, btw) that she has not will not deem her guilty in my eyes. She has no reason to lie. If I wrote that review (and I have written unsigned ones before, btw, just in case anyone is wondering), I'd admit it and move on.
Oh, hell. Here's the link. Read it for yourself. It's the one that starts out "I wonder if we're all reading the same book."
Anyway. Just to set the record straight here:
I will not believe a person is guilty before they are proven guilty.
If said person insists she is innocent and I have no reason to believe her guilty, I'm going to believe her.
I will go on record saying that I didn't think it was a personal attack review on the author.
I will also go on record saying that I think this has gone on long enough. It was a review, people. ONE REVIEW DOES NOT MAKE OR BREAK AN AUTHOR. At least it shouldn't. And if it does, well... there's something else wrong there.
Lastly, I will go on record to say that I do not agree with this lynch mob mentality, and I will not be party to it. I have writing to do. Isn't that what you should be doing?
And I think this is all I'm going to say on the subject, unless it escalates further. This sucks. Big time.
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