Discussion Post ~ Bloggers Beware of Authors behaving badly (AKA Authors laying a smackdown on book bloggers?!)

NOTE: I will be adding my extremely personal thoughts on this at the end of this post. It does seem that all hell has broken loose in the book blogging community again.  Not good peeps! I've been going through my google reader and I've been reading all these horror stories about all the hell that's being unleashed on us "unprofessional reviewers*" (AKA Book Bloggers).  The post that I just linked to is written by an author who had a couple of bad reviews of posted about her book and had the nerve to "call out" two book blogs (Book Binge and Chick Lit Plus).  On top of that the author (Sylvia Massara) had this to say about book bloggers: "Oftentimes, the people who set up these kinds of blogs have never written a thing in their lives, except maybe a grocery list. Most are avid readers who think they are qualified to review someone else’s work. So it’s very sad when they go about damaging the image of upcoming small press and indie authors with the rubbish they write." I think that this post was EXTREMELY unprofessional and I think that the two blogs that were called out in this post responded in a professional manner and put the facts out there for their readers to see and read.  If you want to check out their responses Book Binge had this to say and Chick Lit Plus had this to say. Ah, and then we get to the good stuff....How In My Mailbox** is to quote the unnamed author “those "in my mailbox" posts represent everything that's wrong with the whole scene. It's all about status and swag.”  Then there's the whole book bloggers don't sell books/shouldn't be given ARC's/and how we're only in it for the free books.  Seriously, I have some pretty serious thoughts on all of this.....which your about to read. 

MY THOUGHTS:

 I saw all these posts and I was deeply troubled by all of this.  For a while now I've been struggling with my book blogging (if you hadn't noticed from my lack of posting).  I feel that it has turned into a job and I already have one of those.  I know that this is mostly my fault and I asked for it when I decided to start 2 additional book blogs.  But getting back on point...All of this negativity has really troubled me. I just don't understand how an author could go so far as to attack a blogger on a VERY public form of media known as the INTERNET!  That is completely classless and trashy on their part.  Sure we as book bloggers don't always write glowing reviews of everything that we read.  It happens.  Life isn't all sunshine and happiness.  Put on your big girl/boy under ware and get over it. JMHO. I don't know about anyone else out there but I think that In My Mailbox is a pretty AWESOME meme.  I don't always get to participate but even if I don't I always find more books to add to my wish list when I go through my google reader.  Honestly, I look forward to In My Mailbox...even if I don't get to participate.  It makes me happy to see all those bloggers out there gushing with happiness over the books they got in the mail, from the library or just went out and bought.  FOR KRISTI~ Party on Kristi!  I think it is very unfair to say that book bloggers don't sell books.  I think that there are enough of us out there that anyone who comes across some one's review either intentionally or accidentally that we might influence a book buyers decision.  I know that before I started book blogging I came across some review blogs for a couple of books that I was considering buying and reading the reviews helped me to make my decision.  For another blogger's opinion on book bloggers and their impact click here OR to read an author's take on book blogger's check out this post.  I was extremely offended when I found that many people believe that we book bloggers are only in it for the free books and ARC's.  I don't know about anyone else but I spend more money and time buying books or checking them out of the library or swapping them on Paperbackswap.com than I spend trying to coherse a book out of an author.  Actually, I've NEVER approached an author about getting a copy of their book and I am only occasionally contacted with review requests.  Maybe there are bloggers out there who are fishing for "free books."  I am NOT one of them. So I am going to conclude this post before I turn it into a full length novel.  Though I do have 1 message for all the haters out there.....Hell Hath No Fury Like Book Blogger's Scorned.  *Found in a post posted by Jeremy West of Novel Thoughts**Found in a post posted by Kristi of The Story Siren

Discussion Post - Sharing The "Wealth"

Originally posted on The Book Junkie's Bookshelf.

I was going through my google reader this morning (which is a very scary place right now because I haven't checked it all week) and I found a post that I was inspired by to write this post.  I've been blogging for a little over a year now and then I've gone into this "dark place" when it comes to blogging.  Mainly in the way of feeling like a REALLY small fish in a UBER HUGE pond. So here I go on my tangent/I just don't understand/WTF's the deal post...... After reading the post that I was inspired by, I got to thinking the same thought that the original blogger was thinking...."Why am I not good enough?"  I've been blogging for a while and I was UBER stoked when I got my first review request when I was just an "infant" in book blogging land and then I got my next request and I was even more stoked.  Now I'm up over 400 followers and I get a few requests here and there...which honestly is probably a good thing because of how HUGE my TBR mountain is....and I'm wondering what a blogger has to do to be part of the "cool kid" club?  You know the club where you get the "coveted" ARC's and blog tour invites coming out your ears and authors beating down your door to get their book on your blog? Why aren't the publishing companies/authors/agents/whoever else is involved in the process of getting books out there and noticed spreading the "wealth" around?  Now I know that even the "big fish" of book blogging don't always get the ARC's and other book related "stuff" that they would LOVE to have.  And I know that when publishing companies/authors/agents/whoever else is involved in the process of getting books out there are looking for avenues to get certain books out there and recognized they don't want to send a request to someone who's been blogging for a week.  I know that there are some "rules" to go along with this hobby of ours.  I guess I just had a better understanding of what those "rules" are?  Why are smaller bloggers being passed over?  Is it because we have lives and don't devote our entire existence to our blogs?  Do we not have enough followers?  Not enough comments? Not enough reviews? What's the deal?  Honestly, when I see that one of my bloggy pals has gotten a review copy of a book that I requested and got turned down for, I get jealous and a little cranky.  I know it's not that blogger's fault but it just sends me into a "dark place" where I once again start questioning myself/my blogs and wondering why I'm not good enough. Personally, I've started using netgalley as a way to try and read some of the upcoming releases.  So far I've been pretty lucky on there. I've considered joining tour sites but since I've divided my reviewing up into 3 blogs now I'm worried that because my 2 new blogs don't have enough followers and haven't been active long enough I'll be rejected. So what's a "small fish" to do?  Start a tour/support group for smaller bloggers (I'm game by the way, email me if you are)? "Tap out" (sorry for the wrestling reference) and be resigned to the fact that you may never be part of the "cool kid" club?  I don't know.  Personally, since I've started my other 2 blogs I've been working on blogging more for myself than for anyone else (I've been really bad at this for a long time).  I work a full time job, 3rd shift (so most of the daylight hours are spent sleeping for me), on my days off I try to actually get things accomplished, so my reading time is precious. Hence why The Bookshelf has been kinda quiet for a while.  That and we're in full on wedding mode until it finally happens on Wednesday.  So now that you now what I'm thinking I'm going to sign off and try and visit some blogs.