… but on a Thursday. Yeah, well, I haven’t done one of these in a while, that’s why. So be warned. You’re about to get hit with a biggie.
Begin rant.
Fact 1. The m/m romance community is a small one. Readers know reviewers. Reviewers know authors. Authors know readers. It’s itsy bitsy.
Fact 2. There are fans. There are friends. There are enemies. There are frenemies. There are acquaintances.
Fact 3. At some stage, a fan or friend is bound to review or rate the work of an author that they’re the fan or friend of. Let’s face it, that’s generally how peeps meet in this small world of ours.
Fact 4. It’s relatively easy to find out about this type of relationship because the fan, friend or the author will hang out at each others’ sites.
Fact 5. You tend to read the reviews where this relationship occurs knowing that (a) the reviewer may be a bit more squeey, (b) the reviewer may be even harder on the work because they are conscious or their association, or (c) the reviewer will do what they do regardless because they are comfortable enough to stick to their guns.
Fact 6. What is less well known – unless the enmity has been well publicised (ie the subject of a major wankfest) – is when someone hates the guts of a particular author or when someone is the fan/friend of the someone who hates the guts of a particular author.
Fact 7. Because this is not as obvious, it is not always clear why a certain review or rating may have been given to a book.
Fact 8. What really shits me is when the hater or fan/friend of the hater deliberately attacks the work of a particular author because the two are supposedly locked in mortal combat.
Fact 9. This has happened recently to two authors that I know and, yes, are friends with. This doesn’t stop it, however, from being completely and utterly bullshit-style fucked, which is what I would also say if the situation was reversed.
Fact 10. To those people who do this…
I know that you think you’re being supportive and all, but, seriously, Karma will get you.
She’s a bitch like that.
End rant.
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
*blink blink* What I wouldn't give to know the rest of the story behind that one. Oy.
Yeah, I'm curious, too, but I know you can't make it worse and divulge the details. What a total shame, though! I mean the www is big enough for all of us, and it does no good whatsoever to carry on a feud. What is especially pointless is when the fans and friends and hangers-on go to “war” on behalf of their favorite author. Many times the author doesn't even want that kind of support so the fans are only making him or her look bad. Talk about a tempest in a teaspoon.
Just copying what Chris said…. And Val…
End of rant… Glad we could be here.
Well I was going to comment along the lines of being on the outside looking in, but obviously if I am I'm not alone!
So rant away, babycakes. There are always going to be nasty people and sometimes we just need to vent!
Um. Okay. I'm so oblivious to shit like that. LOL Really.
Rants are good though, the cleanse the soul.
And there goes Tam's Y key, along with the H and the F. RIP, Y key. š
a fellow MM author is bashing another MM author? š¦
Very sad.
I've no idea whom you're talking about, but the situation you've described sounds totally uncool. You'd think mature adults could refrain from stooping to that kind of behavior. Hopefully the 2 authors you're friends with have lots of other great reviews out there so that that one reviewer ends up looking nuts.
You're a smart ass Chris. That was just fast typing because I'm using our desktop since I'm home today. It's only my netbook that has key issues.
Not sure exactly what happened…but I do get your rant. I've just started my blog and I've already run into this crap, somewhat.
I don't get these people. They need to get a life.
*panics* You mean there will be people hating me for no real reason? Well, I met some of those but that was back when I was a reviewer (very cruel one). Some of them still hate my guts after I recommended them to forget about writing and do something useful instead…
Just in case: People, I love you all!!!
“People, I love you all!!!”
Nice save there Matthew. š
Waz going on?! Are Mommy & Daddy fighting…
Sigh. why do people take the time to bash other people, authors, etc etc. That's just so….Amazon discussion forum.
P.S. Did someone hurt your feelers? I can go there, yes I can be Alpha for a fellow blogger friend.
That's just so….Amazon discussion forum.
AHAHAHAHAHAAHHA!!!
Sorry. Carry on. I'm in Panera. Frankly it mystifies me why I can enjoy your site here, but TPig is banned. BANNED!
LB Gregg~ working very very hard and enjoying bean soup.
How sad that it happens at all. Why can't they all just…get along?
I can think maybe of one person I've seen this happen to recently. It may or may not be one of the same ones you are talking about.
You are right though, it's difficult to know who the enemies of authors are unless they've had a public ding-dong. I always think that maybe on sites like Good Reads it can only be a small proportion of the people rating who are the enemy/friends of the enemy and their 1 star ratings will look very odd when compared to the 3-5 star ratings of all the people who are rating the book based solely on their reading pleasure.
Hey all
Yeah, I've probably confuzzled the hell at out of you, but, as Val said, I don't want to make the situation worse by throwing accusations around.
Val: “Many times the author doesn't even want that kind of support so the fans are only making him or her look bad.”
Exactly! In at least one of the instances I think that the author who was being 'supported' would have been absolutely mortified by the lengths that their fans went to.
Katiebabs chook: “a fellow MM author is bashing another MM author? š¦
Very sad.”
In this case, a number of people know that one of the authors has issues with the other so bashing their book is just so… bitchy.
Richelle: It is very uncool.
“Hopefully the 2 authors you're friends with have lots of other great reviews out there so that that one reviewer ends up looking nuts.”
The problem is when the hater rallies their troops and all of a sudden a number of 'this is shit' type ratings and reviews come up. That's just vicious.
Amora: I'm so sorry to hear that you've come up against this already. I think sometimes that the anonymity and relative safety of dealing with others in a virtual world means that certain restrictions that you would normally put up you behaviour are thrown to the wind. Case in point being my blog. LOL. Unfortunately this applies to all kind of behaviour including vitriolic bullying. š¦
Matthew: I would be totally convinced if I was one of the authors who you reviewed. 1000%.
-head spins round- I kind of don't get it but what I think you're saying is 2 authors are in bashing fest against each other and others are taking sides by low-balling ratings.
If that's the case… idiots.
I'd also caution that sometimes you dont know? I mean I've had people tell me I hate an author for giving them a low rating when I just didn't like the book, no hidden motive regardless of my friends or the author's enemies.
But yes.. the community is INCREDIBLY small. If it's obvious what you're doing repeatedly and often, it'll come out and then that person is just a douche bag to be named and shamed (hehe).
KC: “Sigh. why do people take the time to bash other people, authors, etc etc. That's just so….Amazon discussion forum.”
That was funny. No need to be Alpha for me – thanks for the offer though. š I'm just pissed. Mainly cos the two peeps that I know are not in a position to do anything without looking like fucktards themselves. It's a poo situation.
LB: Are you implying that my site should be banned for some reason?? Well. That's just rude.
Tracy: Or at least avoid the hell out of each other as much as possible… I try do that with Chris and Tam sometimes, but it's like everywhere I go there they are…
Kris: LOL No, you lost that one. It wasn't M/M and it wasn't even in English. š
Jen: I hope that people look at the huge difference that there sometimes are in ratings on sites like goodreads and question the why of it as opposed to being put off by it. In the meantime though, as you will know, it is extremely hurtful to the authors. That really does make be fucking furious because it just seems so unnecessary.
Kassa: I absolutely agree. Sometimes a low rating is just a low rating with no strings attached. Same with a high rating.
In one of the situations it is more that the authors have had some issues in the past and one of them is holding a major grudge and rallying – or at least in my view seems to be rallying – her followers.
“But yes.. the community is INCREDIBLY small. If it's obvious what you're doing repeatedly and often, it'll come out and then that person is just a douche bag to be named and shamed (hehe).”
I would thoroughly support a name and shame blog if I didn't think I would end up on it or the time for my crude behaviour. LOL.
Matthew: Lucky. š Although when you start doing author interviews and the like don't think I won't take the op to mention your history as a bastard of a reviewer. š
Wonder what I have to look forward to when my Lesbian Love Romance comes out next month.
Katiebabs chook: Are you worried about 'payback'?
What type of payback? As in, she can't write woman love for shit, don't buy it?
Oh well. Me and my lusty lovelies will carry on…
And I know who has my back to take them all down! *insert evil laugh*
*evilstareofevilness*
See, with Chris by my side as my evil of most evilness, I can't be taken down!
*shudders* Chris is super scary when she has her evil on. I will be behind her stabbing her victims while they're rolling on the ground in agony. I'm merciless like that…
… and probably shouldn't joke about this because I've just proved the hole point of my rant from the other side. *snort*
You may try to avoid Tam and I, but the evil stare will find you wherever you are, Kris!
Well, hell, if we're such a small community, how come all of us are in the dark? š
What really confounds me is when somebody picks a fight without the person with whom they've picked the fight knowing that a fight is going on!
(Uh…know what I mean?)
So I figured I'd just come right out and say that Wren is a filthy tramp, and once I get my flying monkeys organzied, she and her little dog are going dowwwwwn. (Taking monkey applications now. You provide the wings; I'll provide the suits.)
š
*So that's how they find me. Chris' stare is a radar as well. Damn. But kinda cool.*
KZ: Yeah, I know what you mean. I am fluent in KZ, including the regional dialect of 'smart arse KZ'.
See, I always had a feeling that you hated Wren. Actually I figured that's why you joined good reads in the first place so that you could give her book a poor rating.
As usual I'm totally oblivious and have no idea what's going on. š
It is sad though when people deliberately try to hurt others that way. Childish and unfortunate.
Lily: Situations like this remind me of high school… and not in a good way.
“…Wren is a filthy tramp, and once I get my flying monkeys organzied, she and her little dog are going dowwwwwn.”
You just try to get your monkeys ORGANZIED, you spelling-deficient slut! I KNEW you were bad news the minute I read the first word of the first book of yours that I read.
Yeah.
Someone take notes and let me know whose side I should be on in the battle between KZ and Wren, would you.
I have to go to a meeting and pretend that I know what the meeting I'm going to is about.
Hopefully there will be flying monkeys involved there too.
One can but hope.
Let the fight continue.
O_O
Wow. I miss the blogging community. And now that LB mentions it, sometimes I miss the Amazon forums too. š
It was so much more fun when I was allowed to talk smack about people.
But I will be on g-chat later if you feel like venting… *coughcoughhint*
I'm claiming Swiss citizenship Kris, and will declare observer status on the Wren/KZ smackown. I'll be selling popcorn to anyone who wants to join me in the viewing area.
Yo, Tam, you got a gluten-free beer to go with that popcorn?
*sets up chair and kicks back*
Eh, I'm already worn out. Working up a good snit gets me too excited, which makes me transpose letters.
I think I need a cookie now.
Okay, who kidnapped Nathan? I'll bet it was Clare. **sigh** Here we go again…
Whew. I'm glad that's over. Mojitos for everyone!
Except Clare.
JenB: You are a nosy bioytch.
Everyone else: Well, that was disappointing. I was expecting at least a bit of blood. Pathetic.
I will join the completely ignorant camp.
What a bunch of carp!
Kris, you can always follow me over to GRs and watch me wipe out four of the five stars I gave Freeman!
Ingrid: It is.
KZ: I double dog dare you to.
You guys are so bad. LOL
Oh no, Carlito my colleague's fish passed on in the night. I'm thinking we should have a little toilet-side service in the handicapped washroom as we send him on to the big fish happy hunting ground in the Ottawa River. He's been ill for sometime so I'm sure he's in a bette place. (If the sewage treatment plant could be considered a better place.)
Tam: I'm humming the tune to Taps even as I write.
KZ – does Clare even know about this conversation? I think you need to go over there and wake her up.
RIP, Carlito!
Well fuck. I hate that too and we get crap like that a lot. In fact, there is some suspicion that people against m/m books hang out WAITING for the next m/m or menage to hit fictionwise. We've noticed (publishers and authors) that just as the book hits that site, someone goes in and rates it as a “poor” almost immediately. This completely throws off the rating system and hurts sales. You'll see a “poor” rating on almost EVERY m/m book.
Plus, I know an author who is a total rat-bitch and she goes in to poorly rate and slam authors who don't think she's queen of awesome. Petty.
Mia, are you serious? For Fictionwise to rate a book you first have to buy it. So they buy a book just to rate it as “poor”?