Monday, August 22, 2005

CT Fash versus Amazon Reviewers

First of all, I'd like to say I don't really mind bad Amazon reviews. I mean sure, I like good ones better, but I understand the nature of the beast. I mean you go have a good experience at a restaurant, you enjoy it and then go on with your life. The waiter spills something on your lap and your filet is overcooked - you write a letter to complain. So you're bound to get bad reviews from time to time. And hey - in a way it's a compliment to get really bad ones. Because it means your book ilicited a strong response from the reader. Evidently lately I've been soliciting a LOT of strong responses. :(

CT Fashionista is written in a very specific voice. A brash chick lit tone, if you will. So it's not going to resonate with everyone. Some people are going to hate that style. Problem is, since it was published in a straight romance line (Love Spell) I knew I was bound to get a few people who had never read or never liked chick lit to pick it up by accident, believing it was a paranormal romantic comedy time travel. And on the other end, get some total Arthurian history buffs who are going to be outraged how I satirized their precious legend.

Anyway - that said, you have just GOT to read this Amazon review I got over the weekend. Seriously, this person has some major issues!! It's sooo funny how she trashes not only my book, but me as an author and even me as a PERSON.

Some highlights below. I had originally thought to snarkily comment on them, but then I decided they pretty much speak for themselves. :)

  • If I were the publisher? I would have fired the editor or at least docked thier pay for every "Like" this writer used in this awful tome.

  • I do think the author feels superior over anyone who would pick up this book to read, Her supercilious tone about everything comes through her 1 dimensional character. I felt no inkling of empathy for this whiney woman who was supposed to be oh so savvy.

  • If I were the Producers of "Sex in the City" I would sue the author for plagiarism.

  • Please don't waste your time on this banal effort of some spoiled city dweller who thinks to cash in on the "Going to the Past Romance"

  • I doubt this author has EVER been in love, except when she saw a sale on yet another pair of slim black pants.

Heh. You just gotta laugh at reviews like this. And not count on this person to buy the sequel.

And, of course, keep, like, writing the way you want to, like, write. Even if it's going to, like, piss some people off. :D

Marianne - who, by the way, sees nothing wrong with falling in love with a good slim black pants sale!

14 comments:

Shannon McKelden said...

Ha! She made it sound like YOU were your heroine, and that's why she didn't like, like you, you know? Obviously not a fan. Good thing you don't write books for HER! :-)

Shannon

Shannon McKelden said...

Gee, and just realized after checking out some of the other "lovely" reviews...I'm going to get NAILED on VENUS ENVY when it comes out. Cause, like, I have probably totally RUINED Venus/Aphrodite for every Greek Mythology buff. What ever happened to "literary" license, where you could make stuff up, call it FICTION, and people understood? Sheesh.

Better start getting my thick skin toughened up now. :-)
Shannon

serena said...

Wow, I wonder if this gal read the same book I did because I loved CF. The beauty of being writers is we get to take 'creative license' and veer in a new direction with tried and true ideas/mythos/legends. How many movies are the 'reimagining' of an old favorite? Maybe you should preface all new books with 'The reimagining of -insert High Concept here-'. But then, you might not get all the History Buff angst and what fun would that be?

Keep writin' em Marianne, cause I'll keep buying 'em!

Pink Pen said...

Wow... some people really don't hold back do they? Geesh...

Well, I liked the voice, the humour in the tone and the story line. It's fiction for pete's sakes. If you want historical accuracy, go read a history book.

And how does she know what actually happened in the Arthurian period? Was she there? *grin*

PS.. I did have a bit of an issue of the cliffhanger ending though... no fair *Grin*

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

First, add up all the typos and sentence structure problems in the review. Subtract it from the rating she gave you--there's the IQ. (ooooh, that was bitchy)

I loved how she asked if you did research, and then acted like Connecticut Yankee was a historical textbook. I think the point of the Arthurian legend is that we have NO IDEA what really happened. I loved the new take on the story.

Diana Peterfreund said...

The reviewer must have hated The Sword in the Stone All those singing owls... and the dragon with the lipstick... the horror!

Jaquard vs. damask? Did I actually READ THAT RIGHT?

I bet this person goes to Spamalot and throws tomatoes at the actors for not accurately depicting a coat of armor.

Kristen Painter said...

I just left you a good review to help balance out the insanity. The nerve of some people! Grrr.

Marley Gibson said...

Oh, Marianne, hon! Why do you give credence to this utter garbage by blogging about it and providing a link directly to it? You're best to ignore $hit like this and let it languish in the trash bin where it belongs.

Honestly...Amazon...it's good for ordering books (and stuff) and that's it. *BG*

Hugs.

Gena Showalter said...

I had a reviewer call my character Mia Snow a racist because she hates otherworldly aliens. The review had other things to say, as well, but that one made me smile.

Cherlyn Michaels said...

Well, I'm with you on being in love with a sale on black slim pants. You can never have enough of those! :-)

Even though I haven't had extraordinarily bad reviews on Amazon yet, I know they're coming, so I'm bracing myself. Like you said, it's the nature of the beast. It just seems strange to me how a book can lead a person to personally attack the author, whom they've never met, and seem like they want them to die. Why not just read a different book?

Bonnie Vanak said...

Opinions are like... noses. Everyone's got one (well, except for Michael Jackson) and some are uglier than others. And I bet Maid Marian herself would have adored a good slim black pants sale. So phhhhhttt to this person.

Glad to read you and Molly are settling nicely into your apartment.

TJ Brown said...

I read some of her other reviews...she gets off on slamming. Don't worry about her!
Teri

Amie Stuart said...

I adore a good anthing on sale and PFFT on her! LOL@noses!

Anonymous said...

What "historians" forget is that Arthurian legend is just that--legend, MYTH. You can do with it what you want! Sheesh!

Your dog looks like a real sweetie.

pattie