Before Christmas, I offered readers a thread to share their best reads, books and blog. The rules were simple. List no more than three of your favorite reads and tell others why you liked them. The thread is full of awesome recommendations, and I really enjoyed reading them until I came to this nugget of joy.
So something about this set off my radar. First, there is only one book, when most people listed three. Second, the note has a very practiced tone to it, one you learn to recognize when authors are talking about their books and trying to be cute about it. Third, she posted a cover.
So I checked a few things.
It’s been about 24 hours and we didn’t get an apology. Her comment was moved into pending queue and I’m following up on my promise.
The problem here isn’t that she recommended her own book. The business is hard and sometimes you can’t help yourself. The right way to do this, as the majority of authors I spoke to today pointed out, is to list two of your favorites and say something along the lines of “And I hope you forgive me the shameless self-promotion, but I wanted to mention my own book. It’s a story of so and so and I think you might really like it.”
It’s difficult to reach new readers, this blog provides a modest but not insignificant platform, and everyone here tends to be nice, so it’s tempting to advertise here. If you do it more than once, I might ask you to stop, but at the core it’s an honest attempt to engage with readers.
That’s not what Princess did. She pretended to be a reader. The primary purpose of it was to trick other readers into thinking they were reading a word-of-the-mouth recommendation.
First, it’s dishonest. Second, it’s incompetent, because the fraud was ridiculously easy to track via ISP and email. Third, it shows you what this person thinks of her audience. She thinks that all of us are idiots.
Because I am a bitch, I went and looked at the free sample of the book she linked on Amazon.
The book is not good.
The heroine is “simmering fruitlessly in unrequited lust.” There is no subtlety or finesse; it’s overkill in every single sentence. So I couldn’t recommend this even if I were inclined to do so, which I am not.
Because I don’t support punching down, her email, gravatar, cover, etc have been redacted.
Since Princess hasn’t graced us with an apology, I am going to apologize on her behalf. Sorry you were defrauded on this blog.
I am always more offended by lazy lying than the lying itself. If you are going to lie, lie well. Otherwise it’s embarrassing for all of us.
Also “simmering fruitlessly” sounds like a wonderful description of a failed jam recipe.
Failed jam recipe!! ROFL!!! Thank you. ?
As an author myself I have to say that, in my opinion, using another author’s page/blog/whatever to promote your own work is rude. I’m still shaking my head over the fact it even happened. Thanks for sharing your response, Ilona and Gordon. Knowing that you both watch out for the good of the BDH is what brings us here and keeps us coming back.
While I love the failed jam comment, I’m irresistibly drawn to think “Or some kind of nasty…yeasty…STI-type of thing”. Bad.
Also “Princess”? What are you, 9?
+1 to all of the above, definitely including the ROFL!
Hi guys
Please don’t let this ummm self promoter keep y’all from doing this reader recommendation thing again.
It’s always so fun to see what everyone loves and see the range of folks who read y’all.
Thanks for all you do!
Has anyone seen the new mystery series about obama and biden. Its hysterically funny and they have a sequel in the works. No matter what you think of obama, its still funny is what a friend told me. I called her to laugh at the idea of them being the geriatric Hardy boys. Now its on my to-read stack since I bought it. As soon as I finish re reading the chicagoland vampires series again. I got my copy of Hope Never Dies here. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hope-never-dies-andrew-shaffer/1128831492?ean=9781683690405#/ I want to find the scenes when they visit a biker bar. I don’t know the authors at all. I just want a good escapist funny read.
I just posted on Facebook that I’d read all the books of my favorite authors and was looking for new authors because nobody has anything new coming out until March. I now have 12 new authors to check out and more coming in (because most of my friends are readers). I shamelessly promoted my friend Dave Levine’s YA series (Arabella of Mars) (and you, Courtney Milan, several others). (I forgot you’d done the same thing… I need to check your list) But yeah pretending to be a reader talking up your book is tacky at the very least.
And if you’re going to lie, at least lie better… Sheesh.
Do not meddle in the affairs of the AuthorLords for you are crunchy and taste good with popcorn. 😉
And anyone who can actually type the words “simmering fruitlessly in unrequited lust” in a book needs to seriously rethink their career choices!
With ketchup!
I said popcorn because whenever I see (read) Ilona taking someone down a peg I automatically reach for some! 😉 🙂
This would make a wonderful t-shirt
I have occasionally noted that the ALs should do a line of t-shirts.
My own recommendation, with suitable logo/artwork, is “We are the BDH. Fear us!”
Hell yes please.
Yes or a horde surrounding the author lords caption booookks bbbooookkss
Or – Fantasy book cover type artwork with two seriously badass male and female warriors advancing, sword in one hand and a book in the other. And a horde stretching back behind them on a desolate plain.
Text – We are the Book Devouring Horde. We come for your books.”
🙂 😉
oh gods, I read and talk about (regurgitate) my favorites ll the time, took this make me booklemic? and yes, its an awful pun.
urk, typo hell, Does this make me……… Typing impaired by MS. some days it emerges as an unintentional word salad.
Would buy straight away. Even with foreign exchange rate & international post.
OMG yes!!!
Along with vampire fangs under a pirates hat captioned “Vampirates”
and a Lee’s screeming “Sqqqquuuuueeeeeee”
oh oh oh and Kate in a crouching attack walk holding her sword with the words “here kitty kitty” in the background!!!!
would definately buy the package deal from Australia… I need more themed T-Shirts to go with my Harry Potter and Marvel.
I would like an Erra shirt that says “Bow, Worm!” Lol one of my favorites. Maybe w a rose after one of her titles…
Ripper cushions!!! An ornate tufted flying cushion with long tassels. Rotated into a diamond shape back somewhat elevated. Two of the tufted indentations forming eyes, the front tassel forming fangs, the side tassels forming claws and the back tassel a mace. The words Ripper Cushion below in a barouqe font. Perhaps a choice of colors on the cushion. Or the same cushion, labeled Anatomy of a Ripper Cushion in a stream lined font with arrows and short description such as “Tassels change shapes at will. The mace, claw and fangs illustrated above are capable of cutting through armor rated below ten.” Arrow towards fabric list tensile strength and weapons that will penetrate.
LMFAO fabric tensile strength and armor rating … holy crapola I think you nailed it Susie Q !!!
If I could draw what I see in my head, it’s adorable. I would buy either version and as a member of the BDH would wear it proudly. The general public would be confused, but Iit ,would make it easier as to mwet the BDH. We are legion and legends in our own minds.
Sorry for the typos. I have bronchitis and a bit groggy. I’m blaming it on prescription cough nedicine.
Wow, totally tacky.
I loved that post and the comments. My reading list is longer, which is a good thing. I hope you do it again and that one so-called “author” doesn’t spoil it in the future.
LMAO….that reply was soooo Aunt B, Savage yet classy?
love it!
Oh. Dear. 🙁
+1
I’m British so I suppose I shouldn’t use this but I understand in the southern states of America the comment would be ” bless your heart”
That person’s actions were bold and brazen, which can sometimes be a good thing, but in this case was definitely not cool.
Ilona, you did a nice and generous thing by encouraging the reader recommendations. I found lots of new books to add to my “books to read” list. I anticipate hours of future enjoyment. Thank you!
I’m extremely sorry that I wasn`t able to post my favorite books – still thinking about the ranking …. 😉 – but because of Christmas and all the family members in house I couldn’t even take a peek.
@Simon Lyon: not Popcorn (too sweet), but a nice roast and a perfect potato or biscuits on the side!
I won’t have the time tomorrow so I wish you all (especially the AL and the BDH) a Very Good, Healthy, full of Laughter, Happy New Year!
Have a good one Annemarie.
U have a blog where u get a say.
U invited open forum your readers to recommend,
Princess does not read her mail OR can’t handle her feedback so she DOESN’T read her mail …
Who reads what folks have to say? Commited protagonists who asked, because they wanted to know.
Princess did not apologize, for the same reason she doesn’t read her mail, . . . I believe, she doesn’t want to know
Her loss, this blog is a quiet place, where honest opinions are expressed politely
I don’t believe she could survive that promotion:▪|
Oh, boy. I really hate it when I friend/follow someone on social media & a second later that person is all in my comments advertising their book. First, I thought you were a reader, like me. I don’t mind talking about books with authors, but don’t follow me just to tell me to read your book. I quickly hit the block button. Especially, on “book”stagram.
I wasn’t defrauded, because I have – dare I say it? – good antennae (definitely the plural) for that kind of thing. But I very much appreciate this whole post and thread, including the review link for the desert romance, and the many comments which made me LOL. You guys rock, all of you. Special props for the Bulwer-Lytton mention.
I still remember, many years ago, when you helped me figure out that it was the author herself who pretended to be a fan to comment on a negative review of her book on my very old blog.
This behaviour still weirds me out as much now!
BURN!
Haha cool