So, it’s Sunday, the last day of my workless reverie before I start lesson planning this week and return to full-time teaching next week. Boo! Actually, I love the teaching aspect of my profession, I love the kids, but sometimes, collaborating with other teachers (adults) kind of bites the big one. So, I have one more day to pretend that I am blissfully unemployed and can do whatever I want. This is all I’ve been doing for the last two weeks, and I don’t regret it a bit!
So, despite the fact that all I’ve been doing lately is exactly what I want (reading, playing Skyrim, and reading some more), there has been a bit of excitement going on in my life! Here’s what I’ve been up to, and what’s on my mind lately:
Boxing and Muay Thai:
When I went home for Christmas, my sister and I engaged in one of our favorite past times: abusing each other with punches and kicks. We’ve always rough-housed, and our husbands usually look at us like we’re nuts, like we’re the 8-year-old boys that they’ve already outgrown. After one of our little play-fighting stints, I pointed out that we really should use this aggression in a way that would provide us with some much needed exercise. Namely, we should join a kickboxing class.
So, Erika did some research and found a boxing gym near us where we could take a trial class and then decide from there. So, nervously, we showed up to the gym, called Undisputed, with butterflies in our stomach, and signed up for a trial class of Muay Thai. Muay Thai is the formal name for kickboxing. The instructor was intimidating with his tattoos, blue mohawk, and black-painted toe nails. He was also rather gruff in voice. Yet, he immediately took us aside to some punching bags and showed us the correct way to punch, kick, and block. It turned out that he was very friendly and was eager to teach us the proper form and techniques in self defense. By the end of the class, we felt that we had some potential and that this was an instructor who could nurture us to success. We were also very sweaty and bruised!
So, we signed up for the gym, and since then, we have taken a boxing class and have both received a free personal training session with our boxing instructor. I must admit that I am very insecure about how out of shape I am, and am very self conscious when I see my red puffy face in the mirror. But, then I remember that everyone is a beginner at one time, and if I commit myself, I soon will be keeping up and slimming down (more like bulking up). I’m already feeling muscles that I haven’t noticed in a while! Plus, sparring with my sister is pretty fun–we even get to kick each other in the ribs. I know we’re strange, but that’s our kind of fun! I’ve never been the yoga type!
Authors as Trolls?
Yesterday, I was surfing around on Goodreads, and came across a really scathing review of a YA novel, which led to my discovery of a growing issue on the bookish social media site, as well as on Twitter. Apparently, in the last week, there has been quite a bit of tension between a few novelists (some very well-known) and Goodreads reviewers.
In short, there have been a couple of instances where a reviewer has written a negative review of a novel, and then is angrily addressed by the author of the book via a blog post, or by other authors (and literary agents) coming to their defense on Goodreads and even on Twitter.
For a recap of the various instances, see here at Cuddlebuggery.
For a reaction to these instances from bloggers, see Bibliophilic Monologues and today’s post from Chrisbookarama.
For a reaction to these instances from a few authors, see here: Veronica Roth, Phoebe North, and Hannah Moskowitz.
I find this all concerning as a reviewer of books, as I think it is my duty to write honest reviews–both the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m not worried about hurting anyone’s feelings. However, if I don’t like a book, I usually don’t finish it, so I rarely will write a scathing review. However, that could change in the future. Yet, I always will behave as a professional (even though I’m performing this service pro bona, as a hobby), and I would expect the same behavior from the authors being reviewed, who are not performing their services pro bona.
What these authors need to remember is that readers are smart and selective. I find it highly insulting that they would think that one bad review can kill their career, that readers are so easily led that they wouldn’t read between the lines of a review, wouldn’t look at other reviews, wouldn’t read reviews with a critical eye, and would simply not read a book because someone else hated it. Why the hell do I provide links to Goodreads reviews on my own reviews, or more importantly, why do I include links to scathing reviews on my glowing reviews? Because I know that readers are intelligent, that they deserve the opportunity to read my reviews with a critical eye, because they deserve the opportunity to make a choice. Give your readers some credit!
Anyways, that’s something I’ve been thinking about for the last 24 hours…
Tonight: Downton Abbey Season 2 Premiere!
Hooray! Downton Abbey returns tonight on Masterpiece Classic for PBS! I am so excited about this, and will probably re-watch the entire season 1 today in preparation for tonight’s episode! If you haven’t checked this series out, I highly recommend it! It is currently streaming on Netflix as well as on the Masterpiece Classic website. Pull a marathon today and watch all four episodes of Season 1 today, and then check your local listings for tonight’s Season 2 premiere! Woo-hoo!
More Books and Future Giveaways
Yesterday, I received more books as I had my last Christmas exchange with my in-laws. I received the following books:
I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum
The Iliad by Homer
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Endgame by Samuel Beckett
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
I also got another literary candle by Paddywax, this time it was the Oscar Wilde scent!
Because a few of these books were repeats of books I already own, and because my shelves are being overrun by books that I’ve read (or won’t read) that I probably won’t ever read again, I have decided that it’s time for me to start giving them away! In the past, I have always sold them to used book stores, but I’d rather give them to people that I know will appreciate them. Namely, all of you! So, look for updates this week on what books I’ll be giving away. Maybe, I’ll do a book a week? Or a few books per month? I will let you know.
In the meantime, here are a few books that will be up for grabs in the future:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
A Visit from the Goon Squad
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Olive Kitteridge
Wicked and Son of a Witch
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
And Then There Were None
And that’s what’s going on with me! What’s going on with you?
Dana Huff
That whole review controversy was interesting to read. I had an author reply to a do-not-finish review I wrote. I hardly ever write about books if I don’t finish them, but I had been so excited about this book and talked it up on my blog, so I felt like I should explain why I was abandoning it. The author was kind, but disagreed with what I said: his book was a Sherlock Holmes meets Jack the Ripper story, and I felt he had Dr. Watson in particular acting in a way that I felt he wouldn’t act. But it was nothing like the screed I read in that Goodreads review! Wow! Like you, I usually refrain from saying anything about books I don’t finish, and with the exception of a few books, I review books only after finishing them. And I never post the kinds of reviews that one reviewer posted.
I’m looking forward to Downton Abbey tonight, too. Maybe I should re-watch the first season today.
borkadventures
I wonder if these authors who feel it necessary to argue with a reviewer would do the same thing with a reviewer of The New York Times. It just seems odd that they would feel compelled to argue with one reviewer’s opinion. Granted, as you point out, the reviewer was very explicit in their dislike. However, those are the types of reviews that I would blow off the most–I know that as a reader of reviews, I tend to blow those off as overly emotional and then look for more level-headed reviews. It’s just strange to me.
laurelrainsnow
Too bad about those reviews and the responses generated….I think it’s important when reviewing a book we don’t enjoy to be tactful in our remarks, while being honest. That said, nothing in a review should lead to the kind of brow-beating you described.
Intriguing topic.
Here’s MY SUNDAY SALON POST and
MY WEBSITE
Farah Ng @ Broken Penguins
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with authors responding to reviews – positive or negative. Dialogue is the whole point of social media. But I personally think it’s stupid for famous authors to attack one or two reviewers. Now everyone’s going to want to read the review!
Melissa W.
Authors should realize that people who have reviewed their books are doing so because they want to give their honest opinion about a book they did or didn’t like and maybe use the review to let them know what they are doing right or what they need to improve upon. Sure I don’t like it when people critique my work, but its a chance to improve it for the next time that I write something. Basically, I would tell a writer that you are going to get people who don’t like what you have written review your material and that when you do receive that criticism/appreciation by readers, to receive it and to improve upon it and make it better.