John Scalzi on LKH's Blogsplosion:

[theotherbaldwin.livejournal.com]

"It makes you look like an asstard."

Best-selling sci-fi author John Scalzi weighs in on the recent El Kay Haich blogsplosion, and says, in part:

"Here's the thing. Some people won't like your books. If these people also have access to the Internet, the chances are good that they might tell other people how they don't like your books. Sometimes, they'll tell people they don't like your books, even if they haven't read your books, because some people are crazy screechy monkeys.

[...]

Eventually you'll have to retreat; declare moral victory if you like, but the fact is, the colony of monkeys is still screeching crazily at you, people are pointing and laughing at your asstardery, and you're covered in monkey shit."

As they say in blogtopia (y! sctp!), you really should read the whole thing.

Teresa Nielsen Hayden who is one of my most favorite writers, online or off, has some real zingers, pretty much saying exactly what I felt, only more eloquently. Here, check out her first comment:

"Oh lord. Hamilton's screed is worse than I'd imagined. For instance:

...someone stood in line for hours at a signing, smiled at me, and had me sign the book, then said to my face, "I hated this book. I hate what you've done with the series." I blinked at them, and said something like, "Sorry to hear that." When I ask, "Why do you read the books then?" Answer, "I keep hoping they'll get good again." ... I don't get it guys. I'm not going to get it. I finally realized that I'm not going to understand this noisy, unpleasant minority of my fans. Because you are fans. Only fans would spend this much time and energy on anything. ... And if you don't think you are the minority, well, sorry, guys but you are. I have the sales figures to prove it. Each book’s sales are more than the last.

If fans really loved the earlier books in a series, they'll often stick with it for exactly the reasons she quotes. It's an act of faith. But when their patience finally snaps, not only is it going to be damned hard to get them back -- your starting position is not neutral -- but they may stop reading all books by that author, whether they're part of the series or not. Sometimes they'll stop reading all books of that sort, no matter who wrote them.

Laurel Hamilton is dissing the fans who've stuck with her Anita Blake series. The specific people she's singling out were willing to buy her books, stand in line for two hours to get them signed, and publicly identify themselves as her fans, even though the later series hasn't been paying off for them. I don't think "affronted incomprehension" is her ideal response to this situation.

Worse, she's telling people they're wrong when they say they haven't enjoyed the later books. That's always an error. You can't argue with someone's experience of a book. If they enjoyed it, they enjoyed it. If they didn't, they didn't.

And to cap it all off, how does she prove she's right about the series, and they're wrong? Because her sales figures keep going up. Way to go, lady. Get right out there and tell your fans that the reason you don't have to listen to them is that they keep buying your books. They'll have that paradox sorted out for you in nothing flat."

The Notorious T.N.H. pegs exactly why, though my wife may still buy the Anita series, as Danse Macbre, she has the next book (which promised Edward) to keep me as a fan or that's it, I'm through. I'm already staying far, far away from the Merry Gentry series because of my annoyance, but eternal optimist that I am, I keep hoping that, hey, Edward will help make the book readable again (because the character is all that, a bag of chips, and a tub of organic Awesomesauce).

Comments

[pandaemonaeum.livejournal.com]

The fan LKH describes is EXACTLY the type of person I am. I keep hoping the books will get back on track, and like you I will buy the next one because Edward is a fantastic character. I bought the first book when it was a small print run and no-one had heard of LKH, and I have stuck with AB:VH through thick and thin. But like yourself, this new book is for me her last chance. I have some things in my head that I would hate to see happen, and if those come to pass, I'll give up. I still love the earlier books, I still think the series can be salvaged, but LKH has to understand why her core fanbase aren't reading any more. We bought the books when she was nobody, and now she's somebody she doesn't seem to care any more, all she cares about are these 'book sales'. I know that she made the New York Times bestsellers list, but that was before we had to read all this repetitive sex she keeps churning out. If I want porn I'll buy a bloody Black Lace novel. I don't even mind porn, what I mind is porn in books where the main character used to be a complete Puritan and now will shag just about anything in pants!

Is LKH really so blind that she cannot see why her readers are rebelling? Does she really have so small a capacity for self-criticism?

[karaz.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

And let's not forget the porn isn't even very sexy.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Had I the chance, and I do so hope so, I would tell LKH to her face what I think of her books. I hope it's a funny aneurysm.

But I think it's good these authors are seeing her for what she is. Now not only is she alienating readers, but the writing community. Mary Janice Davidson may keep tooting her horn and so will Sherrilyn Kenyon, but lets' see any serious (Read: Good) play with her on the playground.

P.S. GOD I hope Anne Rice chimes in.

P.P.S: The Son Of P.S.: Come oon, Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett. You can comment on Anne Rice, lesse you comment on this!

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

Pratchett commented on Anne Rice? Have you linkage? Oh pretty please with sugar on top I will be your bestest friend forever?

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Not Pratchett, I don't think- But Gaiman. But when one's name is uttered, the other one must follow *crosses self*

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

Ohhhhh. Okay. I've read the Gaiman one (*starry-eyed hero worship*) but I would have been a bit surprised if Pratchett commented. He definitely seems to take the "silence is golden" approach to that sort of thing.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Yeah. When the one journalist was getting on his case he seemed to preffer being quiet than fighting out. Still, I'd love to see the man put these authors in their place- He's got this whole 'Silent Death' approach which would be win.

Though he was quick to pick apart Alice In Wonderland saying how bad it was and how his stuff was SOoOooOooo much better >( I love the man, but you don't pick on Alice In Wonderland. Maybe he doesn't have an issue picking on authors that are already dead?

/Angerseethe

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mr Pratchett. For shame.

Waaaitaminute! Now that I think about it, he did bring the snark to Rowling, too. Maybe he's touchy on the subject of children's fantasy?

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Wait, so he did bring down the snark on Rowling? Wait, was this when he 'told her off' for saying she wasn't a fantasy author or somesuch?

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

Yeah - and there was something in there about her best-seller status, too. I don't remember the exact details because it died out pretty quickly. I think Rowling just shrugged it off.

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

Nah, it wasn't Rowling he was after -- and he didn't tell anyone off so much as write a poison-pen editorial letter about an interview of Rowling where the reporter made it seem as if she invented the genre of urban fantasy. *shrug* It was written up on F_W.

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

got a link to that somewhere?
I know I read it, but I can't remember where or when or any other helpfull things

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

http://www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank/771519.html

You can always check: http://wiki.fandomwank.com/index.php/Main_Page

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

the only time I ever saw Pratchett comment on the stupidity of some fans was when he was accused of plagiarism ... like some kids good all huffy and said he was copying from the Potter books - dumb part - they were talking about some of his novels from the 80's ....
even pratchett just had to comment on that

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

*Sits and thinks about Harry Potter.*

*Sits and thinks about Discworld.*

They . . . uhm . . . they both have magical universities ?

That's all I could come up with!

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

i's like with the Narnia series ... just because HP is better known people DO assume stupid things
*copies and pastes an old rant from when the narnia movie premier was around

I could so throttle the damn press people who write the infos on the new movies
one of the german newspapers calls Narnia a copy of the Harry potter idea ... lets say something about the lack of information and facts in that statement ... the Narnia idea is copied from Harry Potter? Can you read and research? which book was first? Most definitely not harry potter ...
So how can you write something like that
and why do others write that it's the old idea of the potter series in a bit of a different setting and therefore will be a boring film that will be a flop ?
I still look forward to the movie and I know that it's not a copy of Harry Potter -

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

Ask and ye shall receive...

Well, not exactly. But a lot of people have been talking about this craziness in blogs, especially blogs with an interest in genre writing, and in one I spied this comment:


I've still never read a Hamilton novel. Some of my friends recommended her books as entertaining popcorn reads back when there were only three or four of them, but nothing about the plots interested me, so I steered clear. Then I went to a convention where the book guests of honor were her and Terry Pratchett; at one point, they shared a panel on "Making Characters Real," or some such. Pratchett dryly talked about observing the world around him and drawing characterizations from real life; Hamilton got up and strode around gesturing wildly and explaining how when she was writing, her characters were always doing things she didn't want them to do, irrational things or self-destructive things or just plain stupid things. And she said she'd argue with them, she'd yell at the page, but they just wouldn't cooperate with her. She had a lengthy example from her latest book, in which her signature character, Anita Blake, needs to get into a bathtub with someone to help warm him up because he's freezing, and the warm water isn't enough. So Blake gets into the tub, but without taking the time to strip or remove her weapons, and she sits there looking mad as a wet cat, and Hamilton is saying "That doesn't make any sense! Don't do that!" but Blake won't listen, because she's stubborn and has to have her own way.

At the end of this story, Hamilton turned to Pratchett and said "Has that ever happened to you, Terry?" And he gave her this baffled, mildly disgusted look and said "No. Never." Then he proceeded to explain, very gently and non-confrontationally, as if to a lunatic, that one's characters are fictional, and under one's absolute control.

Heh. Heh heh heh.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

...The man can say whatever he wants about Alice in Wonderland, my mother and my cat for all I care.

Now, on one hand, I'm all for presenters that are 'active'- The ones that wander around and interact with the audience and are just very animated. They help draw you in and all that.

But what in the flying fuck, Laurell?

She had a lengthy example from her latest book, in which her signature character, Anita Blake, needs to get into a bathtub with someone to help warm him up because he's freezing, and the warm water isn't enough.

...What?

Hamilton is saying "That doesn't make any sense! Don't do that!" but Blake won't listen, because she's stubborn and has to have her own way.

........What??

Now Mr Pratchett seems to be a kinda mean and offish dude, so I love how she's calling him Terry like they're BFF's. I wish I could see Laurell's reaction to having someone telling her her precious characters weren't real, especially when said person is a very popular author.

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

Heh. He's not offish at all, really; he's great with fans. I've never met him myself, but my friends in Philly saw him at a covention and he very happily gave my best friend at shout-out (as a surprise) on her birthday on request (by the friends who were in on the surprise).

However, I can imagine that in any profession, meeting another person who does the same job, yet does it in the most unprofessional manner possible, can get one's back up.

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

He is very personable and friendly, or at least he was when I saw him in VA. He even remembered the names of some of the fans he'd met at a convention a year or more ago. You can get him and Gaiman to play write-the-note games at booksignings, sometimes.

I wouldn't even call him dry. Maybe in comparison to somebody bouncing around like a retarded meth monkey, but he was very animated when he did the booksigning in Virginia and that's when he was jet-lagged.

*end gush*

Bwa hah hah!

[theotherbaldwin.livejournal.com]

Whom and where? CITATION NEEDED.

Re: Bwa hah hah!

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

It was a comment in nihilistic_kid's journal.

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

You are now my absolute bestest friend!

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

YAY! Now give me your cat.






;)

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

Oh, please! Take him!

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

WOOHOO DEMONIC KITTY

Vampire kitty!

[world-of-eos.livejournal.com]

OMG, you're not getting his vision!

Maybe you do not feel for the loneliness of the vampire kitties, klmorgan.

Re: Vampire kitty!

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

I'm just interrogating his reign of kitty terror from the wrong perspective.

[defiler-wyrm.livejournal.com]

Booyah. Thoroughly pwned in TWO WORDS.

[pith]

Three cheers for TNH, though I have no idea who she is; she obviously grasps freedom of thought.

My favourite comment from that entry:

I went into a bookstore once and started opening LKH books at random. I found I couldn't do this without hitting the word "panties" at least four times out of six.

Occasionally, someone will tell me that this is a fluke. I take them at their word and try the exercise again, only to discover that I should probably just expand the list to "thong," "muscles," and iterations of "[character] is/was so [sexually attractive] that [resistance was futile] and [orifice] was [penetrated]."

More rarely, I also get "[character] is also [tormented]" or "My clothes are hot."

I briefly considered establishing a system of divination, but it would only work for hot date nights.

That last line is icon-worthy.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Where'd you see that? I'm trying to look in her page for the LKH commentary but I can't find it *emo*

[dwg.livejournal.com]

It's in the Scalzi comments, just keep scrolling down.

Really, the wank this whole thing is generating is just beautiful.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

Heheh.. Thar it is!

And seriously. If she wasn't the laughing stock of the writing community before, she sure as hell is now. I look forward to her reaction on seeing her critics aren't just a 'vocal minority' of her fans, but other writers.

Comedy. Gold.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

That'd be funny as hell. I mean, if she's getting this upset with Random Internet People - I want to know how she'd react to people whose opinions carry some decent weight in the industry, and with their own fandoms to help back 'em up.

Sadly, though, I think most authors would just look at this and shake their heads, tut-tutting LKH for fanning the flames.

[thekiwiwhoflew.livejournal.com]

If she goes to the reputed ComicCon, I wonder how many of these writers will actually want to be in a pannel with her or will take her seriously. At this point, the only place in the writing community she has any weight on is the Romantic Times Convention or whatever it's called now.

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

I am waiting for the whining attack from hell and the temper tantrum that she will throw ...
only more fuel to the fire ...

[mneiai.livejournal.com]

I think all of us should make an effort to go to one of her signings and do the exact same thing ^.^

Also, those authors are great, I may have to start reading them.

[sharkbytes.livejournal.com]

Best quotes from that blog:


The books up through Obsidian Butterfly are worth reading; after that point, they suck ass like a cheap whore who can't figure out which end to blow.

She's invited us into her base: the temptation to kill her manz becomes nearly irresistable.

Her books are as challenging as honeycombs cereal.

Hamilton's dialog is so bad, it hurts my feelings and my cat crapped a turd in the shape of a praying Jesus


ahhh, now *this* is a great way to start off the new year! cheers, lashers!

[catskin.livejournal.com]

Other authors weighing in on the debate ... I love it! These are her contemporaries and peers and they're agreeing with us. Does that mean we're still a minority?

Take that, Laurell. All your base are belong to us.

reposted 'cause I fail at HTML

[defiler-wyrm.livejournal.com]

Commentor Bonnie hits the nail on the head here:
If she was all that confident about the direction she's taking her characters, she wouldn't feel the need to chastise "negative readers" about it.
There's the crux of it all: IT HURTS 'CAUSE IT'S TRUE. If she was still producing quality work, chances are she wouldn't be nearly so butthurt over her fans and ex-fans were ragging on her. But she's not writing anything that could remotely be construed as literature*, and she's getting called on it consistently, so she's throwing a fit. She's just like so many of the pathological liars I've known: the more you confront them with their own BS, the angrier they get, because they KNOW they're in the wrong.

_{*When it gets to the point that the fanfic on y!Gallery and [gods help me] Fur Affinity are more enjoyable to read, something is very very wrong...but as histrionic as she is, she steadfastly refuses to see it.}

Re: reposted 'cause I fail at HTML

[sharkbytes.livejournal.com]

word...it wouldn't bother her so much if she didn't, deep down, know it was true.

[cicipsychobunny.livejournal.com]

What I especially love about these debates, seeing as we're all evil h8ers, is the way they inevitably turn to "recommend authors who are better than LKH - be it better sex, better plot and less sex, or just all-round better".

One of these days when I have disposable income, I am going to take my notes from these discussions and by oh so many books.

[lurid-lucid.livejournal.com]

Edward will help make the book readable again (because the character is all that, a bag of chips, and a tub of organic Awesomesauce).

I'm not sure if I'm hungry or horny, but I want some of that.

Also, what makes her think that growing sales means that the 'unpleasant' one are a minority? All those numbers tell her is how many people are buying the books, not whether they're enjoying them or not.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Not to mention, it doesn't take into account returns. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people who bought the books and returned them in the next day or so after reading them and/or getting fed up with them and want their money back.

Now, those are the kinds of numbers I'd be interested in seeing.

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

you can return books?
Here you bought it, your own peril, bad luck ...

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Apparently you can do this. I have no clue as to how it's done as my book collection is proud of its cheesestastic crappiness of trashy fiction...but then I go and ruin it all by having a few good ones.

[afteriwake.livejournal.com]

I got directed here by a friend of a friend and... Let's just say this is the best stuff I've read in weeks. My friend got me into LKH back when the books were good but I rather quickly got tired of all the sex and crap writing. It's been years since I picked one of her books up (other than to foist on people via BookCrossing, and then it's their own fault if they pick it up) and I wouldn't have it any other way.

But, oh, the wank is so much more enjoyable than her novels...