lkh_lashouts | John Scalzi on LKH's Blogsplosion:

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other authors weigh in

John Scalzi on LKH's Blogsplosion:

"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).

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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?

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.}

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.

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.

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...

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