Darla wants to play...

[saucyirishlass.livejournal.com]

Darla decided to join in the "Re: Author tells fans to go away" thread on Amazon. I've left my response, which is the same as I would say to any other member on that board. She doesn't get special treatment just because she's Laurita's minion personal assistant. I felt the need to suggest that she consider not using Jon as an editor. Was I overstepping my bounds?



"Some people got the point, others did not.
Laurell has never objected to critisism. But there is simply no way to please everyone. What one person likes, another hates. So critisism is relevant mostly to the person making it!

The original blog was in response to emails from people who said they found the sex or violence outside their comfort zone. Or that they liked static characters who did not change much from book to book. Or those that seemed to believe that they could threaten or intimidate Laurell and other fans in to sharing their opinion. Sorry, the world does not work that way. Not everyone enjoys the same thing. The fact that a vocal minority seems to think they can force what they want is just wrong. We heard from lots of fans who wanted Laurell to speak up and say something to defend herself and them. So she did. And other people too offense.

Should we be bold enough to suggest you stop reading, if you weren't enjoying the books, then the complaints flew that we were telling folks what they could and could not read.

Book writing is a solitary practice. At least the way Laurell does it. She does not collaborate. Her books are not written by committee.

There is simply no way to satisfy everyone. Make everyone happy. So for those who are not happy, then all we can suggest is that you do find a writer who makes you happy. It doesn't mean your wrong to not like Merry or Anita. It just means it is not what you want to read. That is fine. If it is not for you, then it is not for you. But, at the same time, if it is not for you, you do not get to impose on, intimidate or harrass other people who do not share your opinion.

Why is that so hard for some folks to get?"

I don't know. Why is it so hard for Laurell to write a book with plot?

URL: http://www.amazon.com/gp/discussionboard/cd/discussion.html/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp/102-5715013-4957731?ie=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1OFHYU31CK06W&cdAnchor=0425217248&cdThread=Tx3KX37WDADL1BH

Comments

[darksongtrilogy.livejournal.com]

Continued:

You had zero interest in answering any of the mild questions along the way, or giving any of the honest, well-intentioned criticisms a fair hearing. Now you've got flaming criticisms that are legitimately based and more vitriolic because of your absolute contempt for former fans. Fine. Don't throw fuel on the fire and then complain when you get burned. You started this. You'd serve LKH best if you kept your mouth shut, but as that seems like an impossible dream, you might try to remember some of the things YOU said to these former fans in the past. Rules you made. Behavior you encouraged. Bannings that you made indiscriminately based on lies. You shove every dissenter off the forum and then expect them to quietly go on their merry way? That sort of thing pisses people off.

But aside from your behavior and LKH's PR-challenged commentary, there's also the fact that the changes in the series were so abrupt, so unprecedented and so ridiculous that it's enough to inspire hordes of detractors all on its own. The comedy material is priceless. LKH is writing pre-teen fanfiction of her series and slamming anyone that doesn't praise it to the heavens. She's splitting books into smaller sections to milk her readers for all they've got--exhibit A, "Mistral's Kiss", which was too obviously the ending of "A Stroke of Midnight"--and she's gipped them on almost every single "stand-alone book" she's ever written for an anthology. It's almost beyond parody, and for fans of the series BEFORE it revolved around sex and Anita's almighty genitalia, that on its own is enough to engage interest, in a watching-a-trainwreck sort of way.

In short, you told us "if you don't like it, don't read it." You didn't like our opinions, so you kicked a bunch of us off your forum, drove more away with nonstop insults and unfairness, and now we've done what you wanted and gone elsewhere. Maybe we would've stopped making fun of the changes in the series, mocking you, and questioning LKH's literacy if you'd been less nasty about it all, but...hey, you reap what you sow. We left. Too bad if you don't like the other places we've gone. You don't own the internet, and critiquing books--exhaustively--falls under free speech. Don't like it? Don't read it.

[maiskorn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm like... more than a year late, but this review is awesome.