I had so much fun writing my “this n that” post last week, that I’ve decided to make it a regular feature. I’m going to post random observations and opinions, links to posts of interest, and whatever the hell else I want, just like you guys do.
(If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that announcing I will do something on this blog is a sure bet I never will. Adjust your expectations accordingly.)
Here goes:
0. Tumperkin has an amazing post up about Outsider Heroines, and why she likes em.
1. I appreciate the effforts that go into them, but I don’t enjoy the AuthorTalk videos at all. I can see getting a huge kick out of them if you are friends with the people in them. But I find them painful to watch. Are they supposed to be promotions of some kind? I don’t get it. And no, I’m not going to watch any more. Do you enjoy these videos?
2. Fighting ebook piracy. Karen Scott posted about this recently, and she has the right idea with reporting the pirates to Paypal, etc. My experience teaching college students a unit on ethics and digital piracy is that most of them do not consider it wrong. So you have to find other ways of fighting it besides moral education and public shaming. Only force and threat will work.
3. I get a little sad when I find that different people in Romanceland whom I like don’t like each other. First of all, it makes it hard to be a minion, my life’s goal. Second, I don’t know why or how these feuds were generated, but they are the source of so many threads going off track due to ad hominem arguments. Do you have to be a philosopher to realize that even an evil person can make a logical argument? You know how we say reviewers should focus on the book and not the authors? I wish folks would take a little more of their own advice when it came to Romancelandia.
4. How do you choose the blogs you visit? There are so many excellent blogs that I don’t regularly visit. I was forcefully reminded of this by my recent visit to Heidenkind’s Hideaway. There’s also Rip My Bodice, which is great, but I don’t visit it much. Same for TBTBTU. Why? I now realize there is no rational basis, or if there is, it’s tempered by laziness, and routine. What blogs have you really been enjoying lately?
5. My semester starts today. I teach bioethics and ethics this morning. I absolutely love this time of year. It’s fall in New England, all the hopes of a new year sprung anew. I always feel a little nervous my first day back in the classroom, but I am so grateful that I get to do this for a living. I can’t wait to meet my new students!
6. Some of you might remember an English Shepherd pup we adopted last December. Well, he was so good at destroying our home and making us crazy, that we just adopted another one. It’s his brother (different litters, same parents). Here’s a pic, and Happy Week everyone!
Wellington and Kitchener (ok, Wellie and Kitchy)
Good luck with the new semester! I just sat down after packing the first lunches if my household’s 3rd grade/K year (veggies and Ranch, dried mango, string cheese, pretzels and a roll of smarties – just to kick things off right – in case you’re interested) and noticed that there really is a wee bit of Autumn in the air, even here in Philly-ish.
And, I love English Shepherd and hoped to expand our family to include one. Alas, I don’t think the breed is right for us. I’m very sad.
Finally, because apparently I’m feeling confessional today, I am in a reading slump. I hate this feeling, that I’ve already read every good book that there is. Gah.
You know, over the last couple of weeks I haven’t been visiting blogs or been twittering. I guess I just didn’t have my usual drive to do it and then went to Monkey Bear Reviews and there was this whole brew-ha-ha that happened between a couple of popular romance bloggers. I was actually more than a little surprised at the animosity pouring off the comment section. I guess it started over in twitter and then morphed from there. I wonder if your No. 3 comment was referring to that episode. Of course, I don’t know the whole story, but I will say that it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I have about 60 blogs that I am subscribed to in google reader and I go through phases on how frequently I visit other blogs. For example, last month I almost never opened up google reader and to my dismay I discovered I had over 1000 unread posts. I just marked everything unread and started over. I find it stresses me out and I really don’t need that added stress in my life. I hate that I can’t follow every single post, mainly because I don’t want to be left out or missing something juicy, but just isn’t realistic for me to keep up with everything. I work full time and have a family, plus I want to be able to actually READ, LOL! Personally, I think I need to scale back, but how do you choose? If you discover the secret to this I am all ears.
1. I rarely watch interview videos. I think it’s because when I have, the sound is always funny: unclear, or too loud, or something. And non-pro videos are often boring visually to me.
4. I am always subscribing to blogs I find interesting, or shunting them into google reader. I’m fond of these sf/f blogs:
Ambling Along the Aqueduct: http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/ and
Asking the Wrong Questions: http://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/
A fantasy writer friend’s blog about all sorts of things:
http://beluthahatchie.blogspot.com/
History blogs:
Wonders and Marvels:
http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/
and
An Edwardian State of Mind: http://edwardianstateofmind.blogspot.com/ and
Edwardian Promenade:
http://edwardianpromenade.com/
5. Teachers who love teaching are the best. I hope the semester is glorious.
6. I am very amused by the names of your dogs.
@ Marsha:
My kids start school tomorrow. Let a year of lunches begin! (sigh).
Hope they had a great day.
And about the English Shepherd … they are not an easy breed. We had a border collie lab mix for 13 years who was biddable, eager to please, lovey. Our English Shepherds have to constantly be reminded who is boss. They are mouthy –teeth on everything, even skin — and overprotective of us (lots of growling and barking). It’s work. But we love them.
@ Jill D.:
I got rid of google reader and put the blogs I read on my sidebar which has helped. Of course, I miss so much. I find that visiting Carolyn Crane helps, because she has so many blogs on her sidebar, as well. And I do rely on linkage posts from DA and others (one of the reasons I decided to start this weekly column — to give back some of the linkage joy).
As far as the twitter brouhaha, yeah, I guess I was thinking about that, but it happens all the time. Like, I real enjoy Both Blog A and Blog B, and then I see Blogger A write something like “I usually hate everything Blogger B says, she’s such a tool”, or “Can you believe that idiot Blogger B got it right this time?” So unnecessary. Just make your point and move on.
I love a good hard fight, but I don’t like it when a comment is dismissed because of “where it came from.” I’m an idealist that way, I guess. I just want people to be heard without prejudgment.
I have cut way back on the number of blogs I visit, mostly because of the content of the blogs themselves.
I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who doesn’t like the Author Talk videos – I thought it was just me and that I was missing the point – which was obvious to everyone else. Glad to hear that might not be the case.
Love the names of your dogs. Mine has a rather common name, but that is what you get when you allow a 7 year old boy to name the pet.
Good luck with your upcoming semester. My two college aged students began classes last week and my Math teacher son began the week before that. My youngest started this week in high school, though at his age, I no longer have to send lunches – yeah! I am glad to have school back in session and a return to our regular routine. Plus with school starting it means football season is here!!
1. I never watch the Author Talk blogs. Tried once, done. Same with the True Romance videos–tried one, found it completely blah.
But then, and with very very few exceptions, if it’s about books, I want the written word (book trailers? not for me)
2. Thank you and yes.
3. It is sad, but after all, bloggers are people, so it’s to be expected. (No, we all cannot get along
) Though in an ideal world people would be heard without prejudice, the reality is that it is very difficult to dismiss the person making the statement or suggestion, and our persona history with him or her.
4. I have the blogs bookmarked in groups by category (individual reader blogs, multiple readers blogs, etc) I try to open each batch and scan them daily–things that catch my eye, I post a comment. Every so often, I weed out some and add others.
The most important thing I have learned is not to castigate myself for not commenting on every blog post every day, or for deleting them from my bookmarks.
5. Best of luck with your students! And I agree wholeheartedly with Ms Janssen: teachers who actually love teaching are priceless.
6. Puppies!!!!!!
Sometimes it is so hard to comment on the blogs because I have hundreds in my google reader.
There will always be on-line drama. It comes and goes.
Hey – thanks for giving Author Talk a try. They don’t work for everyone.
Since you asked if they were promotion, I’ll just mention that we had no intention of ever doing what we have. Gena Showalter (the co-host of AT) had just gone through a horrible interview, where the interviewer knew really nothing about her and Gena basically spent a lot of time gently correcting rather than answering questions.
I thought this was hilarious, and said we had to spoof it. That became our first interview, and we thought that would be it. However, people began e-mailing asking who we’d interview next, etc. We don’t like to do the same “gag” twice, so we try a lot of different things. That being said, my favorite part of every AT is hearing the author speak about her book in her own words.
I don’t watch the Author Talk videos, partly because I tend to prefer the written word, and also because they seemed to me to be kind of an insider thing. Of course, I don’t Twitter, either, and for the same reason, so consider the source.
I do have a list of blogs that I try to follow, but in the last month or so about all I have done is stop by DA in the morning while I have my first cuppa. I’ve noticed that sometimes I seem to have more time and energy for hanging about on the internet, and August just wasn’t one of those months.
There are some online brouhaha’s that make me profoundly uncomfortable, and when one of those blows up I tend to stay away.
daisy wrote:
I like routine, as well. And as a halfhearted Pats fan, I am interested to see what Tommy does on the field.
@ Jill Monroe:
Jill, thank you for explaining the genesis and intent of AT. After reading some of the press on romance after RWA, I can see there is a bit of a problem there. Humor is very subjective, which is why I put this point in an opinion post. I happen to think Rowan Atkinson is hilarious, which should tel you how idiosyncratic my sense of humor is.
Aoife wrote:
Yes, I think you put your finger on it. I feel the same way.
good for you for enjoying your August offline!
I thought you were on vaca still…
I have been on and offline for over a year almost, mostly due to health or net crap, and have to say I am amazed how much things are the same. And sadden by the changes… how commercial many blogs have become or worse they start that way without any real interest in the community but at the heart of it, I would question how much of it is ‘dislike’ or hate. Blogs should be honest and should allow honest discourse – hearing ‘it is easier to say nothing, than listen to her whine if you don’t agree with her’ – makes me insane. People are way too quick to make disagree = omg!hate. I am not saying you, just in general.
The saddest thing is much of it comes down to traffic, regardless of if they love you or hate you at least they are talking about you – if that is your aim. And more and more the goal in blogland seems to be traffic, what can I get for ‘all this hard work’, how can you ‘appreciate me’, how can I be appreciated for appreciating you, how can I milk this baby.
So much gets sent back to email because people are tired and were just here for the books not the bullshit, as well as they don’t want to be used to continue stupid drama. The sad thing is I don’t know if there is really any NEW drama to be had *g*. So it is just rinse, wash, repeat…
Once upon a time it was about the books, finding a community to talk about romance novels because no one in ‘rl’ cared, it was fun (even ‘bad/negative’ grades omg you can’t do that/omg you can’t NOT do those) and that is where we need to get back to I think. Then again for as much as I tease you, I tend to way over think things.
1. I don’t watch them often, but will watch one when it leaps out at me. They are a bit hit and miss, but often entertaining.
2. Blooming hate pirates! Been coming into contact with them for years, started my bookselling career on ebay, where pirate audiobooks and photocopied books often come up. Going through official channels is definitely the only real way to get anything done.
3. I am relatively new to blogland, but have noticed that the blow-ups seem to be fairly regular., and must admit I find them a bit entertaining in a carcrash sort of way. But I am not very nice. With the most recent one and there are traces of it in a lot of the “battles”, I just do not get the if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it attitude, haven’t come across that in any other genre fandom(?) apart from romance… but hey
4. I have a massive bookmark folder, which really needs cleaning out, but it boils down to how much time I have as to how many get checked out daily, most on the list will get checked at least once a week. (Working from home can lead to horrible habits though, so a fair chunk get checked daily.) Generally it is the ones that have had the most interesting (to me) posts on a regular basis that get checked most often.
5. I am jealous of you.. lol
6. Puppies rock! Though are nearly always trouble, the tales I could tell about a certain German Pointer x Kelpie.. sigh
7. Can you tell that I am really not in the mood to work today, judging by the length of this post?
0. Thanks for the pimpage!
1. I don’t watch them either and the I must say that the use of frequent video posting has also put me off the much mentioned Borders blog too. I like watching videos people post to blogs such as music videos but not videos-made-for-romance-blogs. As someone else commented above, I prefer the written word. (I also don’t like conversational blog posts – written like a script – somehow, in my head, these preferences are related….)
2. The fact that your students don’t find this unethical is interesting. I agree it is wrong, but it isn’t an immediately obvious wrong to some – perhaps because books are available for free from libraries and to be bought second hand? So yes, action is required to draw attention to that. Kristie J has been very vocal about this lately too.
3. I am very intrigued as to what you are referring to! I have obviously missed something!
4. I try to keep a manageable list of 20-25 that I check weekly with a handful that I check daily (like this one). I try not to let it get above that. I’ve tried ‘pot luck’ on CJ’s sidebar a few times and sometimes I google books I’ve recently read and find new sites that way. If I add a site to favourites but every time I click I’m not really reading the posts, I’ll usually drop it after a few weeks.
Oh my, were you the sender-upper of the Great Western Drive? That was spew worthy indeed
My dd flies back east to college tonight: yep, she’s in Nor’Easter land — we’re in NorCal — so I found the post particularly funny.
My morning is ruined because of following all your blog links
… if I don’t get going, there goes the day! Thanks again 
Janet W wrote:
No, I was the sender upper of the Epic Flouncers in Romanceland. But thanks!
Tumperkin wrote:
Too late! We are already onto another big blowup. Send me an email and I will give you my totally biased opinionated views on both.
@ sybil:
Have you seen Wendy’s post today? “Once upon a time it was about the book” sums up a lot of what she has to say.
Edie wrote:
I agree with you on all points.
*begging puppy eyes* pretty please, ma’am, could I have some of that too?
Yeah, why don’t you come by more often?
Nah, it’s okay. Everyone has limited time, especially with all the blogs out there. It takes a while for blogs to work their way into my favorites folder. The blogs that I like and how I find them seems really random, but it actually stems mainly from Twitter. ‘Tis evol machine.
I love this time of year too! I’m so bummed I’m not back in school or teaching right now. -_- Oh well.
Okay, the link to the blog post on Outsider Heroines took me to all your previous posts on Patricia Gaffney’s To Have and To Hold, and it got me thinking. And that led me to want to write my thoughts down. This is not the place to comment on those posts, but you’ve closed the comments sections there, so here we are.
First, I prefer — by a wide margin — To Love and To Cherish, which I personally consider as close to a perfect historical romance as I could want. But I understand the debate over THATH and whether a book can ever have a hero rape a heroine without losing the appellation “hero” and thus negating even the theoretical possibility of a HEA. If THATH works as a romance novel, it must be the case that a hero can rape the heroine and, in effect, get away with it as a romantic matter. This, quite reasonably, bothers some people. And there’s the rub.
First of all, it’s a historical romance. Written in the 1990s, but set to be roughly contemporary with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, for example. Context, as you’ve pointed out, is important — that same plot set in a contemporary novel is unthinkable; droit du seigneur is appropriately no longer a viable defense to sexual violence. The moral relativism of the mid-19th century vs. the 21st century is perhaps all the defense Gaffney needs.
But romance novels do cast a shadow. What moral responsibility does the author have to reflect a modern sensibility about a modern problem? In this vein, I have greater questions about Mary Jo Putney’s contemporary romance The Burning Point — in which the hero was physically violent to the heroine in their backstory and then has to prove to her & her family that he’s changed. Women who live with domestic violence often make excuses for their abusers, and those excuses often take the form of “he’s promised he will change.” Did Putney’s book risk encouraging that sort of enabling, or does the totality of the story and the fact that Putney’s characters made it very clear that domestic violence is never ever okay counterbalance the fact that by the end of the book the hero is supposedly rehabilitated?
In THATH, the really challenging aspect of Gaffney’s gift of characterization is that those two people were all too plausible. The heroine is really damaged, and damaged people often shape the world around them so that it conforms to, and reinforces, their internal sense of what they are apt to expect. Put another way, she’d been brutalized before, and may have been in a psychological position to be brutalized again. She doesn’t ask for Sebastian to rape her, but another woman with a different backstory might have given off different vibes and not been raped in the same situation.
Wow, I can feel a feminist backlash building up already!
The point I’m trying to make is life is complicated, and Gaffney’s book reflects that complicated nature. But current societal attitudes about rape are very simple: It is wrong. So does Gaffney betray her gender by writing a book that is internally coherent and consistent but still runs counter to modern mores, or is she allowed to write a novel in the 1990s that wouldn’t have raised eyebrows if it had been published in the same era in which it takes place?
I defend Gaffney, in large part because the book is so scrupulously written. I’m sorry that she’s not more lauded for her best historical romances; I believe she’s a victim of the literary ghetto that romances are forced to dwell in. (A sort of red-lining that shows how romances aren’t even considered worthy of Harold Bloom’s savagery against Harry Potter.) But I can see how THATH is polarizing.
I’m also reminded of the Luke & Laura controversy. Back around 1980, Tony Geary’s character raped Genie Francis’s character on General Hospital. Unforgiveable, but there was such great chemistry between them that the writers let them fall in love. One reason that was permitted (I’m not saying it was OKAY in the moral sense, just that it was allowed) was that soap operas are evanescent. What was an episode six months ago is quickly forgotten, so with enough time viewers could forget about the rape and go with the flow of the romance. (I went to Wikipedia to get the details and was surprised by how long GH took: the rape was in October 1979, L&L fell in love in 1980, and the wedding was in November 1981. Two years on a soap is like ten years in real life!)
There’s more to all this, of course — nothing is ever simple! — but I wanted to comment on such a thought-provoking topic. Sorry I’m a year late!