My weekly links, opinion, and randomness post.
1. I don’t know how I missed this, but I like Sybil’s 9/3 post on blogging here. But see #3 for alternative concepts of blogging.
2. Connecting loosely with the above, here’s another post that captures my feelings exactly, this time, Blogger Pet Peeves, by The Story Siren.
3. We say a newspaper is the paper of record when it has a large circulation and when its editorials and news are considered professional and typically authoritative. Is there a “blog of record” in Romanceland? In my opinion, Dear Author is that blog. It is easy to take a certain kind of steady excellence for granted, so I want to say that I have never read a “waste of time” post at DA. I rely on DA for publishing news in the romance genre and beyond. Every review — and there are a lot of them — is thorough, accurate, well-written, and interesting. Jane’s trumpeting of e-technologies thwarts the impression that romance readers are unsophisticated luddites and has helped give our genre a voice in publishing industry debates. Genre discussions are sophisticated and timely without being jargony. Unlike other high profile romance sites, DA’s frequent “links posts” connect their audience with smaller bloggers in romance. With various campaigns, the Borders blog, collaborations with Smart Bitches, etc., Jane and co. are terrific supporters and members of the romance community. Their blog is easy to navigate, and illustrates an exemplary balance between monetizing and respecting readers’ needs for simplicity and ease of use.
There are a lot of niche blogs that do things DA doesn’t do, and I am glad of it. And there are other “general purpose” romance websites that do a few things better (I’m thinking specifically of AAR’s searchable reviews). If you think this is an endorsement of every stand anyone on DA takes, you’ve got another think coming. But if I could only bring one blog with me to a desert island, there is no question it would be DA for its romance news, reviews, and genre discussions, as well as the many reader, blogger, author, and editor commentators who make threads as fruitful and interesting to read as the posts themselves. I’m very glad it exists.
4. My city is hosting a book festival next month. Dozens of authors are participating. There’s even a workshop on genre writing. But is there one romance author? Nope. I hate to be a critic of such a positive event, but I am wondering why our state’s thriller, true crime and mystery writers get a seat at the table. Even our little known writers who publish on tiny unknown presses (basically, vanity presses) will be there. I wonder if writing a letter is in order…
5. It’s been a hell of a day. A conference I have been planning most of the last year is finally over, and it was a success, if I do say so myself. The keynote speaker discussed the commodification of health care, and juxtaposed that with the fiduciary responsibilities of health care professionals, who are supposed to treat patients as human persons with inherent value. The one African American person at the conference eloquently and passionately reminded the gathering that commodification in American culture is hardly new. She went on to say that her grandmother was commodified, and, moreover, whenever a girl in a bikini is utilized to sell an automobile or a bottle of beer, every woman in the room is commodified. You know you live in the whitest state in the union when another attendee goes up to her later and asks, straightfaced, “Can you explain what you meant? What do you mean your grandmother was commodified?”.
6. And in bizarre facts I learned recently … apparently actor Robert Pattinson is so attractive because he has so-called “sanpaku eyes”, in which the whites are visible underneath the iris when the subject is looking straight ahead. Other notables with such eyes were John F. Kennedy Jr. and Princess Diana. In Japanese tradition (sanpaku means “three whites”), it serves as an indicator of a disordered soul, but others say it connotes power and productivity, very attractive traits to females. I have no idea about any of it, but I thought it was a good excuse to post a picture:
Happy Week!
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#1 by katiebabs on September 21, 2009 - 9:22 pm
The question was asked on Blog Talk Radio what was the next step in blogging. I believe that blogs, especially book review blogs will explode in the next decade. And I can’t wait to be there to see it happen
#2 by Lusty Reader on September 21, 2009 - 9:53 pm
The national book festival here in DC is this Saturday too, and no romance writers here either. Unless you count Nicholas Sparks. Which I do NOT (emphatically)
#3 by Angela/Lazaraspaste on September 21, 2009 - 9:54 pm
Crazy, but true facts. I never found Princess Di or JFK Jr. that attractive nor R.Patz . . . Once again, I find myself in the minority which is fine more cake for me!
I laughed on and off for a good five minutes about that commodification story. And people say academic conferences are fun. Psssh.
#4 by Janet W on September 22, 2009 - 2:36 am
I’m confused: what’s #3? The 3rd comment in the G, B& U blog about blogging OR 3., your statement that, in your opinion, Dear Author is the defacto “blog of record” for Romland?
I’m still digesting what you said but I do have a problem with an if/then statement: Jane’s trumpeting of e-technologies thwarts the impression that romance readers are unsophisticated luddites … her trumpeting of e-technologies thwarts the impression we (romance readers) are unsophisticated luddites? I don’t get that … you can read shit on an e-reader and peruse hardcover classics. Is the medium the message? Surely not.
Does the medium of your reading choice say something about whether or not you’re a luddite? Again, I would think not. The e-trumpeting is helpful, to be sure, for people unsure about new technologies but is it more than that? Should it be more than that?
#5 by Jessica on September 22, 2009 - 6:17 am
@ Janet W:
Janet,
I meant that I think folks at DA have some ideas about the point of blogging that are not quite in line with Sybil’s philosophy.
Also, I agree that the notion that romance readers are luddites is stupid, and I agree with you that reading paper books is no indicator whatsoever that the reader is a luddite. For many people, reading paper gives them a chance to put down their Macbooks and Blackberries!
However, I do think romance readers are considered sort of old fashioned (see references to RWA attendees being warm and cuddly and smelling like yeast last summer in a major newspaper). So, I like the fact that one of our leading romance blogs is known as a leader in understanding and reporting on ereaders and epresses. I think it helps complicate the uniform and overly simplistic picture of romance readers, first of all, and second of all, it is one area where one of “our” blogs is often picked up and linked to by larger publishing blogs, and consulted by mainstream media. I know that many romance readers do not give a rat’s ass how they or their genre are viewed in the larger scheme of things, but I am not one of those people.
@ katiebabs:
Define “explode”. What would count as an “explosion”? More of them? More traffic? More influence?
@ Angela/Lazaraspaste:
It will be interesting to see if the fates allow you to pass on your genes, you being such an outlier on all the issues so dear to human survival, such as the attractiveness of RPattz.
@ Lusty Reader:
I wonder if I should say anything? We are way way way smaller than DC (a city of 30,000), so a letter miught have some impact.
#6 by katiebabs on September 22, 2009 - 6:29 am
I would say an explosion meaning more influence and being known among the masses like the other well known blogs like Huffington Post, TMZ and Perez Hilton. If you can be a spokesperson for the community you speak to and everyone turns to you, there you go.
I am dying, wanting to go to the DC book festival.. If I had some place to stay, I would so be there.
#7 by Sherry Thomas on September 22, 2009 - 8:17 am
Jane of DA is not a time-waster, of her own or anyone else’s. Her blog reflects that.
#8 by Carolyn Crane on September 22, 2009 - 9:43 am
I have to say, I really really appreciate that you said that about DA. I agree, and I know I really take them for granted.
#9 by Wendy on September 22, 2009 - 11:13 am
It depends on what you want your blog to be. Sybil’s post was more in line with “reader bloggers.” DA is a great blog, and I enjoy a lot of their content, but I do not think of them as a “reader blog” anymore. Given their devotion to e-reading etc. and the amount of “news” over there – I think of them more as an “industry blog.”
A lot of reader bloggers are hobbyists at heart. Nothing wrong with that. Hell, I’d classify the Bat Cave as my “hobby.” But what Jane is doing with DA just “feels” different – hence my slapping the industry blog label on her.
Re: The Book Festival. Welcome to my world. Every year I seethe when I see the line-up for the L.A. Times Book Festival and there’s not ONE romance author to be found. And it’s especially shameful since there are numerous, kickass RWA chapters out here that would literally fall all over themselves to be a part of the event. It never fails to piss me off. Which is why I’ve lobbied hard to have a romance panel every year for my library’s literary event. We’re celebrating year #4 in April with Tessa Dare, HelenKay Dimon and Linda Wisdom
#10 by Lusty Reader on September 22, 2009 - 11:25 am
jessica: in smaller communities suggestions might be more welcome, fingers crossed for next year?
katiebabs: you could be the first guest in our brand new second bedroom, but it’s our 1 year anniversary
wendy: i think the DC area also has huge RWA chapters (based on no facts, i just have this feeling). for shame on these book festivals!
#11 by Jessica on September 22, 2009 - 11:37 am
Wendy,
I have seen that comment about DA in several places, and then I see DA bloggers retort that DA is a reader blog. I am not exactly sure what hangs on that label. I will need to do some more thinking on that one.
As for libraries, I would guess that romance novels are some of the most highly circulating (?) books, yet they are like the dirty little secret of my library — never featured in new fiction displays, authors visits, or book fair events. Is it fair to say that there is hypocrisy when it comes to libraries’ reliance on romance novels and romance readers, and their refusal to acknowledge this publicly?
#12 by Wendy on September 22, 2009 - 12:05 pm
DA probably considers themselves a “reader blog” because they cater to a “reader audience.” I think it’s how you personally define “reader blogger.” Is it how you describe the blogger….or the followers?
I’ve blogged about libraries and romance in the past, but it’s been a while. The problem? Librarians are over-educated and therefore the academic stigma of the romance genre rubs off on them. It’s “trash.” It’s badly written. It’s fluff. Etc. etc. etc. So for every librarian that’s very cool (ooooh, like me LOL), there are literally dozens of librarians who turn up their nose at the genre for pretty much the same reasons many of your colleagues do. It’s frustrating, to say the least. Most of the time I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying to these librarians, “Could you please retire or die already? You’re making my job harder.” Sigh.
This snobbery is also why a lot of libraries have shitty romance novel collections. The old “we must educate the masses” as opposed to “offer readers shit they actually want to read” mentality. I’m not saying libraries shouldn’t “educate” – but it needs to be a balancing act. Give them what they want, along with what they need. Libraries need to strive to offer both.
#13 by Janet W on September 22, 2009 - 2:25 pm
I’m so lucky, Wendy, with my local library, because one of the librarians is a non-closeted romance fan — I can ask her to put books on the buying list, but usually, they’re already there.
Need to acknowledge her somehow because her passion enhances my reading life
What would you prefer? Chocolates, gift certificate to Borders or something else?
#14 by Janine on September 22, 2009 - 2:34 pm
Wow Jessica — thank you so much for the kind words about Dear Author. I’m obvioulsy partial to DA and very proud to be part of it, but it is so nice to hear that DA is appreciated.
As for the “reader blog” designation, I still think it applies to DA because we read and review what we want to read and review (even if someone else has reviewed that book at DA before), don’t force ourselves to finish books that aren’t working for us, blog on topics that catch our interest, etc.
Except for me, no one else at DA has aspirations to publish a book, as far as I know. When Jane and Jayne started DA back in 2006 they were doing it for themselves and a few friends. There was never a grand plan to be viewed as professionals. And the opinions espoused in the reviews, no matter how cogently stated (if I do say so myself) are still first and foremost reader responses. DA is essentially a hobby for everyone who writes for it. A very rewarding hobby, even a hobby some of us are passionate about, but a hobby nonetheless.
#15 by Wendy on September 22, 2009 - 2:45 pm
@ Janet W:
Honestly? You know what I like best? An old-fashioned thank-you note. 1) They’re awesome to get and 2) They easily can go into someone personnel file. And yeah – the other ideas you listed are good too.
If your library is linked with a government agency (like, a county library system) it’s probably frowned upon for library staff to “accept” gifts. Doesn’t mean they won’t though
#16 by Sarah Frantz (DA Joan on September 23, 2009 - 3:48 pm
DA is also a reader blog because we’re not doing it professionally. It’s not our job. Even SBTB, who have “monetized” their blog, don’t do it as a full-time thing, like Michelle at Romance B(u)y the Book.
And I have aspirations to publish, but only as an academic.
Anyway, thank you so much for your kind word about DA. It’s wonderful to hear it and great to be part of such an amazing blog.
#17 by Jane on September 23, 2009 - 3:48 pm
I see that you were slapped down by the internet after posting something complimentary about DA. I hope that you take that as a warning in the future.
Honestly? criticism is much easier to take than the very kind things you said about DA. Mostly because now we will want to live up to everything you wrote and will undoubtedly fail.
I do see DA as a reader blog because I am a reader, first and foremost, and most of what I do and blog about at DA is from a reader perspective, but my interests in reading do stem to what is going on in the industry and how it is changing so I can see where the “industry blog” label is appropriate as well.
I’ll always maintain that we are a reader blog but can see other people perceiving it differently. In my mind, it’s still a blog that just a few of us readers are running.
#18 by Tumperkin on September 28, 2009 - 8:45 am
How did I manage to miss this post?
Put me down as another non-lover of sanpaku-eyes.
I pleased that you put Sybil’s heartfelt post, Story Siren’s spot-on list of peeves and your appreciation of DA all into one post. Whilst they’re not precisely related, the fact that you’ve got them all here helps to underline how very many interests and views there are in this community.
I have to agree with you about DA. It’s still my main touchstone for what’s going on in romanceland and for reviews generally. I glide over the e-stuff but that’s personal preference as I don’t have an e-reader. I agree that it has a different tone from most reader blogs and in that sense, I think it’s fair to regard it almost as in a different category, and as an industry blog, as Wendy said. I can well understand that those running the blog see it as no different from any other blog, but what sets it apart, for me is the sheer range of material it covers, the commitment to new (and quality) content and the way it has donned a ‘spokesperson’ persona for the community. (Possibly this last characteristic is something other bloggers object to and part of the reason for some of the backlash they get). Frankly I’m astonished by how much they – Jane in particular – gets done. I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite blog – and that’s partly because of its size and less intimate feel; partly because it does feel more ‘official’ than other blogs I follow – but it’s my first stop most days and yes, it would be a serious contender for my desert island blog as well.