tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post2736517161351525819..comments2024-03-29T06:43:19.987-04:00Comments on Romance Novels for Feminists: Reviewers and Authors: Too Close for Comfort?Jackie C. Hornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-9008264384171512402019-03-05T02:41:45.558-05:002019-03-05T02:41:45.558-05:00Aside from having a friend or relative (or yoursel...Aside from having a friend or relative (or yourself) bake and decorate your wedding cake, visit a bakery that you're already familiar with or that comes with a great <a href="http://bakedcomfortfood.com/" rel="nofollow">comfort recipes</a> from someone you know. Some bakeries may give you a special discount if they cater to you and your family on a regular basis.<br />S p a r rO whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05970510187872210596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-65676657121600851102018-12-05T02:30:50.298-05:002018-12-05T02:30:50.298-05:00Nothing warms those long winter nights the way com...Nothing warms those long winter nights the way comfort foods do. Winter <a href="http://bakedcomfortfood.com/" rel="nofollow">baked comfort food</a> creates a cozy mood that instantly relieves your tired senses. Make the best of those cold nights by serving up these five perfect winter foods.<br />Edward foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267905378325518780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-1008245543655154062017-05-12T02:14:57.798-04:002017-05-12T02:14:57.798-04:00I'm a reviewer of primarily Australian science...I'm a reviewer of primarily Australian science fiction and fantasy. I'm also a writer and therefore involved in the scene. It is tiny; everyone knows everyone. It means I frequently end up reviewing material by people I know. Which makes it tough when I have to write a less-than-glowing review of something.<br /><br />I don't tag authors when I review their work. However, I will email them a link if they've directly asked me for a review and provided an ARC. I find anything other than a 'thank you' makes me feel uncomfortable.Elizabeth @ Earl Grey Editinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017730730048205742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-23250533469755864772017-05-11T12:35:37.474-04:002017-05-11T12:35:37.474-04:00I have previously contacted authors when I gave po...I have previously contacted authors when I gave positive reviews, kind of as a long "thank you note" for their book. I stopped publicly reviewing altogether because I worried I would either seem to play favorites when I reviewed writers I knew, or would get a tantrum or worse in my mentions if I gave an unfavorable review.<br /><br />I've noticed a lot of tantrums, threats, and dog piles when some authors get bad reviews. I follow a lot of reviewers who analyze books based on representation of their culture. Frequently their critiques are met with clamoring fans of the author saying "you can't censor the author! You can't say (privileged) people can never write about (marginalized) people!" These reactions have driven some bloggers offline, and at least one to a mental health crisis.<br /><br />However, another commenter who is an author mentioned Google Alerts. So authors and their fans, for good or ill, may still find their way to your blog.<br /><br />Anyway, all this to say, keep contacting authors if the interactions you get are worth it. If a storm kicks up, it's not your fault, just know it's possible.Shannon J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03256636447774274839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-62245697175587409582017-05-03T22:22:28.283-04:002017-05-03T22:22:28.283-04:00Preach!Preach!Kaetrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936055488367251592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-5686857891914106522017-05-03T14:47:37.428-04:002017-05-03T14:47:37.428-04:00Coincidentally, I just read a tweet by an author w...Coincidentally, I just read a tweet by an author who said she was @'d with a positive review that had a bad sting in it, and it's the sort of thing that really erodes her confidence. I'm pretty thin-skinned myself, so I sympathize with her. Some authors can take reading their reviews, some can't. As long as they don't bitch in public or send hordes of fans after someone -- and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the author publicizing this event -- I think they have a right to not have criticism thrust upon them. willafulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17201963128584310884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-31573151019222318042017-05-03T11:26:37.221-04:002017-05-03T11:26:37.221-04:00I get many books from NetGalley but I am also cont...I get many books from NetGalley but I am also contacted by a series of publishers directly. Some I signed up for the review lists while others found me through NetGalley. I have used other review sites similar to NetGalley but have since dropped them - mostly because I was getting a lot of self-published books and was being contacted by random authors. I am, also, a part of a very large writing community and review books by fellow authors (but I am very selective and careful with those choices).<br />The reason it is difficult for me to deal with authors is because I get it - this is their baby. I would hate to tell them they have an ugly child. And I've had a lot of bad experiences dealing with authors. Most of these experiences come from authors who self publish before the books are truly ready. If I am dealing with the publisher then I don't feel obligated to love the book. Like I said, I try to always spin the positive because that is the sort of book review I'd like but sometimes a book is bad and it's hard to tell someone that to their "face".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09398802177166008567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-15908894969815019692017-05-03T01:00:33.457-04:002017-05-03T01:00:33.457-04:00I'm another reviewer who prefers not to involv...I'm another reviewer who prefers not to involve the author. I assume if they want to see reviews, they'll find them. If I do provide constructive criticism, it's probably accidental. ;-)<br /><br />It seems rude to me to tag authors on twitter (or, I guess, Facebook) because it's a shared space. I won't hold back on my blog (or other places I once reviewed) because that's a reader's space. I feel a responsibility to other readers, and my writing is no fun for me if it's not honest. But twitter is for everyone. No author needs me forcing my opinion upon them. willafulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17201963128584310884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-87700921747845302142017-05-02T03:10:48.029-04:002017-05-02T03:10:48.029-04:00I have a review policy on my blog. It clearly stat...I have a review policy on my blog. It clearly states that I won't send a link to the review to the author unless they request one to be sent because reviews are for readers. I also warn that I don't guarantee a favourable review (or a review at all in fact). It is then up to the author, to decide what they want. But they can't say they weren't warned if they request a link and don't like what they find at the end of it. <br /><br />My review policy also states where I get my books. (For the most part, books I review for AudioGals or Dear Author are review copies provided by the publisher or author. On my own blog I mostly review books I have bought myself these days.)<br /><br />Sara can answer your last question for herself of course, but were you to ask that of me, I'd say that it is confronting to tell someone that you don't like their work. I had the experience recently where I hated the book so much I wanted to set it on fire. I couldn't finish it. I was dealing with the agent. I was certainly much happier dealing with her than the authors. It's easy when you love the book. When you don't? That's harder. And some authors don't react well to criticism. Many a blogger has been on the receiving end of a lot of grief from authors about a "bad" review. I saw one on Goodreads only last week where the author (and I am not even joking) paid an occultist to put a hex on the reviewer unless he took his review down!Kaetrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936055488367251592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-2241027524559278222017-05-02T03:03:37.219-04:002017-05-02T03:03:37.219-04:00I'm not saying that it's not okay to be ch...I'm not saying that it's not okay to be chuffed by an author liking a review or finding a particular comment insightful. That's not the point at all. <br /><br />But I think that tagging an author forces a level of contact they may not wish to have. Perhaps an author will seek out reviews of their work. Perhaps they will come here and find something you say useful and it may even change how they think about something and contribute to how they produce future books. But isn't that choice - to seek out reviews or not to seek out reviews, up to them? <br /><br />I suppose you might say that tagging an author doesn't mean that an author has to follow the link but I've seen plenty of authors say that they do not want to be tagged. They find it difficult to resist the temptation to click. Or, they assume, if they are tagged the review is favourable and when they do click, they find that is not necessarily the case. Remember too, I said above that the reviewer may consider their review to be positive but the author may perceive the review very differently. <br /><br />There are plenty of authors who also loudly proclaim "reviews are for readers". It is not just readers and bloggers who say this. <br /><br />For readers/bloggers as well as authors, I think it's about preserving the virtual separation of the shared internet spaces. <br /><br />An author commenting on a review of their book definitely chills speech at best. If a reviewer wishes to foster critical comments, an author commenting will almost certainly shut that down. If there are further comments they will likely be of the "squee" kind (not inherently bad - but in a blog like this, is that what you want? Or do you want readers to engage critically with the text?). And that is the best case scenario. In worst case, a badly behaving author could come to your reviewing space and start a flame war and invite her (or his) fans to attack. That's not fun. Not tagging authors makes it a little less likely that kind of thing will happen. <br /><br />With the greatest respect Jackie, you may have the most insightful thing to say about an author's work, but what makes you so sure the author actually wants to hear it? If they do not, is it not rude to bring it to their attention? <br /><br />Authors are people too and they have feelings. I want authors to allow readers to engage in robust discussion about books without interference from them and the courtesy I do them in return is to respect their right to not read any or all reviews of their books.<br /><br />Speaking only for myself, I don't say anything in reviews that I would not be prepared to say to the author directly (*if they asked me to*) but at the same time I don't assume the mere existence of my review means they want to read it. Kaetrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936055488367251592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-39140098253246483212017-05-01T14:17:32.591-04:002017-05-01T14:17:32.591-04:00Thanks, Sara, for sharing your thoughts and workin...Thanks, Sara, for sharing your thoughts and working practices. Another angle I didn't think about—where do you get the books you review? I get some books that I review from NetGalley, which are usually from publishers; I get books directly from authors, who contact me via the blog; I purchase a lot of books myself; and I also take out books from the library.<br /><br />When you write "it would make my job more difficult if I had to deal with authors directly," I'm wondering, in what ways do you think it would be more difficult?Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-6080149856940366812017-05-01T12:43:12.749-04:002017-05-01T12:43:12.749-04:00I am what I call a professional reader. I am cont...I am what I call a professional reader. I am contacted by publishers to read and review books. I have never considered contacting an author to let them know I have reviewed their book. I often lean towards the positive in my reviews, trying to remain a bit detached so my reviews are kind but it would make my job more difficult if I had to deal with authors directly. However, I do keep in contact with the publishing companies. They track the reviews and the books. They are, also, the ones that contact me to review. I like that separation because I am not disappointing the author when I refuse the book for review or write a not so great review.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09398802177166008567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-19060352040315871882017-04-30T10:43:02.738-04:002017-04-30T10:43:02.738-04:00Apologies, Kaetrin, for asserting that Audio Gals ...Apologies, Kaetrin, for asserting that Audio Gals and Dear Author accept advertising income. I clearly had SmartBitches/TrashyBooks in mind, and did not doublecheck the two sites you review for (in addition to your personal blog).<br /><br />And yes, I did ask a question, and appreciate the honesty of your answers, and the thinking they are leading me to do.<br /><br />Merrian (above) mentions that in the recent past, the assertion that "reviews are for readers" was linked to the problem of authors trying to tell readers what their reviews should be. Is that history in your mind when you say that reviews should only be for readers?<br /><br />I have no problem with the idea myself that my reviews might function as critiques of an author's work, critiques that give that author not a beta-read, but food for thought when writing future books (or that might prove food for thought for other authors). No reviewer should be FORCED to write a review with this purpose in mind, but if a reviewer WANTS to write with such a purpose in mind, I don't see that as a problem. DEAR AUTHOR clearly says "FOR readers, BY readers" at the top of its home page, which makes the blog's purpose clear, especially in light of the past history Merrian references. RNFF's tagline also mentions readers ("for readers who like a little equality with their love"), but I envision "authors" as a potential subset of that larger group, "readers."<br /><br />Your ideas are also making me think more about feelings. You write that it is wrong for a reviewer to want "cookies" (a loaded term for me, because of its current use in discussions about race and white allies, but that's a whole 'nother conversation). But you also say that it's wrong for reviewers to hurt authors' feelings. When I think about these two beliefs, I wonder: What kind of feelings are ok to have, and what kind of feelings are not? Or what kinds of feelings are ok to inspire in others, and what kinds are not? It's wrong to make other people (authors) potentially feel bad (even if some authors might end up feeling good). And its wrong to admit that you as a reviewer desire something similar from an author that you want from a fellow reader--fellowship over shared interests.<br /><br />Why is it ok to be chuffed by interactions with readers/blog commenters, but not by interactions with authors?Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-36076604110384199652017-04-30T10:08:33.774-04:002017-04-30T10:08:33.774-04:00I hadn't heard that, Merrian, bloggers not bei...I hadn't heard that, Merrian, bloggers not being granted access to a title if their reviews weren't glowing enough. That stinks.<br /><br />I've never been asked to swap reviews (perhaps because people who read my Goodreads posts know I don't shy away from saying when I don't like a book!). But I do recall this issue coming up in the past, about authors recommending books without telling their readers that they were friends with the writer whose book they were recommending. Another boundary issue...<br /><br />Interesting that you noticed a shift in the tone of Dear Author over time, and link that to the site becoming closer to the publishing industry. Are reviews disinterested reviews, or are they marketing tools, influenced by the access traditional publishers grant (or do not grant) reviewers? And is that question easier or harder to answer depending on the size and influence of the blog?Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-66581619346458212972017-04-30T04:41:02.086-04:002017-04-30T04:41:02.086-04:00Books for reviews - a lot of ARCs seem to be distr...Books for reviews - a lot of ARCs seem to be distributed for a 'good review' and we do hear of bloggers not getting NetGalley access if their reviews are not glowing enough. Swapping good reviews for each others books. But it's also about tone I think. I stopped reading Dear Author a long time ago before Jane came out as an author. My reason was that (too me) the tone of DA shifted as it became closer to the publishing industry and I felt like I was eyes being delivered up to the marketers. Merrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00022565372969180953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-71095008394780582812017-04-30T02:54:38.042-04:002017-04-30T02:54:38.042-04:00I'm not interested in brawling with anyone. I ...I'm not interested in brawling with anyone. I wanted to set the record straight.<br /><br />FWIW, the statement about cookies is a lesson I learned myself early in my blogging career (and when I was only blogging at my small personal blog). I used to @ authors if the grade was a B or above. But then a blogger friend gave me some good advice and I realised the only reason I was @ing authors was for cookie-attainment. That wasn't a good reason so I stopped. <br /><br />Jackie asked a question - I assume she wanted an honest answer and that's what I gave. <br /><br />Kaetrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936055488367251592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-789816440538559342017-04-29T21:26:08.666-04:002017-04-29T21:26:08.666-04:00Apologies for any assumptions - they were made wit...Apologies for any assumptions - they were made with good intentions.<br /><br />But I feel like this conversation is getting pretty aggressive, so out of courtesy to Jackie, who probably doesn't want a brawl in her comments section, I'll bow out.<br />Kate Sherwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004122981768351606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-46795735333506725272017-04-29T19:57:51.471-04:002017-04-29T19:57:51.471-04:00Okay, to clarify some of the things you've bot...Okay, to clarify some of the things you've both made assumptions about. <br />I review at Dear Author, AudioGals and at my own blog Kaetrin's Musings. I consider myself a reader and blogger. I am not an author.<br />My personal blog is very small. The audience at Dear Author and AudioGals is, I believe, much larger but I don't have administrative access to either so I don't know how many visitors they actually get. AudioGals has never had paid ads. Dear Author stopped having ads years ago. (Not that there is anything at all improper about accepting payment for ads.) Both sites run on affiliate links to keep the blogs going and/or the blog owner pays to keep the site running (that is the case with DA.) I use affiliate links but don't earn enough from it to run my own blog. I run that out of my own pocket. I receive $ from affiliate links from my reviews at Dear Author and, not that it is relevant, I use that money, which is not going to get me early retirement, to buy books. I blog at AudioGals for free, because I love it. I'd blog at DA and my own blog for free too if it came to that. So you're incorrect in suggesting I blog to make money. (Though there are those who do and more power to them.)<br />None of that has any bearing on my point though you both seem to think it should. Reviews are for readers. They're not for authors. Reviewers don't serve as some kind of beta reader/crit group for an author. I love authors but my reviews are not *for* them. They are for readers. If an author receives a benefit (e.g. good publicity perhaps) from one of my reviews, great - but that is a happy coincidence. It is not why I did it.<br />My reviewer validation comes from helping a reader find a book that works for them (as a blogger, there is no better feeling I think, for me at least) and from talking about books with other readers generally. Seeking cookies from an author because I reviewed their book seems to me an entirely different thing - and that's the only reason to tag an author in a (positive) review - to get cookies. Tagging an author in a negative review is just rude. <br />The fact is, one person's good review is another's bad review. You might consider your review to be very positive but there may be a criticism in there which cuts close to the bone for an author. You don't know for sure, unless your review is 100% glowing, an author won't have that reaction to your review. Tagging the author is, effectively, rubbing their face in it. Authors will find reviews of their work if they want to. Many authors choose not to look at all. If that is what they want, let them. <br />Online spaces are shared spaces. Not tagging authors in reviews is part of keeping some separation (even though it may be largely metaphorical) in those spaces.Kaetrinhttp://www.kaetrinsmusings.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-47031273717457466502017-04-29T16:35:14.214-04:002017-04-29T16:35:14.214-04:00That IS an interesting distinction... I review jus...That IS an interesting distinction... I review just about every book I read at Goodreads, but you're right, I've never even thought about notifying the authors. And I don't really think of myself as a reviewer just because I jot my thoughts down at GR.<br /><br />I agree with your distinction that GR is mostly for my own use. I want to keep track of what I've read and my thoughts on it. But I'm aware that other people read what I say there, or at least that they might. Hmmm...Kate Sherwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004122981768351606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-66366743746494709012017-04-29T16:32:21.912-04:002017-04-29T16:32:21.912-04:00And don't blogs like Dear Author take advertis...And don't blogs like Dear Author take advertising money from publishers and authors? Maybe I'm too financially motivated, but if I were going to start worrying about inappropriate relationships between reviewers and authors, I'd start worrying about the money before I worried about a re-tweet...<br /><br />But of course I believe that bloggers have the right to monetize their writing, if that's their goal and their plan.<br /><br />If it's another bloggers goal/plan to build a readership or, sure, get validation? That blogger will probably approach things differently. Makes sense to me!Kate Sherwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004122981768351606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-55105642327629734722017-04-29T14:52:50.298-04:002017-04-29T14:52:50.298-04:00Kaetrin reviews at Dear Author and at AudioGals, F...Kaetrin reviews at Dear Author and at AudioGals, FYI.<br /><br />I wonder if the audience for the blog one reviews for makes a difference? Dear Author and Audio Gals are large commercial ventures, with large audiences. Smaller blogs such as RNFF have much smaller audiences. So what Kaetrin sees as "self-aggrandising or unnecessarily upsetting" might be true for a big blog, but not for a smaller one?<br /><br />It might also have to do with the issue of money? Blogs like Dear Author pay their reviewers, right? (one form of validation). And their sites include advertising. RNFF does neither. So perhaps the validation Kaetrin gets from getting paid works for her, whereas since I've chosen not to earn income through this blog, I'm a little needier in my desire for validation?Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-42289084311745906662017-04-29T14:47:25.241-04:002017-04-29T14:47:25.241-04:00Catherine Heloise:
Thanks for chiming in with you...Catherine Heloise:<br /><br />Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts, and explaining your own practices as a reviewer. I don't notify authors when I review their book on Goodreads, but I do notify them when I blog about them. Your comment is making me try to articulate why.<br /><br />I think it's because the two platforms feel like they have different purposes to me. Goodreads is more where I put my thoughts for myself, where I log my own overall reading, and where I interact with a handful of personal friends and book acquaintances. Whereas RNFF is where I (hopefully!) reach out to a larger audience. Perhaps this is a false boundary to draw, but that's how I seem them in my mind.<br /><br />That "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" dynamic is definitely an issue in the romance world. In part because of gender issues (nice girls are not supposed to say mean things), and in part because there's a linkage between what a person writes and who that person is, if a writer considers her writing anything close to art, rather than just a product. If you criticize a book, it can be seen as attacking the person who wrote it by many. Since I have a background in academic literary criticism, I don't share that view, but I know it is one many readers and authors hold. So yes, definitely a "fraught" relationship!Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-12895224956373898662017-04-29T14:39:35.770-04:002017-04-29T14:39:35.770-04:00Hi, Merrian:
Thanks for putting some of the debat...Hi, Merrian:<br /><br />Thanks for putting some of the debates about authors and reviewers and readers into historical context for us. You give me, and other RNFF readers, a lot of food for thought.<br /><br />That's a bummer, that some authors tried to police their readers' reviews. That strikes me as really misguided, particularly in online spaces like Goodreads, and on amazon, and on blogs that specifically say they giving a reader's perspective. Also a bummer to hear that some authors push reviewers to increase the number of stars they give a book. Yes, this is a business for authors, but readers have a right to their own opinions, and to express them without fearing that an author will bully them in response.<br /><br />Whether a review is "bad" is definitely in the eyes of the beholder, isn't it? I, too, try to find reviewers whose tastes I share, and to follow their reviews for a while before assuming that I'm always going to agree with them. And knowing what they mean by a 3-star vs. a 4-star vs. a 5-star review is definitely part of that.<br /><br />Why do I need validation? I have some personal reasons, for sure, that make me particularly greedy for words of praise. But I think all writers, perhaps all human beings, want validation to one degree or another.<br /><br />How to get it? By interacting with commenters on the blog, for sure. And by helping readers finds new books and new authors that they can feel comfortable reading, knowing that by and large the books I recommend are not going to hit them over them head with sexist stuff. And by hoping that my words have an impact on the genre in some small ways. And by having the occasional author drop me a note to say that I've done a good job. It's all part of the validation.<br /><br />So I guess I'd say I'm working for myself, for readers, and for authors, probably in that order.<br /><br />What favors are you thinking might be happening out of sight?Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-37075940514219225832017-04-29T14:28:56.470-04:002017-04-29T14:28:56.470-04:00Melanie:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts as an au...Melanie:<br />Thanks for sharing your thoughts as an author on the author/reviewer relationship. I, too, when wearing my author hat, appreciate getting a heads-up when one of my books is reviewed. Reading bad reviews, or not entirely complimentary ones, is definitely hard, but I like to know what's being said about my work.<br /><br />I like your idea that there are many different types of reviewers, and that different reviewers can/should establish practices that work best for them.Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-23787005281338739862017-04-29T14:26:57.826-04:002017-04-29T14:26:57.826-04:00Laura:
Interesting to think about this from a scho...Laura:<br />Interesting to think about this from a scholarly viewpoint. I write academic articles about children's literature, and I certainly didn't Tweet to J.K. Rowling when I published an article about race and Harry Potter, or to Stephenie Meyer when I published an article about readerly desire in the TWILIGHT books. Your post made me ask myself why?<br /><br />Perhaps because academic criticism has a different purpose than reviewing? Academics are meant to call attention to problematic aspects of a text, to delve deep into the ideological underpinnings, as well as to argue about a book's worth. My romance book reviews do this, too, but they tend to focus more on a reader's experience, and on the positive aspects of a particular book.Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.com