I worked an eleven hour day and I'm tired and cranky, but just before I left work I noticed there is a discussion going on (again) at AAR about a book that hasn't been released yet and there are people dissing it. Hello. It's not even out yet. I wanted to post asking if they had any idea how sanctimonious they sounded. The book in question is Laura Lee Guhrke's latest book The Marriage Bed due out JUNE 28. As far as I can tell, there are two groups who are insulted by this book (that isn't even out yet). It's a book on (gasp) adultery. One group seems to be offended because the hero cheats and the heroine doesn't and the other group seems to be offended because the hero cheats.
Keep in mind this book hasn't been released yet. If the subject matter isn't someone's cuppa that's one thing but to cancel an order before it even hits the shelf is downright dense.
This discussion to me exemplifies perfectly why so many of today's historicals are watered down versions of some of the wonderful historicals of years past. In trying to please both sides, publishers choose the middle ground with the result that the historical is in serious trouble. Instead of real imperfect people with issues, we now so often get the perfect virginal heroine and the tortured yet noble hero.
Enough already. I want the warts back!
I should state that I'm not completely unbiased. I discovered Laura Lee Guhrke years ago when Conor's Way was published in 1996 and I've loved her books every since. She seems to be gaining a greater readership since she switched to Avon, but I 'knew ' her when. I'm glad she's starting to get the recognition I think she so rightfully deserves. It just irritates me that some readers can be so judgemental and self-righteous. So, I may delete this when I've calmed down. And I may not. My Bo glow is certainly gone for the day. Thankfully, I should get it back tonight along with my Lost fix.
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6 comments:
Yes!
I noticed this discussion, too -- and although some of the posters are putting it in the "we aren't specifically discussing THIS book" they really are.
Not that I don't pass judgements on books just by descriptions -- I can't claim that I don't -- but this kind of uproar over a book that isn't out, and so we don't know how LLG handles it or the details of the adultery -- agh! I can understand not liking an idea in general (adultery) but when the discussion is pointed at a specific book and everything is based on conjecture...give it a rest.
I've heard a lot about Conner's Way but have never read it. I'm going to have to find it!
Connor's Way - I want
The Marriage Bed was a book I didn't think I was going to get new. I figured I would pick it up used because I have the other two books tbr. I don't much care for the adultery thing and there are books I haven't or won't read because of it.
And I am ok with that. Not every book deserves to be read, not every book has to be read. But I think every book has a reader(s). So you can't say, OMG don't ever write (name your issue here) because I don't like it.
That isn't fair to the people who do like it.
I don't think people 'owe' the book or the author anything. LLG wrote a book, and hopefully wrote the book she wanted to. My issue with the whole thing is screaming don't read this book, or cancel your order or how can she do this or not do that, when you don't know what the hell she has done.
But hey, I will end up buying this new when I wasn't planning on it. And ten to one the buzz 'good' or 'bad' will cause more people to buy it. So yay for LLG more sales ;)
I haven't read the newer posts yet and I probably won't because it'll just piss me off. It really irks me that a lot of these people who are making these comments are the same people who are constantly bitching and moaning about how the genre has lost its edge and blah, blah. Now here's an author who has the nerve to write something different and she's getting crucified for it. Color me baffled.
I made one very brief post and had to physically sit on my hands not to write more. I'm still ticked about it and thus have no plans to remove this blog. Like I said, it's one thing if you don't like a certain topic and don't care to read books about it (I'm that way about vampire books) but to trash a book that isn't even out yet. One poster said she wouldn't read the book because the heroine had no backbone - HUH!!!!?????
And after thinking about it, even if the book in question was a vampire book and not one by an author I think very talented, I would STILL have the same reaction. At least wait until it's out people.
Oh, and Jill, I stopped at Walmart on the way home, found and bought Seeing Red.
I also stopped at the library. I had put Survivor in Death on hold way back in February and put I'd wait until the end of May. After I put the time frame down I saw I was 145 on the list. I checked the other day and I'm now way up to 35, but that's cutting it too close to the end of May so I had the deadline removed. That's all I would have needed - to make it to number 5 and then removed from the list and have to start over again. The waiting list is back up to 160.
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