Buzz Worthy News 10th December 2012

10 December, 2012 Buzz Worthy News 53 comments

Buzz Worthy News

Welcome to this week’s Buzz Worthy News! Kat Kennedy is back after her month long break to bring you all the fun, juicy stuff! So, what’s been happening? Cosmopolitan and Harlequin are joining together to take over the world, Eloise Klein is Los Angeles’ new Poet Laureate, someone decided Tin Tin is not racist. Clearly doesn’t understand the meaning of racism, and the Bad Sex in Literature Award has been given out. Read on to find out all the most fascinating things that we have dished up for you today!

Buzz Wor­thy News is Cuddlebuggery’s weekly Mon­day news post. Bring­ing you all the most inter­est­ing, rel­e­vant and fun news from the pub­lish­ing and book blog­ging world.


Publishing News


Eloise Klein Healy wins Poet Laureate. Super bad!

Los Angeles’ first Poet Laureate has been selected and it’s Eloise Klein Healy!

“The post, funded by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, is the brainchild of [Mayor Antonio] Villaraigosa. Most U.S. states have poet laureates, as do many cities, large and small, including Boston, Santa Fe, N.M.; San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Gioia said the committee began by brainstorming a wish list of 11 candidates they wanted to see in the mix. All but one of those poets were among the 40 people who were nominated or applied, he said.”

SOURCE


NYT Schmoozes with the YA and MG Crowd

Step 1. Get our own list on the NYT

Step 2. ?

Step 3. Take over the world

We’re that much closer, guys! Congratulations on making it that little bit further towards complete and total world domination!

Much to John Green’s chagrin, he will not be able to crush Bill O’Reilly under his heel on the NYT list of best sellers because he has been moved to a different list. Our sole hopes remain with Colbert.

“The New York Times will divide its Children’s Bestsellers list for chapter books, creating separate middle grade and YA lists. NYT editor Pamela Paul announced the news last night on Twitter. We’ve embedded her three tweets below.

The newly formed middle grade and young adult lists will account for both eBook and print book sales. However, the picture books list will continue to exclusively spotlight on hardcover titles.”

SOURCE


Insert Ridiculous and offensive pun based on Mo Yan’s name for this story

This year’s Nobel Prize winner is following in the footsteps of other esteemed Nobel winners by saying shit that he probably shouldn’t say.

“Nobel Prize laureate Mo Yan, who has been criticized for his cozy relationship with China’s Communist Party, has compared censorship to security checks at airports, suggesting it is unpleasant but necessary.

Mo says he does not believe censorship should stand in the way of truth, but that it can be used, or is sometimes even necessary, to stop rumors and defamation.” SOURCE

Han Han, who recently published This Generation has a different opinion: “i don’t know how a country where a writer starts shaking as soon as he picks up his pen can become a cultural powerhouse”

Mo Yan explains his reasoning that censorship protects against defamation – which is a reasonable argument, but defamation for who? Still, whilst I understand why people are upset, I also kind of understand where Mo Yan is coming from. China is a nation of more than a billion people with a very bloody recent history due to civil wars. Keeping peace and control of that many people must be extremely difficult. On the otherhand, censorship! Gah!

SOURCE


Cosmopolitan and Harlequin Publish Red Hot Reads

Cosmopolitan, writer of some of the absolute worst sex advice ever is teaming up with Harlequin, publisher of romances are joining up in what may be one of the best worst ideas in the history of best worst ideas and I’m including the time that everything, ever happened.

“Starting in May, the series will release two original eBooks by Harlequin authors every month. They will feature “modern young women living the free-spirited and outgoing lifestyle espoused by the international magazine.””

We look forward to sexy stories about modern, young women living the free-spirited and outgoing lifestyle while traumatizing an increasingly erratic series of partners with their terrible bedroom skills.

SOURCE


Random House Being Randomly Generous

Did you guys know Steph and I work for Random House? Think you could please drop Random House a line and tell them we totes work for them. Cause, uh, this year for Christmas bonuses, Random House employees are getting a cool $5,000 each due to the massive success of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Okay so the bonus is only for like, actual Random House employees that have been with the company for more than a year. Those who have been for less will receive a variably lesser amount depending on their service.

“According to The New York Times, every one of the company’s several thousand U.S. employees, from ‘top editors to warehouse workers,’ will receive a $5,000 bonus because of the book’s stellar success.

Random House picked up the book and published it in 2011 to massive popularity. The novel has sold over 35 million copies in the United States, while setting the record for fastest-selling paperback of all time.”

Congrats to Random House and its employees, but I just want to say this. When aliens come, or humans from a distant future study us, we’re going to have to figure out an explanation for Fifty Shades of Grey. ‘Cause they’re gunna want one. Just saying.

Controversy


Tin Tin’s Not Racist – MY ASS!

A Belgian Court has ruled that TinTin is not racist and that ““Tintin in the Congo” is full of “gentle and candid humour”.” Right. –SOURCE

Exhibit 1

Oh! Haha! See the gentle humour? The DOG thinks the kid isn’t very bright, see? HAHAHAHA! That’s so gentle and candid in it humour!

Exhibit 2

No. Words.

But you know, it’s not like Belgium has a history in the Congo. After all, in the 1880’s King Leopold created a Humanitarian effort in Congo which stated that “Under terms of the General Act of the Berlin Conference, Leopold pledged to suppress the East African slave trade; promote humanitarian policies; guarantee free trade within the colony; impose no import duties for twenty years; and encourage philanthropic and scientific enterprises.”

So of course, in no time at all, under his direct supervision, ““The result was one of the most brutal and all-encompassing corvée institutions the world has known . . . Male rubber tappers and porters were mercilessly exploited and driven to death.”[6] Leopold’s agents held the wives and children of these men hostage until they returned with their rubber quota.[5] Those who refused or failed to supply enough rubber often had their villages burned down, children murdered, and their hands cut off.”

Want to know where I got that information from? The Genocide Studies program for Yale.

You know, Mister Belgian Judge, say you don’t want to ban a book that its own author admits was a “youthful sin” and reflected the prejudices of its time” then there’s lots of other options. Like in Britain where these books are sold with a warning for its racist content. But dismissing the OBVIOUS racism as gentle and candid? FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE!

This court case upheld a decision against Mr Mondondo’s group who have been campaigning for justice since at least 2010. I can’t express how much I hate the world right now.

SOURCE


Problems: This person has them

An author took to her blog this week to blah blah blah… NOBODY CARES! “Waaaaaaah! Mean reviews!” “Waaaaahh! Fight back!”

We’ll let you read the Ultimate Moan for yourselves if you can stay away long enough. But we want to illuminate one point:

“There are a few reviews out there that are out right mean and hurtful. The intention of said reviews was to evoke a reaction. One review in particular on Amazon and Goodreads insulted not only my work, my editor and myself personally. Upon looking at the reviewers profile, I noticed her blog. After clicking on her blog I found she was an author, too. She. Was. An. Author. Too. I also found my book wasn’t the only book she gave a 1 star review to with similar insults. I want to work in a community where we lift each other up and support one another.”

Yeah! Writers should never have anything critical to say about other’s work. This has never been a case historically. How rude of an author to have an opinion on another author’s work.

*Cue eyeroll*

Somebody call Whine-one-one! We need a whaaaaaaaambulance!

The review seems to be this one by Katiebabs which is absolutely by no means a personal attack, reaction provoking (other than the reaction of hiring a better editor – or any editor at all, for that matter) or even particularly mean! It’s certainly harsh but only addresses the quality of the product and her sentiments. But, you know, feelings are hurt and that’s all that matters.


Bret Easton Ellis – He’s just a douche, but even with talent, he’d still be really overrated.

In lieu of being talented or doing anything worth mentioning, Bret Easton Ellis has taken to ranting on Twitter like a senile grandpa who wants people to get off his lawn. This week it’s a jab at Kathryn Bigelow who, as you’ll remember, won an Oscar for Hurt Locker in one of the rare cases where a movie actually deserved winning an Oscar.

Of course, this isn’t hard because everyone knows that being a woman and an attractive one at that, instantly makes like easier when you want to be taken seriously in just about any profession where you don’t need to wear swimsuits and have pictures taken.

“Kathryn Bigelow would be considered a mildly interesting film-maker if she was a man but since she’s a very hot woman she’s really overrated.”

Wow. This coming from the guy who also ranted about the possibility that a gay man, Matt Boomer, could play Christian Gray in the upcoming adaption of Fifty Shades of Grey. Sure. Because no woman has ever found this man attractive.

This leaves us wondering about Ellis’ motivations, which can probably be summed up as:

U Jelly?

SOURCE


Tiffany Reisz Has a Moment on Twitter.

So this review went up. Reisz took to twitter and made some choice comments:

The rest of the screencaps are here.

But then this happened:

So the exchanges were kind of funny enough and sincere enough that everyone got over the scandal pretty quickly and peace returned to the nation of Goodreads.


Entertainment


Foz Meadow Writes Another Awesome Blog Post

We should probably just create a regular Foz Meadow section for Buzz Worthy News. This week, as with most weeks, she wrote an awesome article that conquered the internet and defeated all that tried to oppose her. The post was in relation to two other totally awesome posts written this week. One by Tansy Rayner Roberts and the winning of the internet by author Scott Lynch in his rebuttal to criticism that his middle-aged black female pirate captain is unbelievable and pandering.

“Time and again, we see fans and creators alike defending the primacy of homogeneous – which is to say, overwhelmingly white, straight and male – stories on the grounds that anything else would be intrinsically unrealistic. Contrary to how it might seem at first blush, this is not a wholly ironic complaint: as I’ve recently had cause to explain elsewhere, the plausibility of SFF stories is derived in large part from their ability to make the impossible feel realistic. A fictional city might be powered by magic and the dreams of dead gods, but it still has to read like a viable human space and be populated by viable human characters. In that sense, it’s arguable that SFF stories actually place a greater primacy on realism than straight fiction, because they have to work harder to compensate for the inclusion of obvious falsehoods. Which is why there’s such an integral relationship between history and fantasy: our knowledge of the former frequently underpins our acceptance of the latter.”

Go read the rest for yourselves, it’s worth it!

SOURCE


Universal Sues Pornographer for for 50 Shades of Grey – Explosion of Mockery Temporarily Stuns Bloggers

The fact that Universal Studios is suing the creators of a pornographic version of Fifty Shades of Grey is hilarious on more than one level. It’s like an overflowing cup of hilarious. The humour just keeps coming. Consider, for example, that a XXX version of Fifty Shades of Grey is probably infinitely more faithful to the original narrative than whatever barely R rated version Universal is going to be putting out.

It’s not like making pornos out of very famous works isn’t something that has been happening since the beginning of forever. Somewhere, someone, was inventing fire and other people made a porno about it. But the fact that Fifty Shades has such a… SHADY past regarding toeing the line on copy right violations makes the whole debacle doubly hilarious.

“The suit was filed on November 27 in U.S. District Court in Central California by Fifty Shades Ltd. and Universal City Studios, which owns movie rights to EL James’s best-selling trilogy (which also includes “Fifty shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed”). In the complaint, the plaintiffs maintain that Smash Pictures, of Chatsworth, Calif., along with two other adult filmmakers and three other men, are producing and distributing unauthorized adult films and sex toys based on the best-selling salacious books.”

Hahahaha! Universal! You’re hilarious!

SOURCE

Kat Kennedy

Kat Kennedy

Co-blogger at Cuddlebuggery
Kat Kennedy is a book reviewer and aspiring author in the Young Adult genre. She reviews critically but humorously and get super excited about great books. Find her on GoodReads.
Kat Kennedy

53 Responses to “Buzz Worthy News 10th December 2012”

  1. Fangs4Fantasy

    On censorship – it’s always tricky because censorship is so often a bad thing. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for, say, libel or slander laws or hate speech laws for that matter. While they’re often decried as censorship, we can’t ignore the damage that malicious speech can cause.
    Or humanitarian intervention to stop another 50 Shades of Grey being written. please someone stop this! I don’t care if it results in us living in a brutal dystopian police state – it will be worth it!
    Which brings us to – Tintin. Note this is what passes censors as NOT being racist so gods alone know what trying to limit such vileness would actually catch. I’m amazed at the bullshit out there that people excuse – it couldn’t be more racist if it tried
    <i>We look forward to sexy stories about modern, young women living thefree-spirited and outgoing lifestyle while traumatizing an increasinglyerratic series of partners with their terrible bedroom skills</i>
    I’m… actually looking forward to that 🙂 Imagine how bad it could be! The snark! The glorious snark!
    An author is sad because of the mean meanies who are mean with their mean reviews? Excellent! As a reviewer, it’s well known I need the delicious, agonising pain and the sweet, despairing tears of authors in order to live and thrive. It’s the only reason I write reviews (not, of course, to present an honest opinion of books, some of which are shit. Don’t be silly – it’s all so I can FEAST ON THEIR DELICIOUS PAAAAIN!)
    But she’s right, we do need to support each other more. By criticising drek, by refusing to allow crap to pass, by making sure the shit in the genre is duly labelled so the true gems are accurately praised – hopefully leading to a better genre… oh, she didn’t mean like that?
    Brett Easton Ellis is a troll. Seriously I can think of no other reason for his bullshit

    • KatKennedy

      Fangs4Fantasy Censorship is really tricky.  I do think China takes it too far, but I don’t think America has the right balance either.  I see a lot of people’s lives destroyed through poor use of media.  It’s a very complicated issue that governments are going to have to start addressing.  But Han Han’s comments are also a stark reminder that censorship can be dangerous and terrifying. 
      Brett Easton Ellis is a butthead!  LOL
      You read the Cosmo+Harlequin thing and I’ll read your reviews.

      • Fangs4Fantasy

        It is all about balance – and it’s definitely a tricky balance to get right
        KatKennedy Fangs4Fantasy How about I review the men who have slept with the women who have read the books? This sounds like a plan
        ‘So, your girlfriend decided to shake your testicles like a dice box and then give your penis an Indian burn. Tell me, what’s YOUR opinion of these books?’
        Then I just record the profanity!

  2. cynicalsapphire

    *pops knuckles* Alright, I’m ready. BRING IT ON, KAT!
    NYT: Oh hey, they’re acknowledging YA and MG. That’s pretty awesome. Next step, dominating everyone.
    Mo Yan: That dude on the cover is CUTE! *ahem* I mean, that book sounds scholarly or something. Or censorship? Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on, but that guy’s cute.
    Cosmo + Harlequin: That is the Best Worst Idea. Love it! There will probably be more penis-biting in Harlequin romance novels now. http://www.cracked.com/article/156_7-sex-tips-from-cosmo-that-will-put-you-in-hospital/
    Random House: I work there too!
    Tin Tin: Why was this a court case? Like…yeah, it’s racist, but it’s also THE PAST, right? Or is this still happening? What can you do about the past? With older books, it would be more surprising if it WEREN’T racist. I’m not saying that’s a good thing, because it’s not, but who would pay damages if they declared it racist. I’m mostly just confused by this.
    Whiny Author: Sigh. Someone needs to teach authors what “personal attack” means, because they clearly don’t have a great grasp of words and what they mean… AWKWARD.
    Bret Easton Ellis: Ugh. I’ve read two of his books, and no. *drools at Matt Bohmer*
    Tiffany Reisz: I probably wouldn’t read her books anyway, so this changes nothing.
    Foz Meadows: I love Seanan Maguire. Just saying.
    50 Shades: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m72qzjJapU1rpmah5o1_400.gif

    • KatKennedy

      cynicalsapphire Oh my god!  I also though Han Han was hot but I didn’t want to say anything. 
      The Tin Tin thing wasn’t to pay damages.  You’re right in that there are a lot of racist books like Narnia, The Secret Garden, Noddy, Sherlock etc.  But a lot of countries are releasing them with a content warning about the racism.  That’s what the court case was for.  Because those caricatures are dehumanizing and damaging to Belgiums and they were hoping to get that particular book banned entirely.

  3. DraumrKopaBlog

    I’m Belgian (and the name of the country is “Belgium” don’t know if that’s a typo or meant that way, just thought I let you know). Now I know the justice in Belgium is far from great and Belgian judges have done far worse than this the past years. But this was written/drawn in a time when stuff like that was, like the author said, reflecting the prejudices of its time. Now maybe, you’re right, and kids shouldn’t read such a thing anymore, and maybe the judge shouldn’t have used such language, but dragging the whole history of Belgium and Congo up and using it as an argument now? I have to admit, I felt a little attacked by that part of the post. It’s not like we Belgians don’t know what happened there and we all despise it, we can’t turn history around and change that. I don’t like the tone of the comic book, but that’s how it was back then.There’s a new discussion here in Belgium, on the 6th of December we have a little tradition: Sinterklaas. It’s like an early Santa Claus (it’s probably the Santa Claus idea that we stole ages ago and turned it into our own tradition). Sinterklaas is always accompanied by “Zwarte piet”, he’s kind of Sinterklaas’ wingman. It’s been that way for ages now, no one ever complained about it. Until now. Because apparently, zwarte piet, being an african-american who helps poor old Sinterklaas carry his bag of toys, makes funny faces and gives the children candy, is racist. I just don’t get it! I never saw this as racist and I grew up with it. I loved Zwarte Piet, he was always the funny man. I was scared of Sinterklaas, he was a grumpy old white man.I’ll stop my rant here, I’m sorry for the rather long post :p I can understand, though, why you’re upset about the courtcase. The examples you gave are racist and the judge shouldn’t have smoothed it over.

    • KatKennedy

      DraumrKopaBlog my sincere apologies re the misspelling. 11:40pm typo that I forgot to correct. I think any time there is shameful history, we don’t want to hear about it. In a course on Genocide Australia would be there too, for our atrocities. But this history is directly relevant to the cartoon since there is only 30ish years difference between the events in Congo and the writing of TinTin in Congo. I think that’s very relevant.
      Let’s be clear, no country is perfect, definitely not my own – AND I have a soft spot for Belgium. But I am furious at this judge’s actions. And whilst it’s history that many Belgians are familiar with – it’s not necessarily common knowledge other places. But there are Belgians today being hurt by this book, whether it should be banned or given a warning, I don’t know. But I feel like we need to give dignity to the Congolese victims by remembering their plights and by acknowledging their feelings about this book and the time period it reflects.
      There are plenty of other racist books too, like Sherlock, The Secret Garden and Narnia – I’m not really one to shrug it off. Even though it’s history, it’s not something I want passed onto children. So I’m sorry you feel attacked by the mention of Belgium’s history in Congo. But I think it’s relevant to our understanding of the text, the hurt it’s causing and why this court case should not have been treated like it was. If it will make you feel any better, I can mention my own country’s attempt at genocide and the past and current crimes we commit against the Australians here. I promise I’m not picking on just Belgium.

    • de Pizan

      DraumrKopaBlog The thing that I think everyone everywhere needs to remember, is that just because it’s tradition doesn’t make it right. And no one’s culture or country is immune to it. FGM has been going on for hundreds, possibly thousands of years, it doesn’t make it any less troubling, and of course you could throw in lots of other examples like that. There are traditions in the U.S. of dressing up as American Indians at Halloween or Thanksgiving, and of naming sports teams after them. Many American Indians have been protesting this for probably as long as it’s been happening, saying that they find it offensive, racist and degrading. Those that do it say that they aren’t trying to offend, but rather celebrate/honor and that it’s tradition or the name has been used for decades, so it’s too ingrained to stop now. When a member of the culture that you (and I’m using the collective you, I’m definitely not directing this at you personally) claim to be honoring says that it hurts or offends them, than it’s time to stop it. And try to understand why and how it offends.
      And yes, racism was sadly far too common in older books and movies. But I think if it is so overtly racist and offensive, despite it being a “classic,” than there are better alternatives to use in schools or for reading to one’s kids. Or else be prepared to do a lot of explaining and processing, especially for younger kids.

      • DraumrKopaBlog

        de Pizan I had a whole post typed out yesterday, but the internet decided it didn’t like me and crashed just as I wanted to post it.I wanted to say that I may have come off a bit too strong. Mainly because English isn’t my first language, I don’t always know how to express myself correctly. “Attacked” was maybe the wrong word. I had more of a “wow” feeling, because this hasn’t been in the news here and this is the first I’ve heard of it. Offcourse, you’re right about this case, it’s offensive and maybe it shouldn’t be sold anymore. I think we better keep it for the history lessons, because I do think it’s important to remember this and remember “how it’s not done”, what is wrong and the horrors we should never ever repeat again. The judge in this case made a wrong call. I’m always a bit defensive over Belgium, because honestly our politics and justice system is a joke (did you know they released the main accomplice in our biggest pedophile/murder case EVER a few month ago). Most of us want to see it differently, but it’s not like they listen to us. As to tradition. If it’s really offensive, then yes, it should go. But I think you have to put things in perspective, more and more people think the least of things is offensive and fight it. If we go on like this, we’ll have to change everything, just to please the whole world. I for one, don’t think “Zwarte Piet” is offensive, every child here likes him better than “Sinterklaas”.

  4. Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog

    Re: Cosmopolitan and Harlequin Publish Red Hot Reads – Didn’t they do this already and wasn’t it called Sex and the City? 
    Tiffany’s apology was spot on.  I wish more authors would conduct themselves in that manner.

    • KatKennedy

      Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog I agree.  At least it was professional and prompt and didn’t victim blame.

      • sazbah

        KatKennedy Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog And it didn’t make excuses! A begrudging apology (‘I suppose I should apologise/someone should apologise’), or an apology that says ‘I’m sorry, BUT,’ is no apology at all. So nice to see a story with a happy ending 😀

  5. AnimeGirlAlex

    I once read some Cosmo Hot stories thing for review but I didn’t find them particularly hot or well developed so this surprises me. 
    Tin Tin sounds kind of awful, actually, I hate when a country ignores it’s own bad history and tries to sweep it under the rug and then call it “candid! and “humorous”. It’s not. They should take it to an international court.
    Thanks for al the interesting bits of info and links 😀

    • KatKennedy

      AnimeGirlAlex I think it’s very common for a lot of nations to want to gloss over the bad stuff – the problem is that this is good for everyone but the victims and those who have to live with the results.

  6. lilypondreads

    Random House  – that really is generous but awesome for their employees 😀
    Thanks to this post and awareness I just took 3 books off my TBR list due to authors behaving badly. This is just adding to the list of people that cannot seem to accept a review. I read the review, I did not find it bad. Yes if I was the author of that book, it would probably hurt my feelings, but I’d take it into consideration when I write my next books in what I did wrong with that one. They are right, if people pay for it and waste money on something they did not even come up to par I don’t see why they cannot complain and warn others. The review was very helpful in fact.The 50 shades of grey thing, is just absolutely priceless. How dare they make a porno out of a porn book!

    • KatKennedy

      lilypondreads Bwhaha!  I know!  Imagine that!  I didn’t find the review bad at all.  It definitely wasn’t trying to poke for a reaction.  I think we can safely diagnose this one with Precious Petal Syndrome.

  7. Belles_Bookshelf

    That is so awesome of Random House to share the profits with their employees. One good thing to come out of 50 Shades, eh? I guess another good thing would be Random House having more money to commission good/unique books… 
    I’m flabbergasted (I don’t think I’ve ever used that word before – does this mean I’m getting old?) that anyone would say Tin Tin isn’t racist. Wow.

    • KatKennedy

      Belles_Bookshelf I know, right!  Way to be generous!  As for the Tin Tin thing?  It breaks my heart for the people who have gone to all this time and effort for justice.

  8. RachelTsoumbakos

    LOL! So Universal Pictures are going to have to sue the makers of EVERY bondage porno ever made are they….

    • KatKennedy

      RachelTsoumbakos LOL!  I don’t think they get to nab EVERY single one.  Just the ones based on 50 Shades.

      • RachelTsoumbakos

        KatKennedy RachelTsoumbakos Maybe not EVERY one, but why just stop at ones that are parodies? If they’re gonna be silly about it and all….;-p

  9. Lisa FicTalk

    The bonus for the Random House employees is probably the <b> best </b>  and <b> only </b> good thing to come out of this whole debacle, in my opinion. 
    So now we’re supposed to report and downgrade “negative” reviews? What’s her yardstick for rating a review as either positive or negative? Are all low ratings to be considered negative? I disagree. If I didn’t like your book, I didn’t like your freaking book. I also have a right to say how I feel about an item I spent my money on. Seriously, that author needs to get over herself. Haven’t we been here before? She’s just obviously looking for her “15 minutes of GoodReads/Blogger Fame”. Meh.
     I think the comment that changed the tide of the the whole Tiffany Reisz was the one made by Andrew.  He’s hilarious. 
    Great post, Kat! Glad that you’re back from your time off. 😛

    • KatKennedy

      Lisa FicTalk Andrew’s comment was freakin’ hilarious!  Love it!  I so wish I was getting a $5000 bonus!  
      Meh to that author.  I don’t have time for that rubbish anymore.  It’s just ridiculous.  And I know Katiebab.  She dealt with a 2 star review from me like a pro.

  10. Deb E

    Fair and honest reviews – praising, or otherwise – will always be of more value to readers and writers alike than reviews written for whatever personal gain is being attempted (whether talking down another writer to make you look better, or talking up a writer to make you look nicey-nice).
    I struggled recently to post a review about a book being published by the same publisher that’s due to release my first book soon. But, I couldn’t bring myself to give it 5 stars just because I didn’t want people narrowing their eyes at me. Fact is, it wasn’t my traditional genre to read, and others who don’t tend to go for SciFi may appreciate my opinion if they’re considering going that way with their reading. Plus, I didn’t say I didn’t like it… just said it wasn’t “Awesome” in my opinion.
    That Foz Meadow item was awesome. Thanks for pointing me in that direction via Twitter… 
    Oh, “Fifty Shades…” & copyright… hmmm… All I can say is, it’s seems to be a bit of a grey area… 
    About time NYT recognised how huge the YA and MG genres are (and how important they are in growing adult readers!)… Yay!
    As for the rest… thanks for putting all this together – love the read.

    • KatKennedy

      Deb E Foz very often has great, very quotable content on her blog.  I loves her.  She tolerates me </3

  11. jarndt08

    Wow that is quite to bonus for Random House employees! Who would thunk!  Those comsmo/harlequin stories could be interesting. I need some more smut in my life.

  12. sazbah

    Did Mister Belgian Judge read the book before he ruled on it? DID HE EVEN LOOK AT THE PICTURES? I mean, because fair enough, he could be illiterate. RIGHT?
    And… wow. OK. As much as Ms. Reisz made some… well, outright offensive comments, kudos for handling it and making a sincere apology.
    Uh… also? The World Domaination cat looks creeily like my own… uh… I… might need to go make sure he’s locked inside. Excuse me.

    • KatKennedy

      sazbah I can’t express how frustrated I am that TinTin was dismissed as anything but racist.  Also, your cat?  Be afraid…

      • sazbah

        KatKennedy sazbah The scary thing is, I always thought he was the good one O__O
        And TinTin? Fecking SERIOUSLY. I mean, the pictures speak for themselves without the bloody text. There is nothing ‘gentle’ about it. It’s ignorant, haetful, and even if it was somehow OK to make excuses for it when it was written, it’s not OK to make excuses for it and say it’s OK now.
        I’m with you. Very dissapointed and frustrated 🙁

      • sazbah

        Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog sazbah Wait, did you know he got out last week? Yes! He’s home, safe and sound, and happily peeing on all the furniture like his normal, sweet, spotty self.

        • Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog

          sazbah Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog NOOOO!  I was tryna make a funny because of the whole worldcat domination thing…. I can’t believe he tried to escape LOL.  Cricket once – well, let’s not derail this entire post about cats, we’ll go on for days.  I’ll tweet you.

        • sazbah

          Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog sazbah We could talk about KATS? As in the Kennedy kind? *whispers* did you know that she’s really smart and good looking? And also possibly plotting world domination.

        • sazbah

          Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog sazbah Totally! Well, that’s why I’m still here. I figure when Steph and Kat take over the world, they’ll remember us. Or at least kill us kindly?

        • sazbah

          Deb E sazbah Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog Totally. And all the good looking people are a big incentive to stay *nods*

        • KatKennedy

          Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog sazbah You think I could give any of you up?  Of course you would be my Personal Royal Book Readers1

        • KatKennedy

          Deb E sazbah Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog I like to stick around because of the people too.  If someone else could run the blog though, that would be great.  Oh, wait!  That’s what I have Steph for!

  13. Renae M

    Well, we had a couple of quiet weeks in there, but authors are at it again. Will they ever learn?
    But, in other news, maybe those Cosmo novels will turn out well. Who doesn’t want to read about a nice woman who sends her boyfriend to the Emergency Room and intensive psychotherapy after practicing her Kama Sutra. I’m telling you, instant bestseller.

  14. JeepinJaime

    As usual, the post was mind expanding, and fill of hilarity. And stupidity. Not on y’all’s part, but others, obviously. Y’all always make me laugh, but I gotta tell you, there was this certain line thrown out there this time, and I almost peed my pants. This will be scrapbooked and kept safe for the remainder of my life so that I know where to go for a laugh.
    ” Somebody call Whine-one-one! We need a whaaaaaaaambulance!”
    Best. Freakin. Line. EVER! Thank you SO MUCH!

    • KatKennedy

      JeepinJaime Thank you!  I stole it from someone else, so I can’t take credit for it.

      • JeepinJaime

        KatKennedy JeepinJaime  Well, you brought it to me, so thank you for that, and thank whoever brought it to you for bringing it to you so that you could bring it to me. Make sense? 🙂

  15. The Hipster Owl's Bookshelf

    You work for Random House??  How cool is that !! I’ve often wondered what it would be like to work for a publishing house. If you guys ever do a post on that I will die of happiness…er… that is… it sure would be awesome. What do you do specifically?

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