Over at Mrs Giggles’ blog, there’s a post entitled, Ravenous Romance Critics – What is The Deal Here?

She doesn’t get why there’s still so much hate for Ravenous Romance:

I’m not being facetious, I’m genuinely puzzled. Every time I or someone blogs about Ravenous Romance in an even remotely positive manner, the same slew of Anonymous people will show up saying the following. You can make a drinking game out of it.

1. Jamaica Layne is a bitch.
2. Lori Perkins’s middle names are Conflict of Interest.
3. Ravenous Romance books are porn and smut and crappy.
4. Unspoken implication: Anonymous’s own publisher/company/books are better than Ravenous Romance.

I tweeted to Jane the other day about how Dear Author ironically enough have probably helped RR stay in business, and I honestly think it’s true. It does make one wonder though who is buying their books, and why, if the books are so bad. Mind you, My Friend Carol Lynne apparently is still selling like hotcakes, and I’m willing to bet her writing is on par with some of those really bad RR writers.

It’s a simple fact that some romance readers don’t care about good writing, as long as there’s enough hot nasty sex in the books to satisfy them.

As for the RR Hating, well they kinda brought it on themselves before they even opened, with all their claims of “blowing the competition out of the water” so I have no sympathy for them. Also, some of their more vocal reps are actually arseholes, which in turn leads people to assume that the whole company is full of assholic nutters.

Having said all of that, they’re still in business, whilst Quartet Press never got off the ground, so I guess that means they did a better job during the pre-planning stage.

For the rest of the post, pop over to Mrs G’s blog. You’ll see that Jamaica Lynne is the first one to comment, which will have secretly probably pissed Mrs G off, because although she likes to side with the underdogs of RomLand, she generally hates them polluting her corner of the world *g*

I had to repost this comment from some troll on Emily’s blog in response to her XOXO Publishing post:

You people all sound like a bunch of losers with time on your but to backlash at innocent people!

The website looks good to me, I have not seen any of the above accusiations you’ve all stated. The book trailer is very professional and I like the music its catchy.

I have submitted my work and so far I have received a very positive feedback.

As I could tell the website has not been officially launched, meaning its under construction.

I think all of you are fakes and its only one person responding to the false information. You’re all a bunch of morons, jealous group of people.

Who is this Emily Vien something. What makes her an expert to judge a new business?

And in a further comment:

The spelling mistake was done purposefully! I know of Emily Vienglory I’m a former reader. I will no longer be one of them. Backstabbing people is not my
style. Seems that is it hers and a Karen Scott.

Talk about going with the E-pubTroll Blueprint. The comment itself could be the subject of a drinking game: One sip every time the word jealousy is mentioned, *hiccup*, 2 sips for every spelling mistake, *hiccup* hahahaha!!

What a twat.

I received an email the other day informing me that AP Miller AKA Patti Rebmann has got a new job. Apparently she’s the acquisitions editor at the soon-to-be-opened (slightly dodgy looking) XoXo Publishing.

You guys remember Patti right? She’s that imbecile who emerged at the height of the Mardi Gras publishing scandal.

Remember this love letter she wrote to me? (more…)

Calling a reader white trash is one of them.

Surely that’s something anybody with half a brain cell would know?

Origianlly, I wasn’t going to do a blog post on this, because I didn’t want to cause Trista Ann Michaels (Hey Trista, I linked to your page on Loose Id and everything, isn’t that great?) grief, but then I took my head out of my arse, and remembered that this isn’t a blog known for its restraint.

Might as well live by the Mean Girl code, yes?

Anyway, where was I? Yeah that’s right, here’s a really good example of what not to write on a reader blog: (more…)

Aint that the truth?

Dear Ravenous Romance Peeps

Sometimes, it’s best to let the work do the talking. Know what I mean?

Getting into fisticuffs with your potential customers isn’t the greatest PR move methinks.

Letting some of your authors, Keta Diablo, Jamaica Layne run their mouths off on romance blogs is just not a smart move. Freedom of speech is all well and good, but surely you know that good PR is everything when starting a new business? You gotta be smarter than you’ve shown to be in the last few months. Seriously.

I’m just a reader, who along with a few others may have given you guys a chance in the beginning, had you taken the charm offensive route from the beginning. Unfortunately though, Ravenous Romance has now become synonymous with ‘Those Effing Crazies’. Unfair I know. Life’s a bitch that way.

One of your more vocal representatives once claimed that Ravenous Romance would “blow the competition out of the water” Do you think you’ve managed to do that?

Really?

You definitely made a splash, I’ll grant you that, but I’m not sure that all the negative attention you’ve garnered was part of your overall PR plan for Ravenous Romance, was it??? Also, I have to say, since becoming familiar with RR, the higher-ups at Elloras Cave seem positively normal to me now, which is quite scary. Believe me.

Anyway, I thought I’d offer up some advice, take it or leave it, but at least consider what type of image you wish to promote to your potential readers. The world outside Romanceland is massive, but online, it’s a very small world indeed.

Also, you may just want to label your books correctly. Readers get really mad when they get something different to what it says on the tin.

Just saying.

Says, Adra Steia disgruntled author, in response to a negative review from Holly at Book Binge.

Who is Adra Steia, I hear you ask.. well to be honest, I have no clue. But apparently she’s a best-selling e-book author. Erm, so she says at least.

Anyway, here’s the story: Holly from Book Binge apparently read Ms Steia’s book, and didn’t like it, in fact she went on to include said book in her Worst Read in 2007 post.

Adra apparently wasn’t impressed and allegedly started commenting anonymously, a la sock puppet.

Anyway, Holly then put this post up, basically outing her. Adra Steia responded, and responded, and responded, and responded…

Below are some wonderful examples of why authors should know when to step away from the keyboard.

Adra Steia writes:

People, I don’t care. I haven’t since, what, September? I DID google my name for further reviews, found this, and found it insanely hilarious. (The book you reviewed has received nothing but recommended reads and other great reviews– that says much more than the ‘review’ you all did of it!).

I’m laughing at you all. Not crying about a bad review. LAUGHING. Big difference.

I’m laughing even more now….

Yeah, she really sounds like she doesn’t care, doesn’t she?

This next bit made me smile:

Oh, one more thing before I once again forget you all exist…thanks for all the sales! Every time you mention my book, my slaes jump way up!

So apparently, Adra Steia’s sales are jumping every time her book is mentioned at Book Binge. You’d think she’d be more grateful wouldn’t you?

Some more examples of how not to respond to a negative review:

Seriously. I didn’t post that original comment. As I said, I looked at that post and LAUGHED. It’s funny. You hated the book, but it made an impact on you, such a huge impact that it made not one, not two, but THREE Worst Read lists!

Here, Steia continues to dig herself a deeper hole:

I don’t care what you people have to say about me. You just made yourself look immature and childish in front of the whole world. THAT’S what I’m laughing about. You don’t come off as snarky or witty or amusing. Except, of course, to your friends. To anyone else…you just look pathetic. How long has it been since you got out of high school? Most people put the love for drama behind them.

I did react strongly to that review–for a day or two. You and your cohort trashed a book I’d spent a long time and lot of work on. It’s like me walking up and telling you your kid is ugly and smells bad. Just like you’d be highly pissed at me, you have to understand that that’s how I felt for a little while.

Wow…

I wonder if she’ll ever see the irony in this statement:

Most people put the love for drama behind them.

Especially when she commented eight times on Holly’s post.

Ya know what, though? I got over it. I moved on. I wrote more books. All of which get great reviews and have great SALES. You don’t matter. Your review didn’t matter in the long run. It hurt, I put a bandaid on it, and MOVED ON.

Your ‘letter’, though, is just a huge testament to the kind of person and reviewer you really are. And it’s on my blog now. Let’s see how much more immature and vindictive and childish you can be…

Absolutely amazing.

This next bit had me laughing my tits off:

I can take a bad review. It’s a challenge for the overcome when I write my NEXT book. I’m not so emotionally attached to my books that the world ends when one gets a bad review.

She’s doing real well at handling a negative review isn’t she? She’s definitely giving a stellar performance.

You unfairly attacked me–someone who has not even VISITED this blog in months. Someone stood up for me, and you are so consumed with…sheesh, I don’t even know…yourself, I guess, that you assume it was someone who couldn’t care less about you or your blog. When you attack me PERSONALLY, yeah I’m going to respond. I want people to see how you ‘wonderful’ people REALLY are. My blog gets hundreds of visitors a day, many of which buy at least one of my books.

And to the person who said I should be thanking them…read my earlier comments. I did thank them, thank you! I’ve already sold quite a few numbers of the book in question, as well as several other copies of my horror novels. I’m the one making the money off this, and once again, I thank you.

Keep up the diatribe, please… it’s doing wonders for my sales.

Once again, the mention of the jump in sales of her book. Do we think she’s telling porkies or what?

This whole thing is retarded and childish. I’m a writer. I’ve had six books accepted and published. I’ve proven to the world that I am a capable author. My books are bestsellers, and I sell out at book signings. Your review didn’t just destroy my world and turn me into a sniveling little weakling and leave me cowering in a corner.

You can post nasty things about me left and right, and trash me and my books and still…it’s not going to matter. You’re weak. You couldn’t resist the urge to just ignore the comment–or bring yourself to check the IP address against the ones in the posts that I willingly, happily signed my name too. Ya know why? ‘Cuz you know you’d look like an idiot for going off on someone who had NOTHING to do with this.

Bear in mind guys, that she’s talking about The Book Binge Girls. I mean come on, The Book Binge Girls? On what planet are they considered mean girls?

This is just an attempt to make yourself look more superior, more intelligent, and more snarky. Guess what? YOU are the weak link here. It’s all pack mentality. Most people have no clue who I am, and you’re just sending more and more people to my blog and my website.

If she is getting more hits to her blog, surely she should be grateful? As AztecLady already noted, first she says she’s a huge best-seller, then she admits to nobody knowing who she is. Which statement is nearer to the truth do we think? I’ll give y’all one guess.

I DID show my friends and cronies the link. One of which is an author you all despise as well. I probably directed about 20 people here– hits for you blogs, ladies, you should be happy. We all had a big laugh.

Thats how me and my friends roll—and lots of other authors. We celebrate our victories and our less-than-victories. It was a public post, was it not? I had ever right to pass it around to my friends. In no way does that warrant an all out attack from you. I never posted a word about it anywhere, my blog or otherwise. Only my direct circle of friend (those 20 or so people) knew about it.

I wonder if she has a publicist?

I’m still getting over the fact that she used the ‘That’s how me and my friends roll’ line. This is a best-selling author don’tcha know.

She then goes on to admit that perhaps her book wasn’t the best thing evah:

My book isn’t the best thing since sliced bread. Shoot, I admit that. I’m not so conceited that I can’t see the flaws. Beyond saying the book is different than one you’d most likely read, I didn’t say anything above and beyond about it.

The problem with your reviews were the utter-closed-mindedness of them. But, that’s your opinion. It’s your blog, you write what you want to about the books that are submitted. I run a book review website. I know that and understand it. BUt when an author complains to me that either I or one of my reviewers missed something, if it’s a justifiable complaint, we look into it.

That one book in particular was the one and only romance I’ve ever written and will ever write. I write horror. I’ve never even tried writing another romance, because, well, I don’t like romance. I don’t care that you didn’t like my book. Plenty of other people do.

Yep, that’s definitely the sound of yet another author shooting herself in her own foot. Ya gotta love ‘em right?

What a fucktard.

Remember my April 10th post, where I was sent an e-mail alleging that Kristi Studts, disgraced ex-owner of Triskelion Press may have opened up a new publishing company under the name of Mystic Moon Press?

Well, I had the CEO of Mystic Press over on the blog last night to set the record straight. The problem? She also sent across a number of her henchmen authors to tell me off for spreading scurrilous rumours. (Yes, I know we’ve been here before, but bear with me.)

Anyway, Ceo Jennifer Mitchell wrote:

Hello My name is Jennifer Mitchell, I am the CEO and owner of Mystic Moon Press.

All I can say is that Kristi has nothing to do with our company other then she is a cover artist. It saddens me to know that by hiring a cover artist who claims to be male and involved with a woman I have garnered bad press because of it.

Those that doubt please feel free to check out my personal writing webpage www.jenniferraemitchell.com

or by all means go to Writing.com which is where I got my start www.writing.com/author/gen13

both places have pictures of myself and my family and my book covers.

I originally started this company with a good friend of mine, who has passed away, her name was Keeley McGreggor, to help me run the company now is an author by the name of Kristina Chartrand.

I am offended that I have not had one query to the matter of the real identity of Magickal Media is to myself or Kristina, there is no fact to base this on other then that Kristi “Magickal Media” is a cover artist for me and my company. At this point without knowing the truth I will stand behind my employee, but if I do find out that I have been decieved then I will take the appropriate actions.

It saddens me that things in the E-publishing business have gotten a bad name. Mystic Moon Press, was a dream of my dear friend and one that I want to continue to share. We are small, new and family like. We endevour to treat our authors fairly and I will go to bat for any of them.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Mitchell
CEO of Mystic Moon Press, LLC
jen@mysticmoonpress.com

You’ll note Dear Readers, her use of the phrase “We are small, new, and family like”. This is a familiar refrain is it not?

Anyway, fair enough she wanted to set the record straight, but then Ana Star, one of the authors at MMP also posted:

Hi everyone,

My name is ana star and I’ve been a published author for almost a year with mystic moon press. I never had any problems what so ever with this company. Alot of the authors at mmp came from writing.com and some others came from other companies.

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…

As for the covers, all covers of every company look alike. If you go to fictionwise, you have the largest example of similar covers. Everyone uses the same images and same programs to make them…

I have no doubt that Jennifer Mitchell put out a call to arms for her authors to come over and give the blogger what-for, for spreading malicious gossip, but as per usual, they’ve gone off the deep end without actually, A, doing any research of their own, and B, without taking the time to find out the kind of blog this is. Happy days for Karen.

Now, let me address that fucktard Ana Star.

Ana, you are indeed a fucktard. You know why? Because after all that’s happened with e-publisher after e-publisher imploding and screwing over their authors royally, you dare come on here and say “Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…”

That statement, my dear friend, ensures that you wear the crown of Fucktard of The Week. You must be so proud.

This statement:

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Merely cements your fucktardly status.

I wouldn’t be so incredulous had she not admitted in a later post to having already been shafted and “taken advantage by a company who turned out to be fraudulent.”

Loyalty is an admirable trait. Blind loyalty such as the one that she displays, will no doubt ensure that she will be fucked over more than once, by her present/future e-publishers.

Anyway, somebody called Jim Richards, (another one of Dear Jen’s authors) also had his tuppence worth, but he stated his piece and nothing in his comment annoyed me. Although, if they ever go tits-up, you know I’ll be reposting his comments right?

Anyway, the original post was a ‘Rumour Has It’ post, with a request for more information. I suspect though that the authors didn’t bother reading it, and just launched straight into their staunch defence of Mystic Moon Press.

Will these people ever learn?

Diana Debalko from Siren Publishing, posted the following, in order to set the record straight, referencing my last Ocean’s Mist post, that alleged that Noemi (the morally bankrupt publisher/shyster) had gotten a contract with Siren.

Hello, We want to set the record straight with regards to Essence. Essence does not write for Siren Publishing. We dropped her on March 25th once we discovered she faked her legal name in her signed contracts. Rest assured, we do not support misconduct in this industry where we value our authors and our readers. Sincerely, Diana DeBalko (aka Amanda Hilton), Publisher, Siren-BookStrand, Inc., www.sirenbookstrand.com

She faked her name on a legal document? Wow.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Loose Id follow suit. If she lied to Siren, what was to stop her from lying to LI?

Even though the owner still hasn’t paid the authors, the money that they are owed, OMP is still in operation. Their coming soon page, shows a release for May, by an author called ‘Essence’. You can also purchase any of the books listed on the site. Books by authors who haven’t seen a penny from the sale of their work, I suspect.

Author Crusader posted the following e-mail that she received, on her blog in March:

“Noemi is Essence and has a book with Loose id today, did you know that? She has not gone away and has books coming with Siren press too! She has not gone underground, she is still around and not paying people. She is rediculous!!! These companys know who she is but don’t care. I heard this info last year after she closed and cheated the authors. I hope you can get her!!!”

Basically Noemi is the owner of OMP and she managed to get away with sneakily closing the company down, and disappearing for months on end, without a word to her authors.

I think I’ve come across her before actually. I seem to remember that she brazenly posted an excerpt of a story she’d written on another author’s Yahoo List. I recall at the time thinking that the woman couldn’t write for toffee, and that she’d never get published. I think I said as much to the Yahoo owner. Big effing sigh.

This woman is not the kind of person you want to trust your work or your credit card with.

Talk about unscrupulous.

Let me just say, that any fool, who A, buys from Ocean’s Mist Press, and B submits to them, deserve everything they get.

Just sayin’

By the way, apparently Noemi has at least five pseudonyms, so she may have penned the majority of the books on the site herself.

Via ERECsite

Thanks to Emily over at Erecsite, I came across this little gem from Ann Jacobs. Apparently, she’s still pissed at JC Wilder, and in her oh-so-passive-aggressive way, takes another swipe at Wilder, in a post entitled A Word On Pseudonyms.

She starts by explaining the reasons for her pseudonyms, and then she launches into the real reason for her post:

Some authors may use a pseudonym, or another one, because they’re writing books of a different type than what they’re best known for. In ebooks, authors may use two or more identities so it looks as if the “real” author isn’t putting out too many books.

Can you all guess where this is headed?

If I were to take a position in publishing other than as an author (which I’m not), I would use my legal name–all of it, not just my first name which happens to be “Ann”, with a made-up last name. I doubt, in that case, that any of my publishers or former publishers would fail to see that “their” author was working for a competitor in a position that might or might not show a potential conflict of interest.

Oh gee, I wonder who she’s referring to? Let me think…

Come to think of it, I would even *inform* all my publishers that I was taking this paid position with a competitor, before doing so. That’s because I would want no questions raised later if one of those publishers I wrote for sensed a conflict of interest on my part.

Seriously, could she be any more sanctimonious?

When someone comes up with another name (besides their legal one) without informing anybody–publishers, other authors, etc., it stands to reason that the “new” pseudonym wouldn’t be connected to the author’s original one(s), or to her legal name.

In a world where most business is conducted online, it’s quite reasonable that a potential conflict of interest can be cloaked until the author shows up at an in-person gathering of publishers and authors, and “outs” herself there.

And she calls herself a professional? Professional, my arse. Professional Suck-Up maybe.

Pseudonyms are good to hide behind if you don’t want your neighbors or your kids’ friends knowing how you earn your living. They’re bad when they cloak identities that will eventually be discovered once the person steps out and put a face to that name–a face that’s already known by another name, particularly.

Good grief. Indida’s infamous ‘Just write, bitch’ seems quite apt at this point.

Well, the wench was determined to become my Fucktard of The Week, and now she’s succeeded. I hope she feels honoured. Only very special people get on this list.