Karen Knows Best

AztecLady speaks: Counterpoint

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Posted in: authors who I likey velly muchly, Azteclady Speaks, good friends, I love that bitch like a fat kid loves cake
Tags:Bloggers, good people

We all love drama. The more convoluted, drawn out, ridiculous it is, the more we love it.

Some of us love it behind closed doors—or in the case of these here intrawebz, by lurking quietly in the background. And some of us have to be on hand wherever pieces of the wreckage happen to fall. The majority of us, like any good normal distribution, fall somewhere in between these extremes. And more power to us, really.

But occasionally, even the most stalwart among us get a tad fed up with all the screeching of “mean girlz” and the batshit crazy, so today I would like to list some of the amazingly cool people I’ve met around blogland this year. I say some because I’m liable to forget one or more (please do forgive me if your name isn’t mentioned—I’m having a CRS* day) (Perhaps I shouldn’t write this now…) (But then, there’s no guarantee I’ll ever get over the CRS*)

First up, the authors I’ve interacted with in the past few months (since I started reviewing) who have shown me that writing and maturity (to say nothing of graciousness and professionalism) can coexist beautifully.

Authors who have written to me to thank me after less than glowing reviews: Ann Christopher, Lori Devoti, Paula Roe, Larissa Ione, Patrice Michelle, Laurie Viera Rigley.

Authors who have been patient and understanding when I’ve been late with a promised review: Amber Carlton, Angie Fox, Sandra Schwab, Jackie Kessler, Lauren Dane.

An author who stands out for her amazing graciousness is Sara Reinke, who replied “I’m sorry you didn’t like the book. Having been utterly bored by books that other people enjoyed (Stephen King’s Insomnia, for example), I know how you feel. Wish it wasn’t about MY book, but hey, it happens. Thanks for sharing your feedback!” to a comment that said, in part, “I’d be happy to pass on my ARC to someone who would actually read it. I sincerely hope I’ll never get bored enough to give it a second go round.”

Then there is the rather large contingent of authors who consistently behave like mature adults and consummate professionals: Nora Roberts, Shiloh Walker, Ann Aguirre, Meljean Brook, Brownyn Jameson, Jule Jones… and the list goes on and on and on

And then there are the bloggers. Whatever a few loonies want to say about bloggers, my experience for years has been that most of them are generous, sensible and intelligent people. This year I’ve been lucky enough to become a bit closer with some of them.

Lisabea, who started it all (yes, I blame you)
Sybil (bad duckie)
Mad Fatin 😀 from Novel Thoughts
Holly and the ladies at the Book Binge
Always the Ja(y)(ni)(ia)ne(t)s (I’m sure I forgot at least one…)
The smartest bitches in the whole intrawebz, SBSarah and Candy
The inimitable Wendy, our very own SuperLibrarian
Jennifer at Random Musings
Katie(babs) and Kristie(J)

* CRS: can’t remember shit.

23 Comments »

katiebabs
September 3
1:53 pm

AW AL ((HUGS)) Sometimes I can be a bit loony, but if I ever go bat shit, call me on it please! 😀

Shiloh Walker
September 3
2:23 pm

I dunno if amazingly cool fits me or not, but thank you. 🙂 And you’re rather cool yourself, AL.

Sara Reinke
September 3
3:06 pm

Thanks, Azteclady. 🙂 Your kind words have really made my day. I have learned a lot about the kind of author I want to be by reading this and other blogs, and the illustrations you’ve shared of Authors Behaving Badly. I hope other authors have as well — they’re important, relevant lessons for us all. 🙂

Lauren Dane
September 3
3:33 pm

Aw, thanks, Azteclady.

vanessajaye
September 3
4:17 pm

Nice post, AL. If all we had was the crazies online, I would have been long gone ages ago.

Wendy
September 3
4:37 pm

OK, you get huge vocabulary bonus points for tossing “inimitable” in this blog post. And better yet – you used it to describe ME!

And because I’m not sure if I can lay my hands on your e-mail addy at the moment – I got “it” in the mail yesterday and you rock my socks. Thanks chica!

Larissa
September 3
5:22 pm

Aww…thank you!

I’m seriously having an “I need to avoid the internet for a few weeks” moment lately, and will probably head that way!

Sometimes I just can’t take the negativity, you know?

Beer. That’s the answer! 🙂

AztecLady
September 3
5:36 pm

Ladies, at the risk of sounding corny: it’s from the heart.

Wendy: wow, that was fast, woman! I take it you like? 😀

Shiloh: at least I didn’t say you are sane 😉

Candice Gilmer
September 3
5:39 pm

What a cool post to read, thanks for sharing the good vibes, AztecLady.

Ann Aguirre
September 3
6:42 pm

Hey, thanks for the compliment.

My secret to staying cool? (It’s not SoftnDri deodorant.) I just don’t have time to fiddle around on the internet and look for stuff to take offense to. I have deadlines! So if an author has the time to make a spectacle of herself, clearly she’s not working hard enough. *g*

Nora Roberts
September 3
7:21 pm

It’s nice to take the time and say, well, nice things.

Thanks, AL.

devyn quinn
September 3
7:55 pm

I’d love it if you’d review one of my books–even if you hated it!

AztecLady
September 3
8:11 pm

Devyn, you are in my list, you are *hanging head in shame* I’m so far behind… (I have Sins of the Night)

Sandra Schwab
September 3
8:56 pm

Awww, thank you, AztecLady. You do know that you’ve made my day several times in the past few months — and you just keep adding to it. 🙂

devyn quinn
September 3
10:39 pm

Oh, cool! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know. Any review, good or bad, means someone at least bothered to read your book, and thought enough about it to write a review. It’s a privilege a reader chooses to read your book (or any book) and writers should be dark grateful when their title is chosen! (I know I am, LOL)

lisabea
September 3
10:56 pm

I heart u 2

Kristie(J)
September 3
11:42 pm

Awww shucks! Thank you. And while the negative stuff seems to get more notice, I think there is a WHOLE lot more good things that go on in blog land. I know my life has been enriched beyond measure by the community and the friends I’ve made – whether I’ve met in person or just on line are very very dear to me.