Clearing the Air: I don’t hate your book blog

You may have noticed a recent trend in authors against authors giving negative book reviews–NOT authors opposing negative reviews, but authors refraining from reviewing books they disliked.

Somehow this approach has gotten skewed and twisted into a blanket statement: Authors dislike book blogs.

Um, no.  This is so far from the truth, it actually makes me mad that people would say this.

All writers are first and foremost readers. As such, we read books we love, and we read books we hate.  Hell, I can name at least four books I’ve read in 2011 that I LOATHED.  But I won’t name them because I don’t feel comfortable doing that.  I won’t share what I disliked about those books because those authors are my colleagues, and personally, I don’t think it polite to rag on their approach.  Writing and reading are so subjective, that just because I hated a book doesn’t mean anyone else will.  In fact, I often find myself in the minority (the books I hate tend to be popular).

Because I love reading, I read book blogs.  In fact, I’d say at least half of my RSS feed is filled with book reviewing blogs–I like knowing what other people did/didn’t like.  And I base almost ALL of my book purchases on reviews!

I may not write book reviews (I only recommend books on my blog), but that doesn’t mean I hate them! It doesn’t mean I don’t read them or appreciate them!

So please, whoever is going around declaring that authors hate book blogs, STOP.  It’s just not true.

Okay, end rant.

P.S. Query Day will commence today at 5 PM EST.