Something To Ponder

First things first. My apologies to all of you who subscribe to the RSS feed for my Upcoming Historical Romances wiki. I was at work, went in to update a few things using Internet Explorer, and ended up corrupting several images and links. There was no easier way to fix it than wiping out a crap-load of cover art and starting over from scratch. Which is why those of you using the RSS feed probably got about 5698 notifications that I had added content. I did add some new content, but the vast majority of my time was spent fixing stuff that got mucked up because IE blows donkey balls.

Anyway, yes - I recently did some updating to the wiki and spent some time last week tip-toeing through some databases scrounging up some upcoming historical romance releases. It was while I was looking for cowboys, Dukes and rakes that I came across this happy little gem, due out in March 2010:

• What The Librarian Did by Karina Bliss, Harlequin SuperRomance, $5.50, ISBN 9780373716227, March 16, 2010.

Longtime readers of this blog know that I'm a massive ho for the Harlequin SuperRomance line. Um, and unless the title of this blog hasn't clued you in, I'm also a librarian. So how awesome do I think this book sounds? Very! Hell, I don't even know what the damn thing is going to be about yet, but that title sounds like it's chock full of Harlequin-y goodness.

Which begs the question? What exactly did the librarian do? Something positively scandalous, no doubt. Maybe she had to break the news to some poor little orphan boy that Harry Potter isn't a real person? Or maybe she inadvertently allowed a book burning committee to meet in the library's community room? Ooooh, or maybe she banned Eric Carle and Maurice Sendak from her secret baby's book collection?

Heh, or maybe the librarian just refused to keep her mouth shut and started a blog.

Is it March yet?

Monday Round-Up

The American Library Association's annual Banned Books Week is going on right now, September 26 - October 3. I encourage you to visit the ALA web site, where you can find oodles of information concerning banned and challenged books. My personal feelings on the topic of censorship is that it sucks, and that every "good" public library should have something on the shelf to offend everybody. I also think everybody should "honor" the occasion of Banned Books Week by reading something that someone, somewhere would (or did) find offensive. Which honestly, isn't all that hard since people have a tendency to be ass-hats.

And for the record? Wendy's personal favorite challenged books are Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

++++++++++

One thing I forgot to mention that happened this weekend (beside the blogger meet 'n greet and Lil' Sis announcing she's knocked up) is that the Bat Cave has gone wireless! While I was out having fun on Saturday, My Man plunked down the cash for a wireless router. Which means yours truly can now surf the Interwebs while lying in bed, sitting in the living room, on the toilet (OK, even I wouldn't do that), from anywhere in the Bat Cave. Heaven! Joy! Oh happy day!

++++++++++

As previously mentioned the agency I work for as decided to filter the Interwebs. The library got an "exemption" from this, but turns out the software isn't playing nice with Firefox. Since our IT department doesn't "support" Firefox, and frankly has bigger fish to fry than just catering to lil' ol' me, I've sucked it up and switched to Internet Explorer. Gotta say, I pretty much hate it. Oh well. Suck it up Wendy. I'll likely get used to it. Eventually. Blah.

++++++++++

Beverly Jenkins has done a guest post over at the Borders TrueRomance blog. I adore Jenkins. 1) She's a Michigan girl 2) She puts such wonderful historical tidbits in her books and 3) She's just an all-around smart, awesome chick. Her latest book, Captured, is set during the American Revolution and is a sea-faring tale featuring pirates! Laydown date is tomorrow, September 29.

++++++++++

My gal Rosie has an interesting post up over at Access Romance Reader's Gab about whether or not wading into online debate can or should be viewed as apathy.

"Depending on the day, week or month there is always some wave making itself felt throughout the blogs and author websites that comprise Romancelandia. While many people, myself included, will make the effort to comment that they either don’t care or can’t be bothered to get involved, that opinion is sometimes observed as being a wimpy or fence sitting. The perception seems to be that someone who can’t be bothered is really waiting to see where the hand of righteousness will fall and then the wimp/fence sitter will tumble to the side of popular opinion."

Go forth and make your own opinion known.

Big News From The Bat Cave

The So. Cal. Bloggers are spread out over such a large area, that we're currently experimenting with finding different places we can meet. Sort of like on a rotating schedule, that way one part of our group isn't always stuck with a crap-load of driving. Yesterday we headed north, which worked out great for me, since it was literally right around the corner from where the Lil' Sis lives.

So I get to her place, and tell her I brought a copy of Kiss It Better by Portia Da Costa for her to read. I turn my back to her, and as I'm rooting around in my book bag, she says, "I have something for you too. I have this really great bookmark...." I turn around and she's holding....

Ultrasound pictures!

Squeeeeeeeeeeee!

The Lil' Sis is pregnant!!!!!

It's Baby #1 and Pregnancy #1 for her and the Super Genius Brother-In-Law, which is why she waited until the end of her first trimester to tell any of us. The lil' stinker. I should have known something was up when we were at the L.A. County Fair, on a day hotter than blue blazes, and she turned down the opportunity for an ice cold beer. How obtuse is Wendy? Yeah. Very.

She's due in early April, and feels pretty good right now. A little nauseous, but doesn't have full-blown morning sickness. Her main issue is exhaustion. She's really, really tired - which if you know my Lil' Sis, you know it hasn't been easy for her. She's very much a go-go-go kind of person.

So finding out that bit of news just added to an already great day. Seven of the So. Cal. Bloggers were able to make the trip. It was me, Rosie, Nikki, Tracy, Lori, Renee, and Rowena. Books were bought, swapped, discussed, food was eaten, and much merriment ensued. It's always so great to see everyone, and catch up not only on book-related "stuff" but also on our personal lives, husbands, kids, jobs etc. A greater bunch of chicks you'll never meet. A super-duper fabulous day!

Where I'm At Today

I'm abandoning My Man with a full slate of college football (yeah, he's bereft - not!) to hang out with some of the So. Cal. Bloggers today! Yippeee! And better still? We're hooking up at a new meeting place (have a mentioned we're spread out all over the damn area?) which just happens to be, literally, right around the corner from where the Lil' Sis lives. So I get to see my sister, bring her a copy of Kiss It Better by Portia Da Costa to read (cuz that's how I roll) and hang out with some of my most favorite blogger, book-geek, peeps.

Wahoooey!

What are you all doing this glorious weekend?

Pimpin' Harlequins. Again.

Harlequin Spice author, Victoria Janssen, has been showing off her love for category romance this week with a series of guest posts on her blog.

Which naturally means that yours truly, Librarian Harlequin Ho #1, just about fell all over herself when Victoria asked me if I wanted to participate.

That's where I am today. Hanging out with Victoria and pimpin' out some of my favorite Harlequins that are buried in the Bat Cave Keeper Stash. Book pimpage and a chance to add to your used bookstore treasure hunt list? It's win-win people!

Head on over and show me some love.

Objectivity In The Age Of Twitter

What I've always found so interesting about the romance genre is the connection that readers share with the authors. Even back in The Dark Ages, it was pretty easy to send "fan letters" to authors. To this day when I crack open a book from the early 1990s, I often find a PO Box address listed at the end of the author bio.

Then the Internet happened. Authors got web sites and e-mail and it got even easier for readers to "mingle" with authors. Now in the age of social networking? Forget about it. It's a free-for-all.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Let's be honest here. Pretty much everyone outside of the genre tends to scoff at romance. It's poorly written crap. The authors are making money churning out Mad-Libs style books. The readers are idiots happily lapping up simplistic drivel. Lather, rinse, repeat. When you have that kind of scorn directed at you from "the outside," you're naturally going to look for approval from "the inside." So romance authors and readers have banded together as a clan, of sorts. It's pretty cool actually.

Where it gets sticky for me is when we talk objectivity. The line started blurring the moment the online romance community was born, and now in an age where anyone can start their own blog, it's gotten really murky. I'm all for everyone and anyone to start blogging (the more the merrier I say!), but when it comes to reviews and promotion, it's throwing a wrench in the works.

I'm a bit of a cynic at heart, but when I see an author and reader Tweeting each other, commenting on each others' blogs, and then I see the reader post an A+++ (squeeeee!) review for the author's latest book? Yeah. Doubting Thomas at 5 o'clock.

OK, so I'm a bitch.

And a hypocrite.

There are authors who comment on this blog. And authors who I follow on Twitter. Over the years I've unabashedly championed some authors (Maggie Osborne and Portia Da Costa coming to mind). So what makes me think I'm "different."

I'm not really. I'm a fan. An unabashed fan. What it all boils down to is objectivity. I've been accused of being "too hard" on books and being "hard-hearted." That last one, I hope, jokingly. But for me? The author is not their book. There are countless authors I have "met" (in person and virtually) over the years who I think are wonderful, beautiful, incredible, lovely human beings.

But I can't stand their books.

Do I feel like a shit-heel for it? Yeah. For about half a minute. And then I move on. Because my not liking a book is just that - me not liking it. Doesn't mean countless other people out there won't love the book and want to have babies with it. It's just that I don't. Also it doesn't mean I won't buy the book for work. Hell, my job is all about objectivity. Otherwise I'd never buy another Danielle Steel book as long as I live.

I think most authors are grown-ups and "get it." Maggie Osborne is retired, so she probably doesn't give a hoot that some crazy librarian fangirl didn't care for The Stranger's Wife or Shotgun Wedding. Portia Da Costa still talks to me even though I wasn't wild about one of her Spice Briefs short stories for Harlequin. Heck, Jennifer Lyon still acknowledges my existence despite me whining about her leaving behind mysteries (which I really liked!) to write paranormals.

Do I feel like crap when I meet an author in person and I gave one of their books a "negative" review? Yeah. I feel like shit. But I know it's a business, they know it's a business, and in the grand scheme of things, is my one less-than-enthusiastic review of their book going to ruin their lives? Highly unlikely. I don't have, or want, that kind of power.

Although if I did have that kind of power, just think what I could do for historical westerns?

Ultimately it comes down to the reader/blogger being honest with themselves. If they recognize that remaining objective is "hard" for them, maybe they need to decide what they want more. Mingling with authors via social networking or reviewing their books for a blog? I don't think being a fangirl is necessarily a bad thing (well, unless you're crazy - then that's no good), but own it. Admit it. Revel in it. Be upfront about it. Because I want honest reviews giving me good, solid information about the book. If your honest opinion is "Squeeeeee I love everything this author has written - including all the doormat heroines, 'man roots,' 'love grottos,' and asshole Alpha jerks who rape the heroine until she falls in love with him" then so be it. But own it.

Don't pass yourself off as being objective when you aren't. Because frankly, that sucks.

This is a constantly evolving issue, and one that I think quite a few reader bloggers struggle with. I also don't think it's going to let up anytime soon. Especially since so many aspiring author bloggers who have had feet in both Author and Reader blogging worlds are now starting to get publishing contracts.

Stay tuned for further developments.

Things That Suck

1. Someone needs to pull Oprah aside and tell her that nobody likes a tease. After the hype on her web site that "She's never picked anything like this before!" that's exactly what she does. The only things remotely "unique" about Uwem Akpan's Say You're One Of Them is that the author is African (OK, that's pretty cool) and this is a short story collection. Other than that? I'm hard-pressed to consider this selection "different" in any way shape or form.

2. My new vacuum cleaner. The one aspect of your life that should always suck is your vacuum cleaner. I was cleaning the Bat Cave on Friday, only to discover that my El Cheapo Bissell was now 110% useless, as opposed to 85% useless. This gave My Man a project, and he immediately hit the web researching vacuum cleaners. His assessment? Vacuum cleaners are serious business! After some shopping around we settled on a Riccar, and glory be - it sucks! It really and truly sucks!

3. Agreeing with A.J. Pierzynski. I loathe the Chicago White Sox catcher with the heat of a thousand blazing suns. I hate this guy. If I were driving down a Chicago street, and saw him standing on a curb, I'd gun the engine, run him over, then put the car in reverse to run over him again. Loathe. Seriously loathe. So it broke my heart when I read this quote from A.J.:

"Whoever wants it, us or Minnesota, Detroit is trying to give it. They are keeping us in it by not winning. That's what is so frustrating. It seems like it's there, but we can't do anything about it."

God damn it. I agree with Pierzynski. Detroit Tigers? Sometimes you make it really hard to love you. You are sucking major butt right now. Just sayin'.

4. My employers are now blocking certain social networking sites. Bye-bye Facebook, Twitter, and my super awesome Upcoming Historical Romances wiki. If blogs are on the chopping block, this will seriously put a crimp in my style. Do you know how many blogs I read for work-related "stuff?" A lot. Bugger.

5. Not reading. My reading mojo is toast. My blogging mojo is toast. I'm not sure what my problem is, but inspiration has definitely fled the scene of the crime. Sigh...