On her Facebook Page:
Repeated on her blog:
Poor thing is stubbornly refusing to even consider the fact that her own actions and words are the cause of her troubles.
Also, in case you missed my updates on yesterday's post, all the comments posted by Stephen yesterday on GoodReads and Amazon are now deleted.
Update posted to the end of her Trolls & Negative Reviews blog post:
Please note: Only one of the people shown in these screenshots is known to be a teacher. I am not. Although Ms. M. has been, she also is not.
Her utter lack of self-awareness when accusing others of indulging "in behavior worthy of high school bullies" and "acting in such a juvenile manner" is almost deliciously ironic, and flagrantly hypocritical.
She's the bully crying "victim" when her targets refuse to be intimidated. She is the one functioning in a professional capacity gleefully spewing unprofessional garbage on her author's blog, and author's Facebook page.
Add this to the list of things Ms. Vidal is apparently unaware of: Readers have more of an interest than simply "merits or demerits of the books." Authors targeting and harassing readers over negative book reviews is an interest to readers and is a valid consumer issue. YES, readers are going to take note and share with each other about authors that target readers and attempt to intimidate them into removing reviews.
The first two screenshots are of Ms. M.'s reviews and the comments on those reviews (minus those that were deleted for GR TOS violations).
First link: https://screenshots.firefox.com/Bq1A2Bb8UqMwbHAO/www.goodreads.com
Second link: https://screenshots.firefox.com/DxNbjaezlqsj7mNB/www.goodreads.com
The third link is to a "Discussion" of one of her books. What she fails to mention is that this "Discussion" that is not about the "merits or demerits of the book" was started by one of her supporters, using the name "Soraya". At the time of this screenshot the original post had already been deleted by GoodReads, and the poster had been booted from GoodReads.
Therefore the posts that remain are in response to the original post started by one of her supporters.
I don't have a screenshot of that OP, but I do have the text:
"It is shameful how Mrs. Vidal has been treated by certain trolls on Goodreads and Amazon. Read about it here: http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/2017.."
Here's the link to her screenshot: https://screenshots.firefox.com/JLDvvI7tR2uVzJpm/www.goodreads.com
In the comments of her blog, Ms. Vidal seems to think a lot of hits to this blog post is a good thing. She's apparently unaware of how many are checking it out to verify she's really posted the awful things that have been reported, and wait with their popcorn handy for the next bat shit crazy thing she comes up with (good idea to use Proxy Servers when visiting folks!).
She reports 1638 hits to date, and yet has only a handful willing to post in support on her blog and/or on her Facebook page. Although she also mirrors over on Twitter, and has over 1,000 followers there, she's getting 0 responses, retweets, or likes.
I'm not sure those high numbers are in your favor, Vidal.
She also cross posted this to her Facebook page:
Posted in the Comments to Ms. Vidal's blog post:
Ms. Vidal also reposted this on her Facebook Page. As did Ms.Lewis. So, it's on the FB page twice.
Ms. Lewis happens to be a GR Author.
"Basically, I'm going to show them your profs behavior as an example of how not to behave when you get online when you enter the professional world."
It is Ms. Vidal who is acting here in her professional capacity as an author, regarding her books. Not the reviewers she's targeted. Rather they are acting as consumers, using screen names.The use of screen names, rather than their professional names, as well as the fact that they are writing Consumer Reviews - which are NOT allowed to be professional reviews - is proof these reviewers are not posting reviews in any official, professional, capacity, nor speaking on behalf of their employers. Rather they are clearly and obviously posting their personal opinions, as private and personal individuals. Which they have every right to do as consumers, and consumers are under no obligation whatsoever to be "professional" when doing so.
The one who is behaving in the "professional world" here is Ms. Vidal. She is the one speaking under her author pseudonym, on her author's blog, and her authors Facebook Page, regarding her products and her displeasure regarding some of the reviews of those products. She is acting in a professional capacity here, and her actions are decidedly unprofessional.
It's Ms. Vidal who began this campaign of harassment, and it's Ms. Vidal whose professional behavior is frankly abysmal.
If Ms. Lewis knew anything whatsoever about "the professional world", she'd know who was acting in a professional capacity here, who was not, and she'd know it is Ms. Vidal who is the example of "how not to behave when you get online when you enter the professional world." She's trashing her professional reputation, she's already disgraced herself on GoodReads and has been unceremoniously booted from that service. And she has readers all over shaking their heads at her bone-headed stupidity.
What she should be saying, if she brings this issue up at all with her students, is "When you write and publish a book, and you get a book review that makes you upset, remember you're a business, you are your brand, and what you do effects your business. These are readers, they're consumers. They have the right to their opinions and to express those opinions. Do not respond unprofessionally, as Ms. Vidal has done. She's even gotten herself kicked off GoodReads for harassing readers. Don't do this sort of thing when you enter the professional world and function online as an author."
Apparently Ms. Lewis is yet another author who doesn't understand anything about the "professional" side of being an author.
I'm disgusted by this message of Ms. Lewis' in a variety of ways, but particularly because this "English teacher" apparently doesn't support honest consumer reviews.
Now, I'm all for consumers being free to complain and boycott for whatever reason they please, which is the standing Ms. Lewis is attempting to cloak herself in here, but when doing so in order to attempt to silence another consumer over valid consumer opinion, and repeating lies and innuendo in order to attempt to cause him harm, when he was not acting in a position of representing his employer, it absolutely sickens me.
The hypocrisy and total lack of self-awareness is mind-boggling:
"But when the staff of a Catholic institution is amused when their peer *actively* tries to destroy an author's reputation and minuscule livelihood, regardless of whether she deserves it or not, I must admit this is not a Catholic school I would recommend to my dog."
The only person actively destroying Ms.Vidal's reputation is Ms. Vidal herself. If this effects her "minuscule livelihood" she has only herself to blame. Just because she apparently doesn't have the common sense God gave a horsefly, doesn't mean it's not hypocritical of both these ladies (using the term loosely) to do the very thing they're accusing another of doing.
Ms. Vidal also obviously does not understand the first thing about running a business - including branding, public relations, professional image and reputation, consumer rights, etc. As much as she, and her pals, complain about her "livelihood" and her "reputation" she's utterly clueless as to how to function in her capacity as a consumer product producer in order to benefit and protect either one.
Allow me to point out the obvious. Hypocritical behavior is a sin. The founder of the faith had quite a lot to say about religious hypocrites, and none of it good. Bearing false witness is also a sin. Christians are commanded to forgive even their enemies. I'm aware forgiveness doesn't require forgetting, nor does it require pardon for societal or legal repercussions. However it absolutely does prohibit retribution and revenge.
These ladies may be Catholic, but I don't for one second believe they're Christians. I'm well aware Christians are as fallible as anyone else, but Ms. Vidal is clearly not even making an attempt, but rather flaunts the tenets with apparent wanton abandon.
Frankly I think parents should be concerned that this anti-consumer attitude is coming from someone teaching their children English in High School. I'd also think they'd be concerned that Ms. Lewis apparently wants to teach them that lying, intimidation, and seeking revenge are acceptable methods of obtaining your goals. Her example of "how to behave when you get online when you enter the professional world." Hopefully those kids are smarter than Ms. Lewis gives them credit for, or this might be a incubator for future BBAs.
I was able to determine who employs Ms. Lewis in about two minutes. She should be very, very glad I have superior ethics to Ms. Vidal. Because frankly, I find the fact that this woman is teaching young people, particularly in English where many of them may become writers and authors themselves, to be extremely concerning.
I need to throw up.
Author Maria Elena Vidal has repeatedly admitted that she called the employers of one of the people who have left negative reviews of her books.
She claims she had concerns for her safety and wanted to find out from this person's employers if he had "a history of violence."
I call Bullshit.
What this is, is harassment, pure and simple. It is a tactic some unscrupulous people employ when a internet discussion isn't going their way, and someone who disagrees with them won't be silenced by other intimidation techniques.
When someone has serious concerns regarding their safety they call their local authorities, or perhaps the authorities local to the other person - if their place of residence is known. They may contact the FBI. They possibly may seek the advice of an attorney.
Those are the avenues available to people who feel they may be in danger, and those are the avenues they would take in such a circumstance.
Instead Ms. Vidal contacted this person's employer. This is an obvious attempt to retaliate against this person who has displeased her by his voicing his opinions about her books on the internet. It's clearly intended to attempt to cause this person harm with his employers. It's harassment, and it's revenge.
No reasonable person would consider this a reasonable course of action, even if one had sincere concerns over their safety. It's ridiculous.
It is completely transparent that Ms. Vidal had no sincere concerns in this regard. Because when people do sincerely feel they are being threatened, their physical safety may be in jeopardy, they do not call an individual's employer. Nor is there any legitimate or valid reason to do so.
It is obvious to me that Ms. Vidal is hoping this person's employers will either employ economic force to inspire him to remove his book reviews (which could land them in serious legal hot water), or fire him (which could land them in serious legal hot water).
She clearly has no effective stick by which to get this person to bend to her will. She obviously is expecting his employers do, and is hoping they'll use it.
And now, because readers continue to point out her unprofessional and unreasonable behavior and attitudes against readers who were less than impressed with her books, she once again is threatening to call this person's employer.
Not the police.
Not the FBI.
Not an attorney.
An individual's employer.
THAT, Ms. Vidal, is harassment.
From her blog:
From her blog:
From her blog:
From her Facebook page:
"Mary-Eileen" happens to be Elena Maria Vidal posting under her real name account. The Vidal name is a pseudonym. Because I have more scruples about people's personal information on the internet I have redacted the last name to protect her privacy.
Notice here she states, "When I wrote to the Dean I told him that I am a single mother on a tight budget, trying to give my child a decent education." which has absolutely nothing to do with concerns over if someone has a "history of violence", but which does demonstrate her concerns are actually regarding a negative review of her book. As she doesn't mention anything to do with her personal safety, but rather her "tight budget" while "trying to give my child a decent education". Clearly her concerns therefore are not regarding "violence", but her book sales.
My advice, write better books, and ensure they actually are historically accurate, and not written in order to serve a particular agenda.
Failing that, accept that readers will have opinions about books, and some of them you won't like. That's business.
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