Woefully behind on a lot of things, but very pleased to announce my schedule for the upcoming Capclave...before Capclave is actually here :) In addition to the Dark Quest Launch party being held at 6pm on Saturday, featuring: The Raven, the Elf, and Rachel (L. Jagi Lamplighter), Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn (Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Day Al-Mohamed), Trust and Treachery (edited by Day Al-Mohamed and Meriah Crawford), and With Great Power (edited by John L. French and Greg Schauer). The following is my schedule:

Second in a series deconstructing a kerfluffle that wasn't.  Not the one they're claiming, anyways.

First in a series of posts examining Anne Rice's Amazon discussions that everyone seem so gaga over.  (Follow the link).

Enough's enough.

Back in Dec/Jan when all this was still going on I chalked it up to another bout of insanity from the lady who seems hell-bent on becoming the modern-day Nora Desmond, and let it lie.  But now this shit's gone too far.  Now even supposedly reputable sites like the Guardian are parroting this farce.

If you've been blissfully unaware of this latest insanity, Anne Rice- author auteur, Goddess of the Night, Mistress of Vampires, blahblahblah- went off the deep end again when she started pontificating all over the Amazon forums about the state of reviewing in general, and how everyone should have to reveal their secret identities in order to post reviews.  No more pseudonyms, aliases or screen names anywhere.  Naturally, a collection of fools, charlatans, frauds and crusaders fell over each other to be the first to pat her on the back about lending her name to the jihad against Teh Bulliez.  She was so tickled she couldn't stop sharing it on FB (here, here and here), ignoring the warnings given to her about the site in question to the point of deleting all comments about them yet left all posts from that site's contributors standing.  Because that site's history of abuse, doc-dropping and yeah- bullying, has nothing to do with nothing; what matters is they're kissing her ass here and now.  One should always focus on what's important.

You'll also notice that not only are the majority of them's talking about how happy they are about this are themselves doing so under false pretenses, the claims of Rice's victory over bullying amounts to a bunch of sound bites. All screenshots of her 'winning' posts are done so in a vacuum without context or reply; trust me when I tell you there's much more to the story.  And it doesn't make Rice look good.

I'll state with 100% certainty that any and all who run around the internet crowing about how Anne Rice showed those meanie-mean poopy-heads over on Amazon never read the entire thread.  It's pretty damn obvious TIME Magazine didn't.  Because a reading of it shows Rice getting her pop-culture intellectualism handed to her on a pretty regular basis.  For the sake of disclosure I'll admit to giving her a few lumps myself during the discussions.

The undercurrent here fools no one, least of all it's proponents who know they're full of shit.  That's why the vast majority almost never come out and say what's really on their minds: there should be no negative reviews posted.  Ever. (The article is satire but the comments are worth looking at).  And the few that do say so only highlights why the rest don't: it reveals them to be the whiny, spoiled, sniveling, entitled children they are.  After all, they're SOOPER-GENIUSES!  Everyone knows it; back when they were that sunflower in the third-grade play- even the teacher said so!!!  They've got a whole wall of participation trophies that confirms it!

Given Rice's well-documented history and complete denial of her own bullying, it was comically ironic to see this posted on her FB page to try and bolster her argument: Science Confirms Internet Trolls are Narcissistic, Psychopathic and Sadistic.

Another example of Rice's disconnect from her actions is seen in this FB exchange with one Dusty Lee.  Note how quickly Rice condescendingly changes the topic once she's been called on her previous bad behavior:

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by Brittany Lavin

Let’s face it, writing is an isolating experience. As writers, we spend a lot of time in our own heads with little time for the outside world. We are so caught up in the story we are telling and the world and characters we have created that they become a part of us. However, we have to step away from the keyboard eventually. When we do, it’s nice to talk to someone who knows what we’re going through—like another writer.

If, however, you are like me and don’t have many acquaintances who write, here are some ways who can go about meeting your kindred spirits—writers and authors just like you!

1. Hang out at your local bookstore. Most avid readers (like me) have also tried their hand at writing. 

2. Go to a poetry reading. No, you don’t have to go up and recite anything! Just sit and listen. If you like what you hear, strike up a conversation with the writer and the process they go through. It may be similar to yours. Don’t write poetry? Some bookstores (like Barnes & Noble) also hold monthly writers groups.

3. Online communities. When in doubt, always turn to the World Wide Web! Join any writing forum and you will have millions of other writers right at your fingertips. Of course, this doesn’t get you away from the keyboard—but a connection is a connection!

4. Bookstore events. Keep a close eye on your bookstore events, particularly book signings. Perhaps your favorite author is going to be at a bookstore near you. You will have a chance to not only meet them, but to pick their brain about their writing process and ask questions about how they got their start. 

5. Conferences. What better way to make a connection then a gathering of authors and writers all in one room? You can talk to writers from all over the country and get all of their points-of-view. Plus, it is a great social networking experience.

So don’t worry about spending all of your time in solitude and remember- you are not alone!

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Brittany Lavin has been an In-House Author Representative at Infinity Publishing for two years. Her job is to guide authors through the process of having their book published and provide them with administrative support. Brittany graduated from Cabrini College in 2009 with a BA in English and Communication. A writer at heart, Brittany dabbles in poetry and prose. She also enjoys reading, spending time with loved ones, and being a “Geek.”

Photo courtesy of dbdbrobot