I've finally joined the ranks of the 'bullies' with my very own post on the hate site determined to silence critics.

 

It's because I posted about being pulled from a book tour after DNFing the book, despite trying to get to do a promo for the book.

 

It's not good enough.

 

Apparently we're not even allowed to DNF books now. Apparently giving up on a book is unprofessional. I should have wasted my precious time reading a book I wasn't enjoying ('thoroughly'), and came to the same conclusion I'd reached in the first 13%. Because that's all reviewers are good for, free promotion.

 

You know, instead of moving on to a book I did enjoy.

 

Never mind the fact that on book tours, most tour organisers prefer you don't post a review under 3 stars, which I know this would have been.

 

So even though I did the right thing, I'm still a bully.

 

We're not even allowed to criticise books anymore? I called the writing juvenile, and apparently that's bullying, too.

 

Not quite sure exactly how we're supposed to review books now. No one or two stars, and only giving 'educated responses' after 'thoroughly' reading even bad literature, being critical but kind and gentle and holding the author's hand in case their feelings are hurt.

 

No. Because I don't write reviews for authors, not even positive ones. My 'review' of The Concealing wasn't a review. I didn't rate the book. STGRB fans always argue people should be forced to review books they rate one star, and it's even helpful for authors to know why a reader quit. I made a note about why I quit, neither rating nor talking about the author, and I didn't put it on any 'bullying' shelves. I don't know why this isn't good enough.

 

I don't think STGRB can even comprehend the timeline of what actually happened.

1) I DNFd the book.
2) My tour stop was cancelled with no one informing me, even though I was happy to do a promo post.
3) I posted about no one informing me I was no longer part of the tour - apparently my 'asshole' behaviour that got me booted in the first place.

So not really sure how this fits into their 'bullying' mentality. If this is the worst thing I've done, after nearly two years of blogging, how is it 'author-bullying' when I still wanted to promote a book I couldn't finish? I didn't rate the book, and I didn't post about the author. I'm sure the author is a sweetheart, I just didn't like the book.

 

It's not my job to promote books, and I could have simply pulled out without offering to do a promotional post, but I didn't.

 

I'm not a professional. That's the biggest difference between authors and reviewers. Authors need to be professional. Reviewers don't. I was angry when I posted about being pulled from the tour, but I don't feel bad about what I said and I'm not apologising to anyone.

Can I blame PMS? It's all the rage these days. (it wasn't PMS)

(show spoiler)

 

I'm still working with the tour organiser for other tours and I'm still working with half a dozen other tour companies.


Or am I finally on the list of Badly Behaving Whatevers because STGRB's been watching me, waiting for their first chance to label me a bully because I'm friends with other 'bullies' and am part of the secret Booklikes group where they have no idea what I'm talking about?