Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Sign of the Times

My Pretty



If you came here looking for the entry I posted earlier this week about a certain blogger who attacked another author, I have taken it down. She removed the attack from her blog and out of respect for that gesture, I'm doing the same.

Thank you for your comments, although I disagree with those which cut down her work. She is a truly gifted author, one whom I admire and respect. Her quotes are on my book covers and I'm honored by her generosity and support. But real friends speak up when they see the other standing at the edge, or doing something that is ultimately self destructive.

The conversation is now over and its time for us to get back to doing good work. The day after I posted my response to the attack, I found this quote while having lunch with my husband. I'd like to share it with you:

"Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other's faults and failures." - Mother Teresa

13 comments:

Margo Candela said...

You said it, sister! The kind of bs that's been flung around isn't doing anyone any good. Especially those of us who are lumped in under the same marketing label and overlooked because we choose not to make the same kind of undignified noise to get attention. Good for you for having the guts to do what we've all been whispering about for a while.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for writing this. That blog post on that other site is ridiculous.

Brenda Lou said...

OMG!!! You are my hero!! I was so dying someone to say something about her attitude!! Thank you!!!!

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU!!

Unknown said...

Wow, I was a bit afraid to see what I'd find but thank you everyone. There have been too many times I wanted to speak up but I kept my mouth shut because I wanted to keep out of the fray. But this doesn't make us lady authors look good. If anything it confirms the opinion that women are a bunch of whining hair-pullers.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for saying something about the 'other blog'. I've actually stopped reading it because of the negativity directed at other writers - negativity which seems to, mostly, be directed at writers who are not hispanic. I don't know if that's intentional or not. What I do know is that the very talented author of the other blog IS better than that and she leaves a sour taste in my mouth with her commentaries. Nobody needs that kind of ugliness.

Desiree said...

I agree, and WOW, I can't believe someone actually posted it publicly, because ya, we all talk crap, quietly about the issues this person has. You are awesome, and MY hero too!!!

When I think about it, it's really disappointing to have an author that I once (way before the nutiness) admired so much lower herself this much.

Amanda Villagómez said...

I was disheartened to see the other blog. I did not read it regularly (just on blog tours), but this weekend I just bought her book Haters (kind of ironic title given her recent rants). I was excited to read it and see if it would be good for my classroom library, but now I'll be thinking more of her saying comments like "Mexi-freakin'-co" and thinking about how it would be so demeaning to many of my students and family, as well as just overall not being very considerate.

On a happier note, I appreciate your positive support and blog posts. It probably was hard to publicly post this, but I respect you for not being afraid to voice your opinion to do the right thing.

Anonymous said...

as a fan and somewhat expert of chick lit books, her double last name is not the problem. all of her books are VERY nasty and graphic in the sex department. The best, most-read books are the ones that can be enjoyed by women of all ages. i can't even buy haters for my teen grand daughter because even that book has a sex scene in it. i can't buy 'make him look good' for my daughter, a jennifer lopez fan, because of the nasty scenes. a little bit is fine here and there but some of those passages in the last two books were downright NC17 so much that it took away from the overall story. i will admit, i am a devoted fan to the shopaholic series, and jen's books too. loved the first and second avr books. i did not like twilight simply because it gives young girls the impression that it is romantic to court a dangerous male figure who might kill her at any moment. i enjoy your books mary, as well as many of the other authors you write about on your blog.

Anonymous said...

Way to step up, Mary!

It amazes me how often authors bash other authors. Serious poor form. You don't have to love everyone's writing, but all authors deserve respect, simply for on the fact that they persevered and got published. Period. Dude, it's hard work--how can you not respect someone in the trenches?

Unknown said...

Anonymous wrote: "i did not like twilight simply because it gives young girls the impression that it is romantic to court a dangerous male figure who might kill her at any moment."

You nailed my reason for not connecting with the Twilight series. I enjoyed her writing and could see why Bella and Edward would appeal to young readers. And yet, in the back of my mind I kept thinking: this guy is every parent's worst nightmare because he becomes Bella's one and only true north. As a lot of us more mature gals know, life ain't all about the man and when a man does take up every corner of your life, that's nothing but trouble!

Anonymous said...

Glad you said this! I've been thinking the same thing for awhile.

And in what seems to be a weird coincidence of timing, a lesbian entertainment website wrote an even more stinging rebuke of the author in question called The Woman Who Cried "Bisexual", about how she apparently defamed them by coming out in an interview on the site awhile ago, then said they made it up. It's a really crazy read.

This combined with your post this week might explain why her blog has now been taken completely offline.

Anonymous said...

Mary,

Your decision to delete the post with your rationale was great since your post served its purpose. It is another example of how you are supportive to your colleagues, and you set a good example.

I will do the same and enjoy Haters once I get reading it and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

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