Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one

I have to say I think beth and jane of Dear Author are both swell people and personally I like them, even though I have only emailed with beth like twice. (yes candy, I still owe smart bitches a guest bitch) I also think it is totally cool to dislike them or think they are evol. Because I think it comes down to opinion and not everyone is going to like everyone. And hey, I think you can think, say or post how much you hate me so why would I care if you hate others. Every author takes a risk of people hating their book when they publish and by extension them. They put it out there for the world and need to take the good with the bad. Every blogger/reviewer/message board poster takes a risk of people hating their opinions and by extension them when they post in a public forum. We are putting our shit out for the world to see and we need to take the good with the bad. Saying that ;) THIS comment I so don't get... Whew. Now Robin's question about Beth's review. I believe I made a pretty strong distinction between the content of a review, the subject of the criticism (the book and not the author) and matters of tone. Tone has to do with personal style (see above), with the established relationship between the reviewer and the reviewer's known audience, and with the format. Beth's review was written for her own weblog, not for a website that advertises itself first and foremost as a book review 'publication' (and I use that word loosely). And her tone fit into her overall approach when she does talk about books: she's outrageous. She's emotive. She puts it all out there. Her review of ABOSAA is not professional or meant to be taken that way. If a newspaper called her up and asked her to write her review up to be printed on their Books page, I am certain the approach and tone would change. Are we paying for Dear Author? When the hell did they become anything more than a reader blog? Me thinks she just doesn't like Jane... so call a fucking spade a spade and say jane sucks if that is what you think. But wrapping it up as beth's review which states: "I dunno, can you even tell your ass from your elbow anymore, woman?" speaking directly to the author (who prolly only saw it after minons emailed her) is peachy keen lil reader opinon and jane is the big bad evol, seems uh dumb. But beth is pretty fucking direct and there is that ever famous Foley review (which starts out... Dear Gaelan Foley... just saying). And sara donati seems to be speaking in circles approving of people she likes and slapping the wrists of people she doesn't. That or Jane really is just an ignorant slut. hmmm or I am... damn me to hell!