Sunday, July 25, 2010

Parallel Universe: Respect The Reader! A Lesson From TWILIGHT by Kimber An


The theme for this year’s Parallel Universe is DIVERSITY. Without respect, there can be no diversity. I think this applies to our readers, as well as our stories.
I’ve never read TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyer or watched the movie, but now I’m determined. See, I recently read something online which made me feel insulted on behalf of readers, Young Adult readers especially.

In an effort to learn the ropes, I’ve read many posts and comments by readers of TWILIGHT and a lot of other popular books. There seemed to be two camps of TWILIGHT commenters, those who love it and those who hate it. I’m one of the few people, it seems, who is indifferent. I’ve never been into vampires, except the alien kind. When readers make negative comments, I think it’s all well and good. It's passion and passion is good. Stephanie Meyer doesn’t lose any sleep wondering whether you bought her book because you hate it. She still gets her cut.

When authors make negative comments about TWILIGHT, on the other hand, I want to just toss them into a huge Time-Out Chair!

Let’s think about this, Kiddies.

If you’re an author, aspiring or already published, you want to SELL BOOKS. Right?

Guess what? Children grow up fast! Insults suffered during adolescence, especially, are remembered. One day these girls are going to be women. And they’re not going to like you one bit. Or your books.

According to what I’ve read, their mommies probably already hate you too, and not just because you called their babies stupid. Many grown women like TWILGHT too.

Here’s another Pearl of Wisdom:

No one learned a darned thing from ridiculing something they didn’t understand.

You want to sell books?

Show a little respect.

Next time someone raves about TWILIGHT, or Erotica, or the Holy Bible, or anything you find silly, insert your tongue between your teeth and bite hard. Then, try to understand WHY they’re so interested in it. You might just learn something useful.

If you can’t embrace diversity yourself, how are you going to write about it?

Okay, you can get out of the Time-Out Chair now.


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Kimber An didn't have enough books when she was a kid and the ones she had didn't turn out the way she wanted, so she started writing her own. She grew up, did the college thing, and took care of a lot of other people's babies. She kept writing stories, but she knew they seriously stunk. She moved to Alaska, married a studmuffin pilot, and started making little co-pilots. Then, one day a star captain ignited her imagination and she knew it was time to share her stories with the world. She started up a blog and began to read voraciously. Published authors noticed and started sending her books to review. She reviewed lots of books on her blog, Enduring Romance. She wrote and polished four novels in four years, all YA SFR.On the fourth novel, SUGAR RUSH, she finally snagged a sale and signed with Decadent Publishing.