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Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:11 pm: | 
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Hello All,
Below are the links to the new reviews. Check 'em out when you get a chance. Oh, and all those fans of L. A. Banks, all I got to say is this here, don't start none and it won't be none. *big smile*
Blues From Down Deep, by Gwynne Forster
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/blues_from_down_deep.htm
Doņa Julia and Other Selected Poems" by Alberto O. Cappas
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/dona_julia.htm
Minion: A Vampire Huntress Legend, Book 1 by L. A. Banks
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/minion.htm
The Bridge by Solomon Jones
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/the_bridge.htm
Triple Take by Y. Blak Moore
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/triple_take.htm
A Letter to My Father By John W. Griffin
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/a_letter_to_my_father.htm
Jelly Roll: A Blues by Kevin Young
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/jelly_roll_a_blues.htm
The Hatwearer's Lesson by Yolanda Joe
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/the_hatwearers_lesson.htm
A Mighty Love By Anita Doreen Diggs
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/a_mighty_love.htm
Sister, Sister: Three Novellas by Donna Hill, Carmen Green and Janice Sims
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/sister_sister.htm
Too Beautiful To Die by Glenville Lovell Blues >From Down Deep, by Gwynne Forster
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/blues_from_down_deep.htm
Fire In A Canebrake by Laura Wexler http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/fire_in_a_canebrake.htm
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Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:21 pm: |
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Hello All,
Oops, sorry about the link to the Too Beautiful To Die review. Here is the correct one. I was cutting and pasting too much. *smile*
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/too_beautiful_to_die.htm |
Cocowriter
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 04:05 pm: |
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Thumper, I enjoy reading your reviews. They are well-written with a touch of humor added but Brother, you were kind of rough on some of these books. I wanted to know if any of the authors of an unfavorable reviewed book write you about it.
Thanks |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 05:53 pm: |
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Hello Cocowriter,
Thanks for the compliment. *smile*
Yeah, I was rough, but it's not unusual. I'm just being me. If the truth be told, some of the heat had worn off by the time I wrote those reviews. I'm not going to play nice for books that essentially wasted my time. Just because its a romance or a sista girlfriend book does not excuse it for being sloppy, illogical, and poorly written. I've read too many that were otherwise.
Yeah, the hate mail has started rolling in. *shugging my shoulders* Ain't no need in those authors being mad at me...I didn't write those books. |
Chris Hayden
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 06:14 pm: |
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Thumper:
C'mon, tell us what you REAALLY thought about those books.
Whooeee! When you like 'em you like 'em, but when you don't--I feel responsible. Tell me I'm not responsible! |
Snake Girl
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 06:38 pm: |
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Thumper said:
Ain't no need in those authors being mad at me...I didn't write those books.
I say:
Tee-hee
I know that's right! (Clapping)
And in the case of "Minion"...there is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for good paper to have even been wasted on that.
I am SHOCKED that it's just Part 1 of a series.
And especially with all the trouble they give me...a REAL writer with undeniable literary powers....about "content" and "controversy"...and then they put that drivel out and back it with a three book committment.
As I said before...you all would be shocked to see some of the new Black University writers who cannot get agents or "black" imprints to look at their manuscripts...I am talking GIFTED young black authors who can't even get an editor to read the first 10 pages.
And yet--they churn out "Minion" and anybody else who has previously sold 10,000 copies of a book and did not "push the envelope".
Our gains in "black publishing" are being made STALE. If it hasn't already been done before (and done to death)...they don't want it.
That's the reason that I'm going to be such a HUGE success.
Keep this title in mind, honey: "LOVE IS THE DRUG".
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Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 08:25 pm: |
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Hello All,
Snake Girl: Agree, agree, agree!! There are so many talented, exceptional authors that gets no play, while the non-talented ones are all in my face. Go figure.
Chris: *LOL* Chris, Chris, Chris...I'm not saying that you should be responsible, but dag-nab-it, somebody ought to be. *LOL* |
Chris Hayden
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 10:36 am: |
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Thump:
That's a relief. I thought all the vitriol I have been spreading of late has been catching.
By the way, Carey said hello and he's doing fine. |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 05:46 pm: |
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Hello Chris,
*smile* I'm glad to hear about Carey. I'm a little worried about him. |
yasmin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 05, 2003 - 05:51 pm: |
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Hey Thumper...I checked out all of the reviews and they were really good and enlightening. So have you gotten flak from any of the authors regarding their review? Actually, have you ever gotten any flak from an author regarding a review? I know many authors consider their books their 'babies' but as one of my author/writer friends always says...'even babies need well-baby checkups and vaccines in order to be/stay healthy.' Hey you are only ONE reviewer so I'm not sure I understand why there has to be any uproar/ruckus if any (from ANY author)...do folks act this way when Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, NY Times or any non-AA organization reviews their book? If they don't voice their displeasure to non-AA groups then I think that AA venues should be allowed the same respect and professionalism.
Peace Brothaman and I hope you're having a FANTASTIC weekend! |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 07, 2003 - 06:20 pm: |
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Hello Yasmin,
I had a WONDERFUL weekend!! Hope you did as well. *big smile*
In answer to your question concerning whether I get any flak from an author regarding a negative review, the answer is a resounding YES! I don't know why one review should matter so deeply. I wish I knew why, but some how I got the magic touch. I just received a long response from one of the authors claiming once again that she feels she was "attacked". There some kind of perception that because the author is black and I am black that I would go "easy" on her book than the non-white reviewers. I don't know why that should be. Just because I'm black don't mean that I don't want my ice as cold as white folks. Meaning, why should I accept water down literature when no one else has to.
Now, the question should be *eyebrow raised* will I change up? Will I start giving out "Get out of jail free cards"? The answer is NO to both questions. Besides, I'm a reviewer. I'm not suppose to be an author's best friend. And like Mavis Staples said in her song "Melody Cool", "If you're good, I'll love ya." |
yasmin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 07, 2003 - 09:05 pm: |
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rotflmao...hmm now you know I've got to go back and see which author you've reviewed before who is complaining. I don't know what you do the authors or the readers but you do have some folks talking about your reviews! I told folks I find them refreshing and if an author is going to get upset over one low/negative review then hmm they shouldn't quit their day job. Additionally, a review is just one person's opinion/assessment...they're like buttholes in that we all have one. And you're right you're a reviewer not an author's best friend. I just want to know if folks contact the NY Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and other non-AA forums to complain like they do with AA venues. Oh and race shouldn't matter when it comes to how well a book is written. Many AA reviewers take the easy way out (present company included...if a book is worst than a 2 rating I won't even post it to amazon.com; however, i do send a review directly to the author to let them know my thoughts regarding their book and I spread the word among personal friends and members of APOOO to borrow, check out of the library whatever but hmm don't buy it) because we don't want to hurt an authors feelings. I'm now realizing that this is probably a disservice to authors who truly need to hear that their book isn't as good as they think it is OR they need to understand that not EVERYONE is going to like it. Similar to reviews...not everyone likes ALL the reviews that we write...so why do we have to like EVERY book that we review?.
I'm convinced that no matter how or what you say as long as its a review that the author doesn't agree with they going to take issue. As such keep on doing what you're doing because you do have a following with the ladies of APOOO.
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Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 07, 2003 - 11:03 pm: |
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Hey Thumper, Simon of "American Idol" has nothing on you, does he? |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 08, 2003 - 06:06 pm: |
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Hello All,
Yasmin: I thank you and the ladies of APOOO for the support. *big smile* Yasmin, you raised a good point. I wonder if those authors that wrote me in response to their negative reviews would write those white publications and give them the same righteous indignanted, dog-and-pony-show excuses that they are determined to give me. We don't have to like every book that we read, nor will we like every book that we read. With so many books, from so many different genres, written by AA authors, these authors OUGHT to be grateful that they are being read PERIOD! Because there are so many, we, the black reading audience, have become selective in what we read. The field has become tight, the time of seperating the seed from the chafe has now arrived. It would behoove (who would have thought I would ever used the word "behoove"? *smile*) AA authors of limited or no talent want to step out here, come correct or don't come at all. Best I can tell 'em.
Cynique: Now, you already know. Simon is a lightweight. |
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