On My Soapbox
Dear Miss Plagiarist,
I regret to inform you that yes, I have foiled your plans and I'm sorry that it's come down to this. I'm not writing this open letter lightly, nor am I malicious person who would publicly name and shame you. I've seen what becomes of those caught stealing content, and I don't wish that upon anyone. But stealing is never a victimless crime and I'm afraid that you need to learn the consequences of that.
I chose to contact you privately, asking for the stolen content to be removed, and essentially for you to provide some form of explanation why you would choose to plagiarise not only myself but multiple bloggers and reviewers. Even if they are unaware. But you've removed your Goodreads account without explanation and chose to close any means of communication, hence this open letter.
Contrary to popular belief, I'm a nice person. I love puppies, rainbows and complimenting others on their new haircut, even if it looks awful. So you've not only stolen from me, but put me in a position where I need to decide whether to tell those involved that you've violated their intellectual rights. And yes, I will be showing them even if your details will be obscured. It's a moral dilemma that I won't be taking lightly as I'm not interested in turning this into a witch hunt. Even if you have now removed the stolen reviews from Goodreads, these same stolen reviews are still posted to your blog and Amazon. These reviews do not belong to you, and since you've shut down any communication we may have entered into, you've left me no choice but to publicly urge you to remove any last traces of your theft.
I'm not angry, but disappointed that you felt the need to claim my work among others as your own. There is no justification for stealing content. My message to you was in good faith, which most would agree that you probably didn't deserve such kindness. Perhaps another blogger wouldn't have been so lenient on you. But yet again, this is something you've brought upon yourself.
So remove what is not rightfully yours. Please. Or regretfully, I'll need to take the matter further.
Sincerely
Diva Booknerd
Diva Booknerd
As much as I love a great read as much as the next book lover, occasionally I enjoy other wholesome pastimes as well. I love a well produced television or web series. Not only have some originally spawned from books, but are incredible in their own right. So don't fancy picking up a book this weekend? How about checking out a new watchable series to immerse yourself in.
We book bloggers are a strange bunch, we come in all sorts and flavours. We all have an incline towards a genre, an author, or at times just a pretty cover may be all it takes to pique our interest. I tend to enjoy books that no one else has and I've never met a dystopian I haven't enjoyed on some level. But for all our differences, I had always thought I was part of a community that is supportive of it's bloggers and willing to lend a much needed hand to the new and confused. The short answer? Yes, we're mostly all awesome. The long and complicated answer? No, we're certainly not.
I've only been blogging for around fifteen months, but you don't need to have an exorbitant membership count or audience to be entitled to an opinion. To say we're a proud and close knit community is an understatement, but as more and more readers are taking their reviews online to share their opinions, it seems we may be forgetting how to set an example of how we support one another. Over the past few weeks I've seen gripes, complaints and bloggers almost ready to walk away from a blog that they've poured their hearts into, all because as book bloggers, it seems some us are losing our way.
Aussies are proud, able to laugh at ourselves and let's face it, we're among the friendliest nations you'll ever have the privilege of visiting. But sadly, there are far too many misconceptions about Australia. So as our great national celebrates the Australia Day long weekend, here is a friendly guide for non Aussies to clear up any confusion.
● We rarely use the word G'day. I've personally never used it or heard anyone else use it for that matter.
● Kangaroos don't roam our streets, nor do we all own one that we ride to and from work, the supermarket or casually taking our Kangaroo for a spin.
● A dingo isn't considered as adequate child minding.
● We don't throw shrimps on our barbies. Shrimps, otherwise known as midgets, don't tend to tenderise well.
● Not all of us enjoy beer.
● Lorde is from New Zealand.
● New Zealand isn't in Australia.
● Our Prime Minister makes Barack Obama look like the Old Spice model.
● I haven't met your distant cousin who moved here in 1985.
● Nor do I know either Hemsworth brother personally.
● We all however know Keith Urban, he often calls random citizens to invite us over to dinner.
● None of us really liked Tom Cruise when he was married to Nicole Kidman.
● You can keep Kylie Minogue, we already have one Minogue too many.
● Drop bears are real. They look like regular Koala's, often luring in tourists with their cute facade, then WHAM. Dead tourist.
● Vegemite is our national dish, we incorporate it into every meal.
I hope my guide to Australia has been helpful. Aussie's, feel free to comment and add your own customs and tips to help out our non Australian friends.
Have a question you've always wanted to ask about downunder? Simply comment below.
New Adult... You Suck!
It's no secret that I'm not particularly fond of the new adult genre as a whole, but now? Now I loathe it with a passion I usually reserve for orange juice, animal cruelty and the scent of Vicks Vaporub. Who was it that decided that mixing an overly dramatic young adult romance with mild erotica was a great concept? I certainly wasn't at that meeting.
My issue is, for a popular genre, aren't new adult enthusiasts sick of reading the same tired story lines? Late teen or early twenties boy, meets usually pure slightly younger girl, either one or both have unrealistic issues, an unhealthy relationship, but the sex is incredible? That's not love, that's two barely functioning young adults with a destructive attachment with a sexual bond. I can count on one hand how many new adult series are actually worth the effort, but the countless others have ruined me for the genre.
Going by book reviews and ratings that I've come across, why do we allow new adult authors more leeway with books that should otherwise be condemned? Is the the hordes of teen readers that are swept up in the sexual content, or because mature readers need passion in their lives, no matter how badly it's portrayed. When it comes to an attractive guy who ravishes the female protagonist, it sadly seems that ratings are being written with our loins.
New adult readers, why aren't you demanding more of your story lines, more of your characters and more of your authors who seem to think all you're interested in is a hot guy and sex.
For me, there is nothing worse than a book tool.
You know the type, muscled, man whore, a history of violence or violent acts, foul mouthed, all round bad boy implied. Not to sound stereotypical, but they almost all have tattoos or body art, dimples, a permanent half smirk, long sooty lashes and usually financially comfortable. Now when did we all decide that this Neanderthal, was in fact, our ideal man?
Did I miss that meeting?
We live through our characters when story lines are seen through the eyes of a female protagonist, so surely we must enjoy the sexually suggestive connotations thrown into every sentence that he aims in her direction, seeing our leading lady is typically a virgin or sexually inexperienced. Well, who can blame them, they all seem to come from broken homes, which probably explains why they find themselves ourselves willing to give up their virtue so quickly to the first penis that gravitates towards their vagina.
Yes, I said vagina.
Why are the same books being churned out that are the same tired storyline as the last? Is the young female book reader really that interested in hearing the same story of Travis Maddox again, as one example.
I for one want a polar opposite to grace my pages. The intelligent male, a quirky personality, humorous, with a noble profession. He doesn't need to have bedroom eyes or an attractiveness that makes panties drop... Just a genuine, realistic, down to earth male character.
Is that too much to much to ask?
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