This is the only conversation you will get from me on this. I wasn’t originally going to do a post about this, but, I thought I would just state my OPINION and leave it at that. Love me or Hate me, this is my opinion and mine alone, so if you don’t like what I have to say, oh well, it’s how I feel and if everyone else can make a statement why can’t I.
I will have a full BEA recap post next week…YES A FULL RECAP! with pictures of my books and all *gasp*. I am not rubbing anything into anyones face and don’t take away the fun I had meeting bloggers and getting some books I might not have otherwise heard of or gotten if I didn’t go to this event. BEA is a place to chat with publishers, meet authors and the best part meet blogging friends. One of the perks of doing to BEA is you can get some awesome ARCs, some are just thrusted at you and some you pick up. I am not explaining why I grabbed 58 books, that was how many I got and I am honored to have received them. NO I WILL NOT BE SELLING THEM! Most of the ARCs I received I had signed, not with just the authors name but with my name also, love the book or not, I wanted that book for me and me alone. I grabbed a few that I thought our COYER friends might like to giveaway since I know they will cherish and read them. They will also review and give those books the love they deserve. I find it in poor taste for people to bash others about how many books they grabbed. Why? What is what I grabbed any business of yours? I love reading and I love blogging and I love blogging about books so why can’t I grab a couple books I might not have otherwise seen.
For example, going to BEA I planned to only grab what I really, really wanted. Walking around the event one of my blogger friends told me about a book called Stalking Jack the Ripper. I never heard of it before that moment and because I have a strange obsession with Jack, I knew it was something I would want to read, after reading the synopsis, I wanted it even more, I was really excited about this book so much that I made sure to meet the author and get the book signed, I SQUEALED with joy (I don’t normally squeal, ever) this was a book I never heard of but found at BEA and I couldn’t have been happier. I can’t wait to read it. So please don’t tell me what I can and can’t do with my books or tell me what I should or shouldn’t have grabbed. Because at BEA I found a lot of books I didn’t even know where coming out and now I plan to promote them when I read and if I like them. The ones that aren’t signed if I don’t like them I will pass them along.
I was sad to see some people comment that bloggers don’t help sell books and they don’t need us. That hurt me, I love to promote and help authors and readers find each other. This was painful and I will just have to go about my business and avoid those that don’t need my help. I am truly sorry you felt that way.
To the person or persons selling ARCs on Ebay, you, my friend, are an ASSHOLE! Plain and simple, you can make all the excuses in the world for why you did it but YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE! I don’t know who did it or if it was even a blogger but please for the LOVE OF GOD, if one blogger does something bad, don’t lump us all together. Myself and a LOT of others bloggers would never do this and are really angry that someone did. So please STOP BEING AN ASSHOLE and STOP SELLING ARCs.
This is my opinion and the only thing I will say about this matter. If you still love me great! I love you too, however, I think this jealousy that bloggers have for other bloggers and the books they get needs to end, we are all on the same side. Some people just have better luck at getting ARCs..Good for them, now get over it…stop being so jealous, its not like they own the only copy, if you really want the book go out and buy it when it come out, it’s really not that hard.
Thanks for stopping by to read my rant.
If you still like me after this, check out my BEA post next week!
I had so much fun and can’t wait to share my experience!
I can’t beleive that some people are so mean, we don’t have BEA in the UK as far as I am aware, but would never be jealous of anyone grabbing what the could there. No difference in my opinion than downlolading all the freebies from Amazon (which I do) and I have found lots of books I had never heard of by reading blogs and watching booktube and alot of them I have bought or requested for birthday presents, keep up the good work – great site
Haters gonna hate…that’s what I was singing in my head as I read this post, Michelle. You know I love you and I’m thrilled to have met you in person so I can read your posts and hear your voice in my head now. 🙂 It’s awful there’s so much hate out there so I’m glad you put your two cents in on the issues. I can’t believe someone…anyone…would try to capitalize on a ‘gift’. And BEA…it was a gift! Yes, we paid to get there, stay there, shuttle around while there, etc., but meeting friends in real life, making new friends, meeting authors we love or new ones we might love, and seeing all the new shiny books about to meet the world? A priceless gift. So haters gonna hate…we’ll just combat the hate with our love for an industry that brings us so much pleasure. Great post, my friend!! {{{hugs}}}
Exactly Haters are gonna hate. Nothing you can do but I just needed to express my opinion. It was really pissing me off that people are acting like this.
As far as I am concerned, if you aren’t grabbing multiple copies for nefarious purposes, you can take as many books as you can afford to get home. I have seen a lot of great upcoming books on other people’s BEA haul posts that I hadn’t heard of yet. If I ever get to go to BEA, it will probably be a once in a lifetime thing and I will definitely want to take full advantage of the opportunity.
Exactly, I shouldn’t have to explain and a lot of them I plan to read. I love looking at all the book hauls and I am not jealous at all about how many or which ones they got. They just got to ones I didn’t. BEA is a great experience.
First of all, I have to say that because I am not as active on twitter so I missed the fact that someone is selling ARCs on eBay. It honestly doesn’t surprise me though. I recently had a run in with a very shady book blogger and I am convinced it is her. That’s terrible. It could very well be a librarian or a book seller though, too. Who know. Shame on that individual. That makes us all look bad.
I got a ton of books and I admit I do feel sort of bad about it. I had NO IDEA I would walk away with so many books. I am promoting the hell out my haul though. I think that is what those publishers and authors were hoping for. I will be crediting the publishers for giving those ARCs to me. I have some giveaways planned, one is even going on right now. I dare someone to throw shade at me. I went through a lot of trouble to get to BEA and spent a ton of money on passes and breakfasts and also blogger con.
I also have to admit that I clicked over to this post because of something else that was brought to my attention at BEA. I was hoping someone else would talk about it, but I guess it has to be me. I am afraid to broach the topic, but I think it NEEDs to be said. I don’t know, I am still offended by what happened but I feel like maybe it will just be more negative and we need more positive posts. I am glad you typed this up and through it out there. I still like you. Actually, I like you even more now.
I’m tired of keeping things to myself when most things are BS and just jealous people who can’t mind their own business. It saddens me that this is happening, book bloggers are so awesome but those few bad apples always now how to ruin it. What else did I miss?
I still like you. 🙂 I totally agree with you on this – I got A LOT of books at BEA, but I refuse to feel bad about it. I’ve already read three of them (I’m on my fourth now), so I know I’ll manage to read them all eventually. And when you spend the money and time to attend BEA, I don’t feel like it’s so crazy to get books in return – the whole point is to publicize them!
And… this is why I’m not as active online as I used to be. My job is stressful enough. I don’t need people I don’t know throwing their shade at me. Brava! This was very well said, and obviously much needed. Who cares how many books you picked up? You invested a lot of money attending BEA with the hotel, plane, etc. Not only that, but many of the bloggers who go have actual day jobs that they took off from to attend. I think those of you who went deserve everything you can get. Especially considering that most people don’t make money off their blogs, and what they do make probably didn’t even cover their hotel room. ARCs are a great way to get “paid” for what we do, even though most of us would blog even without them. Ignore the haters. They don’t even deserve your time.
Amen Sister! I know I went into BEA not even knowing half the authors that would be there or the books being given out. I got books shoved in my hands I had publishers tell me about a book and hook me. I went in thinking I wouldn’t get many books but like you I found so many knew books and new authors to try and I am excited about each book I got and I hope I love them all and if I don’t like you I will pass them along to someone else so they can love it. 🙂 Selling ARC’s is just so wrong and breaks me heart as a blogger. 🙁 P.S. I hope you and I both love that Jack the Ripper book! 😉
I love you even more now, Michelle! You are right! Nobody but ourselves should be preoccupied with how many books we got! My husband’s eyes bugged out a little when he saw my loot, but then they softened when he saw that I had thought of him as well… A beautiful book with photos of Chicago Then and Now – he loves those books to see the changes in architecture and urban planning. And I got three physical books to give away, too. With the author or the publisher’s permission – they were happy I wanted to do a Europe only giveaway, as that doesn’t happen very often.
I’m not going to let anyone take a shot at my joy of being able to go to BEA, meet you and other of my favorite bloggers, and just hang out, chat about books, laugh, chat more about books and have fun!!
Great post, my dear. *hugs*
I hate it when people have to ruin a great experience for someone. I’m hoping to have the chance to go to BEA at least once to enjoy everything – the authors, publishers, ARCs and especially meeting other bloggers. How can they say book reviewers don’t have an impact?! I will always look at reviews before I make a decision. And once I find something I truly loved I tell people about it. It is so frustrating that there will always be someone attending conferences just to sell everything. That spot in line could have went to a true fan who may have missed out on the ARC. This is a great post and true book lovers will agree with you. I can’t wait to read your BEA post so I can be jealous (in a good way) of the fun you had!!
As the person who directed you to Jack the freaking Ripper (because I am a tad bit obsessed and picked up the book even though it is ya) Rock on sister! No seriously though I was there as a book club host and blogger and speaker….. I came home with 70 books for me and another 29 for book club. Not selling any but the idea that I should be limited….. Nope! Love ya!
LMAO! I might be Jacks biggest fan lol. What is it with him that makes us so obsessed! 🙂
I still love you! But I also feel the same way on the issue. Selling ARCs is just wrong, but grabbing a bunch in excitement which you’ll likely read or pass on to someone who will read them??? Totally fine! Even if you don’t read them, well….oh well. Sure that book could have gone to someone else who will 100% definitely read/promote it, but that can be said to just about everything in existence.
I know for sure that when I finally go to BEA that I’m going to overdo it on the book grabbing, but I’m easily excitable and love discovering random new-to-me books (helloooo Amazon freebie queen over here!!!). And I read a lot. We all know this. I will get a lot of books but I will also probably read all of them as well. Or if I change my mind, I’ll pass them on, like I do with every single other book that I finish with. I don’t need anyone telling me that as a blogger I shouldn’t get so many books. I will, sorrynotsorry.
I hate the ugly that is out there. There are a few bad apples on both sides of the fence and most bloggers, authors and publishers don’t feel that way. Don’t. let any of this stress you. I had a wonderful time, met wonderful bloggers, publishers and authors. I laughed …because like you I had all books personalized to me and some children’s books that I will review for Nonna’s corner made out to Sophia, my grandbaby. Some folks, like myself paid for the Avid reader pass a 120.00 that let us get 10 signed books..so smh to people complaining. I showed pics of my books, and will indicate they are from BEA as I read them. I too got the Ripper book and cannot wait to read/review it.. Now shake off the nasty and remember the awesome time we all had.
Think I am more annoyed that this happened than anything else. I loved all the books I received and I was honored to get them and like you I got a few for my daughter because she couldn’t come with me. Shannon Hale is her favorite so I had to get a book signed for her. I will indicate also the books I plan to read from BEA. I just hate that people are so negative all the time, I like POSITIVE 🙂 I am never jealous of other peoples books, joking I will say I am but I am not really only because some bloggers are more popular than me and that is totally fine. I am happy with my little blog 🙂
I had an amazing time and very glad I was able to meet you in person! 🙂
I don’t think anyone has the right to tell others what they should or shouldn’t have grabbed. And I can imagine that if you walk around a convention like that there always will be books you never heard of before that catch your attention. There’s nothing wrong with that, that’s normal. We’re book lovers and BEA sounds like paradise for book lovers.
Oh and I can’t wait for your BEA wrap up post, even though I am a bit jealous and I wish i could be there, I also like seeing those posts and it makes me happy you got to go there and experience all the awesomeness. I am just happy for those who got to go there.
And I am so sad to hear about the blogger selling books on Ebay. And like you said when things like that happen it feels like everyone gets grouped together. I also see it with attitudes towards tour organizers or even authors sometimes. One person does something bad, but everyone gets the bad name even if they didn’t do anything wrong. It’s a shame when things like this happen.
I have done a few posts on my blog about how people find new to them authors for example and so many of the comments said through other blogs. So yes I am pretty certain that bloggers do help sell books, maybe other techniques work well too, but I also believe bloggers and reviews are very valuable to authors.
Me either and I find what wrong. Most publishing companies are happy to see bloggers and some not so much but whatever, I totally understand. I just think it’s a convention to get books out and the best way for that to happen is with a blogger, librarian and bookseller. I hate how people look down on bloggers.
I will have my post up next week since I am still writing it. We had so much fun 🙂
They do it a lot apparently this was the first time I actually heard it done so fast after BEA. I hate how they lump us all together.
I agree, most of my book recs come from other bloggers, it’s really all I read. A lot of the publisher websites aren’t really easy to find out what will be coming soon. I try to keep up but I find reading blog posts to be so much easier.
But I *AM* jealous of all the books all my friends got! But in a good way. Not in a spiteful bitch way. 😀
To address whoever said that bloggers don’t help sell books, wtf?! I’m speechless at that attitutde and if I ever saw an author and/or publisher saying that I would never read them. What are we? Your slave labor? If I love a book I’ll promote it as best I can. If I don’t love it, I move on. Just because I’ve been given a book (that I’ve actually asked for, btw) only means I’ll read and review it. That’s it. End of obligation. Sweet bejeebus. People are ridiculous.
Which brings me to people selling ARCs on Ebay. Seriously? Can we say douchecanoe? Twatwaffle? Cuntpuddle? *turns around and kicks dirt over them*
My three favorite words in on comment! LMAO
I am jealous of some friends but in a good way too. I hate when others get all bent out of shape about what books someone else got.
I was trying to find the tweet I saw it on but can’t seem to remember who it was. It was actually annoying that someone would even say that. I find most of my books from other bloggers.