Disillusioned

So today I got a jumpstart on one of those things on my To-Do list, namely clean up my bookshelf. It was somewhat forced, since my mom decided to move it which required the entire thing be emptied in order to do so. But that's okay, because now I can actually get to the task of sorting my books. It's been far too long since I actually did any sort of cull that I think it's now long overdue. A few I'm ready to toss, the story just doesn't grab me anymore but when I came to my Anne Rice books I was kind of on the fence. I still enjoy the stories, one I still have to read, but a big part of me isn't as enchanted with them anymore. Why? I no longer love the author.

Anyone who's familiar with Anne Rice knows she's prone to having some rather negative reactions. A couple of her well-known tizzies were about Tom Cruise being cast as Lestat (and later publically raved about him after the movie did well), and the poor reviews Blood Canticle received. She reached a point where she was obviously unable to take criticism, as it seemed after Queen of the Damned her books - at least her vamp ones - started to be less and less well-received. Memnoch the Devil was especially poorly received. Maybe this shouldn't affect how a reader views the work of an author, but it does to me. Especially when said author all but accuses her fans of being stupid. How does that endear you to my money? Fans deserve a little more respect than that I think, though I'm sure there are fans who can look past the childish stupidity and still enjoy the books for what they are and kudos to them. Really it's all personal choice, but I just find it so hard to continue enjoying someone's work when they decide to publically be such a jerk. I just don't look at them the same anymore.

Have you ever lost love for books when the author has had some rather ugly public displays?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I never read Anne Rice, but I did read her rant on Amazon. How bizarre was that? So, now I don't think I ever want to read her. I don't know authors well enough to form opinions of them, but I've had that same feeling for actors and actresses.

Maria Zannini said...

This happens a lot more often than authors realize.

I've taken several authors off my read list when they come off as jerks, especially on their blogs--and especially when they rant about politics.

Authors need to realize that just because they sell a few books, it does not make them qualified authorities.

They didn't lose a sale because they bashed one political position or another. They lost a sale because they came off as ill-mannered twits.

Hannah said...

Most of the authors I love hide from me...er, the public.

I did have an opinion on James Patterson after I met him, when I didn't have an opinion about before.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Oooh Anne Rice is a Nutter!

Yeah i've changed my opinion on a few author's here or there.

 

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