Before I get to today’s question, I found this on author Jo Leigh’s blog yesterday:
Wow, everywhere I go that has discussions about the RITA, I’m hearing that Blaze authors didn’t bother to enter their Blaze novels. I didn’t, and I think I’ve counted about a dozen others who didn’t. So what’s up with this? Something is really rotten in Denmark if romance authors – terrific romance authors – aren’t even bothering to enter their industry awards because they know they won’t get a fair read. I’m betting that Blaze authors aren’t the only ones who aren’t entering. So the writers lose, RWA loses money, and the poor RITA becomes even more meaningless to the publishing industry and to the public at large.
Uh, yep! There’s no point. Not anymore. I didn’t enter anything. I could have done so, even as a non-member, but why bother when such a large percentage of our supposed “peers” want our books banned completely for being depraved. Yes. I heard that this week. (If you didn’t enter this year, why not? Feel free to post anonymously; your email addy won’t show to anyone but me and my lips are sealed.)
Update: I posted this in the comments to another entry below, but am posting it here, too:
The RITA process goes like this. An author pays a fee of $40 to enter each book she wishes to enter. Her books are then sent out to a panel of 5 of her peers. If her scores are one of the highest in her judging bracket, she goes on to the next panel of 5. Not all authors enter because not all want to pay the fee. (And if you’re not an RWA member, then I believe the fee is $140.) And since many peers refuse to read hot books and will send them back if they get any in their panel, many of us who write hot books don’t bother to enter any longer.
Now, do you belong to any author chat loops? If so, do you look for info on books, camaraderie with other readers, a closer glimpse at the author, writing tips . . . what? If I started a chat loop, would anyone be interested, or want to moderate it? Sing out, and tell me what it is about author chat loops that brings in readers and fans.
On Monday, 4/3 at noon central, I’ll pick one name from those of you who comment here to win a copy of DEEP BREATH.
Comment
I didn’t inter ‘cuz:
1) I’m a lazy bum.
2) About 1/5th of people hate my books, so it didn’t seem worth it.
Comment
Blazes are depraved? Holy cow! I had no idea. I just read and enjoyed GOES DOWN EASY. How could that possibly be depraved or not worthy of being considered for a RITA?!
Don’t enter me for DEEP BREATH. I already won, read, and enjoyed mine (review to commence Apr 1 for viral marketing). :)
Comment
I wasn’t eligible this year. Next year? eh.I write erotic suspense. So, probably not.
Comment
Wow – I guess I never really considered that my reading choices are viewed as depraved. What would they think about Emma Holly’s books, I wonder?
Comment
My, My, I read/buy Blaze books all the time and some of the ones I have read are really good. You just have to have a strong plot and believeable characters to be nominated for any award. They can always have a steamy romance category for both historicals and contemporaries.
As for author groups, I belong to a lot of them. I look for info on books, making new friends with similar reading tastes, exclusive contests and chat with the author. It is a great feeling to be able to reach out to people whom you have never met but are similar to you.
Well, Alison, you do a great job here at your blog. You just need a remainder service to make it complete. A yahoo group is practically the same in my opinion but if you still want it, by all means make one up. Please make sure that you send out imp info as Special notices so that people can jump in whever they want without flooding their mailboxes with chit chat.
I would join it but I still think this blog is great.
Comment
Why is a Blaze depraved and a book by Lisa Kleypas or Nora Roberts isn’t? I have read and enjoyed both and I don’t see why all aren’t judged on their individual merits.
I am not a big fan of author chat loops because of all the e-mail it generates.
Comment
What? Blazes are considered depraved? That’s crazy talk. I love the Blaze line, and it’s only gotten better since its inception. They’re romances, so I don’t understand where that attitude is coming from. How utterly disappointing.
I’m with Maureen on this about author loops. I love coming here because it gives me the choice of when and how often I visit and I don’t have to weed through a ton of emails – very time-consuming. And I hate digest. I already belong to a couple and I don’t plan on joining any others. I think this blog is much more effective. JMHO.
Comment
I can’t believe that some people think that Blaze books are depraved. There are a lot more graphic books out there.
I agree that I like coming to a blog better than participating in author loops. Too many emails.
Comment
Hey, Alison. I didn’t have a Blaze to enter this year, but I sucked it up and entered two of my books in other categories…KNOWING I’d get no where because both books were really hot. I thought one might have had a chance because the first chapter wasn’t over-the-top sexy the way my books usually are (it comes later ) but no dice. I had a story in the collection with Cherry Adair (she finalled) but my story was SO sexy, I didn’t bother entering.
I finalled last year with a story that was very, very sexy. However, I later learned that three of my five first-round judges were already familiar with my work. In other words, they knew what to expect and weren’t shocked by the exploration of sexuality I often have in my stories. So it was luck of the draw.
All contests are luck of the draw, of course. I found it very interesting that among former Temptation writers who judged, we received mostly Traditional (ie, no sex or very little) books to read! Makes you wonder who got the Blazes!
Comment
I didn’t enter, but then again, I’m not real big on entering contests~I’ve only entered a few. I’m just too lazy.
However, I can see exactly where you are coming from. Why waste the time, the money…and the frustration when there’s a good chance the book will not get a fair shot just because it’s hot?
Comment
I heard some really strange things about the RITA and the way how the books are chosen.
Author chat loops:
I met a lot of great people on those loops, readers as well as authors. Its a great way to find information about new books, authors, recommendations etc. It’s really fun
Comment
Lydia — wondered whether you entered or not. I guess I have my answer.
Alison — When I join an author loop — mostly I want to know what they’re up to as in what kind of promo they’re doing, etc. because I think it’s interesting. Also I prefer to see some interesting dialogues beyond “Who’s your favorite hunk?” Maybe things like some cool research stuff (like Tess Gerritsen has on her website) they found while writing, any background story about the main characters that’s interesting but didn’t make it to the book, etc. :)
Comment
I think it’s a shame that you can’t enter a contest because you know you won’t be judged fairly. Bad form.
As for author loops. I am on several, and plan to spend some time in the next day or so leaving several of them. There are too many that I simply don’t take part in or have lost interest in and I’m spending too much time doing mass deletes. I’m on a couple where the discussion isn’t always about books, but I’ve met and come to truly care about the others on the loop. Some loops often are used as a sort of instant messaging system between two or three people; totally inconsiderate of others on that loop.
I love visiting your blog and often visit several times a day to see the latest comments. I know that I would join any loop that you are a part of, but I personally don’t think you need one. Your blog topics never fail to be diverse, thought-provoking and entertaining.
Comment
Every year someone brings up the “won’t be judged fairly” argument and every year it puzzles me. Why? Because I can “judge” all sorts of books on their own merits – so why can’t authors? In fact, if reviewers did this sort of crap we’d get run out of the building. Why can’t a person read a Silhouette Romance, then an Emma Holly book, and not like and appreciate both? I don’t get it. Just don’t.
Then again, I suspect I’m just weird. I know the whole “peer awarded” thing has glout – but RWA really should think about opening up the judging panel IMHO….
Comment
Jo sent me – and she should have known better. I have been reading Harlequin romances for over 30 years and I have watched their progression from simple, closed-door stories to the very much open-doors of the Blazes. I started reading Blazes at their inception – and they were nothing more than sex scenes strung together by dialogue – and I loved it! But after a while I got tired of it, and so evidently did Blaze. Suddenly plot-lines abounded – realistic plot lines and I settled down to enjoy some of the best writing in the romance industry. I have been disappointed in my other category love Intimate Moments – where I used to buy every one that came out that month, I have only bought 3 in the past 4 months. But the Blazes continue to give me hours of reading pleasure. Does having a RITA make a difference? Sometimes – but only to those readers who just have to read any book that has won an award of any kind (or that Oprah tells them to read). But just like there have been some great actors who didn’t need an Oscar to have a successful career (can anybody say Cary Grant), I don’t think the Blaze authors are going to be hurt much without a RITA.
Comment
Because I can “judge” all sorts of books on their own merits – so why can’t authors? In fact, if reviewers did this sort of crap we’d get run out of the building.
Wendy, exactly! I don’t for a minute by the argument that someone who doesn’t read a particular genre can’t judge it. Bull facking hockey. A book is a book is a book. So what if the romantic conflict is played out through sex (Blaze), suspense (IM), faith (LI), danger (Intrigue), aliens, etc., (as Shanna Swendson so succinctly said. Those are all choices of tastes, what we want to read or write. They have nothing to do with how a book works or doesn’t!
Comment
… depraved? o.O
And here I was thinking they were, well, tame. >_
Comment
How ironic. Romance books being rejected because of the sex.
Comment
I don’t think the readers care what awards the books have received. They just read what they like.
I’m agree with Maureen, too,about author loops. You get too much mail when you belong to them and a lot of it is stuff you aren’t interested in. I prefer going to an author’s blog when I have the time.
Comment
Well, I’m glad to hear most of you don’t rely on author loops for your info and chatting! I really prefer doing things right here!
Comment
I have my own loop right here in my Land O’Cubicles (office). The department I work in is all men but the area next to me is 90% female and they have Romantic Fridays – where they discuss new releases and do a bookswap. I would rather get my information from them than awards or critical acclaim.
Jen
Comment
There is an erotic romance finalist this year. A novella, but hey, a lot of erotic romance is done in novella length. I haven’t read the story, but I certainly intend to. :grin: One small step… and all that jazz.
I didn’t get anything erotic in my RITA pile, sadly. I was hoping. I would’ve loved to read a new-to-me erotic romance author who knocked my socks off.
Comment
Jen – That sounds like so much fun!! I used to share books with a couple of co-workers, but they were usually suspense as they weren’t big romance readers.
Comment
I didn’t realize that come of the books I read are depraved…hmm…I didn’t realize Blazes were depraved. Wonder what that means about some of those books out there that are even hotter.
As for your discussion question, I am a member of several groups and enjoy chatting with other readers and with authors. I have met quite a few people that way. I also visit blogs and get information that way. I like being able to communicate with authors in any way possible whether it is a blog or a loop. I agree that some loops give you too much mail…I set those to digest and read when I have time.
Comment
Well, I would join a messageboard, but not a author loop. With a messageboard, I can drop by any time, and read only the threads that interest me. With a loop it’s harder, and after awhile, people tend to just not read the digests.
Comment
I didn’t enter the Rita. The odds of being judged fairly were too low and the cost of entering as a non-member too high.
Yahoo groups; nooooooo!
Comment
I am on a couple hundred author loops but am only active in a few. I join author loops in the hope of closer interaction with the author (if they are personally involved in running the loop), sneak peeks at upcoming works, trivia about my favourite novels, and to meet like-minded readers. If you start an author loop, I would definitely sign up.
Comment
I could’ve entered the novella category this year, but chose not to because I knew Bravas wouldn’t get a fair shake. I’m glad at least one erotic romance finaled in that category. Like Sylvia said, it’s a start.
Comment
i like talking to them about their books
Comment
Sylvia, I’ve found that the novella category, for some reason, isn’t as apt to get close-minded judges than the other categories. I’m not sure why. But if you look, novella always has a great mix of stories from hot to sweet and historical to paranormal. It’s weird how it works.
Comment
I like your blog better than participating in author loops – but thats just me…I also like reading “depraved” books…and, I live in Utah and actually read them in public sometimes. lol
Comment
I think a reader can read and judge a book even though the genre might not be her favorite. I review and read books I might not otherwise choose to read and have judged some contests in the past as well so I don’t get some of the notions that RWA and RITA bring out.
As to your question about a reader’s loop they are a good way to meet people who like the same authors and they are a great way to learn about new books and find reccomendations you might not otherwise read. On the down side they do generate a great deal of email and much of it a person might not have a comment on. I only belong to a few of these loops…two that are very active and I do delete a lot of mail. To be quite honest in your case I really love your blog and you participate just as much if not more that author’s do on their loops so I don’t really see an advantage in your case to having a loop. JMHO of course.
Comment
On RWA–I think a lot of people take the RITA as a reflection of the whole industry. Therefore, if they don’t believe a book holds to their personal definition of a “romance” then they mark it down. There is a very strong backlash within RWA against “hot” books and romantica. I can’t explain it…I definitely got caught up in it when I wrote an opinion piece in response to the suggestion that our books have “ratings” like movies (I was against it!) All of these letters include the phrase, “I’m not a prude, but…” Ha! Honey, what would you call it?
Anyway, it’s a hot button for me, literally. I can read all sorts of books and judge them on their own merits, but there are quite a few people who cannot. But I’m wondering this year if Blaze’s lack of showing in the RITAs is a reflection of the judge’s inability to open their minds or it’s because so many Blaze authors simply didn’t enter.
Comment
i didnt know i was depraved :) cant wait to tell all my friends….
Comment
Alison I just did a series of Q and A’s with some authors on their chat loops on my blog. There are about a dozen interviews up if you want to get an idea.
I love loops – i’m totally addicted, and I would absolutely love to join yours.
Comment
It was RITA week? Ooops. Lagging behind the current buzz, as usual.
I didn’t enter and haven’t for a while. I didn’t even know non-RWA members could send in a book.
Not that I’m ever going to enter the contest, especially with a $140 fee! I’d much rather buy more books with that kind of money, thankyouverymuch.
An advantage to not RITA-ing is that I don’t get caught up in all the drama. I think the RITA can be useful when it comes to contract negotiations, but nothing beats sales numbers.
Well, and winning a RITA must be great fun. I’m not one to begrudge anybody their moment in the spotlight and a night of partying in sparkly dresses. :)
Comment
I belong to just a few author groups and have signed up to chat with the author and others who enjoy said authors work and also to receive newsletters on upcoming books or any other information.
I’d be interested in your author loop!
Comment
Chat loops can be exhausting unless you you are on special notices only. Some of the ones I belong to are so active, I couldn’t keep up. Especially since I mainly like them for information on upcoming projects and appearances and such. I actually prefer blogs.
They are much more fun.
And gosh, if reading a “Blaze” is depraved, what does reading “Secrets” make you? :0)
Comment
Can’t believe that Blazes are considered depraved. What planet are they on? Do they know what depraved really means?
I enjoy blogs because I get to see how an author thinks in day to day situations and I can comment if I want. (Can you tell I don’t write for a living?)