On publicity and promotion

[girliejones]

Another hat I wear is Executive Editor over at the review site ASif!. In this role, I get posted review copies by publishers requesting reviews of upcoming books, I sort out the assignments amongst the reviewers (reviewers choose their own books and they manage their own workloads) and I mail the books out to them. I like to see all the books

Comments

[angriest]

I think for the benefit of the rest of us you really need to name and shame. Or link to where someone already has, if they have.

[girliejones]

Noone has. The anthology is called "Festive Fear" and the picture in question is easily googleable.

[crankynick]

Here

[transcendancing]

What a horrible thing to get in the mail! I would also feel pretty crappy and ropable about it :/

Do people actually think doing that stuff is a *good* idea? (this is not a question I think I actually want answered...)

I really value that you talk about stuff like this.

[girliejones]

Yeah people do think that, in fact I would imagine they will be quite taken abakc that I have reacted this way, as though it never ever occurred to them that someone might find that offensive.

[sarcasm] It's all in fun afterall, is it not? [/sarcasm]

[jo1967]

I do get just a bit fed up with images of women that have been mutilated (and it's hardly ever men, is it...) and when I express my displeasure being told to "lighten up", or "it's art".

You know what, pictures of mutilated living beings are NOT funny, and it is almost NEVER artistic. And the type of people who like to shock others using this type of image just never grew up past the three year old stage where it was really funny to go up to an adult and say "bum"!

[girliejones]

In this case, the headless refers to the phenomenon of book covers featuring only the middle bit of women - you know, the "good bits" of boob and bum without having to deal with the fact that women have faces and brains that accompany body parts.

But I agree with you - I don't find that kind of material, the mutilating of women remotely clever or insightful or edgy - I just find it repetitively offensive these days. And purile.

[flinthart]

Mm. I think I mentioned on FB that I'm not easily offended, but that I'd make a note of the sender and their sense of humour. I certainly see it as offensive, but my response to things like that these days is a kind of weary contempt. I just don't have enough indignation to go around any more, y'know?

In line with that notion, the last couple of lines of your post very neatly cover my feelings. Shit like this down the pub might get a laugh, whereupon I might just walk out. But shit like this launched into an industry full of educated, literate people -- well, I figure it gets its own reward without me having to allow myself to suffer too much negative feeling.

[girliejones]

I did indeed - and I do know what you mean, it's why mostly I don't bother with that stuff anymore (reading or commenting on it). I have much better things to do and read and get involved in.

Somehow I felt I needed to make comment about it because it was in my mailbox - it felt more intrusive and directed, in a way? And just cause I am weary, I don't think I should let it slide. Obviously the message is not yet getting through as it is. Giving up feels like condoning, in some ways.

And yeah, thought it was good to mention that ... not at the pub, not with a bunch of your friends but in an attempt to look profession, not always a good idea.

[flinthart]

Fair enough, too. I think the choice to respond or not is personal, and depends on how much energy you've got to put into these things, and what results you can hope for.

Mostly, I'm glad it's not getting to you too badly.

[markdeniz]

The card sounds very offensive indeed and had that accompanied a query to us I would more than likely have dismissed the query out of hand, for the same reasons you highlighted above.

[girliejones]

I'm glad to know that!

[flinthart]

That's a good point, and one I forgot to mention: if I was sent something like that with a request-to-review, it's very unlikely I'd be co-operating. Presentation isn't everything, but it counts - and that's a seriously discouraging presentation right there.

[girliejones]

It's very unlikely that I feel like cooperating.

I'm not obligated to do people favours, nor people who insult me in this way.