Well, it looks as if one of the bullies :
And what do we have to say about this? Well, we agree with her. Of course there are a few points we’d like emphasize/convey.
“Does that sound like a fair, unbiased, objective review to you? Doesn’t to me. I know that most SPA books are, in fact, quite atrocious, to the point that everyone’s talking about how horrible they are as a rule. But to go into a book deliberately looking for things to criticize is not ‘reading a book’.”
True. Although, we disagree about most SPA books being atrocious. Some are. Some aren’t. In fact, many of us here have found that the majority of SPA books we’ve read are actually quite good. So, for us it’s the opposite.
And we don’t agree that the authors she mentions at the end are loathsome. These are authors we hold in high esteem because they had the courage to speak out against the bullies and what they do.
“I’m sure someone will argue that a reviewer has no obligation to write a fair, unbiased, objective review, but what value does the review have, then? It’s just one person throwing rocks at another, screaming, “You’re such a doodie head! I’m going to try to sabotage your career now because you’re personally such a loathsome douche nozzle!”
Aren’t reviews supposed to be about the BOOKS?”
Uh… how long have we been saying this? It’s good to know you’re finally getting it, though, Ederyn.
“As for the fake reviews, we have to trust that an actual customer will eventually buy that book, be totally disgusted with it and leave an honest, untainted review of said work, questioning the legitimacy of all the gushing 5-star reviews. So leave it to the real customers. ”
Or how ’bout this? We have to trust that actual customers will eventually buy the book, love it and leave honest, untainted reviews of said work, questioning the legitimacy of all the nasty, vitriolic one-star reviews that are posted because your troll friends hate the author. So, let’s leave it to the real customers, shall we?
“I hate to be in the position of defending BBAs. I mean, errrgh…I seriously HATE being in the position of defending BBAs, but the ATWR is exactly the kind of crap that gives STGRB credence.”
Bingo! If the trolls didn’t behave the way they do, we wouldn’t have even started our blog. But you have to remember, we didn’t just start our blog because of bully reviews. That was just part of it. We started our blog because of the blatantly vicious attacks on authors who just tried to make things right. A few examples:
- The hate campaign against Kiera Cass started by Wendy Darling when Kiera tried to apologize for her agent’s behavior, but Wendy ignored her and stalked Kiera’s Twitter, taking screenshots back to the “hive.” Then, she went to Publisher’s Weekly and had them write up an article on it.
- The attack on an author led by Kat when said author tried to explain her position.
- The attack on Eve Thomas when she tried to apologize. Story in Apology Not Accepted.
I mean, the list goes on: libeling, stalking, threatening, harassing, breaking into private accounts, outing their PII, et cetera, et cetera. THIS is what fuels our blog and the more they do it, the more we have to write about.
“So what’s an honest review? A review that comes from a customer off the street who stumbles across a book, discovers it’s horrible, and leaves a scathing review. It doesn’t have to be constructive, polite, or helpful to the author in any way, for reviews, as we all know, are for the customers. A simple “OMG THIS SUCKS!!” is a perfectly objective review…IF it comes from someone with no prior experience with this book or this author. If you read the book BEFORE the train wreck and hated it, but never posted your review, then of course your review is perfectly legitimate, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t post it now. Just don’t give me that shit that you “…don’t hate the author. I have no feelings about the author whatsoever. This is entirely about the work.” Oh, badger shit.”
Again, here’s another example: a review that comes from a customer off the street who stumbles across a book, discovers it’s great, and leaves a favorable review.
It’s very telling that even Ederyn, who seems to get the whole bully review thing, automatically assumes that the review is going to be a bad one. This is really a fundamental axiom on which the bully mindset is based.
Now, what happened to after this post went up?
You see, the snakes are eating each other again. We’ve seen this several times before. In fact, Ederyn was booted out of the Asshat group because of this post. If you pay close attention to the Asshat group’s member number, it is rapidly dwindling, which is certainly due to the bullies’ erratic behavior.
Again, snakes eating each other.
Really, if you want to know how stupid these people are, we know of several authors (who shall not be named here) who’ve posted fake books on GR just to see what the trolls would do. And of course, the one-star fly-bys, the revenge reviews and the derogatory shelving began as soon as the books went up.
That’s right! On FAKE books. It’s like catching a bunch of stupid piranha’s with fake bait. Hilarious!
And speaking of stupid piranha’s, we’ve had confirmation from one of our site visitors that Angela is indeed operating behind multiple socks on GR and Amazon. More on that to come.
Now, we want to end with this, Coaxial’s confession. It’s hilarious. As you read, notice the gross grammatical, spelling, and punctuational errors in her comment:
Now, is this someone who is really qualified to line edit anything?
Oh, irony at its best!
« Pete Morin Review Swapping Something Rotten at the Core of GR »
For those of us that are a little lost (or maybe I’m the only one lost). What does SPA stand for?
Self-published author.
LOL – You weren’t the only one that was unaware. I thought it might have something to do with sci-fi, but then that really didn’t fit with the post.
Poor little Ederyn! I feel sorry for her. But she’s young, hopefully she can be redeemed.
Of course it had to be Coaxial leading the attack. Wordy, semi-literate, incoherent reviews are her life. Take them away from her and what has she got?
An afterthought: it’s amazing how she so unconsciously nails the bias these bullies have in favour of negative reviews. If an author’s fans comment on a negative review, you hear a lot of shrieking about how the ‘fangirls’ are silencing the ‘readers.’ Apparently ‘fangirls’ aren’t real readers and their opinions don’t count. But twenty people can post nasty comments questioning the legitimacy of a positive review and you won’t hear a peep about them attacking ‘readers.’
Exactly.
WOW! How ironic! Ederyn was one of the bullies and now those bullies have turned on her!
Yes, STGRB you are right. This is not the first time the bullies have turned on each other. They are a vile nasty lot!
I gotta agree with Goronwy’s after thought! Spot on Goronwy!
Thanks, Juno!
If you guys click on the very first link, you’ll see some of the top bullies doing damage control by sort-of supporting Ederyn. Except for Coaxial, who thinks it’s all a fiendish misogynist plot.
Yep, I saw that! The bullies say that they never read STGRB and yet the minute STGRB post a new blog story they react.
Zahara (AKA Anna Karenina) commented on Ederyn blog 12 minutes after STGRB posted this story. Coincidence? Um? I think not! Those bullies read STGRB more then anyone else. Yet, they claim otherwise. Hehe!
Coaxial sounds like she writes out everything in a different language, then goes to Google translate to have her text changed to English. The grammar, the words, and other little things all point to a bad Google translate. I’ve used it a few times on languages I don’t understand and the translation I got was really weird, just like Coaxial’s language… 😀
LMAO!
As if you needed a reason to think Coaxial was a nutjob who shouldn’t be taken seriously, she’s been reviewing while drunk. That may explain the grammar and other problems. Someone will probably want to get a screen shot of this:
And yet another:
These idiots do nothing but make me want to buy up and read all the books they slam. I am now out looking for Battlescars. It sounds like a yummy book. XD
And another:
Ederyn hit the nail right on the head when she said this: But I find I’m making a mental list of reviewers to avoid in the same way I first started making a list of authors to avoid. I just can’t trust their reviews if I know they hated the book before they ever cracked it open.
How can you take the Coaxial Idiot seriously?
It’s a lot like Hitler’s Germany, isn’t it? Stick with the party line or risk getting shot as a traitor.
I totally and completely agree with Rick. I have only been self published for a few months now, but after being viciously attacked, I quickly woke up to what this troll thing was about. Believe me, I was shocked because honestly, I’d never seen anything like it. I decided to dig deeply into both sides of the controversy, and discovered that it was almost impossible to eliminate the jealousy factor. Yes, pure and simple jealousy. Also, I found that these cyber stalking ugly trolls attacked authors for everything but their book! I found attacks on authors politics, views on life and content of their books. What the hell is that? That is not a book review. It’s a personal vendetta, a sour puss who has nothing better to do in life than sit on their computer all day long and scour the forums for something they disagree with personally….ridiculous.
These trolls try and make every excuse in the world for their behavior, typical of a mentally disturbed individual who produces nothing in life but negative behavior, jealousy and terror. And that opinion right there came from a clinical psychologist friend with a PHD, so you can take that to the bank and deposit it. These people are unhappy with their own lives, unhappy with their own productivity, and whatever else they don’t have going on for them, thus, we have jealousy personified. If they would look at themselves in the mirror, they certainly would not like what they see, and I would recommend that some need professional counseling for sure.
I watched a forum thread with Anna Karenina in the lead as “queen”, being stroked and complimented for her viciousness, then her complimenting herself on her costume. Yes, I even found that these truly obsessed trolls dress themselves up in their mind, as a character, a hero, a villain, a whatever…then they gather support from their followers, their sheeple, and plan their detailed attack on any given unsuspecting author. Later on after the attack, they bask in their glory by complimenting each other on the success of the ruination of a book, a career, a person. Is this not sick? Again, I asked the PHD friend. Beyond sickness. Disturbingly dangerous was her response.
During my research I also noticed that the length of the trolls scolding, and I have to call it scolding because it certainly is NOT a book review in any way…the scolding of the author is usually so lengthy that it boggles the brain. I mean, it’s almost like these disturbed individuals are seeking control, power and recognition, not development of a skill as a reviewer. I see no skill in what they do, I only see extreme disturbia. The thrill of the chase, the power of the takeover, the orgasm of the defeat and beat down…very disturbing indeed.
As I continue watching, reading and gathering opinions from professional psychologists on this subject, I believe there may be a university study coming, perhaps a dissertation by a PHD candidate on the subject. I am pushing for it. As a very inexperienced, basically new person at the writing game, I feel that turning this over to professional counselors is the wise choice.
After what I’ve been told by professional counselors, I am simply not buying any of the excuses that these disturbed trolls have put forth. None.
If both sides were sitting in with clinical psychologists, what would the outcome be?
Passion is a positive obsession. Obsession is a negative passion.
Verrrrrry interesting… (*stroking chin thoughtfully*)
Do keep us informed.
US States Department? Why?
Yes, I can’t imagine what the US Dept. of State could have to do with the GR gang either Lost, so we’re both lost. hehe
Maybe one of the so-called reviewers on Goodreads decided to try telling some government apparatchik that Carroll Bryant had terrorist ties???
Interesting indeed. I am curious as to how this will work itself out and how the situation with Rick Carufel works out.
It is not my intention to argue anything you’re saying here – I just think you have your federal agencies mixed-up. This describes the US State Dept:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State
They send you your passport and deal with foreign affairs and travel. Even if, as Karig stated in a comment, one of the GR gang made a false terrorism related report (which I seriously doubt), it wouldn’t be the US Department of State at your door. It would be the FBI at your door. Perhaps you’re thinking about the DOJ (Department of Justice)?
Anyway, none of the nastiness that they’re capable of is worthy of a police report.
I disagree. When cyberstalking moves to a level of organized mob attacks on a person’s reputation, career and income, it becomes a crime that can be prosecuted in a court of law. I believe we will be seeing this soon.
Well, okay then – define cyberstalking please?
Also, do you actually believe that the US Dept. of State shows-up at anyone’s door over anything related to this? Please explain.
I have already lost income as a result of the GR gang attack, but it seems that a few reviews were removed, so it may be over for me. I never tolerate abuse and always do something (some level of something) in response to it. However, dialing the feds over it would be absurd. They’d laugh me off the phone. And I have been the victim of false police reports more than once. Attack my income, my reputation, and my life and I’ll do something to pay you back. File a false police report and I’ll know everything about you before the week is over and probably file a civil suit in the end. Just sayin’…
If you look up cyberstalking mob attacks you will find definitions, and also, you’ll find various state laws that are constantly being updated according to reports that they receive from citizens. There is much to come on this subject, I am sure no one has heard the last of it, and I am also sure that anyone who knowingly attacks another person for the purpose of doing harm to them, regardless of whether it’s over the internet or not, will pay in the end. These are intentional acts, remember that. If you choose to do this, to sit at your computer all day long and plan attacks, then you are going to be categorized as a stalker. Just my opinion, but I think the keyword here is gang or mob or leader or someone who leads others in these attacks…the little guys won’t go down, but the leaders will.
TrollHunter,
All that you say is correct and I do agree with the definition being related to a gang mentality and instigating an online mob attack. I do feel that if they had kept it on GR or their own blogs, they have certain rights. However, what Carroll has described is something else entirely. Death threats? Wow.
I also do not understand how a few of these people have the time for all of this. Look at Angela – she’s written so many books, says she’s a mother etc… in her profile, yet she dedicates a serious amount of time on a regular basis to this pursuit. Same thing with Nenia (not sure of name), the Miranda alias and more – these are all authors.
In my opinion, GR will get a grip on the problem in the not-too-distant future. Many of these people have used GR as their playground, but I think that will be changing and they’ll need to find a new one.
If you dug around you’d find that these (mostly women) are all nuts in some way. They have political agendas, causes and mind games…all of which I find pathetic. Hell, get a life!
I think it’s pretty clear what the definitions are, available anywhere around online…
Examples of what constitutes cyberbullying include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down, falsely discredit, or humiliate the recipient. The actions are deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior intended to harm another.
Actually, the definitions of cyberstalking, stalker, bully vary online. I have my definition and you have yours, but I did agree with the gang / mob mentality part. I do have info on a few of the names and then I also know a couple of the people, though I have had no contact with the two I do know in some time. In other words, all the names that I see from the Amazon past on the sidebar are not all terrible people. Many of the GR people are another story and I think that’s because they’re allowed to act with impunity over there, but the worst of them are also authors.
I admit to knowing nothing about GR when I dared to comment in reference to certain shelving that had nothing at all to do with the book. To me some of the worst shelving (Angela’s vomit thing comes to mind) reveals more about the person that created it than it ever will about the books included.
All this talk about prosecutions and calling the feds is a turn-off to me though. I only found this site because some clown shelved one of my books as “supports stgrb” so I did the natural thing and Googled the acronym. I truly appreciate all of the info that I found on this site. At least I know I was not alone with the group attack.
But I am a defense person and always will be. The last time I dialed the police for help was in 1989, and I ended-up arrested on an “obstruction of justice” charge. Oh the judge tossed it out and expressed his total shock at what was done to me for several days and with no bond, but not before my father threatened to catch the next flight to Oklahoma City and walk into the US Attorney’s Office. My mistake – I’ll take care of it myself – and actually *that* was all I said that resulted in that arrest. I have terrible luck with cops, probably because I do not kiss arse well. I have known frequent cop callers and informants and consider them to be the dregs of society. So as much as there is some plan to see these people charged with anything, I’m better off out of here and will walk my mile alone.
Thank you for your honest responses.