Decision?
Boy my life is full of question marks these days. I think I have decided on a course of action for continuing my education this upcoming academic year. I have a tentative plan…and I am glad. It is something I can live with for now. Now I just need to contact my old professors to line up some recommendations and then find the energy to accomplish all that I want and need to…
Fifty Shades of BS?
I’ve been hearing about this book “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James. Actually before I heard anything about it, I saw the book in the bookstore on Mackinac Island and was intrigued. The synopsis sounded really good — excellent marketing perhaps. At the time I thought, “I’m gonna’ have to read this book.”
Then I overheard two women talking about the book when I was in the Cupola Bar at the Grand Hotel. Again I was intrigued until they began favorably comparing the book to the Twilight series. I was like, “What!?” and had to see if these women were actually grown adults or just late teens…they were grown women, probably older than me. Again, I was like, “What!?” and “Maybe I don’t have to check that book out after all.” See, I started reading the Twilight series and though initially I liked it, it soon grew boring and I began to see through my own romantic fantasy haze to the poor writing — not much plot but for clichés and tired characters. If this Fifty Shades of Grey book was like that but only with sex, why bother?
Still I was curious so I checked the book out on Amazon. It got some really good reviews but the crappy reviews were more convincing. I decided that I still may read the book (might be good for a laugh, an erotic thrill, or maybe some inspiration) but I wasn’t going to waste my money buying the thing.
I happened to be at the Flint Public Library (love that place) yesterday so I decided to see if they had that book. I briefly scanned the New Fiction rack and didn’t see it so I looked it up on the computer…library probably owns more than 10 copies and all were checked out. Wow! This must be some kind of book! This made me really want to get my hands on it. Of course, I knew everyone was talking about it…
Finally today I read a features article in my local paper sort of trashing the novel.
It just about took away my desire to read the novel. I am still curious to see what it is all about but I am more pissed that BS like this novel gets published and becomes a bestseller. How disappointing to say the least. What the —- is wrong with people that all they seem interested in reading these days is this kind of immature, trite trash? What is wrong with our culture? Grrr.
Perhaps I am a little jealous…I mean I could have thrown crap like this on paper years ago and been a bestselling author by now…cause Lord knows I have quite the imagination but in my lesser moments (mostly when I was a teen or in my early 20s) — when I was tired and telling myself a little story to put me to sleep, I have come up with stories such as Twilight or as in this novel — TO PUT MYSELF TO SLEEP. HA!! Why didn’t I write that sh…ah, stuff down? Oh, I know, because I fell asleep and sh..stuff was dismissed by my brain as a waste product; because I have higher standards. I don’t know…shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’? Man, I really don’t need to try so hard, I should start writing down any trash and selling it. Okay, okay –I know –I am getting carried away. I shouldn’t judge a book by a few bad reviews…I guess I should probably read it first 🙂
But if it is like Twilight or some teenage girl semi-erotic fantasy then I am going to be really pissed…too many other really good books to spend time with, not to mention that most any semi-literate person could write crap like that BS!
Jacquelyn's Space 