Anyone, Anyone?

So I spent the evening yesterday reading the conversation on Smart Bitches about the choice of a couple of authors to "dress up" for the RWA literacy signing. It was an interesting discussion, actually, and people had a lot to say (there are close to 100 more comments now than when I shut down last night). Can't decide if I can be arsed to check out the new comments. But while wading through 409 comments, I learned some new and fascinating things and my mind was sent on all kinds of tangents. Here are some things I am curious about:

**Two of the authors under scrutiny are Liz Maverick and Marianne Mancusi who dressed up in the style of the new, anime/manga inspired Shomi line. There was a lot of discussion about the appropriateness of the outfits etc. as well as the appropriateness of wearing said outfits to the events. I'm in the camp that doesn't find the outfits all that shocking. They remind me of something I would've worn for a party in college. All that's missing is some Wine with Everything lipstick and a Rolling Rock. The outfits are part of their marketing campaign to set the line (and themselves) up as the cutting edge of romance. They're aiming to grab that twentysomething demographic that's outgrown YA and disdains Romance. Mancusi and Maverick are calling themselves the Rebels of Romance. Now I am interested in the books (hate the covers), and will try it regardless, but I was surprised to find myself irritated. It bugged me. It seems kind of like this forced, we're cooler than you, cheesy thing. I think its the "rebels" thing that makes me want to sniff and say, "Poseur". A real rebel wouldn't call themselves a rebel. On the other hand, someone in high school would. So perhaps these ladies are just writing to an age group which I am no longer part of. Ehh, I don't really care, I like that someone's trying for something a little different. Didn't care for it though, and was curious if anybody else had a reaction.

**Why Trade? Seriously, I'm not being snarky, what is the point of the trade paperback? Why pay 13-15 dollars for a big paperback? How do they decide if an author will be published in MM, Trade or Hardcover? Is there a reason, publisher-wise for it? I figure there must be, but what is it?

**Dude, did you realize that there are sites that charge for reviews? Oh, I'm sorry, for "guaranteed" reviews. Wow...that's interesting. When I reviewed for SLJ, it was all volunteer reviewers, and I would imagine its the same for most of the other major review journals. Is it cool to charge for reviews? Now I spent all of ten minutes looking around Two Lips Reviews, and I haven't bothered to check out their fee structure. Perhaps it is very reasonable. But I did notice that for the most part it was erotic romance of the electronically published type. Probably doesn't get reviewed in too many places, and I would imagine any exposure is good for an author. I just don't understand the ire directed at bloggers who review honestly, if harshly, who do it because they love to read romance, but no one has a problem with the idea of someone taking money to write a bland, generic review? For the record, if anyone wants a review, I'll do it for free. I can't guarantee an A, but it'll be detailed enough that anyone will know exactly what worked and what didn't. I don't get a ton of hits, but I'm sure I could get my sister to link, and she gets lots of hits :) I was just surprised, and a bit dismayed. I thought people were joking about 4 wet thongs etc.

**This one has nothing to do with RWA, but sadly I can't stop thinking about it. Has anyone seen Rock of Love yet? Train-wreck compelling, for sure. I can't quite figure out what makes this one so much more depressing than, say, Flavor of Love or the one with Peter Brady and Adrianne Curry. That motley crue of chicks they've assembled is very sad. Most of them seem to be taking it deadly serious, and I think my dogs are smarter. At least he didn't keep the weepy, fall-down drunk on. Like I said, it's funny for now, but I'm definitely laughing at them, not with them, and I could see that getting old fast.