The Book Nerd

Jenny Trout posted a Pet Peeves blog, and while initially I was going to comment with my peeves, I figured I'd do it in my own space (here) instead.

Yes, I have pet peeves, the kind of things I should just ignore, but can't because of my Angry Pants, or whatever. They're really only micro-annoyances at most ;-) Book-related:

-When authors rate their own books five stars on Goodreads. There's a fine line between self-confidence and arrogance. The Australian culture is not big on arrogance - we have phrases such as "get over yourself", "he's up himself", and Tall Poppy Syndrome. Growing up in a self-deprecating culture, I find that "rate novel I wrote five stars" thing rather "up themselves" ;-)

-When publishers' social media is more about TV/film than books. I follow them because I want BOOK NEWS. Not the various shite they watch that I have no interest in.

-Phrases such as "book boyfriend" and "date a book". THEY'RE BOOKS. THEY'RE CHARACTERS. My role as a reader is a voyeuristic one, where I'm just watching the characters - I'm not self-inserting and getting involved.

-Phrases such as "book nerd" and "book geek". I'M JUST A READER. "Nerd" and "geek" seem to have connotations to them, things that don't match me. So I just want to be known as a reader.

-When supposedly feminist social media such as A Mighty Girl spotlight cishet white men like JG. Hello, this is supposed to be A Mighty GIRL? JG may be "mighty", but I'm pretty sure he doesn't self-identify as female. Is it too much to ask that female-centric media focus on...well, women and girls? (Trans welcome.)

-When publishers seem to promote those books and authors everyone's already heard of, instead of the lesser-known, not-bestselling authors. I know - publicity and promotion is aimed at grabbing the attention of those who are NOT regular book readers, or who only read what promotion and publicity tells them to read. Us long-time regular readers are not publishers' target audience. Kind of a downer.