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Mood today:
Take a deep breath and click on this SNOTTY NYT ARTICLE about romance readers and romance books. It's about a Washington subway advertisement, by the Greater Washington Initiative (sounds like some alien experiment), that compares two readers while traveling, one reading Plato's The Republic and the other, a *gasp* romance novel (they, of course, use the oh-so-thirty years ago term: Bodice Ripper--do you see anyone wear bodices to work on the subway, gentlemen? Yawnnnn).
***NOTE*** If you can't access the article, type in romancereader(AT)hotmail.com and the password is ROMANCE. Did you get in?
Above the reader holding up the romance book, the heading says: Average Subway Reading. Above Mr. I-AM-REALLY-CONCENTRATING-HERE, it says: "Greater Washington Subway Reading." This ad, believe it or not, is from a group that works at MARKETING for more business investments in the region. Bwah. The spokesman from that group, Tim Priest, said they were just making fun of "their many degrees (***coughcoughof stupiditycough***)" and also "to highlight the region's talented pool (I'm trying not to say add something shallow here, ahem).
Tim, darling (I would call you Mr. Priest, but really, why think of you so respectfully when I'm oh-so-average in your eyes?), let me tell you a secret that Greater Washington DC businessmen WHO DO THEIR RESEARCH would know. Pssst. Come closer. The Romance Writers of America--you know, a legitimate writing group--has NINE THOUSAND members. And they have chosen D.C. as 2009's convention city. TWO THOUSAND PLUS women with MONEY are coming to your city and you've just made quite a number of them pretty mad at you. We average readers of romance have long memories, by the way. You know what? The next time your fine city of political disaster comes up as a suggestion for business and convention sites, I'm going to put my signature on the Fuhgeddebouddit column.
Snark.
Coffee, anyone?
On the other hand, some do get it. Here is a Nice and Balanced article about romance readers and the genre. Yo, Timmy P.! You ought to check out this column. It talks about the CONFERENCE PLANNER (yeah, power, babeeee!) who spends $150 on books every time. It mentions that 22 percent of men (I heard they have some pocket change too) are romance readers, devouring books about SEALs and NASCAR (ooooh, they rrrrrrip a lot of average bodices in those books). It interviews uber- romance author Eloisa James, NYT bestseller and Fodham University professor.
Really, Mr. Priest, tsk. We aren't as average as you think.
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Okay, end rant. I'm off to my very ordinary roofing job. I hope the Initiative googles itself now and then so they get to see how many times their name is being tossed around negatively on the blogosphere. Go spread the word, my pretties...we average readers have nothing better to do! ;-)
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Uber Rant: Greater Washington Initiative VS Romance Readers
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3 comments:
Bahaha. I love it when you rant, Jenn. You get all snotty and snitty and sarcastic.
As for the Washington Whatever Initiative, I'm sure they didn't know how mad they made some readers. And good point about the RWA conference. Mr. Tim Priest should remember that romance readers also have degrees like he does, but we just enjoy reading emotionally satisfying books instead of watching shadows on the cave wall. :-)
That here is the proof that you can have many diplomas and still be stupider than dirt!
Hey Jenn, if we were here, you and me would already be down in the street swreaming our hearts out, right? Hehehe
Hi Anonymous,
I reread my post. Yeah, I'm a snitty and snotty bitch when I'm mad, aren't I? Oh well. Either that or act like an angry roofer ;-). No one wants to see that!
Hi Laur,
We would indeed. And send pictures of half-nekkid firemen to Mr. Priest and his assistants, HA!
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