I had my first experience with someone making a rude comment to me about my book, and it’s not even out yet! But then again, maybe that’s better. The rudeness was general, not specific.
I was at the bank and because I was a new customer, the lady asked me a bunch of questions for her form, including what I do. When I told her that I’m a writer (which does not flow easily off the tongue at this point) and that I’d written a romance, the following exchange happened.
Bank Lady: “Oh, a romance? Is it trashy?”
Me: “Trashy, as in lots of sex? No.”
Bank Lady: “No, not lots of sex. Just trashy.”
Even Simon was disappointed in such a comment.
Honestly, I don’t even know what that means. I could understand calling a book trashy if it just jumped from pointless sex scene to pointless sex scene with no plot. However, once she disqualified that, I was out of ideas.
Surprisingly, I wan’t offended, though I probably should have been. To me, that’s the equivalent of saying, “Oh, you’re a sculptor? Is your work ugly?” It was simply a dumb, rude comment. But she had already made another dumb, rude comment prior to this one, so it was easy to brush it off. As my husband always says…consider the source.
On the contrary, Legacy of the Dog is a nice story, a good story. (Oops…is my bias showing?) It’s about a family sticking together and taking care of each other. It’s about having each other’s backs. And incidentally, it also happens to have a plot about a guy and a girl getting together. I like all kinds of stories, but I admit I’m a sucker for a guy and a girl getting together.
But as for trashy…sorry, Bank Lady. Can’t help you on that one. Oh and by the way, your bank is…uh…it’s…OLD! Yeah, that’s right. Take that.
. . . A guy and a girl “getting together?” Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. Say no more! (Eric Idle/Monty Python.)
Ha! Right? That was the best show. And maybe that’s the answer the bank lady was looking for. “No, it doesn’t have lots of sex.” Wink, wink.
Bank Lady sounds like she lives in a bubble first of all and also she is quick to critique but doesnt have a creative bone in her body is my guess! Kudos to you Jill for not letting it bother you. There will always be Bank Ladies out there in life. Don’t let them influence you for a second.
You’re right. I’m kind of looking at it as a first, gentle brush of sandpaper that will help me to grow a thick skin. Thanks for your support, John – as always!!