Okay–I”ll blog about it.
I’ve been hit.
A forum troll on amazon.com found my book pages and started posting false reviews–and, even worse (because the review was an obvious personal attack–and obviously fabricated!) started voting down all of the legitimate reviews for my books using different identities. Enough negative reviews, and those good reviews go away–and there I am, fucked large.
As a whole, we’ve decided to ignore this person on the forum–you don’t feed a troll, and it starves. (This one tried to have a conversation with itself in the middle of one of our discussions. Rather pathetic, really.) But the thing is, I’ve finally learned enough about this medium to learn things like that–you know, don’t feed forum trolls or blog trolls because they bloat and fart and become truly disgusting creatures, crapping on your feet? What I haven’t learned is WHY people do it.
How sad does your life have to be to obsess about wrecking someone else’s life like that? My books were doing fairly well–I was starting to hope that the income from them would make my part-time transition go a little more smoothly this year. If nothing else, it would help fund the copies I need to bring for my signing in September, and the publishing of Bitter Moon II–not to mention school clothes for the kids, school supplies, dentistry, surprise car repairs… you know, basic living.
Now? I mean, most folks are smart enough to read between the lines with a forum troll–but not everybody. I wasn’t, when I first started out. This person assaulted my credibility, (claimed all of my good reviews were written by ‘sock puppets’–while using sock puppets to trash them–colonic invasive procedures are too good for this troll, I”m telling you) attacked me personally in the review, and now is endangering my income from this small business venture I’d managed (against considerable odds) to make successful. And I just want to rant and scream and kick something–I mean, what was the point? What has this person ever given to the world besides venom and worthlessness? When has this person ever ventured honest sweat and tears for anything? What has it made, created, or blessed with their words, presence, thoughts or deeds? What is its substance that they think this is a reasonable thing to do?
I don’t know. I know that before I blogged about this, I contemplated how gratifying it would be for the troll to read the blog, and I almost didn’t open the page.
But then I thought, “Fuck. Him. Fuck him.” I have pictures of my children on this blog, I have pictures of my husband, of my cats, and of my knitting. I have proof of a life beyond my books, and of real heart and soul and substance IN my books. If this one lame-assed brainsickly cockroach wants to try to crawl into my life, let it see what it is violating. It is violating a real person, with children who benefit from my success and suffer with my failures. It is fucking with a real income and a real, if tenuous, thread of storytelling that comes from a genuine writer, with genuine credentials and genuine intentions. I fuck up, I succeed, I apologize, I work my ASS off–and if I’m the person this troll wants to fuck with, then let it come fuck with me for real.
You want some food, motherfucker? Bring it on–I’ll feed you myself.
Sock puppets? Oh how funny. Is there anything you can do about the fake reviews? (Point out they’re all from the same IP or something to have them removed?)
Go gettum, Amy!
I can, to some extent, understand the need to lash out somewhere at something, anything. Especially during that awful, confusing, hormonally tormented shift from childhood to maturity when you can’t do most of the things your body wants to do. When you need to leave home and don’t want to abandon the security and comfort. When you insist on making your own decisions but don’t want to suffer the consequences when you screw up. When you have lost all perspective and the whole universe is centered on YOU and the whole fucking universe is not making you happy!! I can understand, in that tormented, stew of juice and adrenaline and angst and scab-picking, that striking out would seem preferable to growing up.
No doubt he picked you because you are showing something strong and positive. You have created believable, three-dimensional characters, with hope and success in their lives, and he’s enraged because he’s not one of them. If you had written a really crappy book, he wouldn’t have bothered. And it’s even possible that he is uncertain about his sexuality and can’t stand or even admit it. And there you are, saying anyone and everyone is good, just the way they are. Outrage!
Yep – don’t feed him. Or her. If s/he checks in on your blog, you got ’em where you want ’em. Go gettum!!
That sucks ass big time (again the eloquence is going towards other areas right now..), is there anything that we can do or that amazon can do?
oh and this particular troll and any associated sock puppets does not seem to have realised that the world is round and big and global and there are more amazons than there are trees in the rain forest.
Your UK rep is still safe.
Trolls really are the scum of the earth, and seem to go for people who have what they don’t (talent, originality, intelligence). Hopefully this one also suffers from enthusiasm soon.
Trolls lash out to make themselves feel better and more important. They also prey on those that are weaker. Unfortunately for this troll, the prey actually is able to kick some ass and has a small but mighty army of supporters 🙂
Hope it all resolves soon.
So sorry you are having this problem.
On the other hand I was reading the People’s Pharmacy last weekend and there was something in it about foot pain and drinking cherry juice. If I can’t attach the addy here it will be in my post (right after I finish here, I will zip over and write something or other….)nope, the addy is too long. Off to post.
Gaaarrrrghhhh! I’m coming – and I’m bringing my samurai sword with me – now let’s deal with the troll in the cellar!