Friday, July 4, 2008
Deja Vu, All Over Again
Self-published author Robert J. Gagnon, modesty-challenged as Amazon self-promoters so often are, has seen fit not only to review but to award his own book, "Life At Fifteen," 5 stars. It is hardly surprising, given this lapse, to discover that Gagnon's other head cheerleader is the equally self-effacing artists' representative, Grady Harp. Mr. Harp, going on to rave over another book called "Days of the Embassy," spills the beans that Mr. Gagnon, apparently within minutes, ascended from mere self-published author to owner of a new publishing company responsible for this volume, too. Harp implies such publishing coups may well put the major houses to shame. Now if only he could persuade Gagnon to publish a new edition of "War Songs," which the public has so oddly neglected, we might happily conclude that Mr. Harp has received the most fitting payback.
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Rumor has it that a new edition of "War Songs" has been ruled out for copyright reasons. In its place, Gagnon Publishing is said to be eager to publish a volume of equivalent worth, the "Collected Reviews of Grady Harp," to be issued both in hardcover and audiobook format (Read aloud by librarian Harriet Klausner?) - this being payback by the publishing company for services rendered to it during its infancy.
:-))) Have you got a link ? I'd like to take a look.
Gagnon's posted review of his own book "Life at Fifteen" is largely a reproduction of a laudatory abstract, though the shameless awarding of 5 stars is surely his own handiwork. Harp's ecstatic praises can be found among the reviews at the link below as well. The identification of self-published author Gagnon as the surprisingly instant head of his own publishing house is contained in Harp's review of the book "Days of the Embassy," which can easily be found on page 1 of Grady's reviews. See
http://www.amazon.com/053803-Fifteen-Robert-J-Gagnon/dp/0977866203/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
Question: Is this shilling to the 30th power, or what? And what if any payback is there for it? Inquiring minds want to know.
Nah, he's just being nice to these guys, probably. I mean, it must be a very small operation. Who knows, maybe these books aren't bad, after all, they must have something to say with their uncommon experiences, despite the literary flaws.
You could be right, but since I've never met an artists' representative who wasn't absurdly hot after the dollar, I have my doubts. I don't "know for sure," as the website's sophist L.E.Cantrell would be the first to point out, but I'd rest content in matters involving certain top reviewers at being thought to have a malicious turn of mind.
Btw, is it licit for an author to review and award stars to his own book? Wasn't a review along with the stars awarded by the author to his own work removed by Amazon some time back? As I remember, Malleus, that was the very review from which our comments were deleted presumably by a hacker. Deja vu, all over again, indeed!
> You could be right, but since I've never met an artists'
> representative who wasn't absurdly hot after the dollar,
> I have my doubts.
Ha! OK, oh Bilious One, you win that one!
> Btw, is it licit for an author to review and award stars
> to his own book?
I'm very certain this is unethical at least. As far as what's licit on Amazon, I just don't dare to guess anymore. Reading the books you review is not an Amazon requirement -- at least according to PamT, but now, although no Amazon official ever confirmed that charming notion, based on empirical evidence, it does appear their policy. What about voting for yourself? The very software on their site appears to be deliberately designed to allow it. No, all bets are off, I'll just have to keep observing, quietly.
> Wasn't a review along with the stars awarded by the author to his own work
> removed by Amazon some time back?
I don't remember. If so, that's a good sign of course. But I've seen so many times an author reviewing his own stuff with, invaribaly, a five-star rating attached, that I guess, I got inured to it. Well, in the past there wasn't anywhere else for an author to post anything: no comments, no discussion area underneath the reviews were used, so perhaps posting something as a review, if it's older than a couple of years, is somewhat excusable (giving the self five stars is not).
> As I remember, Malleus, that was the very review from which our comments
> were deleted presumably by a hacker.
I don't remember... wasn't that in Harp threads somewhere? I'm fairly sure it was, so you say Grady reviewed himself and got erased? No, I'm missing something here...
"I don't remember...wasn't that in Harp threads somewhere?"
It was. Harp had reviewed some small time work whose very author had reviewed and five-starred it as well. The comments ran to pages; trolls were out in full force - I think it may have been the review in which one awarded me the ultimate accolade you do remember, 'bilious one." In any event, our comments of disdain all disappeared one day , marked as "deleted by author" which neither of us was responsible for. Internal infernal machinations, or a hacker? Amazon never provided an answer to either of us. Accordingly, we speedily removed all credit card info from our profile pages. In any event, the author's review also, as I remember, was removed along with the awarded five stars. The great and sadly missed Barbara Delaney must have protested to Amazon about this self-promoting author's hanky-panky. Oh Barbara, were thou still a commentator at this hour! The HKAS hath need of thee!
Oh yeah, I do remember this saga, I just forgot about this author -- but now I remember, yes indeed he reviewed himself (with highest praise). I also agree that Barbara is much missed, she needs to reappear on the sacred pages of Amazon! For one, I know our dear friend L.E. will be elated. (That is besides everything else.)
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