Am I justified in being very disappointed?

PinkFridge

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 1:16 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Quote:

OP honest question, how do you search for books to read?

I've gotten some recommendations here. Jo Dereske for example. Really enjoyed here (though there is the occasional profanity, it's not pervasive & I just cross them out : )

I have been collecting the works of several old time authors - Mary Roberts Rhinehart, Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Mary Stewart. I also buy books for teens from back in the olden days, those are mostly clean.

I buy some 'cozy mysteries' and see if I like the author.

(I don't remember being as upset with Rochelle Krisch or Faye Kellerman. Though not so excited that I would strive to collect their complete works.)

I heard Faye Kellerman at a book fair. She's engaging and I'd love to have her as a neighbor. But if you're going to play one of those authors is not like the other ones...

amother

Pumpkin

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 2:42 pm

Op I don't blame you --
yes id have an issue with reading about an "off the drench agenda" penned by someone seemingly frum.
also by definition an "lgbt activist" has an agenda, hence the word "activist"
if someone wants to write like that then she or he should be upfront about what they are writing about and who is their target audience
and if someone is formerly frum they know what they are doing

bottom line it is deceptive if she is billed as a chasidic frum writer if she no longer considers herself such and the pic of her with the sheitel is way outdated -- she can do and be who she is but her "marketers" should be upfront about it.

What does MOT mean?

amother

Crimson

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 2:59 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Quote:

They might even have racy bits in them.

See, as long as the description would note that, those of use who prefer to read clean books would know to stay away.

Some of the ebay sellers don't even bother posting summaries. So I have started googling titles and I know to avoid those that say "steamy" and those that mention passion, adultery etc.

I guess I was not so careful here.

The story of the 57 year old pregnant woman sounds fascination (and like fantasy) but I am now wary of the author. And I would assume that the author's picture will be different on this volume.

But if the racy bits were incidental to the story, the blurb might very well leave these out in a summary.

amother

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:25 pm

Well it's actually interesting. I didn't find The Paperbark Shoe to have an LGBT agenda. In fact, it's because her husband takes an interest in a young man that somewhat justifies, to the heroine, the fact that she takes an interest in another man. I didn't find the portrayal fo the first relationshop particularly sympathetic, but that may be my own bias. Or the writer changed over the years.

I would, in fact, speculate that her gay agenda came much later than her eight children.

amother

Chocolate

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:25 pm

amother [ Pumpkin ] wrote:

Op I don't blame you --
yes id have an issue with reading about an "off the drench agenda" penned by someone seemingly frum.
also by definition an "lgbt activist" has an agenda, hence the word "activist"
if someone wants to write like that then she or he should be upfront about what they are writing about and who is their target audience
and if someone is formerly frum they know what they are doing

bottom line it is deceptive if she is billed as a chasidic frum writer when she no longer considers herself such and the pic of her with the sheitel is way outdated -- she can do and be who she is but her "marketers" should be upfront about it.

What does MOT mean?

An activist can write a book of fiction that that has no connection to her activism.

Did you interview her to see if she still identifies as chasidic?

MOT = member of the tribe.

amother

Violet

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:37 pm

I enjoyed Faye Kellerman, although I don't see her books as any Jewish per say-her characters being Jewish is incidental to the story.

Also liked Linda Cohen Loigman after someone recommended it here-really enjoyed both her books. It's funny how when I was younger, I used to think these long sagas that my mother read were really boring, and I was into thrillers, gore and all, and now I find I like these calmer books (and chick lit) much more.

And Paula Marantz Cohen-she did a parody of pride and prejudice set in a jewish retirement community that was quite good.

I prefer the ones that aren't anti-religion (Naomi Ragen etc), instead it's a regular non-Jewish book essentially, just the characters happen to be Jewish. Although I do find it funny when people don't research well enough and get things wrong. Off topic-Like I can't remember which episode of Good Wife it was but it involved a 'religious' couple who were being sued bc they hadn't put the eirev wire back up on shabbos and it all hinged on the woman wanting to shop in the kosher store-I was sure the twist was going to be the store was closed on shabbos, but that never came up-I was furious and it really put me off the series after that.

amother

Olive

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 4:39 pm

amother [ Coffee ] wrote:

Her blog is called Frum Gay Girl, but I doubt that is what the poster meant.

That's the author's blog? Then it looks like she was a BT who then went OTD... If one of articles there is about her...
What bothers me is that she uses pictures of frum people unrelated to the articles. I'm pretty sure I saw a picture of the Wrapunzel lady and a picture of my friends, who all have no clue they're on her blog. Is it legal??

ally

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 6:02 pm

amother [ Violet] wrote:

Off topic-Like I can't remember which episode of Good Wife it was but it involved a 'religious' couple who were being sued bc they hadn't put the eirev wire back up on shabbos and it all hinged on the woman wanting to shop in the kosher store-I was sure the twist was going to be the store was closed on shabbos, but that never came up-I was furious and it really put me off the series after that.

I felt like that about The Immortalists. There were a bunch of things that were culturally “off”. I couldn’t believe it won so many awards.

amother

Pumpkin

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 6:21 pm

ftr her bio says she lives in a chasidic community and shows a sheitel wearing picture so I can understand why Op was surprised and disappointed

tho yes living in a "chasidic" community does not necessarily mean one is chasidic or preclude one from being otd or anything else -- its altogether interesting how they are defining a chasidic community and then noting the city in which she lives

and her new book also bills her as such and also shows the sheitel wearing picture so it would create certain expectations if one did not know better

the marketers do seem to be building on portraying the williamsburg book as if by an "insider" from what I've read -- nothing against her but as for her marketing people I don't appreciate that kind of marketing

studying_torah

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 7:52 pm

I remember having a shock (when I was much younger) finding & reading a book that I wish I could recall the title. A woman was assaulted mikvah night & was afraid of having a colored child because she never told her husband. In the end her child was white, but a grandchild was not and sadly everyone turned against her & blamed her.

I also thought back then it was a jewish themed book & was very upset about the story.
But we really can't take things for granted.

What does annoy me is if I grab a library book that sounds very innocent - about a young lady in the 16th century & then it mentions r@pe or other violence that I'm not expecting.
I guess if it's unexpected it bothers me more than if I know it will be there.

amother

Violet

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 1:54 am

studying_torah wrote:

Naomi Ragen- Sacrifice of tamar

I think it's the unexpectedness that bothers people more than the content itself-I once started a book that seemed to be a simple mystery story until page 10 when it became more like shades of grey and it really annoyed me, because I wasn't expecting that to happen.

amother

Violet

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 2:00 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Quote:

Paula Marantz Cohen

Clean?

I think it was-I mean it does center around relationships and them trying to find husbands etc but I don't remember it having anything more. The particular one I read I think was 'Jane Austen in Boca'-I think I read another one by her something about Alice in the title. It was historical and I didn't like it-too gory about Jack the Ripper and wasn't as clean I think.

amother

Coffee

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 7:30 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

Wikipedia doesn't say she's OTD, it says she's Lubavitch.

amother

Burgundy

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 8:19 am

Urban Gypsy wrote:
"I am a frum writer but I would never write fiction about Jews or kosher topics. I sometimes wonder if I would have the courage to publish under my own name and photograph because of fearing how people would judge me but your post made me feel more resolved to write however I want because there is no pleasing everyone Speechless"

You certainly don't have to write your fiction about Jews. But writing about unkosher topics? Are you referring to immorality, racy descriptions, etc? "Fearing people would judge me... no pleasing everyone."
What about fear of Hashem?

amother

Blush

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 8:43 am

studying_torah wrote:

I think the author said this was based upon a true story. It certainly can't be categorized as anti-Jewish.

urban gypsy

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 8:47 am

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

I would not write about something that I didn't believe in. I would not write er0tica for example. But I don't believe that writing about reality outside of the frum world is wrong in the eyes of Hashem.