Thursday, September 26, 2013

Poor eAuthor Practices

Okay, so I'm guilty of posting serial stories and not posting consistently a lot of the time. But I'm posting free content! I always intend to finish and I never intend to leave my reader's hanging. It happens, I'm human. I'm sure I've lost readers over it. I know I've lost most of my story commenters. It sucks, but that's my fault, and I own it.

But last night I read a book that totally smacked me in the face with extremely poor behavior on the part of the author. This was an eBook I bought. I like to read serials, but I love to read complete stories. No waiting. Yes, a bit of a hypocrite since I do serials myself... but hey, that just means I understand why some of my fans stop reading. But when I buy something, I expect to get a complete eBook, and I'd never do this to anyone who was paying for my story.

I don't want to make this part of my weekly reviews, but I just felt the need to speak up. I truly hope that authors don't do as K.A. Merikan has and perform an underhanded bait and switch.

Special Needs (Special Needs, #1)Special Needs by K.A. Merikan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This will teach me to always, always check goodreads. I looked at Amazon's reviews off my kindle and bought on a whim cause it sounded kinky and fun. *sighs* STORIES have an arc. This has a loooong arc, which was troubling to me as I read waiting for several resolutions to the problems. This is not a story. This is half a story.

Oh yeah, and the serial killer neighbor? So not a surprise. Hell no he doesn't want his place to burn down, he's hiding bodies on his property. Now, maybe the author is setting up a great twist making us think this guy is the baddie and then changing it up... but if not? Yeah, bummer.

I want to know what happens, but my conscience may not allow me to buy a 2nd book. Yes, there is almost always more plot that COULD be told when a story ends. That's why I love reading series. A good author drops hints of what could come to keep readers interested in their world and/or characters so they'll come back.

A good author does NOT stop a story in the middle of the arc and say... to be continued for you to buy later so you can finish THIS story. Even individual stories in a serial should have a beginning, middle, and end! This stops smack dab in the middle.

I was pissed off. I'm still pissed off. Good writing doesn't excuse poor author practices.

View all my reviews

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the warning, now hows about some more Adverse Effects?

    Love ya, Cia, but the waitin is killin me.

    Kathy C

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  2. I love you're work I just know that's what I will say every time I comment so I don't do it much lol. I will try to do it more and I understand being upset about that I might have thrown a fit if I got a book like that I pretty much only read serials I never want the story to end.

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    1. Thank you Krystel! It was just so jarring. I am pretty sure most stories need to stop at the end, not in the midst of an arson event when one character just finds out the other main character has been lying and pretending to be paralyzed, while they were in a relationship, just after the cops come by and mention a serial killer possibility. Thanks again.

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  3. I was burned like that once too. By a Christmas themed story that just STOPPED! I feel your frustration. As to your writings? I will wait patiently as long as it takes. Your stories are well worth the wait. I haven't posted much and for that I am sorry. You definitely have not this long time fan! :o)

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    1. Yeah, I was so upset. Thank you so much for letting me know you're still around! I feel guilty for not posting all the time, but I do appreciate that my fans put up with me anyway.

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  4. Keep doing what your doing! It's all great.��

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  5. I love your work and am eager for more, especially Adverse Effects. I am enjoying Take Flight as well. As do most of us, you work and have a life and sometimes things get in the way of the writing. As an avid reader I understand that. As to the e-book, it sounds like someone misrepresented it. (One of my biggest peeves is when a story is started for weeks on end and is suddenly pulled for publication with no resolution. I never buy a book when that is a tactic used.) True fans don't leave because of a delay in a story.

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  6. Just wanted to post another request for more Adverse Effects. Hope all is well with you, Cia.

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