Glenn Hates My Book And I Love Him For It

I stumbled upon Glenn Hates Books while preparing to market Simon Pastor. If you don’t have time to visit his blog, know that he doesn’t actually hate books, he just hates the books that he thinks could’ve been good if only they were better. I love that concept and his blog. Whereas my blog, here, has a tough elevator speech, Glenn’s blog has an eloquence that is enviable.

But there’s something more to this man and his blog. He reads the books he reviews. Seriously. He reads them. You know he reads them because he writes brutally honest reviews. They don’t include flowery, all-positive language that clearly identifies him as a friend of the author or someone who worked on the book and stands to benefit from high sales. They also aren’t in the category of “there’s something good to be found in every piece of life.” (I actually can’t stop laughing when I picture his bearded-faced reaction to someone who believes that hocus pocus.)

As a result, Glenn topped my list of reviewers to ask to review the book early on–to set the tone, as it were. And he didn’t disappoint. He hates my book. He hates it because it happens to be depressing as shit. And he reads to escape from reality, not re-live it.

My response? Sincere gratitude. I love his authenticity. If only everyone could write so nakedly. But the fact is that reading purely to escape is childish to me. I read and I write to go deeper. I want to feel more, feel it more intensely, and feel it for longer. Escape from this thing called life? Never. More. More, more, more.

Tolstoy ended one of his early works with the following declaration. I’m including it here just in case I ever forget why I wrote Simon Pastor. He wrote, “The hero of my tale–whom I love with all the power of my soul, whom I have tried to portray in all his beauty, who has been, is, and will be beautiful–is Truth.”*

Amen, Brother Leo. And again I say amen.

****

*Tolstoy, Leo, Louise Maude, Aylmer Maude, and Nigel J. Cooper. Collected Shorter Fiction. New York: Knopf, 2001. Print.

24 comments

  2. crumpledpapercranes

    This review gave me a good laugh. “Who the fuck cares?” A sentiment so common in a crowded room, but rarely ever said.

    I can’t say I read to escape. I think a bit too much about what I read though, to where there is quite a disconnect.

    Anyway, I’m still working on Simon Pastor, along with another piece. But I hope to have something up by Friday or Saturday.

    Now, back to office stuff…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. jmerkel57

    Well that makes more sense. I felt bad seeing that Amazon review. Not because I thought he was right, but because I thought you were getting trolled by some jealous former high-school classmate who never moved out of his mom’s house, works at Blockbuster and has a seven-part fantasy epic about gnomes and fairies called ‘The Scrolls of Alizteyark’ that no one wants to read.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • Pete Deakon

      Ha. Nope. Not getting trolled. That sounds like it would have been miserable. Ha. What you wrote makes me love his review even more because another friend said of Glenn’s review, “Wow, Pete. You couldn’t ask for much more.” (Apocalypse Now Dennis Hopper Voice Time) And he meant it! I agree. I like the review.

      Pete

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. rikaye

    Ah-ha, now I get it. Very clever idea on your part. I personally thought his review was so poorly written and full of fake cursing that he was perhaps a grade school dropout, or someone about to go on a shooting rampage.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. shatteredpieces2014

    Just wanted to say that from what I’ve read here of your book ‘the hero of your tale’ speaks clearly. My son lived a similarly painful tale to what is revealed in these first chapters and it almost felt as though I was reading his mind. It ended badly, but God redeemed the pain over time, so that divorce was final but doom was temporary. This mother-in-law fully approves of wife #2 🙂

    It doesn’t sound like that is where your story ends, but it is brutally authentic.

    Like

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    • Pete Deakon

      Look at you. Trying to play friendly interrogator. I’ll have you know that I have undergone extensive training in methods to withstand interrogation and you’ll have to dig deeper into your bag of tricks if you want me to blurt out how the story ends for free. 🙂

      Pete

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. sheswingsinbirches

    “I read and I write to go deeper. I want to feel more, feel it more intensely, and feel it for longer. Escape from this thing called life? Never. More. More, more, more.”

    You. Love this. Thanks.

    Like

    Reply
  12. drewdog2060drewdog2060

    I was interested to come across your post, as Glenn posted a review of my story, Samantha on 9 February. I hesitated prior to sending the book to him, however I don’t regret having done so. Glenn expresses himself in a manner which I, personally do not. However I respect his direct approach and appreciate him having taken the time to review Samantha. The best of luck with your writing. Kevin

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