A blog post you WON'T find on GoodReads!

After learning that in spite of my efforts to have all of my books removed from GoodReads, where they were listed without my publishers consent or mine, I FINALLY have some closure--so to speak.

You see, sites like GoodReads and Amazon and Shelfari think they're doing authors a favor by listing their books once they're "published/printed" (btw anyone, qualified or not, can publish these days and yes, there should be qualifications for something that is considered a profession duh!) It gives them content. They encourage folks to leave their thoughts or reviews on the content but do so very little to monitor said reviews or comments nor do they do anything to protect publishers or authors from personal attacks or from folks who just think it's fun to post ludicrous reviews and hateful words just because they can.

I've met so many authors and publishers who were targeted and not protected that it isn't even funny or worth the time to use GoodReads, Amazon or any of these third-party sites as a source of publicity. I deleted my account on GoodReads only to find they were still posting my blog post from my personal blog as if I cared to show up at ALL on this site. Having a friend and fellow author remind me that this was a copyright issue, I set out to fix this problem by presenting GoodReads with this question:

question:
After participating on Goodreads and being subjected to an atrocious lack of monitoring, I opted out of participating. I attempted to pull my books but was told in a ninny-ninny-poo-poo sort of way that this couldn't happen because my books were available everywhere. I solved this problem by making all of my books short-run so sites like GoodReads can't post my books. ;)

However, it seems that as of late, GoodReads is posting feeds from my personal author blog as if I authorized this. I may have at one time but deleted my account. Please do whatever it takes to stop my blog feeds from showing up on GoodReads. I don't support this site or sites like it. Also syndicating a blog without permission is copyright infringement. If you had my permission once, you most certainly do not have it now. Thank you in advance for "unsyndicating" my blog from GoodReads.

Sue Dent

I will tell you that I expected another, "we don't have to do anything you say," response but was pleased to read this. This will be my first post since the email to follow so we'll see if they stuck to their word. ;)

GoodReads response:

Hi Sue,
Thanks for alerting us. We’re so sorry for that mistaken oversight! I just removed all the remaining personal information that was added to your author profile, including that blog feed and all the former posts: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313656.Sue_Dent
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience!
Cheers,

Those who run this site have been nothing but rude and arrogant to me when I approached them with obvious issues that were going on with other authors as well as myself. The fact that they continue to list my books even when I've asked them not to is absolutely insane. Same with Amazon. Same with all of these third party sites. I certainly appreciate being able to use sites like this for publicity but not when they do nothing to make sure things don't get out of hand and even move into the "slander" category. Of course they don't do anything because that takes money they don't want to part with. They'd have to hire others to keep track etc . . . At least with my books NOT being listed there, they can't make what little money they make at MY EXPENSE!!

It will be interesting to see if they've corrected THEIR admitted oversight.