Okay, so I’m trying to format today’s column and get it all linked up to stuff I reference and I head over to my recommended reading list for working actors at Amazon.com. Yes, I make no bones about the fact that each of my recommended reading lists exists to help promote my books. BFD.

So, while I’m grabbing the link that I need, I see this COMMENT on one of the stellar reviews received by Self-Management for Actors, wherein the commenter slams my reviewers (Eh?) for not sharing how they’ve specifically used anything from my book in their careers and then slams “the author/publisher” because we’ve “not seen fit to share any of the contents here on Amazon.”

Oooooooookay.

I guess I figure giving away as many copies of the book as we sell, plus writing a free weekly column for actors should be more than enough to get content-awareness up. And, beyond that, there’s all of the free speaking engagements* in which I, well, engage.

Besides, have you READ the Conditions and Terms of Service Agreement for allowing the Amazon.com “Search Inside the Book” program to feature your work? YOU LOSE RIGHTS TO IT.

Believe me, I am not a stickler for clutching my copyright as if my life depended on it. (Some say I am far too loose with my personal stance on publication freedom, in fact.) So if *I* find the terms objectionable, you have to KNOW they’re pretty freakin’ invasive.

But whatever, that’s not what got my hackles raised. I just saw this post and then noticed that there were more votes for “NO” on “This review was helpful” throughout the pages of reviews for Self-Management for Actors than had been there before.

WTF?

You don’t like that I’m not sharing content on Amazon.com so you go click NO on all of the review ratings buttons?

Wow. Okay.

So, that was interesting. I finished tagging my column and turned it in (late — I’m so freakin’ exhausted with all of the last-minute showcase-related stuff going on**) and then realized that, as I well know, getting “bad press” (which this SO isn’t, in the grand scheme of things) comes with getting “good press” (which I get so so SO much more of — and from much bigger “sources” than anonymous comments on Internet book reviews). *snark*

And if I love the love I get, I have to love the hate I get… because it’s all a part of the same machine. And I’m building an empire here. I gots more important stuff to do than waste energy on the stupid stuff.

* Spoke at a way cool bicoastal monologue/scene festival thingy yesterday with some major high-profile agents, managers, and CDs who laughed at me when I gave away books to all of the actors in the festival. The fellow CD said, “Honey, you’re new so you don’t know this. You’re not supposed to give things to ACTORS. They’re supposed to give YOU things.” It was a hoot and a blast and I never knew I had a fan at BenderSpink. That’s fucking rockstar cool.

** Had our preview performance yesterday morning before I went to the festival thingy and HOLY CRAP does this showcase ROCK! OMG! I am NOT kidding you! This thing is FUNNY and FAST and BRILLIANT. I love this cast SO MUCH!!!!!!! Oh, what a great week this is gonna be!

Now when do we get to have celebratory playtime? Huh? Cast party? Anyone? Oh wait… nap first. Zzzzzz.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!