WordWhore

Regardless of its literary merit, one huge major flaw exists in the Advance Reader’s Edition of Jenna Bush’s new teen narrative non-fiction book. It is that the work is based on her 18-month, a few days a week, internship with UNICEF and she donates only a portion of proceeds to U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Re-read the whole sentence, fellow reviewers. Shame shame shame on the Bush family, again. She received a $300,000 advance on her book. That’s three-hundred-thousand dollars. (blogger Joe Wickert says avg advance is $10,000) What portion goes to UNICEF? So, she’s giving what portion of her total take on the book –hmmmm? 25% of what she makes? 10%? Must have been worth all that tit-flapping, English major fun she had in college. I don’t care if she’s another Anya Seton, she should donate every damn cent she makes off the book to UNICEF. But she won’t. And just keep in mind who owns HarperCollins… reckon Rupert’s right-wing press plays favorites? Bitter? Who? Me? This rant will self-destruct Sunday, June 24, 2007 at noon EST. *nah, changed my mind… keep it here, the voices in my head tell me.
How much will she repay the American taxpayer for funding her fact-finding tour?
I knew right away that Miz Bush’s teen fiction was an important must advance read even though I received it 3 months after other reviewers did (*sigh* at the apparent slight, could be because I haven’t reviewed a book on Popmatters in over two years, reckon?) With each advance reader copy, reviewers get a “please pick this book to review — over the other 160,000 books published this year” letter. It was published on slick, full-color almost lithograph quality paper. Final sentence: We look forward to your coverage this fall. That ain’t the way it’s normally done but hell, the letter is from Susan Katz, president and publisher of the children’s book section of HC. So we’d better by God review it, I’d imagine, if we ever want another Advanced Reader’s Copy from them.
To take it a bit further, our payments for her literary successes just keep on coming. Miz Bush is going on a huge promotional tour that YOU, Mr. and Mrs. America, are paying for — her Secret Service escorts aren’t free. Two months in schools, libraries, ALA conference etc ad nauseum and it all begins at the UNICEF headquarters in NYC. Every expletive I know inserted here.

That is one of the most incredibly selfish things I’ve ever read. From a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth, comes a donation, a token to the cause. She’s giving a portion of the proceeds! Have I said that often enough?

Shame on the greedy Bush girl. With your year with UNICEF spent as research for your book, shouldn’t you be giving all the money to them? Nice of the American taxpayer to foot the bill for your fact-finding tour. It’s not too late, Jenna Bush, to change the wording on the final edition of “Ana’s Story”. Can’t you give up all your advance and your profits? Have I said it enough times?
Needed to get that one off my chest, as Valerie MacEwan. Unedited ranting exhausts me, I’m off to bed. I’m sure Spencer and his friends will return tomorrow and regale you with their humorous tales of courage and fortitude. Carry on…

no-link mental kudzu continues on Monday…