Watcher's Journal...Authors, opinions, cheapskate Oh my

I have been blessed enough to begin a wonderful and constant communication with Authors, writers, bloggers and more.  I have been on Twitter for years although my latest account is fairly new.  I found that I started out not knowing who I wanted to Tweet with.  It took a couple of years to finally decide to close the original account and let @gracey_castro begin a new venture.


I follow and have a plethora of followers but most are writers.  I find them inspirational.  I have expanded my reading genre like never before and find myself reading more and writing more.


What I have also noticed is the disregard to the fact that they write for a living.  I had a heated discussion with a friend who knows I purchase books on a weekly basis, whether actual paper books or downloads.  Mostly downloads since getting my Kobo (still dreaming about the Nook color).  She asked me to send her all the ones I read.  I told her I would send the links for her to purchase.  The discussion began.


Her reasons why:

1. Why pay when you already have it?
2. They make tons of money anyway.
3. I can't afford to purchase at the rate I read.

My reasons for getting my Rican up:

1. Because I paid!  I paid someone for their product.  Same as when you paid for that $400 purse.
2. At $.99 to $5.00 a download I seriously doubt it.
3. Read the first entry on my reasons.

It's like when someone asked me when I worked for a retail store 'hey can you get me some stuff, you know - five finger discount'.


It is just insulting and infuriating.  I am no thief.  Nor would I ask someone else to steal for me let alone for someone else.  I am not going to assist 'cheapskates' in saving $5.00 when they literally just spent $400 on the ugliest purse I ever seen (yes, I said that).  I most definitely would not assist anyone in stealing.


The best money you can spend is on a book.  You might just learn something.  Another friend criticized, asking what could I possibly learn from a Paranormal book.  Well...just with the latest one I learned that even in mystical writing there is hope for humanity.  Lessons of love, kindness and survival.  I also learned that I use than and then wrong.

Opinions



#OccupyWallSt - to this day people are saying and writing that they laugh at the protest since they don't even know what they want.  Well...it just so happens that THEY DO have a list!  An opinion to me only counts if it is a valid choice of words based on experience or fact.  Otherwise it is just BULLSHIT and I can get that anywhere.  I am amazed on the social networks the hostility over opinions.  If one does not agree with another they are 'idiots' to just name one word used often enough.  Worse yet, the converters, those that just keep at it until they convert others.  Even on something as simple as a post where someone wrote 'I really like Star Wars'.  The hate and debates on his post were incredible.  How about sharing opinions? There's a thought!

Ahhh...but I stray.  The moral of the post on this blog is this...
If you can afford it - buy it and stop bullying others to encourage your scamming ways.
Remember - others are making a living too.
Tell someone you like their work.  How many books have you read? How many times have you taken the time to appreciate both the book and the author?
Agree to disagree - the wonderful thing about Humanity is our differences.
Tweet it, FB like it and/or G+ it, spread the word - I LIKED IT!