A friend of mine recently read Robyn Hardyn's Journal of Mortifying Moments.
"It's okay," she said. "Very predictable and not what I was expecting."
I said the exact same thing last year, when I bought the book in the hope that it'd deliver the gossip-fest that the cute, pink and downright appealing cover promised. Did it? No. But that's not to say that it's a BAD book - just... well... not as good as it looks.
I figure 'blah' is the ultimate word to describe books like these. Take another potential scandal-fest - Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl. Judging by the blurb, this title was full of wit - yet in reality, it was completely void of laughs. And, seemingly, an ending. Pity really, as the book had SO much potential to be a laugh-a-minute read.
It was one of those dreary chick-lit efforts which make you want to jump up, grab the nearest Bic, and proclaim that your newest life goal is to write a girly masterpiece ten times better than the yawn-inducing disappointment you just read.
So what becomes of the 'blah' books? The books that have so much potential, but just don't live up to their expectations?
Do you throw it out the window? Use it as a doorstop?
Or are you like me? - I sigh heartily, put it back on the shelf and use it as an example of what NOT do to when I'm writing my own stuff. (And bitch about it on Trashionista. Like, duh.) There are some titles as to which readers have questioned publishers' sanity - Citizen Girl, anyone? - and it drives me round the bend at times to see a really good set-up wasted.
Granted, some authors have it. Some can take a small everyday situation and make it hilarious. Others? Well, we can't all be blessed with the gift of humour.But what about you?
Which books do YOU think you could have written better?
