Whats up with book snobs?

I hate book snobs.

My Dad always tells people how I was slow to learn to read. I couldn't get it. Then one day I just started reading and never stopped. First it was The Babysitters Club, Boxcar Children, Goosebumps, Fear Street, Thoroughbred Series, The Saddle Club, Sweet Valley High, I loved them all. Betty and I read Gone With The Wind together in 3rd grade because people told us we couldn't. The book was practically as big as us. Books were always special to me and with an older brother, I read his books as well as mine. From R.L. Stine to Kurt Vonnegut, I love all books. My shelves are filled with Vonnegut next to vampires, romance, and Holden Caulfield. Do not judge. If you do, I hate you.

I'm lucky that I not only love to read but read very fast with high comprehension. I remember almost everything I read, what page something is on, little details. I own hundreds of books and I reread them frequently. If I find a word I missed or a sentence, I get excited. I also hate typos and spelling mistakes and wonder why if I can find it, the editor couldn't. Reading a book at different times in my life has made me look at characters different and get different things form the book.

That's probably why I fall in love with the characters in my books. Who wouldn't want an Edward Cullen, Harry Potter, Ender Wiggin, Mr. Darcy, and of course, a Holden Caulfield? I wanted to best friends with Alice Mckinley, Scout and Jem, and Franny and Zooey. I wanted to babysit and ride horses and have a secret club. I read chick lit (although not a huge fan to be honest but some like Meg Cabot's Every Boy series are wonderful). I love Stephanie Plumb and Oskar Schell even though they come form 2 extremely different writing styles.

When people call Twilight trash and compare it to Harry Potter, I get upset. No one said that all books are equal in terms of writing style and technique but do they have to be? I love both the series and hey, J.K. Rowling's is supremely talented and has a way with words like a snake charmer. Stephanie Meyers might not have the best skills but she has created characters millions of people fall in love with. No shame in her game.

I get involved in what I read and I hate reaching the last page, especially when there are usually not sequels to most books. I hate the characters not growing up like I am. Sometimes people ask me how I understand so well situations I haven't been in but I feel like I have because I've read about them.

I am the girl that, when a movie is coming out, always read the book before it comes out. The girl that gets so upset when favorite scenes are cut or they change the best part of a character. I read all the Sookie Books and want Eric to be just as amazing on True Blood as in the books (hello memory loss Eric).

Authors put so much into their works and when people look down on genres, well, I hate that. There is nothing wrong with loving romance and mystery and non fiction. Just because I like a good love story with passion doesn't mean I can't appreciate short stories by Chuck Palahniuk. I still read from the teen section and from the classics. I don't like when people name only famous authors who are "serious fiction" and think they are too good for anything else. And of course people who think fiction is ridculous and only non-fiction worthy of their time? I especially hate you.

I love how you can really get into a characters head and know them, understand them, love them. I am the girl who has a library card more precious than a black amex card. I scour thrift store for 50¢ books to add to my ever growing collection. Both my nightstands are full of books in progress. I read at least 5 books a week. I want a tatto that says "bibliophile". I want a man that loves books just as much as I do and who will read to our child, not throw on a dvd.

Every author started off as an unknown.

So book snobs who dare to judge...especially without reading what you're making fun of?

I hate you.

Love,

Veronica

{Also? YAY for Prop 8 being declared unconstitutional!!}