On Why Rocky Isn't a Bada**

I'm not exactly on the same page with John Green all the time but he did say one thing that I completely agree with, and I'm paraphrasing here, "You don't have to like my characters."
In the past, back when I dared to read reviews, some complained about Rocky. She's emotionally unstable. She doesn't know what she wants. She's this then she's that. She's annoying.
Yeah.
She's 17.
She's never traveled.
She doesn't hang out with the party crowd.
She's built this false exterior around herself to hide her pain and to protect herself from abuse.
She has serious, legitimate trust issues.
Take her away from her white trash, roaming-eyes pervert of a stepdad and throw her into a world with rich men who have potentially nefarious ulterior motives and yeah...that could make her a little bipolar in her actions. Mix together the danger, intensity,  and lies with some seriously emotionally damaged heartthrobs and the girl has some issues to work out while she's in the thick of it.
I believe in growth, that wisdom and strength come from passing through the fires and being refined. What teenage girl doesn't think she's all that but doesn't fall apart when cast out into the storm? We stumble and fall along the way before we learn to walk against the wind. We do stupid things and that is how we gain wisdom and humility.
Is Rocky a pain?
Absolutely.
But she and William and Peter are on a journey to become the people the family has needed all along.

Stay Classy....

In the last few weeks I have been deeply immersed in the world of Reader Reviews. It comes as no shock that teen readers are passionate about their books and the characters thereof. What shocks me is the utter lack of respect given to people of differing views.
Were girls always this mean? I went to high school and there were cliques and rumors but nothing like what I have witnessed on threads on various sites. It stresses me out just reading them. F* off and shut the F* up and then bringing religious beliefs into it. WHAT?! These are most likely the same girls who sing, Give Peace a Chance and scream about religious tolerance.
There is apparently no such thing as intelligent discourse among the young. I guess I should be glad about the reasoning and thoughtful analysis these readers dedicate to the books they read, but No. I can't be. Everything is washed away by the sheer nastiness I have witnessed.
Why? Why treat each other like that? It certainly doesn't show any amount of intelligence. It doesn't speak to any ounce of self-control the reviewer might possibly possess. It doesn't make you look strong and fierce, it only makes it look as though you do not know how to handle yourself in the face of adversity. The snarling and snapping, what does it really amount to? Except to show the world your lack of respect for others. It's almost more than I can handle. It's really just beyond ridiculous. Do me a favor. If you ever do read my book please don't rip apart people who differ with you in their opinion of it. Don't ever defend me (or mock those who would) in a way that tears someone else apart. I'm a big girl and I've faced a lot worse than someone not liking my writing and I would never, ever advocate treating another human being with such a lack of respect.
There's debate and there's shredding each apart. Please, try and learn the difference.