Rabid Fan Girls - changing definition?

Sarah McCarty just guest blogged over at Let's Gab with Anne, Jennifer B, and Lori. Go over and check it out here.

What she describes however, is not a rabid fan girl. Perhaps she is trying to change the definition because of the simple fact (as she admits)that some of her fans have been accused of being rabid. I dunno, Erin tried to explain in the comments but was told:

"Erin, Rabid fan girl used to refer to the hyper defensive situation you've described, (which frankly I found amusing the way one finds a child flexing their will amusing) but now it seems to extend to anyone with strong feelings pro or con."

I'm not sure where this is coming from but it simply isn't true. Anyone who reads my blog knows I'm not a fan of rabid fan girls, and I'm talking about the real ones, not what Sarah describes (which I just consider as fan girls)

A rabid fan girl is someone who is so intense that only their favorite author should ever be read or spoken about. They turn up at other author's list Mom days and bring their author into the conversation at every turn, they insist that all criticism is unwarrented, they attack anyone who might remotely disagree. Basically they are rude and loud and a PITA.

As someone who moderates a pretty big list where rabid fan girls are known to hang out, I can say that they do damage the author they are spouting on about.

I'm a pretty big fan of a lot of authors but I'm never rabid. I don't ever wish to be considered as such.

ARC sales vs Second Hand book sales

Avid Reader asked below in the comments what the difference was. IMO - here are the basics.

1 - Purpose
The ARC's purpose is to be read by a reviewer or bookseller to create buzz about an upcoming release.
The second hand book is being sold after (often well after) the release date by a reader who has already paid full price for it.

2 - Money
If an ARC is sold - neither the author or publisher get any money from the sale.
If a second hand book is sold, the author and publisher have already made the money on it from the first sale.

3 - Implied Trust
An ARC is given to a reviewer in exchange for a review. If this abuse keeps happening, the publishers will stop sending ARCs and then all of us decent reviewers will miss out.
A second hand book belongs to the reader that bought it - they can then do whatever they want with it. The author hasn't trusted them to do anything but buy it. They don't even have to read it.

In a perfect world for authors - there would be no second hand books either, but ultimately they realise that the word of mouth from buying a book second hand can work and grow them new fans.

...and no - the NOT FOR SALE isn't on there because it's uncorrected. It's on there for the reasons stated above, because it is NOT a book - it's a printed out manuscript, a sneak peak for certain priviledged people before it goes on sale.

make sense?