I often get emails announcing releases of new books because writers and publishers want me to promote their novels.
Here is the first line from a promotional release of a book titled “In the Void of Lies”: “In the Void of Lies is a tale of infidelity and redemption intermingled against the passage of the healthcare bill.”
I quoted it verbatim, people. What was this author thinking when he decided to promote his novel with such a horribly written blurb? The rest of the blurb is as pathetic as the first sentence.
Why are the illiterate so eager to inflict their bad grammar and non-existent vocabulary on the universe?
Clarissa's Blog 
So, Infidelity and Redemption got together to battle the healthcare bill?
LikeLike
Yes, the healthcare bill has many unexpected enemies. . . 🙂
LikeLike
Are redemption and infidelity committing infidelity together, or are they redeeming each other?
LikeLike
All I know is that they intermingle.
LikeLike
Maybe Redemption and Infidelity hang out together at a cocktail party? I think Heartbreak and Forgiveness will be there. Also, I hear Scandal has a lovely new outfit to show off.
LikeLike
Good lord, even the title sounds ridiculous. It sounds like it was written by a computer program.
LikeLike
Doesn’t a “void of” mean an absence of? That would make the title mean “When Everything is True”
LikeLike
I’m guessing this guy meant “web of lies.” But who knows.
LikeLike
Should we tell him that his title doesn’t mean what he thinks it means?
LikeLike
If we do that, we might have to tells him why every sentence of his writing makers no sense. 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah, maybe we should let it go. I don’t think we can fix this one. 😀
LikeLike
I’d probably cut out the “In”, so that the title is now “The Void of Lies”.
“‘In the Void of Lies’ is a tale of infidelity and redemption intermingled against the passage of the healthcare bill.”
Also, the blurb makes me think that there is nothing particularly original about the book; namely, that it is a romance novel about lovers who are somehow connected to opposing political parties (eg congressional staffers) who must handle their conflicting loyalties (to each other and to their parties).
If my interpretation is correct than the basic plot could easily be given any backdrop with almost minimal changes. For example, the 1960s version:
“‘In the Void of Lies’ is a tale of infidelity and redemption intermingled against the passage of the Civil Rights Act.”
Or the Canadian version:
“‘In the Void of Lies’ is a tale of infidelity and redemption intermingled against the repatriation of the Constitution.”
In other words, there’s nothing fundamentally different: it’s just like wearing a blue had rather than a purple hat: you’re still the same person. Similarly, the different backdrops are merely garnishes on the same plot.
LikeLike
Just imagine how easy it is to publish novel upon novel following this simple formula. As you say, this can easily be exported into other countries as well.
“Lies and infidelity intermingled against the referendum on the sovereignty in Quebec. “Mais oui, mais oui,” whispered the heroine as she embraced her lover and used the moment to plan her response to the referendum question.
“Oh no! No, no, no, no!” exclaimed her Anglo lover as he pondered his own response.
This was when the Allophone husband rushed in. “This is how you both screw me!” he cried out.
But since he was speaking one of those incomprehensible immigrant languages, both the Francophone heroine and her Anglo lover pretended they didn’t hear him.”
LikeLike