this author used a real criminal to promote their book

[@WURLDSTAR]

TWO THINGS: 1) at some point in the video i didn’t crop out the author’s name (whoops!) but my point still stands. please don’t harass them. 2) the author has since taken down their posts and doesn’t seem to have any desire to apologize for this. i made this video with an optimistic outlook on the author but they don’t seem to be too terribly sorry about what they did so !!!! oh well !!!! i would have felt more bad about accidentally showing their name but they’re not giving me a good reason to do that

[@IzzyTheMVP]

This might be really random and not something to say on a serious topic, but I just wanted to talk about how you remind me of my 8th grade teacher and you seem very nice.

[@HyperpopDiamond]

​@@IzzyTheMVP yeah she also kinda does have that 8th grade teacher vibe who is really chill but also understands the subject

[@IzzyTheMVP]

@@HyperpopDiamond Better than my teachers 🤞😔

[@Moxziii]

I feel like using a real life murderer for promotional purposes is on the same or a similar level of making tedd bundy a side character in a fanfic on wattpad

[@wooogie672]

nah honestly this is worse because (most) fanfics/stories on wattpad are 100% free. although, i just clicked on this video so idk if this person is selling this book or not, so i could be wrong :)

[@teapartytaIes]

TED BUNDY AS A SIDE CHARACTER IS ACTUALLY INSANE. "oh yeah thats ted bundy hes my roommate"

[@lovers807]

@@teapartytaIes lowkey sounds like some 2013 creepypasta fanfics ngl

[@s.y.k.a1912]

​@@wooogie672Actually, the authors does publish the books😭 And now I think GoodReads is trying to take it down due to the reviews and probably because of the author's weird behaviour

[@daiymohermitaurenjoyer9160]

I'm pretty sure I could go on wattpadd right now and find a fic that does this 💀

[@beep3250]

The author still repeatedly saying “unaliver” tells me they do not care or understand the issue. They can blame “tik tok censorship” but that’s a load of bull

[@wooogie672]

100% agree. these modern-day social media euphemisms and abbreviations/acronyms really water-down the severity of the things they are describing-word choice matters so much, especially when this person is a so-called “author!”

[@WURLDSTAR]

as a creator, i’ve always been conflicted about this because content really does get suppressed if get too detailed with your descriptions but i agree that there has to be a better way to talk about these things without resorting to weird euphemisms

[@ajcrawford114]

@@WURLDSTAR tbh sometimes stuff should be "suppressed". like dark romances about murder, rape, etc should not be pushed out to a wide, young audience.

[@kitkatherine23]

literally bc why cant they put "mu*derer"???

[@avemyfather]

@@kitkatherine23 because censorship literally is insane

[@sidgrim]

These authors really need to just stick to Wattpad 😭

[@misseselise3864]

i’m ngl i think they would’ve gotten away with this if they did it on wattpad and didn’t promote it elsewhere

[@SharkFishFace]

Better yet, seek therapy.

[@Tw0Dots]

Or just stop writing if youre a weirdo..

[@AAAAAA-kz8ho]

Nah they better not come back to Wattpad. Straight to the funny farm

[@Daughter_of_Hades12]

Hell nah wattpad don't want them either

[@cmlyhmbylm4840]

Thank you for specifying that Dark Romance itself isn't a problem, but letting it bled into reality IS. People need to keep this shit to fiction and fiction only.

[@jadepersonally]

Dark romance is an issue though.

[@myst1que_mach1ne]

It's disgusting.

[@perrytheplatypus5373]

Fr. People like it’s because it’s fictional. It’s giving the same energy as a 15 writing a ted bundy fanfic lol. It’s cringe and so, so disrespectful to the victims and their families.

[@ambermillerrr]

@@jadepersonally exactly its not cute, its abuse

[@3enn7]

​@@jadepersonally i miss when dark romance was just the main leads doing the horrible stuff to keep each other safe or just supernatural. Now its just räpe, grooming and abuse

[@valentinatyukosova9676]

How can an author misunderstand the genre they are writing so deeply? Being fictional is the whole point. People like it SPECIFICALLY because it's not actually happening.

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

There are certain people in the world that get so wrapped up in their own self importance that they dehumanize others to various extents. Sometimes it’s shitty power plays in an HOA. Sometimes it’s vile political stuff. And I think there’s a strain of that in these types of controversies - people who bring that lack of empathy regarding these hypothetical scenarios (and thus the only visceral experience is her own divorced-from-reality titillation) to the execution of her marketing.

[@allisarcadia]

Morbid fascination, obsessive psychosis, whatever you want to call the headspaces that people fall into regarding these individuals, do not excuse you from being respectful nor your responsibility in extending empathy toward other people - dead or alive.

[@Air_Serpent]

hybristophilia

[@ryan-pw9wo]

the way the author responded to the backlash is so corny I don't think she realizes how this will ruin her book sales

[@mackuromii]

See, I already figured she was an awful person when I read, "Personally, I read books about unalivers all the time and enjoy it" but the cherry on top of an already shitty sundae was the constant use of smiley faces at the end of her sentences. One of his victims, Diane Ruiz, had kids (29 and 19) that testified at the trial. One of them could've come on the app for whatever reason and seen not only her initial promotion post but also the half-assed apologies that came after. What would she have said then? "Hater's gonna hate"? Girl, grow up.

[@FailSafe161]

Normally I'm like "Tampa mentioned!!!" whenever someone mentions the city, but uuuuuuh maybe not this time lmao

[@aricheec7722]

its not bullying, its accountability. the only reason dark romance is enjoyable is because it is fiction. this author brought reality into it, and fetishized real suffering at the expense of victims and their families. edit: notice how nowhere in this comment did i say fiction isn’t effected by reality. you all have the mental capacity of roadkill….

[@hbsupreme1499]

Not really fiction is based in reality

[@Deviousbun]

Fiction does affect reality no matter in what form :/

[@popcultureoverdosed]

​@@Deviousbun no it doesnt

[@cande9023]

@@Deviousbun Hannibal Lecter is one of my favorite fictional characters. I don't think anyone would make the assumption that I want to eat other people just because I enjoy a charismatic portrayal of a *fictional* villain. Same logic extends for dark romance, which in the first place should only ever be read by adults mature enough to make such distinctions.

[@SheetGhostWithBones]

​@@cande9023 Hannibal was based on a real person

[@softhorror8779]

As someone who enjoyed dark romance for a while due to my own trauma, the thing, for me at least, is the clear way the narrative is unrealistic. The appeal is being able to reenact my trauma in my head in a way in which I end up feeling loved and fulfilled instead of traumatized and used, because that's how it is for the main girl. The perpetrator is never doing it out of sadistic desire to harm, but simply as an misunderstood act of love. Both of them are so far removed from the real life people these things happen to, that it's easier and comforting to digest. The moment you introduce a real life criminal to the narrative, even if only trough marketing, that fantasy is broken. The violence and trauma can no longer be twisted into a more "safe" narrative because the real victims exist, and unlike the female lead, they are either dead or severely affected, which is something most people cannot, and should not ignore

[@imani2160]

I don't really get Dark Romance, or I guess I didn't before. Thank you for this explanation. This really makes sense to me. Thank you for being brave enough to share in order to elucidate what can be a really murky issue. 😊

[@herodoesstuff]

the "theres nothing wrong w loving killers" made my jaw drop to the floor lmao, the brainrot is severe w this one. it's a shame the author is responding... the way they are :/ why can't they still apologize esp if it wasn't their intent? icky

[@silvsevie]

If people are attracted to monsters with actual existing victims, they should at least keep it private. Your attraction is not more important than the suffering of the relatives, friends and loved ones of the victims. have some respect. thanks for covering this topic.

[@thedesensitizedsympathizer5307]

What if you just.....can't bother to care then?

[@silvsevie]

@@thedesensitizedsympathizer5307 If you can't be bothered to care about victims? then you aren't just attracted to bad people, you are a bad person too.

[@fleetwoodmak777]

@@thedesensitizedsympathizer5307empathy is learned, do the work.

[@thedesensitizedsympathizer5307]

@@fleetwoodmak777HOW do I "do the work"? Like, where do I start?

[@fleetwoodmak777]

@@thedesensitizedsympathizer5307 everyone has their own journey, and since I am neither a professional, nor am I you, I can’t give you exact answers, unfortunately. mental health is one of the most intricate and personal systems, which is why humans are so complex yet beautiful. while there are a plethora of external resources, nothing can help you more than you can help yourself. look inwards first, self-reflect, and ask yourself questions. try to ascertain what specifically needs to change - you mention you can’t bother to care…. is this a lack of empathy, or desensitization? is this a reoccurring feeling? do you feel this way all the time or in specific circumstances? do you suffer from depression, anxiety, etc? some recommend journaling to keep track of this process, as reflection and mindfulness are constant, so don’t feel pressured to practice reflection in one day. take your time. furthermore, general psychology is a good place to start, research-wise. it can really help you learn to understand yourself. psychology applies to a wide variety of topics, so I imagine there are many tools provided through psychology you gradually can experiment with. additionally, therapy can act as a “speed run” of studying psychology, as a professional can help you find what works for you specially much quicker. psychology takes many different approaches towards mental health, so there is never a “one size fits all”. progress can be hard, and by no means linear, but the mind is extremely capable. time is on your side!

[@Emigdala]

"I had to go private due to receiving unaliving threats 🥺" Damn I guess being targeted by killers is only sexy if it happens to someone else then? If you're going to fetishize murder for profit you don't get the privilege of whining about people saying mean things to you IMHO. You reap what you sow.

[@kmlkai]

the use of an ACTUAL criminal as "insipiration" is horrendous. these criminals have caused irreversible trauma and anguish in the victims and their families, and using them as "inspiration" is just so wrong, (in my opinion).

[@skylarsworld9477]

Ed Gein:

[@chipkid]

@@skylarsworld9477dude we shouldn’t defend this author at all

[@smilingchild]

I don’t know if I agree with you but it reminds me of the game “My Eyes Deceived” The developer added a clarification about the game being stolen and republished by someone in roblox and QnA note one time on the game’s website ( which is now removed ) In one of the questions, he answered something like “No, I don’t take an inspiration of an actual case, but I do build the map in a similar architecture of Jeff Fritzl’s basement ( with providing the image of the map )” I think because of that, he got backlash and removed the note

[@justincampbell3891]

"Criminal" is kind of a vague term. Not all crimes are equal. Noteworthy criminals in U.S. literary history include Thomas Paine, Henry David Thoreau, O. Henry, Jack London, Harlan Ellison, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Sonny Barger, Sean Fanning, Kevin Mitnick, Tommy Chong, and Jordan Belfort. In terms of world literature they include John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, Oscar Wilde, Jean Genet, Ann Rule, and most major avowedly Communist intellectuals. And indirectly Charles Dickens. Dickens' father was thrown into debtor's prison, along with the rest of the family. I'm just saying you may want to establish an offense threshold as to exactly where acceptability stops.

[@athena139]

i'm going to politely disagree with this. in my opinion, the point where it starts getting uncomfortable is when you also ADVERTISE the actual serial killer it's based on. like there's a thousand horror movies about ed gein but none of them say BASED ON ED GEIN'S MURDERS in big bold letters, because we're meant to understand that this is not a movie about the real life killer, this is a movie about a character with fictionalized aspects borrowed from one. sorry if that didn't make sense lmao, i'm having a hard time phrasing it.

[@vapiddreamscape]

i blinked and you went from 60k to over 100k as you rightly deserve

[@NeidenHalffur]

6:00 An "unaliver"... like, ik tiktok censors a lot, but... dude.

[@wooogie672]

honestly, i could be biased as someone who isn’t a content creator full-time, but i feel like the whole “shadow ban” shit is overblown and using euphemisms for words like “murderer” or “rape” is an extreme reaction and, imo, lessens the severity of the actions these words describe. like the other day, i saw a tiktok talking about this movie that just came out and depicted very graphic and upsetting scenes of mass sexual assault, and the woman actually used the words “sexual assault,” “rape,” etc. and the video was SO MUCH more impactful than if she had used the words “grape” or “SA”

[@avemyfather]

I dont think its that serious. Like at all.

[@avemyfather]

⁠@@wooogie672if using censored words lessens the severity of actions for you that is literally a personal problem

[@seagaulle]

@@wooogie672 Lol I was literally talking about this earlier, I hate the censorship so much because it's just overblown. I've been learning about ww2 for years and recently a bunch of people have been refusing to say Hitler's name and instead call him Austrian Painter or Mustache Man which is really disrespectful imo. Like you're giving this evil person such a goofy nickname and you might as well just call him Scrunkly Scrimblo Blorbo man at that level. We know it's not because of trauma because this has only happened recently among younger people, and they'll cry about censorship but history shouldn't be censored.

[@seagaulle]

@@avemyfather But it's more than just a personal problem tho, these words genuinely do lessen the severity of actions to most people. Like if someone is talking about a pedophile who did really horrible things to children, nobody is going to want to hear some graphic story and then say it was done by an "Minecraft KZbinr EDP kiddy diddler DrDisrespecting minors newest member of the diddy squad". Instead of panting it as a tragic situation it instead paints the situation as a silly joke or meme.

[@strawberrysyren]

trying not to cry laughing at work at "gali-LOSER" also i LOVE the star hair clips they look so cute!

[@RamonaGelosi]

THE INSULTS AS FAMOUS PEOPLE'S NAMES WERE AMAZING I LOVED THEM SO MUCH

[@AfroGothixa]

actually got a good chuckle or three out of me lol

[@jouxlskaard]

regrettably (?) i can say with moderate certainty mozart would’ve LOVED the mozfart joke. iykyk

[@Anon26535]

Good idea: getting a real criminal to promote your adventure story about a daring jewel thief Bad idea: getting a real criminal to promote your dark romance novel about a goddamn murderer

[@stupidmangoz]

That's just as awful as the woman who killed her husband to not only promote HER book, but take his funds(and failed due to multiple lengths he went after her suspicious behaviour) and get her way with HORRIBLE projects that he said no to

[@qwerkiangoo-o2929]

Who?

[@sydneyb2378]

She didn't murder him so she could write that book (as far as I know). It was for his life insurance/cause she wanted said life insurance for an expensive real estate project he didn't think was a good idea. It's still shitty that she wrote that book though. Her name is Kori Richins, btw.

[@corruptedfantasy]

⁠@@qwerkiangoo-o2929 Kouri Richens

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

N……no, I do not think some slimy insensitive marketing is ‘as awful’ as an actual RL murder what is wrong with you?

[@hii_avaa]

someone needs to check the tampa author's computer

[@WURLDSTAR]

and it’s her debut book……………. i’m still traumatized

[@skylarsworld9477]

🎶 everyone i dont like is literally Epstein🎼

[@FTMothman]

⁠@@WURLDSTAR And the worst(best since the whole point was to be uncomfortable) part is that she’s a good writer, just the tiniest sliver of that book had me like “I need to take a bath in hand sanitizer and dry off with sandpaper” I would have to put that book down every 30 minutes I just know it😭

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@WURLDSTARI really like you you’re my best friend ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@WURLDSTARyou’re very pretty and cool and awesome

[@oaktree.1842]

so glad im not the only one that can't stand true crime channels -- a long while back someone made a video abt my sister very shortly after she took her own life and he never asked any of us nor did he even attempt to reach out. he did it all because he was from the neighboring town (aka grew up there and hasn't been there in 10+ years..) and went around giving motivational speeches abt sui prevention and it literally felt like he was trying to profit off of her death. it's been over 7 years since he made the video and i still get furious and feel sick just thinking abt it. i can only imagine how the families of victims feel when true crime channels make videos about their deceased loved one(s). it's reprehensible.

[@stevieblunder2962]

Wolfgang amadoofus motzfart had me cackling

[@neebling]

same. it's a damn work of art

[@sundaymorning9699]

i watch some content that would be considered true crime bc im interested in the psychological/sociological aspects of stories about crime, but the way a lot of the people who form the 'community' acts about it really creeps me the hell out. i cant stop thinking about this bumper sticker i saw the other week that said 'Powered by Coffee and True Crime' and i was just knocked on my ass. yes, i partake in coffee And true crime, but POWERED?? by stories abt ppl getting tortured??? UHHHHHH????? no, i cant say i've ever felt EMPOWERED by this content and it worries me that someone would say that they were!!!!

[@_sleepyaisha_]

I also watch some true crime content for the same reason you do. I don't think I've ever been empowered either, left feeling terrified by a case? Definitely.;;

[@Dressup_Doll]

I like theft true crime videos. Like, no one gets hurt, but a bunch of stuff gets stolen and never found.

[@lime_cactus6946]

Same. I watch/listen to true crime content, but it's not out of a 'love' for it; it's out of a psychological curiosity and an interest in things like the laws surrounding events, if that makes sense.

[@FTMothman]

No fr cause like… “powered by true crime and coffee” is nuts. Like… we are listening to the same thing? Maybe it’s cause I watch the videos that add the tip-lines and stuff, but how did listening to these things become quirky??? How did we go from “If you know anything about this” and “I want to spread awareness” to “Omg so quirky✨✨✨✨”🫤

[@orderofdusk2382]

I only very occasionally watch true crime but for me it is the same reason, I find the sociological and psychological aspects interesting, however even then I'm not fawning over serial killers or finding empowerment in it as I'm not that kind of weirdo. Seriously I don't get that angle, I don't get someone "stanning" Jeffrey Dahmer or whatever, they fucking killed people.

[@myfavoritejacket404]

this reminds me of when sarah j mass used the death of breonna taylor to promote her book

[@watertribeskye]

HUH???

[@helloill672]

YIKES

[@sapphicatsushi]

whos sarah j mass?

[@helloill672]

@@sapphicatsushi a very popular romance and fantasy author. I believe the book series she promoted with Breonna Taylor's death is part of her Court of Thorns and Roses series, which from what I have heard has some questionable allegories.

[@sapphicatsushi]

@@helloill672 oh! yikes!

[@TheAbigailDee]

If you're in the comments and you kind of like dark romance but you've got concerns about it, I unironically suggest you check out the monster "lover" (substitute that word for something a lot less KZbin friendly!!!) genre. It's not a genre I'm familiar with as a mostly horror reader but I know a lot of people like it because it has the dark vibes but it's so divorced from reality when the main character is in a throuple with Frankenstein and the wolf man!!!

[@sleepysadpoet]

I second this My first monster 'lover' book was called a soul to keep by opal reyne

[@6Shots_ofEspresso]

do you have any monster “lover” book recs? if it helps i was a big fan of venom 2018

[@ronaldreaganhater6982]

Honestly i think a second label should be used on works that are consensual/mostly so but have dark themes outside of it and the other stuff. I never know what people mean when they say they like dark romance. Are we talking the summer Hikaru died or fifty shades of gray

[@BlisaBLisa]

"good lord you people are easy" is how i feel whenever ppl talk about how hot ted bundy is HE JUST LOOKS LIKE A GUY

[@Karamazov9]

Using a Schopenhauer quote to refute accusations of being a weirdo is a choice

[@ronaldreaganhater6982]

On the dark romance rant. The consensual thing is also where dark romance loses me because how the fuck are you making a romance with no romance. Pedophilia and rape is inherently non romantic and yet its used as a basis for said romance, a draw even. Faulty relationships, damaged people, bad starts, morally despicable characters are what id think would go into dark romance when i heard of it because all of those can still have some genuine romance even if it doesnt stay healthy. Give me characters so fucked up their healthy romance is considered a nightmare to others but its still the best thing they have, not rpe porn packaged with a different name untagged on my insta reels.

[@ronaldreaganhater6982]

Fantasy worlds and non human characters also work much better if you wanna put the darker stuff in too as you can much easier rehabilitate a character who genuinely doesn't know what's wrong vs some mafia misogynist. Human guy kidnapping a girl until she agrees to be his gf? Ew. A fuckin harpy kidnapping a girl because she's doing her species courting rituals and doesn't realize her girl can't fly away like others? Lot more interesting. Also could have much more cool gore via harpy claws. Fuck now I wanna make harpy yuri

[@drnegative9]

@@ronaldreaganhater6982i would love harpy yuri

[@Rainierdawn]

I read what can be considered dark romances and I cannot for the life of me understand people who CAN'T separate it from real life and crimes. It's literally so easy that I don't have to even think about it.

[@lajourdanne]

🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 it’s essentially speculative fiction.

[@Shadow10201]

6:40 here's my two cents, killer's stories ARE interesting to read and learn about, but that doesn't mean it's OK to actually love or like the killer/murderer themselves. That author confused me on that part tbh lol

[@strawberrysyren]

Honestly, i really love ur take on this. I completely agree on ur points abt dark romance. like, if its in ur own home and you are capable of understanding the difference between fiction and reality, do whatever you want, its your house and im not ur dad. but the big issue, and i think this is true with a lot of things, is when ppl blur the lines. this is an issue with fanfiction and fandom too. Esp when it comes to shipping real ppl. personally i think as long as u acknowledge that the ppl ur reading and/or writing abt are FICTIONAL characters BASED on the ppl and their actions are not representative of how they actually interact, i dont care. like i pay taxes, i have bigger things to worry about. but the issue is people blur the lines, take things too seriously, let fictional events take over their whole lives. and im saying this as someone whos v active in fandom spaces, but there needs to be a balance. thats one of my biggest issues w/ dark romance tbh. like if u CAN differentiate, then fine, read whatever you want. but like, theres no way to guarantee that ur audience (if ur the author) is capable. and ofc the author isnt responsible but like the whole idea of romanticizing dangerous things can become dangerous irl. it can create a space where ppl could become very vulnerable to abuse and unhealthy relationships. i truly just need ppl to understand how fiction doesnt impact reality, but it can impact ur perception of reality and thats why u need to be careful. the amount of ppl who read this stuff and then act like its wholesome cute romance is v weird!! like the whole point of reading stuff thats fucked up is because its fucked up and you should acknowledge that. thats what makes it dark. but the fact that when ppl review and talk abt these books without at all saying anything abt the actions (like really even a "its super fucked up but thats why i like it" would suffice) really makes it feel like they truly dont see anything wrong with it. sorry for the rant omfg 😭😭 yap city population: me. this is a v long winded way of saying; i liked this video and i agree with u, i am now subscribed and ready for the next video🙏🙏

[@birdenthusiast5421]

It's absolutely hilarious how quick the author goes from "you all just hate me for breaking the mold" to "actually this is fine because lots of people are doing it!" how on Earth do you expect to keep afloat as an author if you're this thin-skinned while attempting to take on serious subjects and then after so many posts of being confrontational, saying they have severe confrontational anxiety......... that's something I've got in spades and I'd never think to make so many spiralling posts trying to justify myself and flip blame onto others, I think most people with anxiety would withdraw immediately so the ploy to get sympathy after every other card failed to work is very infuriating but also very funny. also acting like they had no chance to explain their side whilst making loads of comments-disabled posts doing just that. babe your explanation just wasn't very good okay, long comment over, great video and always keeping me up to date on what the younguns are up to on their tick-tocks :P (the internet makes me feel positively ancient at 28 lol)

[@pauieeepau]

As a horror and weird genre enjoyer, I'm used to people finding my fave media weird. In fact, I expect it. Thankfully, my interests didn't lead me to idolizing real criminals.

[@orangejudas]

you summarized my EXACT feelings on dark romance, omg. i love dark topics in the books i read, but when the female lead obviously is not into the guy and he STILL pursues her, it shivers my timbers. also i completely understand dark romance lovers, when it's fictional, but jesus christ it's a whole 'nother thing when you bring real people into it!!!! like did she not stop for a second to consider how the victims' families would have felt had they seen that. i'm appalled at the lack of empathy in some people...

[@wuor]

currently obsessed w deadpool but not aware with wade wilson's case so i was jump#scared

[@fallingawayfromthenorm]

I became fascinated by Columbine after watching the Bowling for Columbine documentary and spent time reading about and watching other documentaries about Columbine about a decade ago, and was disturbed by the Columbine tag on Tumblr. The fanart, fanfics, and genuine love people had for Dylan and Eric was disturbing as hell. I’ll never understand how people go as far as to develop affection for serial killers and other horrible people.

[@times2die]

affection is certainly a strong term and there are definitely people out there that feel that way, but the majority of people on true crime tumblr (tccblr) feel sympathy or like they can relate to mk. it’s mainly a coping mechanism. granted, that does not make it better at all, and it’s still highly disrespectful to the victims, but that’s just some insight into how and why people develop connections with these people. still, no excuse to be drawing the sandy hook shooter as a chibi.

[@cande9023]

The fact that she kept doubling down on her logic of why it was fine is what's the most worrying. She absolutely refused to have any empathy here

[@almondthefurret6818]

This is why a prefer false crime over true crime

[@zomrai]

ngl i was shocked at the title until i heard it was a dark romance- it feels like everyday we got something to make fun of the genre for (that sounded mean i’m sorry if people who are normal and read dark romance see this)

[@gntletulip]

normal person who reads dark romance , this author has absolutely no neurons .

[@rumpeltyltskyn]

Yeah I love dark romance, but you leave real people out of it. Just like there is a respectful way to do and consume true crime (like, focusing on cases that victim/their families wish to get attention on, or focusing on historical cases) there’s like, people who are Normal about and people who Aren’t. (Funny how they overlap!)

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

no offense taken, you are sadly right. I like darker stuff in theory horror etc but I’m so exhausted by the genre samplings ngl. So much feels like poorly executed apologism where there’s no depth or real reaction to anything ‘dark’ that happens and it’s weirdly saccharine due to being so poorly executed. There’s ways to have these be hyper reality/ fantasy without being flat. I keep feeling like I’m looking for John Wick and getting a modern Seagal film instead, but in dark romance form. I look for dark thrills and instead get ‘wouldn’t it be so hot if a cringe incel podcaster’s view of the world was accurate?’ 😭

[@definitelynotashark1799]

Back in my day, dark romance was something we wrote at 15 to work out stuff for ourselves and got maybe three readers 👵

[@Kossa-Odessa]

Refreshing to hear someone speak out about true crime girlies. It is absolutely disgusting to make someone’s tragic murder entertainment and that means it’s equally disgusting to view such content for entertainment. Informative true crime content is out there, fictional true crime content has been around for years, so why do these true crime fans consume real true crime content? Especially when it’s combined with a woman doing makeup or a mukbang or something. Some of them even fall asleep to it! The graphic description of someone that was murdered! Vile, vile, vile.

[@kariudo1]

I like talking about it when it is respectful presented, as it can help teach you what to look for from people. But respectful. Fetishizing it is not cool.

[@r0ukee]

@@kariudo1yeah, like my mom watches true crime on ID but she does it because she genuinely likes to learn better ways to watch out for some people and I like it because it gives me a better way to understand how some people can hide their darker side and the signs to look out for, but I’m never feeling good or happy after learning about it, just bummed out and disgusted.

[@seagaulle]

Thank you so much for saying that about the True Crime community, I've been into dark and taboo subjects for most of my life but I try and look at the history behind them and treat these topics with respect. With that I always get kind of disgusted whenever a video graces my recommended section where it's talking about a real murder case and instead of discussing it in an informative and respectful way, the person is just filming themselves putting on makeup or doing a mukbang or whatever. Sure this stuff is interesting and people should be allowed to read and talk about it, but most of the True Crime community isn't doing it in a respectful manner I feel.

[@mimikyu1093]

so many of them literally just make stuff up about cases to sensationalise it, it’s like they’re writing fanfic about the case and reading it back to us. i got recommended a video by one of them and clicked it cause it seemed interesting but they went into such disgustingly graphic detail of the violence the victims faced i had to skip through all of the descriptions. they were literally describing what eyeballs feel like when they’re crushed, it was so needlessly vile, and then most of what they said outside of that wasn’t even true and they’d contradict their own narrative as soon as they went back to telling the real story. i never watched another one after that :/

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

I write gothic horror stuff for myself and read Hannibal fanfics. Gothic horror is the big sister of dark romance lets be honest. And um. If you tried to sell a fanfic to me by using real people's pain and try to paint the perpetrator as hot? I hate you. And I feel insulted. and dark romance authors need to stop marketing to teens! Teens are little sponges and can take away the wrong idea from the books!

[@EvanBear]

18:25 Called out but very glad I'm not the only one that had a visceral gut reaction to you just describing that book 😬

[@auggie532]

Just got suggested your channel randomly and I love this video! As a "dark romance" / "dead dove" reader myself, the issue definitely is that as SOON as it brings in any real life murderers, criminals, or the experience of victims - I'm 100% out. That is fantasy only, and anyone who doesn't understand that or chooses to promote it with real life examples I consider EXTREMELY dangerous as they cannot distinguish real life from fictional scenarios. 😬

[@TheQueenOfSheba]

Doesn’t help that Wilson has a literal fan club… he’s an evil monster.

[@Xx_nickcarraway_xX]

“Leonardork DaBitchy” I love this channel so much

[@Wjyndigo]

As a reader of this genre I feel a lot of dark romance books should be labeled erotic horror/ thriller . Also the writer for Tampa seriously should be investigated. That book reads like it was written by someone who really is a PeDo.

[@froggyringu]

8:33 ...yes, people are obsessed with true crime...but being obsessed with the perpetrators of those true crimes is next level. I think watching true crime is okay. It's OK to be fascinated with what could happen in real life. But the people who want to marry murderers should really just talk to a psychologist.

[@starkid_rocks]

I've been listening to tyler the creator sm that when you said "Wolfgang" I jumped in my seat

[@juno.moth17]

“Leonardork da-bitchy” as a Tmnt fan I’m gonna start using that

[@TheLakeMorgan]

I mean Steven King wrought It around a decade after Gacy was caught, but at least he didn’t turn that into a romance!

[@justincampbell3891]

Most of King's horror, though is either 1) a love letter to the media he liked as a kid 2) him trying to process into a more understandable form something about the real world that spooked him. For a guy so strongly associated with horror, "Uncle Steve" is actually a big ole softie. 3) actually written by whatever drug he was addicted to during composition. He's just the word processor. He himself has said as much about several of his books, Cujo = booze Tommyknockers = coke Dreamcatcher = pain pills

[@TheLakeMorgan]

@@justincampbell3891 Yeah true, much better then making a love story around an actual serial killer

[@atomiicos]

what the author did was bad. there’s no way to sugarcoat it. I do think booktok entirely is certainly… not great. I get wanting to share books and such, though so much of the platform and subsequent marketing has made it quite problematic in my eyes. Many books are being marketed specifically towards audiences that skew younger, especially with how common censorship is. when you’re younger, topics can feel like bad words, things that are silently agreed upon that you can’t talk about. I don’t care if adults read dark romance, that’s their buisness. Though the marketing towards younger audiences is incredibly concerning. A lot of readers of dark romance don’t like it because they want to be stalked or hurt, it’s far more psychological when you really get into it. dark romance has been around for a long time, there’s been debate over bodice rippers for decades. it’s not for me and i’m not going to police what people like to read. That will not stop me from showing concern over the fact many books are being marketed towards tweens. To put it lightly, that is weird

[@chocomelo454]

Watching this after getting my hands on a book about a killer bear is kinda funny

[@bellabean1686]

Are you.. gov's #1 enemy!?

[@anothermiddleschoolburnout8816]

Is that bear.... Freddy Fazbear?

[@chocomelo454]

@@anothermiddleschoolburnout8816 yes...

[@lankyfishy]

19:00 I haven't read Tampa but I have read another Alissa Nutting book, Made for Love, which involves silicone girlfriends, brain chips, and a guy who can only get off thinking about dolphins, but with her writing style it all kind of makes sense in context

[@spicedcoffee9902]

This video puts me in unique position as I am a Crimnal Justice student, graduating this year with my bachelors that hopes to work as a paralegal and later a law clerk for the courts. I will be actively working under legal professionals and organizing, managing, scheduling all the documents, appointments, and etc., for people that will have the hand and gathering the evidence of people in the Crimnal court system, obviously including murders. I used be True Crime fan but I always made to sure to keep remorse and respect for the victims and their families . Now that I study, resaserch, and do rigorous, intensive reports of some of these cases I am no longer a fan or find it entertaining or cute that those channels do this. If I’m listening to true acrime now days it’s for a class, which funnily enough one of my teachers seem to be OBSESSED with Murdaugh Family’s Case and litterally has us studying it for the rest of the semester. Though it’s nice for once not to be going through cases hot potatoes it still feels weird and close to home as I live in the same State and not too far from the County the unfortunate events took place it and it feels fresh to be studying it so soon after. Though, I’m a bit thankful for it. My teacher seems to have taken a great amount of time not to choose insensitive sources based on hearsay and rumors and has given us assignments that’s forced us to learn about the families history, the impact their actions has had on victims and the community and the collective sigh of relief the county had in their absence. It was so odd to get the opportunity to travel to the county on a visit trip and see areas they frequented. These are real people, that live real lives, dealing with the real and Nagy I’ve consequences of the selfish actions of others. This shit really isn’t funny, it could happen to anyone and fact that people genuinely have more time speculate on the murders of victims and play detetective on the internet is crazy.

[@dedusmuln]

you have such an angelic voice

[@Mothmaninist]

Off topic but is that a Hylics avatar???? If so., Neat

[@dedusmuln]

@@Mothmaninist u know it💋

[@meowzers.p]

hard agree. i love having their videos in the background while i do stuff because their voice is so nice

[@sleepysadpoet]

Not me realizing bc of this video that his name is why people call him the deadpool killer 💀

[@orange_octopus_oo]

I read the description before hitting play and thought the author of Tampa used Debra Lafave to promote her book. I read Tampa because I was looking for a literary horror novel with an unreliable narrator. The subject matter is horrible but the MC's inner dialogue and self-justifications were interesting to read

[@WURLDSTAR]

i wasn’t aware of the promotional tactics used behind tampa but i am aware that the story is based off of someone that the author had a connection to (from what i’ve seen, i’m not sure if it’s true). i agree that entering the mind of a character like that can be intriguing (and it’s the reason why i picked it up in the first place)

[@sugmanots]

Yeah, I haven't finished it yet but I think it's interesting so far.

[@GachaFunTime]

Ngl this sounds like a thing Brian Griffin would do.

[@oserty]

2:14 LMAO thank you for clarification, for a second i wasn’t sure which universe i was in XD

[@oserty]

cannot take it seriously when you say "wade wilson" every two seconds. for me it’s like if the killer’s name was harry potter or katniss everdeen. god damn it i need to stay serious this is a serious topic. some real life people got killed, a dark romance author uses their killer to promote a book. what a messes up situation. but wade wilson…

[@alisha-9889]

Have you read Penance by Eliza Clark? It criticises true crime and I loved it, I think about it a lot

[@WURLDSTAR]

no but i have their book ‘body parts’ on my list! i’ll definitely add that one too

[@alisha-9889]

@@WURLDSTAR yay, I’d definitely recommend it!! I haven’t read body parts but I should put that one on my list as well

[@nessiefanatic]

i LOVED penance. i think abt it all the time

[@CL-lx2pm]

Hybristophiliacs stay being insufferable. Honestly I'm surprised it took them this long to intrude on the dark romance genre.

[@ac31ell]

Hybristophiliacs are genuinely never going to go away it seems

[@nerdjournal]

I'm a real criminal, though. I have been out of prison for over 12 years, off parole over 10 and sober for over 8. I never killed anyone, though. I just did a lot of self-medication due to undiagnosed autism.

[@Beerambling]

I literally just saw a tiktok about this person yesterday and couldn't find any thing about them but once again wurld has saved the day or whatever.

[@Simon_Q]

There was a case in Spain of a child m*rderer and there was people making a series about it with the help of the m*rderer, they stopped doing it because the mother of the child sued them.

[@Painocus]

Quoting Arthur Schopenhauer, the guy who literally belived not-existing was better than being alive is a bit... weird of them in this context. Especially since he was a massive misogynist for a large chunk of his life and a lot of people specifically like to reprint those parts of his works for *some* reason, despite the man himself disowning those. Not saying people should be "cancelled" (whatever that means anymore) or whatever for quoting Schopenhauer or liking his other contributions to philosophy, but just an odd choice for a pretty generic quote in this context.

[@RamonaGelosi]

the ace flag yaaaasss💕

[@vvitch-mist20]

I have a couple of fiction murderers and I designed them specifically to be liked. Like Hannibal, and Dexter exist for a reason y'all.

[@elvenb23]

I’m also very conflicted about dark romance but I will say it’s one of the only genres I’ve seen main characters deal with mental health disorders like my own without it being the main plot of the story. Sometimes it’s just nice to see that representation without it being too overwhelming to read. Some of the books tread a line of romanticizing them, but I have read ones where there’s a good balance. However I’ve also read books where they introduce the mental health issues just to cast them aside later like they never existed. imo there’s just good & bad in every genre

[@Ari-if7bt]

Im not gonna lie, "wolfgang ama-doofus moz-fart" got me alot harder than it shouldve.

[@KurKiriKuru]

Volturd was my favorite one 😂

[@cheetosan]

commenting at the very beginning to say i respect u so much for the 2001 clip in the intro. absolutely immaculate taste

[@Nari-7022]

booktok has genuinely made me not want to be an author anymore. i dont want a book i publish to EVER be talked about on tiktok, and i definitely dont want to engage with these diabolical, insensitive and lowkey psychotic authors. this shit has genuinely crushed a lifelong dream of mine and its hard to even sit with because it just sucks. i love writing, but if i ever had a fandom like the booktok girlies... i think id throw myself off the edge of the earth

[@qwerkiangoo-o2929]

They are numerous but they arent the mayority

[@aricheec7722]

@@Nari-7022 i’ve also felt this. it’s so hard to take off as an author now without engaging with booktok and having to dodge people like this left and right when you’re just trying to make friends who write and read, i don’t even want to try if enduring this offensive sludge is what it costs me. true crime tiktok and booktok need a joint wake up call on how to interact with real people

[@SheetGhostWithBones]

Booktok has almost fully scared me out of being an author and its really disheartening bc I've loved reading ever since I was young and writing is so therapeutic. But booktok just... Eugh, dude.

[@eldritchmonsters]

same here!!! low key paranoid of getting a horrible fan base honestly.

[@mommys-lil-tortlet]

im only a minute into the story and i wanted to comment that your hair clip placement is really cool

[@AlbertIsAFlamingo]

How did I know it would be Wade Wilson

[@BeehiveBoy]

highly reccommend Dave's Lemonade's video on Wade Wilson. The things that he did to MULTIPLE women are deranged and disgusting. He has no remorse.

[@mzmessy3]

20:00 is soooooo true and i mean that in the nicest way possible

[@milkteamachine]

When it comes to dark romance, the content of the media is way less offensive to me than the behaviour of people that consume or produce it. If you’re gonna post stuff like that you better do it with your WHOLE chest, if you wanna write romance novels about murderers you can’t be upset when some people really, really don’t like it.

[@thilypad557]

Omg not me stumbling across a black ace girl talking about books, love that for me. Also you’re funny!

[@localmenace3043]

If someone has real-life victims, it is inexcusable to use them as inspiration for your _romance novel._ You don’t use Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy - You DO NOT go there. The author deserves to get called out for this behavior. Everyone knows you KEEP DARK TOPICS IN FICTION. You NEVER let real life bleed into your fiction.

[@archdemons]

I fully feel like the internet has lessened the quality of books. can't explain how I just know in my heart that books are worse now edit to clarify: I mostly was referring to how social media can push the popularity of a crap book, making the good books harder to find. guess my wording was off my bad edit again: why do yall keep bringing up dark romance into this when I didn't mention it at all. way to project lmao

[@wooogie672]

sorry in advance for semi-long comment! i mean… historically, i don’t think this is true. “bodice rippers” have existed since the 80s and possibly even before then (they were just really popular in the 80s). people have been complaining about “trashy” or “low brow” books since the inception of the romance genre! shitty/low-quality books have always existed, but i think since we have the internet now, we are seeing more and more examples of these low quality books and the increase in exposure can make one come to the conclusion that there is an increase in quantity of these books and that they are starting to overshadow the good books. also, it is easier than ever to get your book out there! unlike in the victorian era, for example, you don’t even need to have a publisher to have your book made. so, there may actually be a higher quantity of shitty books out there, but still, i don’t think that this increase is disproportionate to any other time in history :) tl;dr: i don’t think the internet has lead to an overall decrease in the quality of books, but that increased exposure and publishing accessibility has made it seem so

[@x_azzy]

@@wooogie672 i also feel like it is important to point out that women's writing, esp romance with sex in it, has inherently been seen as "low brow" "trashy" etc. its a form of literature like anything else. judgement of writing quality is very subjective, outside the rules of writing mechanics (and lets be real, there are many books considered "classics" which ignore these too. hello fitzgerald, ever heard of a comma?) and still are considered great works of their time or whatever. like, do i think my monster romance is gonna be the new great gatsby or w/e? of course not, but books read for entertainment mainly and books written by women and/or queer people about love and desire are not inherently lesser. they still have value, and ive read some amazing romances that explored very important topics or got representation very well where i felt seen as a trans person. where tragedy isnt the default for queer people. yeah ofc there is stuff not great on the selfpub market, as accessibility allows people to put out whatever they like. i also think having bad writing isnt an inherent moral failure. you can dnf/not read the book. now books which are bigoted and harmful *do* have the right to be criticized and discussed. being exploitative of real violence against women like this author did is highly unethical and gross. the dark romance genre (which should be explicitly only for adults to engage with, any marketing to teens etc is wrong) convo is something i dont want to get into here just bc its A Lot, but she overstepped so many lines of human decency.

[@archdemons]

@wooogie672 yeah no shit Sherlock that's what I meant lol. funny how you immediately assume I'm talking about "lowbrow" books when I really just mean that the popular books being pushed more often on social media typically have much simpler wording and less compelling storytelling.

[@AlexMartinez-nn2cm]

@@x_azzy thank you for this take. i feel like people are incapable of nuance when discussing booktok and dark romance lmao

[@PhoebeTheFairy56]

I think it's more of an exposure thing. Like, before the internet it was a lot harder to know what a book was like without just reading it yourself, you'd have to know someone who's read it or find a published review somewhere

[@whimai412]

5:40 for real, and like you mentioned the internet lives forever. First video I have seen from the channel, gonna check out more once this one's done. :)

[@StCrimson667]

I honestly do think there is a kind of connection between women who fall in love with serial killers and people who love this sort of "dark romance". I can't remember where or who, might have been a PhilosophyTube video, but, basically, the reason why many woman fall in love with serial killers is because they have this desire to basically become an accomplice, to not be murdered by them, but to gain control over them and to be able to direct the violence that these men are capable of, and you see a similar sort of theme within a lot of these "dark romances", a violent, abusive man being tamed and domesticated by the female love interest so he'll use his violent and abusive impulses to protect her and empower her. This is basically white female supremacy 101, because white womanhood has always relied on patriarchal male violence in order to maintain itself.

[@peonylarkspur645]

Brilliant analysis. I would like this a thousand times if I could

[@jasminv8653]

'i get severe confrontational anxiety' why is it always this kind of woman

[@SalachyX3]

Offtopic but I love the star clips!!

[@charity27]

Omg I just found my new favorite KZbinr. I love your humor and how you explain things. And I’m ace too! Now I’m gonna binge watch all of your videos 🫶

[@perrytheplatypus5373]

The first time I saw her posts, I thought it was satire and she was just making fun of dark romance, which despite being an avid dark romance reader, I found funny. The way my jaw dropped when I found out she was ACTUALLY using a grapist and murderer to promote her cringes book…I love dark romance. But no I do not condone these actions in real life. Enjoying a dark romance book is the same as watching a horror movie. It’s thrilling and entertaining but you don’t ever want something like that to happen in real life. No true crime or dark romance reader with morals will ever romanticise real criminals. You do not mix true crime(REAL crimes) and dark romance (fiction). The author is so, so selfish and insensitive. Instead of apologising she tried to act unbothered. Saying shit like, “haters gonna hate” ain’t cute when people are rightfully calling you out for shamelessly idolising a real criminal. Not only is she making the rest of booktok look like sickos who support criminals, she’s also disrespecting actual victims. Bro thought she could use the booktok hashtag to promote her nasty book. I truly hope the victims rest in peace and their families heal. Edit: butcher and blackbird was hilarious and I loved it too!

[@Kxri.7]

6:50 SAY IT LOUDER SO THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK CAN HEAR IT

[@samsonstuff3787]

The Nami intro is iconic

[@WURLDSTAR]

she’s so cool

[@iheartcats4life_]

I think you would enjoy Contrapoints' video Twilight. She covers a lot of ground in that video that apply to dark romance.

[@afnan1069]

everytime i watch one of ur videos i just want to start reading

[@WURLDSTAR]

you definitely should 🙂‍↕️

[@spaceotter2055]

long as you recognize that things in them are only okay IN FICTION (excluding certain "attractions" that are never okay in any circumstance). some fantasies need to stay fantasies, and thats okay!!!!

[@leiwue]

this is totally unrelated but i LOVE your glasses 😭

[@DinoRicky]

2:51 though that was Deadpool (same name)

[@carbonn5998]

2:55 ELECTRICITY PLAY ⁉️ wtf even is that ??. getting freaky on the electric chair???