Snooki is an NYT Bestseller?!?

Some of you may or may not have heard that Snooki, of the Jersey Shore fame, has landed on the NYT Bestsellers List.

I've heard both sides of the argument.

There are many people who are disgusted & disappointed that someone who didn't even WRITE her book could wind up on one of our coveted lists. It's difficult, especially for those of us still struggling to find an agent or have an editor purchase a submission, to see someone who hasn't gone through the brimstone fires of publishing hell wind up with a book that (for whatever reason) the public is buying in large numbers.

Then there are others, like Kiersten White, who urge us to realize it's actually a good thing. Does this mean Kiersten thinks Snooki is deserving of her book deal? I doubt it. Her point is, a book like Snooki's makes money for the publishing house. And money for a publishing company means they have the capital to pay for young and unknown authors, etc. Which, is a very valid point.

There's a good chance the people flocking to buy Snooki's book aren't likely to be the same ones who'll run out to buy yours and mine when they hit the shelves. BUT if their money is going to help fund the kickstart of mine or a fellow writer's publishing career, should I scoff at it? These aren't blood diamonds, people.

Me, I'm sort of in the middle. I don't mind celebrities getting book deals.

I don't mind them using ghost writers, because they don't have the time or inclination to learn the craft of writing a book for themselves.

I'm not gonna lie and say I've never bought those "useless" books myself. In fact, I was ALL about reading the inside scoop on what happened in the Real World Hawaii!

And when I was a teen, there was not a book written about New Kids on the Block that I didn't blow my allowance on.

I think for me, my problem isn't another celebrity having a book that has gone on to be a huge success simply because of the person who wrote it.

My problem is, this person is Snooki.

Seriously? ALL the celebrities we have in this world . . .  ones who actually make music, movies, television, radio, run the country, etc, etc, etc . . . and we get Snooki?!? That disappoints me more than anything else, I think.

Just wondering how you all feel. Mad? Glad? Indignant? Indifferent?