Every now and again, readers will interact with authors online and kerfuffles ensue. I know, it’s so rare, but it happens. No, really.
And sometimes in the course of these festive occasions, you’ll see commentary from a reader who is so incensed, so horrified by what an author has written that there is Epic Flounce and a vow to never read or buy that author’s books again!
(Pretend there was a really impressive echo feature on that last sentence, kthx.)
I usually blink at these flounces because it takes a LOT for me to reach a point where I am unable to see past my impression of an author to the point where my reaction interferes with my reading that author’s book. And yet many, many readers online have vowed publicly to never spend another penny on an author whose opinion, even an opinion expressed thoughtfully, is too distasteful to them – though who knows if their actual purchase history follows through on that threat.
As a result, I know many authors struggle with how much of themselves to reveal on their websites, with many individuals refraining from discussing politics or news or favorite books or even television shows for fear of alienating their readership. I know more than one author who hesitated to mention whom she was voting for in the last election, because many readers see the romance community online as a politics-free zone.
Then there are authors like Suzanne Brockmann who not only wear their pride-colors proudly but donate proceeds to fund raise on behalf of her chosen causes by donating the proceeds from a recent novel – a novel featuring a gay protagonist pair. Some readers may be turned off, but there’s no mistaking Brockmann’s position. Even recently, she’s been most clear about her position on the subject, and how she feels people may react to her writing, and a whole lot of people were shocked and turned off by Brockmann’s reaction, particularly in that she assigned homophobic motivation to those who were upset at the plot of her latest book.
As I said earlier, it takes a hell of a lot for me to reach that line of Never-Buy, where I can’t see past the conviction of the author to lose myself in that author’s writing. So let’s visit the other end of that spectrum. I’ll be honest: this author’s website tripped right over my Never-Buy line.
However, let me be clear: it’s not a question of the fact that I disagree mightily with her opinion. I do, most holy shit heartily. But I know many people who do not see the same way I do when it comes to gay rights and homosexuality. I care for some people who see the idea of gayness in a diametric opposition to my own position, and when we discuss do discuss it, they try (I hope!) understand my opinion, and I try to understand theirs, even though I disagree so very very much. It’s not like disagreeing with me lands you on my shit list for life.
What I find most objectionable here is the manner in which the opinion is expressed in this particular instance. Or, more succinctly, the flying leap into the pool of WTF that this author has chosen to employ on her professional website.
On Dorchester author Autumn Dawn’s website, there’s a section called “Chatterbox” wherein she writes:
Naturally, my biblically based beliefs include “one man, one woman”
relationships. The bible states clearly that homosexuals will not enter the
kingdom of heaven. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 is crystal clear about God’s
feelings about this. Contrary to the propaganda, I believe that
homosexuality is a choice, like stealing, like drinking, like drugs.
Addictive, sure, but a choice, one that can be overcome.Making gay marriage legal won’t overcome their guilt, depression and
confusion. It won’t take away the pain they live with. So many children
are raped and grow up thinking they are gay as a result. Many come from
broken or dysfunctional homes. It’s the unadvertised truth of
homosexuality. Take a poll some time and see if it’s true….I don’t share my personal beliefs with many as I’m a writer, and a romance one at that. This is what goes into my books, though. This is part of who I am.
Taking any extreme, whether you’re Brockmann or Dawn, yields some consequences, and the result depends on the reader.
But when the opinion is backed up by statements like “raped children are gay” and followed up with “take a poll…and see if it’s true,” the limit of my ability to see the narrative in spite of the author has been reached. Oh, how it has been reached.
It’s not even about royalties with me. Because Dawn says, “This is what goes into my books, though. This is part of who I am,” I don’t want to read her books, because I would be constantly wondering if any element of a book that rang oddly was a slight against homosexuality or if the subtext of any scene or thematic arc was a diatribe against gays.
The experience of reading this author’s website has tainted my ability to read beyond the author’s name to the story within the cover. I can agree or disagree with an author’s opinions and still read their books; I’ve done it before.
But when the manner in which the opinion is conveyed is so truly repulsive to me, I’m done. The line of Never-Buy has been crossed.
Where’s your line? What trips it? If you don’t want to be specific, that’s fine, but when dealing with efforts toward public branding of an author’s name online, where’s the line of Never-Buy for you as a reader?
For those wondering about Anne McCaffrey, please google “Anne McCaffrey” and “Tent Peg Controversy”.
It’s fascinating stuff.
I actually have some ongoing dilemmas there, not at all romance novel specific:
My entire, somewhat Jewish [it’s complicated] Austrian family love the author Heimito von Doderer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heimito_von_Doderer]. That despite the common knowledge that Doderer was a card-carrying Nazi even before Austria was annexed by Germany in 38… Well – we sometimes discuss this puzzling fact of our tastes, and his political leanings are actually never apparent in his novels. In his rather hefty tomes, I cannot recall a single negative mention of any ethnic or religious group.
On the other hand, George Orwell [for one], in Down and Out in Paris or London, writes a few throw-away sentences about some nasty Jews [and how they are accruing money by exploiting others] that made it hard for me to read on… I also read the Italian Communist Antonia Gramsci lately [Prison Notebooks – at this point I feel the urge to reaffirm I DO also read trashy novels] and in an aside [I guess the correct term would be analogy] he refers to ‘those nasty Jewish ways’. Now, Gramsci was recommended to me by all kinds of radical friends but I still remember that more than his ideals of revolution and equality…
As regards romance, I actually cannot deal with any novels featuring military heroes, so that includes most of Brockmann [I will, however, not bash individual soldiers in daily life, when I met them]… But that’s more a choice based on personal taste than any ideological boycott attempt.
So, my summary would be, it is definitely about the writing first and foremost, which I would argue [as discussed above]…
I did not by a book about Palestine once, though, because it was for donations to a sectarian group [read: encouraging violence] I really had no wish to support…
… Rambling…
CrankyBeach: I’m curious to know if you read romances, and if so, what kind are they?
I’m not trying to bash it into the ground, I’m just confused. There are a lot of sweet romances that allude to sex only gently, if at all, but Suzanne Brockmann doesn’t write that kind.
Do you read romances with love scenes in them at all? Can you read the scenes without picturing your friends and family standing in for the characters?
I can read about Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ characters Jack and April Patriot without imagining my parents having sex. I can read about Brockmann’s Sam and Alyssa without imaging my neighbours having sex. I can read about Robin and Chad without imagining my gay friends having sex.
So I guess I’m wondering why gay love scenes ick you out and non-gay ones featuring non-parental figures don’t. Assuming you read them.
@CrankyBeach: I get the feeling that you’re now coming up with stuff just to argue against the bias comments. NOONE in this ENTIRE WORLD would want to know about their parents having sex. It is an EXCEPTION. I also do not care to know about the intimate sex life of my friends and other family members. This somehow does not stand at the same level as calling an entire sexual orientation’s romance scenes “ick”.
Typing this before delving into the responses…
I think writers have a right to share their beliefs and I don’t think people should spitefully punish them over it. However, I don’t think it’s spiteful for a reader to legitimately realize they can no longer read someone whose believes are butting up against the reader’s beliefs. I also think a writer has to consider the possibility they might lose readers.
It’s brave for a writer to speak out on matters that are important to her, knowing there might be backlash. It’s admirable, even if I don’t agree with their stance and even if it means I’ll stop buying them. What I don’t respect is when a writer seems to think that they should be able to say anything without repercussions—that’s too have-cake-and-eat-it-too-y for my tastes.
The great thing about the internet is that you don’t have to share everything—ever belief or moment of pique. That means you can choose which swords you’re willing to fall upon, which battles to fight, which beliefs are worth the loss of some readers. It also means that most of the meltdowns are a pathetic example of no impulse control.
Anything a writer types they need to be prepared to own.
Coming92: Wow, am I getting the interesting words today.
For years now Slaktivist has been proving that a huge amount of enjoyment can be mined from reading Left Behind.
He also watched the 1st movie, but found that it was much too bad to be enjoyable on its own merits and not nearly bad enough to be really funny. http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/index.html
Why are we treating this as anything but consumer choice and expression? It isn’t anti-art to decide not to support an artist. We support institutions and individuals with our dollars when we spend… or NOT. Period.
I don’t shop at Walmart for a million reasons. Does that mean I don’t like what they sell? Does it mean I don’t support capitalism?
No, it means I don’t want to empower anyone or anything I find to be morally repugnant. So while I do like Keds sneakers I will buy them elsewhere or not buy them at all (actually I wear Ed Hardys but whatever). I’m not anti-sneaker. I’m anti-asshole.
If an author’s books have sucked consistantly I stop buying. If an author is a jerk, harms others, or does not deserve my money because he or she is a bad person in my view, they don’t get my money.
I also don’t go to the garage 15 miles away even though they are cheaper than my local guy.
1. the owner of the cheap place is a conviceted pedophile and I’m anti-child-rape
2. the owner of the local place is a nice guy and I want to support local places
3. it’s my freaking money
Why complicate it?
It’s interesting; my Don’t-Buy line is different than my Don’t-Read line. I’m willing to keep reading an author via second-hand books and the library long after I’ve decided to never give them another dime of royalties.
Orson Scott Card, I am looking at you.
All of my do-not-buy books are based on past reading of that particular author. Sometimes, I have started out loving an author and then their works take some torturous paths and they lose me.
I will admit that some of my-do-not buy authors have made asses of themselves in public, but it still wasn’t the reason I quit reading them.
It all comes down to enjoyment of the books. That’s why I read.
GrowlyCub,
I didn’t read the whole thread, and may have felt differently if I had. I do think, at the sites I personally visit, that the observation that there is a small and vocal group who dislike both the books and the author just seems to be true. (Lots of people, of course, just don’t like the book – which is a different thing.)
I posted on Brockmann’s MB forever, so I’m in the deeply suspect fangirl category.
For John C. Bunnell:
Anne McCaffrey allegedly made a rather infamous statement in an interview about a single homosexual experience [including rape] turning straight men gay. You can find references to it around the web—mostly if you search for “Anne McCaffrey” and “tent peg.” This contains the main section of the transcript at issue. (The other links to the full transcript online seem to be dead at the moment.)
The only line that concerns me at the bookstore is the one in front of the register. As long as I find the books interesting and well written, I will continue to buy. Once I am bored, I’ll check out the back cover and consider my purchase a little more carefully.
I kinda still feel guilty every time I hear a Michael Jackson song on the radio, but I still tend to sing along.
I was a very active member of LKH’s messageboard at the time of her Negative Readers rant, and yes there were comments made about her marriage and her religion and the similarities between her books and real life. Of course there were when she constantly puts it all out there for the world to see on her blog.
She has said time and time again that Anita is her avatar and that Anita won’t do something that LKH herself hasn’t done. So yeah, the threesomes and moresomes that Anita engages in cause a lot of speculation. She came right out and said in an early interview that Richard was based on her first husband. So yeah, the Richard bashing that has occurred in the books following her divorce can logically be construed as bashing her ex-husband. And if you read the description of Micah and look at a picture of her current husband, you can definitely see the similarities. Right down to the “no cutting of the hair” promise they made to each other.
When your life and your books intertwine as much as hers do, then people are going to notice and talk about it. They’re going to connect the dots and read between the lines. Especially when your husband and personal assistant constantly lambaste anyone with a negative opinion no matter how polite that opinion is stated. If it weren’t personal why such vitriol from otherwise supposedly impartial people?
I was a member of the old LKH board back in the day, and right before the meltdown of that board, I and members of several snark boards were systematically banned from the LKH board for no reason. When we contacted the board admin about it, we were told that it was a board error. Uh… yeah… right. A board error that alphabetically banned almost all members of those snark boards and nobody else.
I don’t feel sorry for her at all. She has given us all of this information of her own free will, yet when people talk about it and come to the obvious conclusions, she gets huffy and pulls the you’re all mean, spiteful, jealous haters card.
Almost every year she writes a blog where she talks about how she doesn’t feel the need to over share on her blog. How she doesn’t engage in TMI because there are some things that total strangers just shouldn’t know. Yet, her last couple of blogs have talked about the sex toys her and her husband bought. There was a blog a couple of months back with specifics on what they did with a candle.
Uhh… sorry that kind of degenerated into a rant. What it all boils down to is that LKH is the one and only author who is on my definitely will never buy or read again list.
An author can say, think, or do whatever they want. Their political, personal, religious beliefs are of no concern to me unless they use it to bash other people. Criticizing and insulting readers just because they are intelligent enough to add two and two together and call you on it is crass and childish.
Jennifer Armintrout said:
Sorry, not trying to pile on here. I’m really, really NOT trying to start a pissing contest, but I have to disagree with your analogy. Someone walking into a working stiff’s job and talking shit about them is more like someone walking into a publisher’s office and talking shit about one of their authors. Someone going to an author’s website, blog or online reviews and talking shit is like some one going to a working stiff’s website or blog and talking shit. Sure, the author is hoping to use the online presence to promote their writing career and some idiot with above average verbal skills and/or below average humanity (read: troll, bully or just plain asshole) could possibly screw with your income, that’s not gonna happen to the 9-to-5er, but that’s not the important part of this equation. The important point is that they are both on the internet, and that means that they are pretty much available to any dipstick with a phone jack.
I agree with you here, and I think many of the others who have commented do, too. It seems to me like a lot of them would also add “and knows how to pick their battles,” which is what I mean by not responding jerks on the ‘net. We’ve all seen trolls, we’ve all seen the foul-mouthed twelve-year-olds that are bored and decide to make rude comments, and we’ve all seen the morally-outraged flouncers. Why respond? And why do so in as nasty a manner as they used? I just don’t get authors who decide to take these people on.
As to responding to online reviews, specifically, I think most readers can distinguish between a review which takes a personal slant and one that merely says “this wasn’t my cup of tea.” (I’ve actually bought several books with bad reviews because I knew the reviewer’s sticking point was precisely my cup of tea.) Just like most folks can distinguish between the 5-star, gushing fangrl reviews that pad so many of the online sites, and the well thought out glowing review.
I know it’s hurtful. I know what it’s like to have something you’ve put your heart into get shit on. I know what it’s like to see lies and exaggerations and half-truths directed at you. I just think responding to the personal attack is bound to lose more readers in the long run than the nasty review would drive away in the first place.
I chose against reading certain authors because I think they are annoying (LKH—I’m talking to you!) but many of those authors would be off the list anyway. When you use similes like “it was dark like things that are dark” or mix up lose and loose in every book, it gets old.
I read some author blogs and they make me like them more. I used to keep a reading journal online and Colleen Gleason commented on it. It made me MORE of a fan and I enjoy her blog. I like Rachel Caine’s blog. There are others.
And I don’t find Jim Butcher’s books misogynistic—I adore them! I also respect Butcher’s choice to remove a character who was becoming an extreme Mary Sue even though he liked the character.
PlainJane, I am profoundly grateful that you were able to defend yourself and get away. I wish with all my heart that every assault situation would end similarly. I hesitate to bring this up at all, but there may be other assault/rape survivors reading this thread—and I just wanted to say that rape happens even when we do fight back. And that sometimes there are reasons why we don’t (a gun, fear for our lives, a disability). Our culture is so full of victim-blaming when it comes to rape—and so many women end up blaming themselves—I just wanted to say it: Rape is no one’s fault but the rapist’s. It is not the responsibility of women (or men or children) to fight back, but of rapists not to rape.
I am 100% for self-defense training, but it cannot be the whole solution.
/threadjack.
To make my previous comment clear: I didn’t mean to imply that PlainJane believes it to be the responsibility of women to fight back, but I was worried about how her sentence might read to someone who is struggling with guilt and self-blame.
To be on topic: I agree with many posters above that I have a hard time using my money to support an author or celebrity that I find personally distasteful. Tom Cruise is someone whose films I used to enjoy, but now I can’t just see him as a character—his personal life and opinions have tainted my image of him. There are authors that I’ve avoided picking up because of stuff I’ve read online, but none that I loved and then had to leave.
There have been authors that I’ve been encouraged to spend money on because of their blogs, though—Bettie Sharpe comes to mind.
WIN. You must’ve been an awesome child.
Thank you for saying this. I didn’t want to denigrate PlainJane story or start something (not that you did either), but that line about fighting back did take me a bit aback. I’m not a rape survivor (thank God), but I know all the fighting in the world may not save you.
My never-buy list is not large, but once you’re on it, you’re pretty much on it for life. There are very few things that cause me to stop reading a certain author.
I won’t read from an author who has women in love with a hero who has raped them or otherwise abused them. I won’t read from an author who is constantly shoving their religion in my face via their book. I’m not saying that a character can’t be religious or have beliefs, but when that character starts to monologue it’s pretty damn annoying. Or when the whole book is about “This is right and if you believe otherwise you are wrong … and you’re going to hell.” If your writing style makes it impossible for me to get into the story, and I’ve tried more than one book, I’m just not going to pick up your stuff.
The one thing an author can do, not related to writing, that will put them on my list is to put it about that they are donating money to causes I strongly oppose. If I give you my money and you are using it to support something I’m against, then it’s like I’m supporting it by proxy. Won’t do that. If you spout off in an offensive manner about something, whether I agree with the opinion behind it or not, your probably going on the list. And I don’t mean that I just didn’t like what you said. I mean if you go being all ignorant and insulting towards people. Why would I want to give you my money if I think you are an complete @$$? Also, for that same reason, I won’t read an author if they are jerks to their readers. If you can’t treat the people who buy your stuff with a little respect then you just aren’t someone I want to give my money to.
Except this site, I don’t read too much of the opinions of authors. It has to be a well-publicized kerfluffle before I’ll hear about it. So, like anyone else, mostly I don’t buy what doesn’t interest me (CE’s subgenre did that long before I found this blog) or where the quality simply isn’t there. My line in the sand for opinions/scandal isn’t real hard and fast; if whatever I know keeps my head out of the story, then I don’t want to read the book. So, this Autumn Dawn person, nah, not even from the clearance rack at HPB now that I know her views. And there are some world-views that can be gleaned from the writing that will break my focus from the story to the author. Like, it’s not too difficult to tell when an author is big-time anti-choice in the way they write an unexpected pregnancy. Or, here’s a funny little example: an author that I do enjoy but had previously moved to “library first, clearance rack later” because quality didn’t merit hardback prices mentioned that her characters were watching Fox News. I can’t stand Fox News, and the rest of the book, found myself thinking “Fox News? Seriously?” Now, who wants to be thinking that instead of focusing on smokin’ hot sex or ass-kicking action?
I usually don’t put authors on my “do not buy” list, just the books. I am not going to quit reading an author I enjoy simply because one book contained an element that I didn’t care for. I have gay friends and am not homophobic in the least. However, I am not gay and therefore really have no desire to read books with strong homosexual content. I just simply can’t relate to these cases any more than a gay man/woman could relate to heterosexual romance. If I wanted to read a gay romance I would do so. The content is not for me, doesn’t mean I am going to totally dismiss the author.
That being said, everyone has the right to their own views and opinions. I have no problem with people expressing these views as long as it is not presented in an offensive manner. I DO have a problem when someone’s views are as stupid and unfounded as Autumn Dawn’s. Her comment on how children who are raped grow up beliving they are gay was the most rediculous thing I have ever read! Being gay is not a product of traumatic events nor is a choice.
I think Autumn Dawn may have the distinct honor of being the first author on my DO NOT BUY list.
Kerfluffle, indeed. There seems to be one paragraph where Brockmann lost her cool. The rest was very well thought-out. I thought. But, then, I giggle at the word “maverick,” too.
Autumn Dawn? I personally find her beliefs about homosexuality offensive. But that is not what put me completely over the edge. At the beginning of her chatter, she writes:
“And here’s a quirk of mine—if I don’t like the language, I keep a pen handy. I also use it to throw in the occasional forgotten question mark, quotes, etc. I read a favorite author’s book lately and I swear that the copy editor never got their hands on it.”
But later, we see:
“Angles are messengers of God and demons are agents of Satan.”
…ummm…angles?
That’s what crossed the line with me. A writer may have one opinion or another, but a professional at least proofreads his or her own work before denigrating anothers. Cross Autumn Dawn (if that is her real name) off my list!
FLOUNCE!
Really, at the least the demons are upfront. It’s the fallen angles that you have to wary of.
Hey, I was just wondering-What did Orson Scott Card do? I looked him and found some sites that talked about his stance on homosexuality and on premarital sex. Were either of these what was mentioned? Or both? Or something else I didn’t find?
As far as why I wont read some authors-I agree with those that said they don’t like it if the person’s politics spills over into the writing. I hadn’t ever really paid attention to Ann Coulter, but after just reading the titles of her work I was turned off.
Who says they can’t?
I get gay romance not being your cuppa, that’s cool, but just because you personally can’t get into a same-sex romance doesn’t mean other heteros can’t. I personally enjoy them so long as the writing is good. Seriously, m/m, f/f or m/f makes no difference to me so long as the story is good and well writen. I’m sure there are homosexual people out there who pick up a romance and are more interested in the author’s writing ability than the sexual orientation of the characters.
Mine is mostly a don’t bother list because of the writing or storylines are bad/not interesting.
But my newest don’t buy is not because of those but for what I call greed and stupidity. She has stopped writing ebooks, not for any other reason then she believes that if her books show up as pirated versions then she’s losing out. Sorry but your big NY publishers books are being pirated just as much if not more. Actually I think more seeing as how she switched from ebook to print mid series and people don’t want to pay those ebook prices or wait until the bookscan numbers come in.
She is now punishing all her law abiding loyal ebook readers just for what looks to me profit. She’s also saying bad things about her epub by now deserting them for NY and all it’s supposed glory.
I probably would never have thought anything about the switch and continued to buy her books if she hadn’t ranted about all the hours she spends combing download sites versus actually writing books. Hire the local computer savvy teenager to do this for you and quit whining about something that happens to every author, musician, actor and director that makes something digitally formatted. You don’t have to like it but there is truly nothing you can do to stop it other than quit producing work.
Personally, I don’t necessarily see it as a “flounce”, although there have been times that’s how it can come off. If the reader has been quiet and/or lurking most of the thread and pops up to say such, I’m more likely to see it as a statement that, “I don’t believe this behavior is okay, and I’m not going to support it with my money.”
For me, it’s when an author is intentionally cruel to a reader.
There is one example, that was actually publicized some on Karen Knows Best… I had actually already stopped buying this author’s work new because of her prior behavior, but this took the cake. She received a private e-mail from a reader disagreeing with something on her blog, printed the e-mail on said blog, and called the reader a litany of names. I’d say it was juvenile, but I don’t think I’ve seen many kids express that level of vehement hate.
I will not buy a certain author that launched into a rant about how I was not a good enough feminist because of an analogy I used in a SF/F reader’s community. When I tried to clarify what I meant, the author continued to berate me and lecture me about what “my mothers and grandmothers” went through. The author was male. Even if the author had been female, I still would’ve been pissed off, because it made an absolute mountain out of a teensy little molehill. His objections to my phrasing could have been explained calmly, but instead… it was wild crazy frothing at the mouth. *sigh*
Although not *quite* falling into the “cruelty to readers” category, another author recently made my list with her antics on Dear Author and Karen Knows Best. I’ve seen true forum trolls that behaved better than she did.
There are a lot of books out there. I would rather my money go to an author that I like and want to support. Particularly as my income is not that great these days. There are some authors that turn into complete raving lunatics after I have started reading, and I’ll then start buying their books used. (Though this isn’t possible for e-pub.)
It takes a lot to get me to the point I won’t buy someone. Currently, there are 3 people on that list, the ones I have mentioned above. That’s it.
I haven’t followed the matter closely, but I believe some of Card’s statements on homosexuality have severely angered elements of the gay community. He is also, as it happens, a Mormon of long standing, and has written novels specifically targeted to the Mormon community, as well as a number of SF/F novels with varying degrees of Mormon themes and resonances. His political views may also be in play here, as they have become more widely reported via his own blog and elsewhere on the Web.
@ Courtney
(waves)
>>>If an author believes women are best staying at home and losing careers, her HEA might reflect that, … something I would find unsatisfying.<<<
<
Me too.
Avoiding such books would seem an excellent idea.
This is judging a book on what is IN the book.
>
>> You can’t help but put some of your beliefs in your books. <<
<
Mebbe.
I am less convinced of this than I might be.
The thing is, I’d say most deeply held beliefs just aren’t
relevant to what folks are writing. They don’t show up in the story.
Presented with 20 Harlequin Historicals, it is unlikely most people could separate Catholic writers from Jews, heterosexuals from homosexuals, and those who believe the National Debt should be addressed by raising the interest rate from those want to impose tariff barriers.
Yet the politics, sexual orientation or religion of authors do show up as factors that influence book choice.
>>>Putting authors on the non-buy list because you think their political/religious beliefs, as expressed, mean you won’t be able to enjoy their books is just smart use of resources. <<<
<
I go along with this when the beliefs are expressed in the fiction … Oh, yes. Agreed. Certainly. This can kill enjoyment of the book.
>
>>>The other thing that differentiates exercising personal choice from, say, Nazi book-burning, is that censorship is something governments do, not something individuals do. <<<<
And public morality is different from private morality.
I have chosen my example badly if this is seen as a question of public versus private morality.
A better example might be the friend of mine who will not listen to Wagner because of Wagner’s political beliefs.
The work of art is ‘poisoned’ for him because of the artist. The music is not judged on its merits, but on its maker.
This choosing books on the basis of who wrote them rather than what is IN them. leaves me puzzling over the way we relate the work of art to the creator.
Take the example of the reviewer.
Ideally, a reviewer considers the merits of the book alone.
Bad reviews are criticism of the book, not the author.
Is the reciprocal true?
Why does condemnation of the author become a condemnation of the book?
And this is why I try never to publicly complain about anyone’s grammar, editing or typing skills. Mine are far from infallible, especially the spelling, and I would be sure to make a total ass.
And Julia, I won’t go into the problems with Orson Scott Card here because I have a tendency to rant about him in a way that I would rather not display in public. In this as in so many other things, Google is your friend. Type in “Orson Scott Card + asshole” and take your pick.
I had a similar reaction to Linda Howard’s book (Up Close & Dangerous, I think) that features the H/H surviving a plane crash in the mountains. Howard’s a guilty pleasure of mine, I enjoy her over-the-top, superhero heroes.
This one though. Strong alpha male, check. Ex-military, check. Flies a passenger in a small plane without a survival kit. WTF? What kind of idiot doesn’t have a survival kit in his plane? I can see it in a jumbo jet, but a small passenger plane flying over vast tracts of wilderness should ALWAYS have a survival kit in it. Failure to have a survival kit means you’re dumb.
This particular failure to have a survival kit was apparently necessary for the plot, but I spent the entire book (after the crash) being thrown out of the story, boggling at the idiocy of the hero. He was dumb. He didn’t deserve to be the hero. His dumbness cast doubt on all of his good, hero-like qualities.
My own buy/not-buy filters are probably skewed in that I’ve been a reviewer (on the SF/F side of the genre fence) for many years, and as such have often had more books and proto-books on hand than I could hope to read if I had a spare decade and no other commitments.
This is less true now than it once was, but my decision matrix is still much more often focused on what to read rather than what to buy. In practice, it works out to rather the opposite of a “don’t buy” list—there are a handful of authors whose works I buy (even when I don’t have to) as a deliberate expression of support for their work.
Out of all that reviewing and reading, I’ve remained largely neutral on authorial scandals whether political or personal. There is, however, exactly one author whose books I’ve resolved never to buy new—Gregory Maguire. As a longtime fan of L. Frank Baum’s Oz stories, I was profoundly annoyed with Wicked to the extent that I actually took the book back to the store for a refund. Understand here that I am by no means an anti-fanfiction zealot; quite the contrary, in fact. I will readily buy and/or read Sherlock Holmes pastiches, some excellent and some dreadful. But Maguire pushed one of my English-major buttons with Wicked, and as a result he gets no more royalty tithes from me. [This presents a minor moral dilemma with respect to the musical, which I understand to be a somewhat different animal. Perhaps fortunately, my budget isn’t likely to extend to a ticket when it comes through town this spring.]
@linday
> I think the comparison only really works if an individual decides to stop reading Author X … , decides that no one else should read this author either,
<
I have chosen my comparison badly, then.
The salient point is not that judging books by some aspect of the author’s race, religion, ethos or lifestyle is a slippery slope to censorship, bookburning and chaos …
or that people should not, individually, judge books on any basis at all ….
Good heavens.
The point, for me, is that judging a work of art by the race, religion, ethos, lifestyle etc. of the artist
rather than by the value of the art
is an act engaged in by many folks I cannot approve of.
So I ask myself to what extent one is justified in condemning the art because we condemn the man …
>But an individual making a choice on how to spend their money or time – no matter how bigoted or wrong-headed I might find the reasons for their choice – is their own business.
<
Oh yes. (applause)
The right to be bigoted and wrong-headed is absolute and I would defend to the death their right to do so except most of them already seem armed to the teeth and I’d probably get caught in the crossfire.
>
>>This is why I avoid blogs and messageboards for authors I really enjoy, because I don’t want to know what it would take for me to feel I couldn’t read one of them anymore.<<<
I agree. I’d like to preserve my illusions.
Since I actually don’t buy that many books, this isn’t an issue for me. I use the public library to test drive books and then buy the ones that I want to own or re-read. However, I do have a “DO NOT READ/ AGAIN” line. Most of the time, it’s when I read a book that utterly bores me or infuriates me. I just try and avoid the books I’m pretty sure I won’t like. I have a pretty high tolerance for authors and what they do and say.
I can’t give up Orson Scott Card. His Ender books are some of my favorite books and Ender’s Game is usually how I turn people on to Sci/Fi. I know what his beliefs are, but I don’t think they leak all that much into his writing (exception Home Coming series).
I love Suz Brockmann and I don’t know if there’s anything she can say that would make me stop reading her books or buying them. I also think that as the mother of a gay son, she probably reacts a bit more strongly to negative criticism to the gay storyline in her books. Though, most of the bitchery readers seemed to be upset about the lack of sex scenes between Robin and Jules, than the gay romance itself.
Does anyone wish we could revert to when books were bought by a familiar author’s name, cover art, genre, word of mouth, jacket copy—whatever caught the eye/imagination—and the author’s personal life, politics, religion, ad nauseum, were blissfully neither at issue or known? Much less now sort-of demanded to be on cyberspacial display by that author’s publisher?
Seriously. I ask as both a writer and reader. Because in my experience, most writers tip toward introverts. Some are and always have been not nice people to be around. It’s hardly a surprise that tongue-slips happen, but now the risk that slip goes global in seconds is scary. Time was, not so long ago, when author photos weren’t common on book jackets. Now the author blog craze alone—honestly, I know few writers whose personal lives and certainly, work days, wouldn’t put an insomniac to sleep. Years ago, my then-3rd grader son lost points because I couldn’t participate in a career day, host-a-classmate thing. (The rule was, Parent had to host randomly selected classmate at his/her workplace. I asked whether drop-ins at bookstores, or other promo-like activities were acceptable. They were not). Now can you imagine anything more hideously boring for anyone of any age than watching some broad in sweats and bad hair type, stare at the ceiling, type some more, thumb through a reference book, type, stare, mutter, etc?
Do your favorite authors’ real lives or opinions or what-have-you matter to you that much? By most of these posts, I’m guessing not, other than confirmed plagiarism. It still seems to be a story well told that earns your hard-earned dollars. If so, do you disagree with and/or ignore the whole author-as-brand/celebrity/blog blather/MySpace/YouTube push? Do you follow many? Or would you prefer writers spend more time crafting books and less flinging themselves into cyberspace? If, of course, publishers would just let them . . ..
What I read for pleasure and what I vote on two VERY VERY VERY different things.
If the author stops producing good WORK and begins witting in a shoddy manner then I do not buy.
If I find out they take all proceeds from the books they sell and put it in something I disagree with then I utilize the library.
My money talks. It says “Entertain me.” Not “Use me to further your own personal political view points.”
Doesn’t matter what side of whatever issue they fall on.
The one and only author I refuse to buy anymore is Laurel K. Hamilton. And that was because her quality of story tanked and tanked fast. Not to mention hardback prices are rising. 🙁
No, it’s not like someone walking into an office job, but let’s apply the analogy to just about anyone who works closely with the public, who do put their work out for public approval… a chef, let’s say. Someone comes in and orders spaghetti, and they don’t like it when it gets to them. Maybe it’s a little cold, maybe it’s angel hair and not spaghetti and they feel it has been misrepresented, whatever. If they say, “I didn’t care for this particular dish,” that’s acceptable. If they say, “I didn’t care for this dish, and since it was not up to my standards, I can tell that you are not too bright,” that’s not. Just because the job someone does puts them in the public eye or creates product for public consumption does not mean that the public can, in turn, treat them like garbage if they feel like it.
I guess what I’m saying is, paying 6.99 for my paperback book is not the same thing as buying my unconditional good mood if that person then chooses to verbally assault me.
Yeah, in hindsight, that wasn’t such a good example, because the waters get a little muddied with this particular author in light of how much she shares online. I’m talking about the reviews that were downright nasty, the ones that said things like “she should have never gotten a divorce, because it made her writing suck,” that were really, really over the line.
Honestly, the bad reviews don’t bother me, if they make a point. I get a lot of reviews that are like, “I didn’t like it because it was too gory,” “I didn’t like it because the heroine won’t make up her mind,” and I can look at those and go, “Okay, I can see why you don’t like it, and I understand that my writing isn’t for everyone.” But honestly, if a reader is going to say, “I won’t read your books unless you let people talk smack about you on the internet,” well, I suppose their thirty-nine cents aren’t destined for my wallet.
Now, I’m not talking about “OMG DON’T BE MEAN TO ME AND ALSO YOU SOUND FAT” type author tantrums. But if a reader is on Amazon saying, “I didn’t like this author’s book, and because of its contents I can deduce that she obviously kicks puppies,” why shouldn’t an author say, “You know, I would appreciate it if you didn’t circulate false information about me, that’s super uncool.”
Ditto, Tae.
They (the private scenes between Jules and Robin) are about the tamest scenes in the book. In fact, even the former nun’s story had heavier sex.
“coming87” I got a better one this time…
Lawdy, if I started talking about the in story book events or per-story basis Never Buy Again Line (editing, story elements, character actions, etc) my list would be much, much longer than the whole topic of when you stop buying books based on author behavior/beliefs/comments. As I mentioned somewhere in a reply above, I rarely bother to read anything about an author’s life… which is why this post cracked me up:
Taking off my reader hat for a moment and putting on the writer hat, I have to say I totally agree with this sentiment. As potential publication (woohoo! and knocking wood) looms on the horizon for me, I’ve done a lot of thinking about a website and the content and how everybody always tells me, “You have to have a blog!” All I keep thinking is Why!? I am so not interesting and who would care what I have to say about anything???? I’d totally bore everybody to death! LOL. 😀
When I bother to look up an author’s site, I’m there 99% of the time looking for upcoming releases or a full list of their works so I can dig up all their books and not miss a single delicious one.
JT
Orson Scott Card IS my Do Not Buy list, and I’m with Moi when it comes to him. I managed to read nine of his books and meet him before I found out about his homophobic views, and now that I know I can’t stand the thought of giving him money, knowing what it might go to support. But I still like the Ender’s Game series, and I’m not going to get rid of nine books I like because of things that the author wrote somewhere other than in the book. I got Ender in Exile from the library to keep up with the characters, and I will pick up books of his from the library book sale if they look good. The reason that he has to be on the Do Not Buy (firsthand, anway) list is that I mostly like his writing. If I didn’t then not buying him would come naturally.