1. What average reader would be analyzing Larbalestier’s words that closely? IMO not many. After all, what would be the motivation NOT to take what she’s saying as an endorsement of the cover, especially when she’s TALKING ABOUT THE COVER.

2. She’s talking about the cover as part of her book promo. She’s devoted an entire blog entry to the cover. She’s repeating all the accolades others have given the cover. Why draw specific, positive attention to that cover if she’s really that horrified by it? The consensus seems to be that she wasn’t intentionally trying to get people to start protesting it. So . . .

3. By the time of her later post on the cover, it’s not merely a matter of not liking it; what’s clear is that readers are feeling deceived and NOW all of a sudden it become proper to talk about the racial issues openly, contextualized by the horrifying and racially suspect idea that “marketing” believes that black books don’t sell. When you start unpacking this assumption and the way it a) shapes Larbalestier’s cover specifically and b) the general conversation about how books sell and how authors and publishers market those books, IMO it starts to get disturbing.

Am I glad Larbalestier finally spoke up? Hell, yes. But for me she’s not off the hook for the pimpage she offered for that cover originally, because she delivered it, even if she used the words of others in doing so. I also think there needs to be a frank (and frankly discomfiting) conversation about why we seem so content to accept this racial segregation and whitewashing and the like. I mean, if you segregate something and marginalize it and mark it as different, how, then, are people supposed to see it as *the same* as everything else? In other words, even if it is true that books w/ non-white faces don’t sell (something I’m suspicious of as a working thesis), then let’s look at how that perception is continually reinforced by the persistent marginalization/segregation/erasure of non-white images, characters, etc. Like is it really true that certain books don’t sell or has marketing convinced consumers that they should not buy certain things?

Now in the examples cited above, there seems to be more ambiguity, inspiring a lot of people to answer, “maybe.” But even the “maybe’s” echo the majority of us as readers–if we’ve invested in two books and suffered through a cliffhanger, then dammit, we want that third book! And in the absence of news, even knowing full well that the author may not be to blame, will still make me a little sulky towards an author (rather irrationally, I know, but I’m honest about it). If your publisher dropped your series because of something in the industry (low numbers, line folding up, redirection, orphaned via editorial shift, etc), then as a reader, I want to know. I tend to like hearing the gory details, but I’ll settle for a website update that says, “Hey, my series got dropped by my publisher, please be patient while it finds a new home.” I see that, and at least I know.

As for series being dropped themselves…it’s not that unusual in SF and Fantasy for series to move house mid-stream from one publisher to another, why not Romance. And quite frankly, I’d rather have a series shift publishers than shift formats up to hardcover (I know, I know, better for the author, but still…)

*Shrugs* In that case, it just seemed to me like an author trying to put on a brave face and very politely do the bare minimum publicity required.

This is exactly true. In our line of work you never know who you will be working with next. Even if you’ve left a publishing house, editors move around frequently. And that publishing house you left may want to work with you in the future. Not wise to poop in your own yard. As tempting as it is if you’re hurt and angry, it is wisest to simply state what happened in a calm manner.

If I were a fellow author, of course, I would definitely want to hear all about potential publisher problems. But that’s an entirely different situation.

I guess there’s the issue of fixing one’s own problems with one’s publisher, and then the issue of maintaining a good relationship with readers. I think these should be handled with different sets of considerations.

So for example, as a teacher, if I have a dispute with my chair, I don’t take that to my students. I don’t go outside the usual channels (chair, dean, president, etc.) until those channels have been exhausted. After that point, I have to decide where I can take my complaint that will apply the right sort of pressure (all of this is assuming I am in the right, of course!). The faculty senate? The union? the board of trustees? The press? A lawyer?

If the dispute causes me to be absent from the classroom, or otherwise not meet expectations students reasonably have of me, then I do owe my students some kind of explanation. But the point of the explanation to students is not to fix the dispute, but rather to repair my relationship with my students. I would tend to be very circumspect here. My issues with my university are not my students’ issues.

I guess if you replace “dean” with “publisher” and “students” with “readers”, you can see my point!

As for authors speaking out generally, I think there’s been a real culture of silence at NY pubs about the sleazy stuff that goes on (because sleazy stuff goes on EVERYWHERE). Which has led to an unrealistic image of them as paragons of business virtue (you see this in the difference with which authors speaking out are treated depending on whether they come from epubs or NY print pubs). I also think that despite the contractual relationship between authors and pubs that’s supposed to be that of an independent contractor, many authors seem to perceive publishers as almost superhuman in their power, and I don’t really think that’s good in terms of authors advocating for and protecting their own rights. So I think it’s good when authors become whistleblowers, essentially, because otherwise how will other authors know what can and does happen at different houses?

On the other hand, authors have to be careful, because even in a contractual partnership, one assumes that each partner will have some business sense and professional ethics. So I do think authors need to be cautious about appearing like cry babies or unprofessional tattletales. And it’s a fine line, IMO, one that may get crossed more readily than some others.

I answered the poll question with “sometimes,” not because I ever think it’s not okay for an author to speak out, but just because I react to each case individually and sometimes I do wince and wish someone had edited the author’s public remarks, lol.

It’s so easy to take the reasons a venture fell below expectations and turn them into excuses. What it all boils down to is simple: It’s not MY fault – it’s THEIRS. You shouldn’t punish ME – you should punish THEM.

That kind of fairweather attitude – it was my idea if it’s good, their idea if it’s bad – is offputting for me, because it comes across as though the author has no intention whatsoever of taking responsibility for her brand, her book, her career. And holy hell, if she’s not going to, why should anyone else?

Every time I see one of these “No one else is working hard enough, which is why I failed” rants, I can’t help but wonder: what did this author do, besides complain, to try and avoid what may or may not have been inevitable? And in most situations, the answer is clear – absolutely nothing.

It’s really hard to be sympathetic to that.

As a reader it is nice to know how the author might feel about covers (especially when I feel iffy about them myself) or even having to change the name of a character because the powers that be don’t like it. I would definitely want to know if the publisher thought the story had ran its course even though more were planned.

Justine Larbalestier made a post on her blog where she questioned her publisher’s choice of cover and showed her disappointment in it and in that case I didn’t mind it, as I felt it was a valid problem that readers were wondering about. It’s nice to hear what an author things about their covers, or the process of getting published.

The only time I think it would bother me, is if the author attacks the publishers over small things and starts to names names, and do other stupid things. But from a reader’s standpoint, I don’t mind too much.

I’ve not read Ms. Holt, but if an editor rewrote a book so extensively, then praise/criticism of that book doesn’t really accrue to Ms. Holt but to the editor. Readers who form an opinion about Ms. Holt’s writing based on the book would be wrong. Not quite a deceptive practice under the law, but definitely misleading. OTOH, if she stayed with that publisher, her course of action is more limited. In that case it would not do an author any good to burn bridges and admit that her latest book was in reality a Frankenstein creature made of body parts from different sources. I expect an editor to suggest changes, but I don’t expect an editor to actually write major portions of the book.

I have trouble when I hear a lot of drama. I love books intensely and I can only imagine how I would feel about a book I put my heart and soul into. At the same time, this is a business. There are just some things you don’t do, and one is trash another professional in your industry. You just don’t, whether you’re and author, a banker, or a candlestick maker. (Hee–I crack me up.) Anyway, does it mean I won’t buy future books? The honest answer is that it depends how cracktastic the author is. If I dream about her next book, I’ll probably buy it no matter what. If I’m indifferent, then I probably won’t.

Thanks!

But on the other hand, I think there are times when authors do need to share what’s going on (and for what it’s worth, I don’t think an author talking about a publisher dropping a series/contract falls anywhere in the realm of inappropriate unless it’s side by side with trashing the publisher. I think that’s simply the author’s business and something they need to share with their consumers.)

I think the next poll should be the same, only insert publisher/editor in place of author :P