Reasons for withdrawal: why I have pulled out of WICKED PRETTY THINGS.: seanan

Reasons for withdrawal: why I have pulled out of WICKED PRETTY THINGS.

Just last week, I announced that I would have a story in the YA anthology Wicked Pretty Things. I was extremely excited; this was going to be my first young adult publication, and I really, really want to start publishing some of my YA (werewolves and movie stars and sociological experiments, oh my). It seemed like a great opportunity.

Then I heard that one of the authors, Jessica Verday, had pulled out of the anthology. Which seemed a little odd, given how late we were in the process.

And then I found out her reason. To quote her blog post on the subject (originally posted at http://jessicaverday.blogspot.com/):

"I've received a lot of questions and comments about why I'm no longer a part of the Wicked Pretty Things anthology (US: Running Press, UK: Constable & Robinson) and I've debated the best way to explain why I pulled out of this anthology. The simple reason? I was told that the story I'd wrote, which features Wesley (a boy) and Cameron (a boy), who were both in love with each other, would have to be published as a male/female story because a male/male story would not be acceptable to the publishers."

...uh, what? That's not okay. I mean, really, that's not okay. I began, in my slow, overly careful way, to get angry. Then I saw a statement from the editor, saying that the decision had been entirely hers, and had been in no way a reflection of the publisher's views. I sat back. I thought very, very hard. And I decided that, barring any additional developments, I would stay in the anthology, rather than hurting the other authors involved with the project by pulling out.

Naturally, there were additional developments. In light of the ongoing situation, my own discomfort with this whole thing, and the fact that discriminating on basis of sexual orientation is never okay, I have withdrawn my story from the collection.

And here's the thing. There is absolutely no reason to censor a story that was written to the guidelines (which dictated how much profanity, sexuality, etc. was acceptable, as good guidelines should). If Jessica had written hard-core erotica, then rejecting it would have made perfect sense. Not that kind of book. But she didn't. She wrote a romance, just like the rest of us, only her romance didn't include any girls. And she didn't get a rejection; she got her story accepted, just like the rest of us. Only while we got the usual editorial comments, she got "One of your characters needs to be turned into something he's not." And that's not okay.

Books do not determine a person's sexual orientation. I was not somehow destined to be straight, and led astray by Annie On My Mind and the Valdemar books. I was born with universal wiring. I have had boyfriends and I have had girlfriends and I have had both at the same time, and none of that—NONE OF THAT—is because I read a book where a girl was in love with a girl and I decided that being bisexual would be a fun way to kill a weekend.

But those books did tell me I didn't have to hate myself, and they did tell me that there was nothing wrong with me, and they did make it easier on everyone involved, because here was something I could hand to Mom and go "See? It's not just me, and it's not the end of the world, and it's not the only thing that defines me." Supposedly, ten percent of people are gay or bi with a tropism toward their own gender. It stands to reason that there should be positive non-hetero relationships in at least ten percent of YA literature. And they're not there. And things like this are why.

I am not withdrawing from this book because I'm not straight. I am withdrawing because of my little sister and her wife, and because of my girlfriend, and because of my best friend, and because of all the other people who deserve better than bullying through exclusion. Thanks to Jessica for bringing this to our attention, and thank you to everyone who has been supportive of my decision to withdraw.

I am sorry this had to be done. I am not sorry that I did it.

belle_noiseuse

March 28 2011, 18:28:51 UTC 6 years ago

New comment

Thank you for doing this and writing about it. When I was a queer kid growing up in a Bible belt town, it meant so, so much to me that there were girls-who-liked-girls in books I read—and it also really hurt that there were so few of them, that most of the stories I had access to were about People Not Like Me. Totally revolting that the editor of this anthology has the position she does. Totally rocking that you pulled out.

seanan_mcguire

March 28 2011, 18:33:51 UTC 6 years ago

I hate that it's still like that. I was looking for examples of good, strong, central non-het relationships, and I mostly stalled at Annie On My Mind.

las

March 28 2011, 18:29:45 UTC 6 years ago

Given the circumstances, I am glad you took a stand here, but sorry that you were forced into it by editorial sexism. I read Ms. Verday's posts and I'm sad that the editor and publisher have had the reactions they did.

March 28 2011, 18:34:03 UTC 6 years ago

Me, too. That's just not right.

Deleted comment

March 28 2011, 18:34:20 UTC 6 years ago

You're very welcome.

danjite

March 28 2011, 18:30:41 UTC 6 years ago

I regret your necessity and respect your elegance.

This shite must not be abided.

March 28 2011, 18:34:30 UTC 6 years ago

It needs to fucking stop before I get the hose.

inkedhistorian

March 28 2011, 18:31:42 UTC 6 years ago

"I have had boyfriends and I have had girlfriends and I have had both at the same time, and none of that—NONE OF THAT—is because I read a book where a girl was in love with a girl and I decided that being bisexual would be a fun way to kill a weekend."

I love this. (And you).

March 28 2011, 18:35:58 UTC 6 years ago

I love you, too.

argonel

6 years ago

arielstarshadow

March 28 2011, 18:33:05 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you for pulling out. This completely blows my mind, that anyone would think this was ever OK. My reaction when I found out what was going on "Really? REALLY??!?! Are you shitting me?!?!"

I love reading romance, whether it's m/m, m/f, f/f, or poly. An anthology that included all of the above would be AWESOME. Someone should do that, actually.

March 28 2011, 18:39:08 UTC 6 years ago

Agreed.

manwe_iluvendil

March 28 2011, 18:35:04 UTC 6 years ago

Right on, Seanan. RIGHT FUCKING ON! The main character of my book series is a bisexual teenager, and I'm telling publishers that up front, and if they don't like it, I'll publish it elsewhere.

Because that's who he is. And it's who he should be. And what he has with the guy he end up falling in love with is beautiful on multiple levels. And I ain't making either one of them a girl.

And besides, the love story is secondary. I've got bigger fish to fry in this series, and last I checked, who you're dating has no bearing on how you handle a frying pan. Unless you're dating a chef.

March 28 2011, 18:48:52 UTC 6 years ago

If you're dating a chef, then she gets to handle the frying pan.

calendula_witch

March 28 2011, 18:35:43 UTC 6 years ago

You are awesome. I am privileged to know you. :-)

March 28 2011, 18:49:01 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. I love you, too.

emmasee100

March 28 2011, 18:35:55 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

Could you please let us know when your story sees print? I wish to spend my money on a copy. Also, if you hear of when Jessica's sees print, I'll be supporting that publication, as well.

I believe it is a dark and cold world, and all love is precious.

March 28 2011, 18:49:15 UTC 6 years ago

I absolutely will, and you are very welcome.

filkertom

March 28 2011, 18:36:51 UTC 6 years ago

Some people are righteous; others are just right.

You... are just right. So proud of you. [hugs]

March 28 2011, 18:51:48 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, sweetheart.

madfilkentist

March 28 2011, 18:37:24 UTC 6 years ago

It's not "censorship." The editor wants stories of a certain kind. If you write a story of another kind, that's fine, but you can't say it's "not OK" or that it's "bullying" for the editor to reject your story.

Look back at your own posts. You've said it yourself enough times; no matter how much you've published, how successful you are, you don't have a right to have your story accepted.

deakat

March 28 2011, 18:43:47 UTC 6 years ago Edited: March 28 2011, 18:44:32 UTC

It's not "censorship." The editor wants stories of a certain kind. If you write a story of another kind, that's fine, but you can't say it's "not OK" or that it's "bullying" for the editor to reject your story.

The editor does have a right to ask for stories of a certain kind, but the authors should have a right to decide whether to submit/publish based on the editor's requirements. For example, if the editor wanted stories with protagonists who were only raised in two-parent families, then that should be stated upfront, or the same issue would arise, I would think.

dornbeast

More Expand

tygerversionx

March 28 2011, 18:38:35 UTC 6 years ago

Somehow I didn't add up the pieces and know that you were "on my team" until this post. I can be dense. :)

Hopefully these stories will be seen in public even if not by this particular publisher.

That's ... a pretty major thing to ask to change about a story.

March 28 2011, 18:55:47 UTC 6 years ago

I'm pretty quiet about it. I got tired of explaining "yes, bisexual girls date boys, yes, poly girls date multiple people at the same time, no, my only dating one person doesn't make me monogamous or straight or anything else."

March 28 2011, 18:42:24 UTC 6 years ago

As I've already told you, I'm proud of you. People unable to grasp what happened in this particular situation might ought STFU.

March 28 2011, 18:56:49 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

I love you.

Off Topic

phoenixrave

jenjen4280

March 28 2011, 18:45:32 UTC 6 years ago

Rock on Seanan! Thank you for taking a stand against homophobia. From the look of all the comments above, your fans (me included) stand by you.

March 28 2011, 19:06:16 UTC 6 years ago

I am glad. I was scared.

autographedcat

March 28 2011, 18:49:36 UTC 6 years ago

You always amaze and delight me. I'm glad you stood up for the principle.

(And I hope people do realise that when you make a stand like this, you're literally putting your money where your mouth is. Pulling the story == you don't get paid. That's -not- a small thing.)

March 28 2011, 19:06:42 UTC 6 years ago

Not just that; this publisher may never want to work with me again (assuming I would want to work with them), and that's a big bridge to burn.

taraljc

zillahseye

5 years ago

xjenavivex

March 28 2011, 18:52:33 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you so much. Thank you.

March 28 2011, 19:06:51 UTC 6 years ago

You are very welcome.

rarelylynne

March 28 2011, 18:53:01 UTC 6 years ago

Rock on, Seanan. Rock. On.

(Rubyfruit Jungle for me rather than Annie on my Mind , but yeah, basically, what you said.)

It shouldn't keep needing to be said. But I'm glad that you said it.

For the record.

March 28 2011, 19:07:00 UTC 6 years ago

The record has been updated.

catnip13

March 28 2011, 18:57:03 UTC 6 years ago

I know this can't have been an easy thing for you to do. You are so fucking awesome, and I love you.

March 28 2011, 19:07:07 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

kyleri

March 28 2011, 18:58:44 UTC 6 years ago

As always, you rock with great rockingness.

March 28 2011, 19:07:37 UTC 6 years ago

mephron

March 28 2011, 18:58:47 UTC 6 years ago

I'm sorry this happened, but I cannot help but salute someone who takes a stand based on their beliefs.

Also I am going to have to rewrite your introduction again. One day I will do a heraldic-style introduction for you at a reading and it'll take a minute and a half.

March 28 2011, 19:09:10 UTC 6 years ago

Will there be interpretive dance?

sirriamnis

March 28 2011, 19:01:36 UTC 6 years ago

Would you be ok if I referenced this in an upcoming Geek Girls Rule! (http://www.geekgirlsrule.net) column?

March 28 2011, 19:09:20 UTC 6 years ago

Yes, of course.

March 28 2011, 19:04:10 UTC 6 years ago

I've said it many times before, but it bears repeating: It is an honor and a privilege to know you, and I am grateful beyond words for all the ways you enrich my life and the lives of those I care about.

I'm sorry this had to be done, and glad you did it.