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discomfort with this whole thing, and the fact that discriminating on basis of sexual orientation is never okay, I have withdrawn my story from the collection.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.

sheistheweather

March 28 2011, 19:57:56 UTC 6 years ago Edited: March 28 2011, 21:16:21 UTC

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I respect you, even more so because of this decision.

The fact that this even had to be an issue infuriates me.

I've been telling many folks about your books and your music. A friend of mine really enjoyed "Wicked Girls" when I played it for her, as she's a big Peter Pan fan.

lysythe

March 28 2011, 19:59:57 UTC 6 years ago

The entire thing is a clusterfuck, and I'm glad you're pulling out. *hug*

seanan_mcguire

March 28 2011, 20:00:26 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. *hug*

cliodhna

March 28 2011, 20:04:20 UTC 6 years ago

Well played, madame.

Well played INDEED.

I am deeply sorry that asshattery such as this exists, but inexpressedly pleased that awesomeness such as you exists to counter it.

*shakes pom-poms wildly*

March 28 2011, 20:11:56 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

sixthbrightest

March 28 2011, 20:07:07 UTC 6 years ago

I have never read you before. But seeing your firm rejection of bigotry, the way you stand beside authors who I do know who have pulled out of Telep-related anthologies, makes me incredibly happy as a queer person. It also makes me want to purchase your work to support someone who gets it that I am a *person* and deserve to be told that. I know as a young adult I would have loved more books with queer protagonists, and seeing authors stand up and risk professional harm (not being able to publish a story for some time due to contracts) in defense of equality thrills me. I appreciate this immensely.

March 28 2011, 20:13:32 UTC 6 years ago

It really does seem to come down to "if we let them read about queer characters, they'll think it's okay to be queer." You know what? I had to come out alone, with very few books to support me or tell me it was okay. It hurt like hell. When my little sister came out, she had support, because it IS okay.

But she shouldn't have needed me to do that much research in order to have the reassurance.

You are very welcome, and I am glad you are here.

griffen

6 years ago

yolandasfetsos

March 28 2011, 20:10:08 UTC 6 years ago

I respect your decision, and that of the other authors who have pulled out of this anthology. What Jessica was asked to do is unacceptable, and I can't believe it's still going on in our society. Well done!

March 28 2011, 20:13:42 UTC 6 years ago

swevene

March 28 2011, 20:14:24 UTC 6 years ago

I'm proud to be a fan of yours. *hug*

March 28 2011, 20:17:59 UTC 6 years ago

phoenixrave

glinda_w

March 28 2011, 20:17:12 UTC 6 years ago

Oy. 201 comments? Too crashy to read them; feel free to skip, etc.

Me? Hardwired hetero. Smallish town upbringing in the 50s, not so much visible prejudice as utter absence of anything visibly non-white-bread. But. There were these books by Mary Renault, which I read in junior high and high school, and... yeah. There are other ways to be, and they're not wrong in any way.

So, thank you for your stand on this. (And also, thank yous to the other authors who have withdrawn from the anthology. Prejudice is never okay.)

March 28 2011, 20:18:16 UTC 6 years ago

You are very welcome. I just hope it helps.

Deleted comment

March 28 2011, 20:57:31 UTC 6 years ago

ex_naomi_ja

March 28 2011, 20:21:36 UTC 6 years ago

I really want to applaud you and all the other authors who have taken this stand. I find it so hard to believe this kind of prejudice and discrimination still happens, but it's great to see something positive come out of it. I hope all the authors who have withdrawn find new homes for their stories.

March 28 2011, 20:57:39 UTC 6 years ago

So do I.

lysana

March 28 2011, 20:26:00 UTC 6 years ago

Perfectly understandable. Exactly the right thing.

March 28 2011, 20:57:46 UTC 6 years ago

crewgrrl

March 28 2011, 20:32:29 UTC 6 years ago

It always makes me feel smart and proud when my favorite authors do the Right Thing at the expense of their bankbook and career. I've been an utter fangirl since the first 10 pages of Rosemary and Rue. This has just upped the order of magnitude.

Speaking from the profoundly awkward and incredibly heterosexual camp, you can feel completely wrong about all sorts of things, even post teenage years. There still aren't enough books that say: "you are wonderful and amazing, even if you read funny books, wear funny clothes, date funny people and have deviant sexual thought." There wasn't an Among Others during my adolescent years. Nor was there anything that validated the darker corners of my brain.

Thank you for helping build a literary landscape that I can be proud to show to my children.

March 28 2011, 20:57:59 UTC 6 years ago

You are very welcome.

Thank you for reading.

alamaris

March 28 2011, 20:33:39 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. For doing this, especially, and doubly so for posting about it.

You have made a lifetime fan of me, if I wasn't already.

March 28 2011, 20:58:17 UTC 6 years ago

You're very welcome. :)

snowcoma

March 28 2011, 20:35:44 UTC 6 years ago

I made a reaction post here, in case you missed it: http://snowcoma.livejournal.com/283592.html

For the record, my Mom was proud of your decision, too.

*hugs tight*

March 28 2011, 20:58:24 UTC 6 years ago

Dude, your mother rules.

sdelmonte

March 28 2011, 20:42:29 UTC 6 years ago

Whoa. That is a lot of comments. But taking a stand should be applauded.

March 28 2011, 20:58:36 UTC 6 years ago

I'm a little daunted.

tinachristopher

March 28 2011, 20:44:05 UTC 6 years ago

I was surprised when I heard about this. In one of Telep other collections Gail Carriger had written a m/m romance. Maybe it was because it was YA....

I hope to read your story soon. Maybe you and Jessica and Lisa can band together for your own anthology.

March 28 2011, 20:58:48 UTC 6 years ago

Anything is possible!

ladymondegreen

March 28 2011, 20:45:31 UTC 6 years ago

Another reason I love you, among the millions.

We don't grow up 'normal'. We grow up. If we can find our reflections in literature, we know that we are growing along paths that others have walked before us, and that's reassuring when we're alone in our bedrooms, with nothing but the story in the book in front of us.

We need our stories, every one of us.

March 28 2011, 20:58:55 UTC 6 years ago

Exactly.

jane_dark

March 28 2011, 20:51:17 UTC 6 years ago

As usual, you rock my world up, down, and sideways; and thank you for being courageous enough to make such a strong statement on both the broad ethical and the personal side of this.

March 28 2011, 20:59:06 UTC 6 years ago

You're very welcome.

dark_towhead

March 28 2011, 20:52:00 UTC 6 years ago

All right, the Blurb Game told me you rock. This entry tells me you are a generally awesome person. Much respect.

March 28 2011, 20:59:17 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. :)

cre8vekaos

March 28 2011, 20:53:05 UTC 6 years ago

The story is the story. I'm boggled that in this day and age that orientation is an issue. Alas, fear is a weird and petty thing.

I can't wait to read your story, where ever it might land. As always you are amazing and inspiring.

March 28 2011, 20:59:28 UTC 6 years ago

It was a bit of a shocker for me, too.

starletfallen

March 28 2011, 20:55:57 UTC 6 years ago

Good on you. I'm very proud to be a fan, knowing you're standing up for things like this.

I am also quite thick, and had never put together that you were bi and poly. Though that's also because you're quiet about it, clearly, and I don't generally scan for info like that 'cause it doesn't really matter to me. :)

Still, it's... very nice to find out. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling, similar to the warm, fuzzy feeling I got coming across Tom and Carl in the first Young Wizards book - it wasn't the first book I'd read with gay characters, but it was the first one where it was just... a non-issue. They were gay, but that wasn't a big deal, they were just there. And it wasn't even stated explicitly, but it was so utterly clear to me, 19 years old and newly out, that they were, and it wasn't a big deal, and that meant a lot to me.

Similarly, knowing that a woman I admire and look up to is poly makes me so very happy - logically I know that I and the people I'm in a relationship in are not the only ones, but this is like a confirmation. I'm not a freak, there's nothing wrong with me, and I should just be HAPPY.

So thank you. Even if you're not loud about it, which is fine by me, thank you for not keeping it a big secret. Thank you for just being you. It means more to me than I can say.

March 28 2011, 21:00:32 UTC 6 years ago

You're very welcome. And to be clear, I'm not quiet because I'm ashamed, I'm quiet because it shouldn't matter to people who aren't looking for commonalities. It's nice to, instead, have the "SURPRISE!" when someone starts trying to other me without knowing it.

Sometimes it makes people think.

March 28 2011, 20:57:00 UTC 6 years ago

I just want to say that I love you for this. Thank you, so much, Seanan - for standing up to hate and bigotry. Your voice means so much to so many.

March 28 2011, 21:00:45 UTC 6 years ago

You are very welcome.

vixyish

eilan

March 28 2011, 21:05:20 UTC 6 years ago

*claps and adores you even more now*

March 28 2011, 21:13:24 UTC 6 years ago

Aw, yay. :)

snowishness

March 28 2011, 21:08:04 UTC 6 years ago

I've noticed the massive influx of comments supporting you in this and thanking you for your position and for the eloquence with which you explained it, and I'd like to add to that.

You make me happy and proud to say that I'm a fan of you and your writings.

March 28 2011, 21:14:18 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

I'm glad you're here.

janeg

March 28 2011, 21:09:38 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you so much for being strong and ethical and helping the world be more acceptable of how we are, whatever we are.

I might even twist this, identities disguised of course, into a topic for my monthly charity ethics column (http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/archive/aeth/aeth11/aeth1103.asp) unless you ask that I not.

March 28 2011, 21:14:30 UTC 6 years ago

Go for it, as long as the identities are masked.

sora_no_kokoro

March 28 2011, 21:12:05 UTC 6 years ago

Props to you, I would have done the same thing. Integrity comes first, and it's sadly too hard to get support for that sometimes. Too many people think one ought to go for the money instead of staying true to their beliefs.

I'm behind you wholeheartedly. Besides, it's hard enough to find any actually well-written girl/girl literature out there that doesn't read like trash, I'm not about to be behind anyone censoring gay fiction, female or male.

March 28 2011, 21:15:14 UTC 6 years ago

It was a hard choice. I think I made the right call.

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

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