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with this whole thing, and the fact that discriminating on basis of sexual orientation is never okay, I have withdrawn my story from the collection.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

anthimerian

March 29 2011, 19:46:51 UTC 6 years ago

New comment

Thank you. For all of us who need the representation, thank you.

seanan_mcguire

March 30 2011, 04:10:28 UTC 6 years ago

You are very, very welcome.

genarti

March 29 2011, 21:03:08 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you for doing the right thing, especially when it's at a risk to yourself. (A calculated and minor risk, perhaps, but still one.)

I'm sorry it had to be done at all, but I'm very glad you and the others are taking this stand. It matters.

March 30 2011, 04:10:38 UTC 6 years ago

Yes.

It does.

otana

March 29 2011, 22:26:00 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, that was beautifully said.

March 30 2011, 04:10:49 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you for saying so.

biguglymandoll

March 30 2011, 02:50:49 UTC 6 years ago

Love you EVEN MORE!

March 30 2011, 04:10:57 UTC 6 years ago

Aw, yay. :)

hoppytoad79

March 30 2011, 05:32:46 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, seriously not cool, slapping on conditions and requirements after the fact. If you submit something that meets all the criteria that was agreed to in the beginning, it's bull (and, to me, a breach of contract) for the editor to say, "Oh, yeah, you have to change something I don't like." Uh...no. I read Jessica's blog post on the issue and I agree with her that the publisher saying they're not anti-LGBTQ seems at odds with them saying they stand behind the editor. If you're not anti-LGBTQ, then why are you allowing the editor to censor a story with a homosexual couple? *is confused*

April 5 2011, 14:40:17 UTC 6 years ago

Exactly.

Deleted comment

April 5 2011, 14:41:47 UTC 6 years ago

Thanks. :) And nice link. I really appreciate that people are keeping links about this situation centralized and up-to-date.

_the_firedancer

March 30 2011, 21:54:41 UTC 6 years ago

Wow. Many many comments. Despite the nastiness that inspired them I have hopes that the multitude of offended voices means we're winning the war. The one positive thing out of this debacle (for me at least) is seeing my taste in writers being validated by their general awesomesauceness. ;) I would just prefer for them not to have to demonstrate it over bigotry. *sigh*

April 5 2011, 14:42:13 UTC 6 years ago

I, too, would prefer that it not be needed...but at least it's happening.

lerryn

March 31 2011, 06:20:11 UTC 6 years ago

That sounds like the right thing to do. I'm sorry you had to do it, and I hope someday the editor develops a clue.

April 5 2011, 14:42:20 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

katiefoolery

April 1 2011, 00:33:19 UTC 6 years ago

It sounds like the only proper choice to make, given the circumstances. The idea of someone being forced to change the gender of a character is just outrageous, not to mention untenable. I've had stories where I've tried to change the character's name and couldn't manage it; I can only imagine how impossible it would be to change their gender. Not to mention it's something that shouldn't be requested in the first place.

The world isn't some convenient, neatly-packaged place where everybody is the same. The stories we read and write should reflect that.

I applaud you for making this stand.

April 5 2011, 14:42:32 UTC 6 years ago

Agreed, and thank you.

denelian

April 3 2011, 05:43:59 UTC 6 years ago

as the straightest-cis-woman i know [i might be the ONLY straight woman i know, barring my mother and step-mother] i cannot directly sympathyze. having a "black" boyfriend [he's brown, people! sigh] isn't comparable today.

but i can certainly empathize. and i'm happy [and, if it's not too presumtious, PROUD] that one of my favorite writers will take this stand.

hell, this almost makes up for Orson Scott Card!

i'm horrified that Trisha Telep, of all people, would do such a thing - her "Mammoth" books have had LGBTQI stories!

she did formally appologize - buried in that loooooooooooong comment thread on Jessica Verday's post. it's not enough - she needs to formally appologize in a space more likely to be SEEN.

but really - THANK YOU for taking this stand. let us know where your story DOES get published - i've sworn to buy everything you publish [as money allows]!

April 5 2011, 14:42:54 UTC 6 years ago

You're very welcome, and thank you.

arcaneblades

April 5 2011, 08:12:26 UTC 6 years ago

Just finished reading all of the Toby books in a row. I'd foolishly put off book 3, and just read it for the fist time. The more I read of your writing, the better it gets.

And then I find your lj, and find this post. While I'm saddened that the situation exists, I'm delighted to see your response.

Just another voice of encouragement for what you do.

April 5 2011, 14:43:38 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, and I'm really glad you liked An Artificial Night.

baka_kit

April 5 2011, 09:54:04 UTC 6 years ago

I didn't think it was possible to fangirl you any more than I already did, but I do.

Thank you.

April 5 2011, 14:44:30 UTC 6 years ago

You are very welcome.

ash_of_roses

April 5 2011, 22:15:04 UTC 6 years ago

People who know me well have occasionally accused me of wanting to grow up to be you. I consider this to be a compliment, and posts like these remind me why.

April 6 2011, 19:30:39 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, wow.

Thank you.

cruelest_month

April 6 2011, 17:03:29 UTC 6 years ago

As a teen librarian, I definitely want to say thank you for pulling out. I'm really glad this editor got brought to my attention before I could order her forthcoming anthologies for the students I work with.

I hope your story finds another home though because I love your writing. :)

April 6 2011, 19:40:16 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, very much.

themadfish

April 6 2011, 19:17:04 UTC 6 years ago

It's really great when I can admire an author as much as her books. Thank you for saying this.

April 6 2011, 19:40:35 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, for listening.

sour_idealist

April 6 2011, 19:20:33 UTC 6 years ago

April 6 2011, 19:40:44 UTC 6 years ago

You are sincerely welcome.

ireigh

April 7 2011, 04:27:42 UTC 6 years ago

I had never heard of your work prior to this whole mess starting up. However, now that I have, I'm putting your books on my "to buy" list. Your October Daye series sounds like something I'd want to read, but more importantly, I'll happily stand behind any author who will stand behind her principles. You go girl.

May 3 2011, 03:02:39 UTC 6 years ago

I very much appreciate this.

Thank you.

mythos_amante

April 30 2011, 17:37:20 UTC 6 years ago

Sad for them, good for you!

May 3 2011, 03:03:04 UTC 6 years ago

Heh.

Thanks, honey.

I know this is a damned long time after

urban_terrorist

June 3 2011, 13:40:17 UTC 6 years ago

But at the time we discussed numbers. I remember mentioning that I thought that LGBT numbers were something like 25%. Lo and behold, this morning I stumble across this article. In the article they questioned a large number of people, and the average percentage number that they came up with was 25%.

Now from one point of view it doesn't matter worth a damn. I love my friends and I don't give a damn what percentage of the population they are.

But from another point of view, knowing the ignorant bastards that I know, yes, it does make a difference.

So I thought I'd drop the link here for you. And yes, I think that dropping out of the anthology was the right thing to do.

Gallup Poll Majority Of Americans Believe 25 Of Population Is Gay Or Lesbian.

Wayne

karabou

September 13 2011, 00:47:26 UTC 5 years ago

I love everything about this post. You are my new favorite person, and I will buy anything you get published on this post alone. Thank you.

September 13 2011, 15:57:14 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you. :) I very much appreciate that.

fr2day

September 14 2011, 00:59:11 UTC 5 years ago

Landed here (already a fan of your books) by way of a comment on this article: http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/genreville/?p=1519. I 100% agree with your decisions, and applaud the way that you've chosen to make your opinions known. It's a great feeling to know that the person who writes such fantastic novels is also an excellent human being. Keep it up!!