The Wicked Witch of Publishing
I had to chime in with Monica Jackson's views.This is the face of every day white racism. Well, it's the perfect representative.
Lynne W. Scanlon calls herself a witch, and for good reason. I've been following the mini-whirlwind of comments on her post about the "nigger treatment" of AA authors in publishing practices. What an outrage! Ms. Scanlon feels that Millenia Black should be scolded for taking umbrage about the bookstore incident, and further, for some "unspoken" reason, she's VERY, VERY, VERY skeptical of Millenia's claim to be taking her publisher to court. Why the immediate skepticism? Why on Earth would an author make the claims Millenia's made just to call attention to herself? If attention was her MO, there's at least a hundred different ways she could've attempted it WITHOUT pissing off her publisher......or didn't Ms. Scanlon (who's wont has always been questionable anyway) and her posse of skeptics bother to reason that far? If Millenia's side of the story is indeed true, didn't discrimination on the basis of race take place?? And isn't that WRONG in the US? Should we ALL be against that?
So again, the knee-jerk skepticism? Racial put downs at their best. Would this groundless disbelief---and need to prove her to be an attention-hungry liar of some sort---be there if Millenia were a white Jew and this were a case of a Jewish writer's claims?
I seriously doubt that it would.
I seriously doubt that Scanlon, or anyone else, would be stringing up the oak tree, preparing for a good old-fashioned lynching. Doggedly determined to prove this "uppidy nigger" as nothing more than a trouble maker, trying to make white folks look bad!
Once people refuse to part with their sense of entitlement to superiority, it's hopeless to make them see reason. They are unwilling to place themselves in the other person's skin. Even worse, and as Scanlon has illustrated, they will go to great lengths to maintain their position. Like moderate blog comments for the purpose of self-serving censorship. Or intentionally manipulating, distorting, and ignoring certain facts. Sure, some transparent attempts at appearing objective are made, but.....eh.
Things like this sicken me. Can you tell? I live this shit everyday. With my own editors, publishers, publicists, copyeditors, marketing consultants, you name it. Practically everybody in the business. This is exactly what black writers are up against. Publishing suits---and their cuff links---who believe it's justifiable to take a book about one subject and niche it in a completely unrelated one with nothing to support it being place there except the race of the author.
Where is Scanlon's broom? Someone should trek over to East Hampton and beat her over the head with it. Hard.
posted by Bestselling Author, Pontif. at 10/21/2006
18 Comments:
I thought her name was familiar--thanks for pointing out the topic on advances.
I submitted a second comment with links to covers for the the self published, P/NAL and the Polish release of The Great Pretender. My comment hasn't appeared though I see comments posted nearly eight hours after my submission. Lynne stated she couldn't find a pic of the self published cover, something easily found at Amazon. Nothing she does should surprise me after she changed the commenter name Minnie Jackson to M. Jackson. WTF!
I've never much cared for Lynn Scanlon. Many suspect she is the anon blogger "Miss Snark" and I'm inclined to agree.
This whole thing with niche publishing has been extremely revelatory. First off, she said she's not associated with Millenia Black's publisher when they are also one of HER PUBLISHERS (Berkley). Talk about conflict of interest. The cap off is this comment she left on Fran's blog taking a parting shot at Monica Jackson (after deleting one of the woman's comments at her blog) and saying she's closing out the comments on her post--it's time to move on. Hmm....does she "close out" the comments on all her previous posts? Or just the ones where she's exposed to be the bigot she really is?
Claudia......why would she change Minnie to M? That's baffling...and odd. I refrained from posting there because if she's censoring comments she doesn't like and editing others w/o noting why, the blog has lost all ethical integrity.
GS......It doesn't surprise me that she's affiliated with Penguin. I think she made it clear there had to be an ulterior motives for her obvious desire to place Millenia in a negative light, not to mention denying there was even a problem with the way she's been treated by Penguin, if her claims are indeed true. Then she goes after Monica Jackson with a malicious dig.
What do you think it would take to get a person like that to place themselves in our shoes and be more empathetic to the situation, as opposed to writing it off as trivial and going to great lengths to inflict even more harm?
Ed Champion, the one who was "investigating" Millennia has said he's dropped it because of lack of veracity and Lynne Scanlon has the closest speculation to the truth.
The white sheets are really coming out now. How do you "investigate" something somebody is trying to make a legal case out of anyway--basically try it before it goes to court? What bullshit.
Not one of these people trying to "investigate" MB has one word to say about why blacks authors are essentially only allowed to market to other blacks and it's the only race or ethnic group this hold true for in publishing.
They'll go on ad nauseum about some oher smokescreen, but won't touch that.
I inquired on his blog about what Millenia's editor said when he spoke to him/her and he basically said that I had to provide him with my real name before he'd reveal it! Now tell me, he's the one who said he'd report on what he found...so why's he hiding it? Perhaps because what he found isn't necessarily favorable to the publisher? Why now so reticent about what he was told that made him believe Millenia is likely just seeking attention as opposed to exposing a racial imbalance and injustice?
Again, you have to ask. Would they be saying these same disparaging things if Millenia was a white Jew making the same complaints?
He's dropping it because he's riding the bigot broom with Lynne Scanlon. He likely spoke to people on the inside who lied to him, but it's more convenient to believe their statements are far more veracious than a "nigger's".
Forgive the bluntness, I hate that word, but this situation is really hurtful. I cannot imagine what Millenia's going through, being the only one taking this on. She's in for it, boy. Big time. But I think she knows exactly what she's up against and is going for it anyway, and I really respect that.
Do you notice how Lynne Scanlon had 55 comments to her post and now it's down to 51? She deleted four including the last one Monica Jackson posted about blacks no longer being published if they don't go along with the segregation, and Scanlon even deleted her response to it. WTF?!
Then she slaps Ed Champion's link up. These people are so unethical. NO integrity at all.
It's hard to take idiots like Lynn and her boyfriend Ed CHUMPion seriously with all the burning crosses they've planted on Millenia's blog and elsewhere.
Rather than exposing Millenia as a great pretender, they've exposed themselves. Bigots can't keep their shit in the closet for long. The stench always finds its way out.
Lynn, if you're reading this, I think you're a bitch. Ed, if you're reading this, I think you secretly like to dress up in your wife's undies. I'm sorry folks, but this situation has enraged me so much that BITCH and MORON are the only words that come to mind to describe bottom feeding, dung sucking, animals like them. I'd tell them both to go fuck themselves, but it's anatomically impossible.
Hmmm. Maybe they should just do each other.
I know, I know. My diatribe was mean-spirited, childish, and bawdy. Feel free to delete it. But since I don't have a blog and that sheet-wearing skank is censoring hers, I couldn't resist. I needed to vent.
Hi BSA Pontif - I just wanted to stop by and express my thanks for your support. I do maintain, though, that I wish you'd come out into the open. :) As a BSA, you know I believe you could make a world of difference in your own right. I know it's not easy, but after all, fear has never befriended progress.
As for the disingenuous behavior of the witches, segundoes, etc. of the literary blog world, it speaks (or perhaps screams!) for itself. In the land of the blind, a one-eyed man is king.
Hannah - LOL, ROTFLMBO!
So many typos, I decided to do it all over
I'm wondering about the hit I've might have taken as an author.
The hatred being shown toward Millenia because she's black and directly confronted racism, not just Lynn and Ed, but by commenters, is rabid and vicious.
They also reacted to me more strongly than anybody else. Lynne singled me out, and I earned a whole post from Champion. Champion's post caused a spike in traffic. Commenters are attacking me using my name.
But you keep yourself anon for your career. Does this mean I've irreparably damaged my career by this exposure, such as it is?
I looking to reinvent myself anyway, should I talk to my pub about an identity change? I think they wanted me to retain my name because of my writing style.
Am I shooting myself in the foot talking about race? Few other black authors address it directly or consistently, and hardly no known authors bother to confront the likes of Champion or Scanlon using their real identities.
GS.....Agreed. I think she should put a disclaimer about censorship and editing of submitted comments without notice. At least then people know their stuff might be edited or deleted to suit the Witch, with no notation as to why it was done. I shake my head to think how many comments are buried in the Witch's graveyard! (wink)
Hannah....I understand. Sometimes you have to let it out or explode....or, hire a couple homies to go key some cars and slash some tires....uh, just kidding. (Ahem)
Millenia, Millenia, Millenia......How are you holding up? I do not envy you this lynch-fest, girl. Truth is, I don't think I could endure it all by myself. I'm like a chameleon at heart. Some days I feel I could single-handedly knock down every racial barrier and come out okay, and others I'm a complete weenie!
Taking on the institution of publishing industry race segregation is a MAJOR undertaking. It's so ingrained and traditional it's like second nature to the suits, and their cuff links, as I like to say, but when I see someone like you come along, it inspires me and gives me hope....then my agent chimes in and...sigh. I am rooting for you though and I'll do what I can from the shadows, though you may not be immediately aware of it. (wink)
Monica......I don't think it makes sense to second guess your gut instincts. IMO, you can't ride the fence in public for too long before the stakes rise and push you into the wrong yard. Know what I mean?
Press on, embrace consistency and let the ax of criticism fall where it may since you're already visibly committed (unlike my chicken butt). Let's start to ask the right questions in the right places at the right times. Form alliances that have nothing to do with race, but rather to build universal readership. And like many have said, continuing to call it as you see it could introduce your body of work to readers who would never have heard of you otherwise.
I don't know Lynne Scanlon but I like her blog. I have read the Millenia Black posting and comments (and joined in myself).
I think that in your post here, and in these comments, you are being unfair to Lynne. I do not think it right to accuse her of being a racist. Can't she or anyone debate this issue on her blog?
There are a lot of comments to her post, many of them critical and even rude to her, they are up there for the world to see. In many of them Lynne has made notes and clarifications. Seems to me that she's moderating the debate in an open fashion.
Are you annoyed with her for having the debate in the first place? Isn't it reasonable if someone publishes a comment openly that they are suing a company, to ask if that is true?
I think I don't follow the degree of personal animosity being expressed here to Lynne Scanlon and Edward Champion. They aren't using this type of language themselves, that's for sure.
Best wishes
Maxine.
Maxine......I think my post makes it clear what I think of Lynne Scanlon and why. Her blog has zero credibility. She's a hypocrite. She deleted many, many comments that were respectful, but forced her to address the one point she refuses to and that's the fact that marketing strategy does not justify discrimination on the basis of race.
Unfair to her, you say? She's being VERY rude and unfair to Millenia Black, both she and Ed Champion. They accused her of being a liar, that she hadn't filed a lawsuit. Scanlon even posted a rude and presumptuous demand over at Millenia's blog for her to post her complaint to redeem her credibility! And when they discovered she had filed suit long ago, back at the beginning of October, days before posting about it on her own blog, neither one has offered an apology! If Scanlon had any integrity and meant well, she'd have surfed her ass back over there and posted an apology. Instead, they're still trying to attack her credibility and are being very insensitive to an author who hasn't even so much as called their names on her blog.
Why don't you ask yourself why THAT is?
It's interesting, Maxine, that you see what those two are doing as a simple "debate" of Millenia Black's situation. Sounds to me like you may be a bit more acquainted with one (or both) of these people than you're letting on. But of course, I could be wrong.
No, I've never met any of these people -- I live in the UK and am a science journal editor. Please do check out my blog Petrona (linked to by clicking on my name here) and homepage if you'd like to see who I am.
I read a lot of book and book publishing blogs as I like them, Lynne's being one. I have never met her, though I like her sense of humour. (Not that this particular post was funny, but I have been reading her for a while and enoy her blog.)
BSA, said of Millenia:
"She's in for it, boy. Big time. But I think she knows exactly what she's up against and is going for it anyway, and I really respect that."
BSA, I'm thrilled to the Apex of your emotions spewed out in great wrath against this un-healthy ingrained racism of these designated whites folks. (sorry for that kind of characterization) The high sound of your credibility and sense of equity really makes a remarkable difference between you and those with apparently lesser virtues.
With that thought in mind, I'm deeply pressed to say this: But first, lets clear the air of confusion for a minute to make one of the most important thing be known to all.
The factors that fed white's superiority in the post-slavery era, are the economic and illiterate nuances all or most blacks have suffered.
Despite all of that though, this distinction should be noted of blacks in general, that they were at no time ever devoid of their intelligence or power of reason etc. There's no good argument that can be made to elevate the idea that whites soared to superiority by power of reason, integrity or equity, or anything of the kind but rather of economic leverages that converts into mass opportunities and the like.
Having said all that, there must be an instant illumination that lightens upon the ignorance that plagues Lynne Scanlon and, Ed Champion. They entrapped themselves and being cornered, they resort to desperate pursuit to carry out the slaughter of an author name Millenia Black, who as far as we know it today remains untouchable by any of the nonsensical and uninformed things those two, for the blind-guides that they are had to foolishly spoken.
In the days when whites lynched blacks with great delights, black had a very hard time to dish out some comparable revenge on them even when it was darn easy to do so. That tells a good story of the hearts of compassion and decency that black people in the more predominant quantity have always had. And that by itself sets blacks in a envied position of superiority, if you will.
...Waste no more time on Maxine, because beginning with her comments on Scanlon's blog, it needs no keenness to see the fetid ignorant racism that's floating around in the cranium of he/she's damn head. A stupid thinking mind is a awesome punisher enough to drag such ones to their dooms, it's well enough to leave them to it.
If it's not too much to ask, lets hope that these un-wittingly dumb folks will someday even by a mere chance wake up to the realization that they're only relying on their white skin color and wealth power to claim a false status of superiority. That's a no go.
It's time to respect intelligence, love, honesty, equality, credibility and sage, it's really about who's got those things and live it, and those who have not.
Be it known to all that I've posted the following comments on the Wicked Witch's blog as indicated by the date shown, and it has yet to be posted. Has she stopped reading her blog?
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Anonymous Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
November 3rd, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Lynne:
What has happened to the complaint you’ve obtained Monday or Tuesday, why aren’t you telling us about that?
Ancient Reader.......I was wondering the same thing. Why is she suddenly dumb about the complaint?
Where's the update, Scanlon? I know you're reading this, I see someone from East Hampton here everyday and know it's you.....Notice I'm not making any bad-natured attempts to insinuate it as you've seen fit to do.
At this point, it's like watching a dog and pony show to see how Scanlon continues with transparently pathetic attempts at shooting Millenia and her position down despite the fact Scanlon's lost all credible on the matter. But, as you mentioned AR, Millenia and the anti-racism position are untouchable. Everyone's eyes should be turned toward the courthouse on the matter now. If I were Scanlon or Champion, I'd be too busy picking my bigoted face up off the ground to sling anymore transparent mud at anyone.
I'm doubtful Scanlon will post your comment. It's likely to go straight to the Contrarian Graveyard with all the rest: Monica's, Claudia's, etc. God only knows who else was deleted.
AR, you made good points in your previous comment. Thanks for stopping by.
BSA:
The table is definitely turned now, for whereas blacks used to be lynched physically just for false sense of white-superiority, black's or minorities at large, have these idiots on the ropes or on a speedy run with intelligence, baby.
Scanlon and Ed Champion really underestimated the power of intellectual ferocity this side of the isles. And right now I deeply believe BSA, that these white-can read-but dumb trash,(exceptions...we love our white intelligent friends) must have already found Millenia's complaint a long time ago and it sends too many chills shooting up their spines, it must have too much irrefutable fact and logic I believe, that they're too traumatized to speak or write even one line about it, my love. Let them die their slow racist death all by themselves of course.
Good for them, and this should pay off well for their senseless racist pursuits at a fellow author, just to maintain their nasty and foolish, bloody racist proclivities.
Now let Scanlon displays Millenia's complaint that she was so certain to get from her lawyer friends between Monday and Tuesday the latest from the Manhattans in NY.
It's so good to have folks like BSA's, Monica's D. Knight's and et al who're not afraid to transmit intellectual fury that crushed the hell out of these white and shallow souls. Now let Scanlon and Champion be buried in their literary silent graveyard, maybe one day though we could see their ghost come back to haunt us in some ways, that I know we'd have absolutely no problem chasing them back into their dark deep dungeon where they rightfully belong.
LOL, AR.....let's not go overboard with the melodrama.
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