For many years I have been writing (for free) for a lady who produces a small, home-computer-copied, quarterly newsletter. Half of it is typed and much of it is handwritten. It is a labor of love for the lady who sends it out, and I have come to enjoy both her, her publication, and the people who write for her.
My two past books, "The Quilt Maker" and "Growing up Barefoot in the South" have been advertised in her newsletter. Since I give my home address for buying these books, I know not one of her readers has ever purchased one of my books. I pay for an ad because I know from my own experiences with newsletter publications, it is a losing proposition for the samll guy/gal. I put the ad in to support her newsletter.
In today's mail, I received a check from her for the amount of my ad. She had requested that I send her a few of the stories from the book for her to read, and I quote from her letter: "Although I have admired your contribution of articles on the craft of writing, I do not approve of your current writing. I was not pleased with the stories you sent me. Too ugly and contrived. I just don't want to promote such a book."
That, of course, is her privilege. She "owns" the publication and can do as she pleases. As I said, her readers never purchase my books anyway. But I am sort of miffed at the idea of the censorship this rejection smacks of. I guess if all magazines/newsletters/bookstores had this ability, many authors would never see a book on a shelf anywhere. There is always someone(s) who doesn't approve of the subject matter, or the way the book was written, or the controversial topic.
I will be nice to her, however. I will accept her decision. The letter accompanying the check also seemed to be speaking of my articles in the past tense, so I am assuming she will not longer print those "free articles" by a writer who writes such "ugly" stories.
If you're read the book, you know that these stories are all done in fun or with a moral to the tale, showing how strong women, even those who didn't know they were strong, can make a place for themselves in this world by getting even, and striking out on their own.
Hey, Lady, it's fiction!
Onward and upward. Maybe this ad rejection will lead to an article accepted by a paying market.
Censorship of any kind makes me nervous. No one is forcing anyone (except in school!) to read anything. Once we start "protecting" people from something we don't approve of, there's no telling where that will end. Between the things I don't like (approve of) and the things 300 million other Americans don't like (approve of) you may be left with short grocery lists and a reminder to let the cat out. On the other hand I may not approve of you putting down certain personal toiletry items on that list where children might see them and you may not approve of allowing cats to go outdoors (or even approve of cats to begin with!) ~~Meow
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