Changing a Book to Satisfy the Mob
Apparently, author Amélie Wen Zhao hasn’t heard the famous Lincoln quote: You can’t satisfy all of the people all of the time.
Amid the outcry of Snowflakes who thought she had treated the issue of slavery without enough sensitivity, the debut author asked her publisher to yank the release in June of Blood Heir so she could re-write some scenes.
As Publisher’s Weekly put it, “…particularly that a slave auction scene in Blood Heir was insensitive to POC readers due to the history of slavery in the U.S.”
Well, uh, I would suggest the mere historical FACT of slave auctions is pretty darn insensitive to POC (People of Color, if you’re not familiar with yet ANOTHER hip acronym).
This is a shame. The mob is telling this girl what to write and how to write it. And she caved. As did her publisher. As an author, you can probably imagine how much this bothers me. Where does it stop? Shall we run all our ideas by some PC filter group? Put some kind of warning on our books?
Here’s a thought: maybe we could just figure out who we’re writing for and keep that group happy. I know, crazy, right? Hitting our target reader. What a concept.
I’m sorry Amelie was ambushed by a virtual mob of “tolerant” liberals. I am sorry that she caved and won’t get to write the book she envisioned. That really does make me sad, but not just for her. Reading a book the way the writer saw the story is like sitting down to chat with a friend. It’s a personal experience. Her readers aren’t going to get that now.
As for me, well, I bet you can guess what I would say to a mob telling me how to write a book: don’t buy it.
My stories are written for folks who have at least passing respect for the Almighty, are okay with guns, happily salute the American flag, like fiery, determined heroines, long for a world that honors old-fashioned values like kindness and decency, and enjoy watching my flawed characters overcome steep odds. I’m pro-God, pro-gun, pro-life, pro-Bible, pro-US Constitution, and pro-freedom of speech.
Unapologetically. 
If any of these statements offend you–well, I must ask, what are you doing here? I’d love for you to read my books. I think most of them are pretty entertaining and inspiring. They’re really well rated on Amazon. But my world view isn’t changing for anybody.
Posted on February 6, 2019, in Ladies in Defiance and tagged #christianfiction, a lady in defiance, A Promise in Defiance, Amélie Wen Zhao, blood heir, christian fiction, christian romance, culture wars, feminism, heather blanton, maga, mobs, politically incorrect, pro-life, prostitutes of the west, western history, western romance, Westerns, women entrepreneurs, women in history, women's history, women's studies. Bookmark the permalink. 25 Comments.
Ladies in Defiance 
Writers should write the story as they envision. It’s one thing to re-edit to correct inconsistencies in a story or to correct spelling/grammer. I don’t think they should edit to appease anyone. If you don’t like the writers view, don’t read/buy the book…..go write your own.
Seems so simple, doesn’t it?! LOL
Good for you! I’m a millennial, yes, I admitted it, and I wholeheartedly agree with all of the things you listed as being pro… I’m in the minority for my age group and I know it, but I don’t have a problem with going against the flow…. Hey, you just don’t tell a Montana girl what to do or how to think!
You are one smart cookie. God has blessed you with vision and clarity. I have no doubt you are a lady in defiance of the foolishness of this present age. Thank you for reading!
Very well said. I love how you write. You better not change a thing. Stand strong with your values, theyare what makes you you, and the biggest reason some of us readers love you beyond measure
You can count on me, Rose. But I think you know that. Love you, girl!
Absolutely!! Ditto all you said! Her writing about the slave trade and an auction brings light to a dark part of our history that should never be silenced. The day may indeed come when we can say “no evidence of slavery in this country, what are you talking about?”
This madness is almost stunning, isn’t it? People truly are wanting their little delicate ears tickled.
👍👍👍
Thanks, Debbie!
I’m just a reader of your books and love them. Even here in the UK we have snowflakes who are trying to change our lives. I’m not proud of all our history but throughout history we have learned to adhere to our beliefs and tenets.
One of the tenets snwflakes seem to have forgotten is ‘treat someone how you would like to be treated. They do not respect anyone who does not agree with them.
It’s disgusting that ANY author should be bullied by these people.
Hey, Anne. Yes, all this tolerance only seems to flow one way!
AMEN!
Good for you Heather. I agree 100%! But maybe we are being hoodwinked into thinking we are the minority! Maybe the snowflakes are just getting more fake press! I’m tired of people who have NO experience being offended at everything! Pampered babies! It’s a wonder they aren’t so offended that they die because they cannot cope! Give me reality anytime! That’s why I love reading historical fiction based on true happenings. I learn something!
Blessings to you and I hope you never “cave in”!
I finally got in the ‘wrong mood’ as some of my friends would say, about this today. lol & posted your statement along with this on FB today: A statement (I totally agree with) by one of my fav authors. authors want to sell their books, but for people to tell them how to write a book before it is even published is ridiculous. there are millions of people that love to read – thousands and thousands of those people have the right to read the unvarnished truth & not a ‘white washed’ version of the truth, even in a fictional account of the past just because some people can’t handle it!! if you don’t like contents of a book or what it might contain – don’t buy it. that is what a preview or flyleaf is all about. that is why there are ratings, and possible warnings of possible contents in some books. I read books for what is in them. some books are religious, some are plain romance, some are for my crafts, some are nonsense, some are historical, some are combinations – but the point is – they are MY CHOICE. If I don’t like what is in a book, I quit reading it, I delete it from my kindle or I give it away if it is a hard copy….wake up people real life isn’t always pleasant, it can be really rotten & crappy at times, & if you are a snowflake you just might melt when faced with it!!
How ’bout leaving it as is and adding a warning that it was written historically accurate and so might be offensive to those that want to hide or forget our history.
It’s all because no one knows history any more, no one respects history anymore, and because the enemy of our souls doesn’t want us learning and knowing history to learn from our mistakes and see how God has been there working all along! Insanity has bled into yet another area. Freedom of speech is only okay when they decide to use it! UGH!
Truly profound, Amada. And I agree 100%. Satan def wants us to forget the past so he can help us repeat it all over again!
I say, “It’s you book, you wrote it. It’s your knowledge of accurate history!” You cannot change history, the past. It’s there, it’s real, it happened! Your right, she should never have changed the words in her story.
We keep caving to these people, society will only get worse. Thanks for reading!
Some historical events aren’t pretty. Some are downright horrifying. If we forget these things, we run into the danger of repeating them. We can learn from these events, and we can take the opportunity to teach others. God has used some terrible things for His glory. And we can never please everyone; we will only find ourselves in an unhappy cycle with no way out if we do. (a history teacher *and* lover of historical fiction)
Nicole, thanks for commenting. Man, my readers are smart!
Part of the problem is that so many are willing to bend to their tyranny. This author is also allowing them to win, which strengthens their stance and leaves a hole in the thin-blue-line of authors who don’t want to/won’t tolerate the bullying. I always wonder if people told Margaret Mitchell that Rhett and Scarlett should have ended up together and if she told them to stuff it or not. Or think of any other GOOD book you’ve read where the ending wasn’t Disney-esque — what does a change to that ending do to the theme of the entire work? if the book’s well written, and the characters are true-to-nature throughout, it HAS to end how the author put it out there.
And I like that you have Moulton’s Barn as your background here. That’s in my backyard, you know. You should come visit it (and me!)
I completely agree with everything you have stated! The author should have never caved into these people. I am tired of people apologizing when they don’t have anything to apologize for. I agree, it’s her book, she wrote it, if you don’t like it get a refund and move on. Our personal freedoms are slowly but surely being taken away.
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