#book scandals

[anoonzee]

So, in the waning days of 2023, we have three writers / authors behaving badly.

Cait Corrain - who had it all for a writer and was about to debut the first of 2 novels in 2024, yet decided to spend time to create some sockpuppet accounts on Goodreads to reviewbomb BIPOC writers who dared to have their books released in 2024...and stupidly use the same sockpuppets to give her own book 5 stars. She's been dropped by the friends she lied to / used, her book agent, and her publisher.

Lauren M Davis - believes that a WOC plagiarized her. The idea that was plagiarized? A character with sun-based powers. [Insert facepalm here]

Girl, you're not the first to have that idea, whut?

Demetrious Polychron (seriously, this is the name he goes with) - some ballsy fanfic writer who wrote what he called "the pitch perfect sequel to LOTR" and decided to sue THE ESTATE OF JRR TOLKIEN and Amazon for "infringing the copyright of his book". The Tolkien estate won and they countersued, demanding that Polychron destroy all physical copies of his book.

At the moment I'm writing this Tumblr post, we're not yet done with the year 2023. Either we've got the third one (it comes in threes, right?) OR there's still time for more ridiculousness in the world of publishing / books.

[onth3cusp]

The Anti-TBR Tag

(Shoutout to Nicole and Her Books for creating this tag!) 1. A popular book EVERYONE loves that you have no interest in reading? ACOTAR, also known as A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Her take on Fae and faery romance just doesn’t do it for me. 2. A classic book (or author) you don’t have an interest in reading? John Steinbeck. Not to knock his talent, but his works are…

[scandalous-dirtcup]

I did not expect to hyperfixate on Gravity Falls again in 2024. Holy moly! Anyway, enjoy my inability to choose a colour palette.

Side note : I ordered the Book of Bill, still waiting for it deliver here down under! I’m tweaking! Practically frothing at the mouth! ((Also I’m aware the line “I’m still on your mind” isn’t referring to ford but he’s my favourite and I wanted to draw him yayyy + it’s a banger quote.))

[cursedgamerchild]

"internet historian's alt-right anyways" "great day to have never liked james somerton" "never even heard of illuminaughtii before this lol"

that's great buddy but don't go around thinking you're immune to this. if you're not looking for plagiarism, you likely won't notice it unless its egregiously obvious. hell, you've probably consumed plagiarized content without even realizing it. even hbomb pointed out that these people disguised what they presented pretty well as long as you didn't try and dig deeper. don't come away just thinking of this as a callout piece, take this as an important lesson about vetting your sources. if googling scripts in quotes was enough to expose the original, we should all start doing that shit!!

edit: it got a little too doomer-y a little too fast so one quick addition

this is hbomb's curated playlist of queer creators, many of whom were victims of plagiarism

this is producer kat on reddit calling for any more plagiarism discoveries and for queer content creators to be uplifted

please take some time to uplift these creators and recommend any you know! if you can help uncover more of the original creators whose work was lifted that would be great too :)

UPDATE- From Hbomb's twitter: "We're in the process of cataloguing everyone James Somerton plagiarised and finding their contact information. Which is quite a task, so to help us out: If you see this and happen to be one of the people Somerton stole from, please email us at contact@hbomb.zone"

edit 2:

[babygirl-but-a-boy]

DC PAY FOR MY FUCKING Therspy bill istg

[rockingtheorange]

*Swears*

*proceeds showing the most heart-warming child-punching kick-feetting smile in the Milky Way*

(It's also how I reply to people telling me I've watched RWRB too many times)

[andythecorsair]

My favourite artist has been cancelled! What do I do??

I think this is the wrong way to address the issue. Rather than cancellation, we need individually to decide how the scandal, statement, or other controversy colours the work we love, and in what shades. For some people, the metatextual knowledge of the artist will be overwhelming, and they won't be able to continue to consume the work. For others, it will just be another thread, however distasteful, on top of the themes and interpretations that were already present in the artist's art. For others still, it will have no effect at all, as they don't inject that commentary into the text at all. All three are equally valid.

There's a fourth group, of course, which is particularly social media prone, who enjoy feeling morally righteous by ceasing to consume the work of people who've been cancelled. I know because I spent a lot of time thinking that way. If you're one of those, I'm sure you'll be tempted to reply, but I'm not talking to you. So we'll leave door number 4 for now.

What I would suggest is that you go back and consume the art that you love and see how much you read the current scandal into it. That will tell you how much you're still able to enjoy the work for what it was to you a month ago. It might be that falling into those old, comforting flows of language or colour of music allows you to put the real world aside as you fall into it. It might well be that it's time to find some other artist who speaks to you in a similar way. Even if you return to that artist's work some day in the future.

Whatever you choose to do, I'd say take a break from the discourse here and on other social media and make your mind up for yourself. Ultimately art is a conversation between the artist and the consumer. Everything else is just noise.

I've put in the tags the artist I was thinking of when I wrote this, but I really do think it applies to any artist; including ones that I personally find loathsome, such as J. K. Rowling or Morrissey. Your relationship with art is your own, and don't let anyone else shout you down.

[fogdraws]

Lets address this real quick. Please. What is this. Holmes what are you doing. Please continue tho, this is not a complaint just. What. The scene that implanted itself onto my head probably isn't what ACD thought BUT. The king must've been flabbergasted. Or not. Maybe I am seeing things. Maybe I should stop or maybe not maybe I'm crazy what. I read this, thought about it. Then I went to sleep, thought about it. Ruminated on it. then I woke up, thought about it. I am thinking about it.

[sforzesco]

revisiting crassus, clodius, and the bona dea scandal! but this time with a new composition and a limited color palette

originally when I drew the first version of this idea, it was back when I thought that crassus would be a week long fixation at most (lmao), and instead he just. took up permanent residence in my mind. it seemed like a fun thing to go back to an earlier idea and see what changed now that I've spent a lot more time with everyone involved in this era!

also the way these two interlocked politically. I am. biting into it.

The Defeat of Rome: Crassus, Carrhae and the Invasion of the East, Gareth C. Sampson

Crassus: the First Tycoon, Peter Stothard

Crassus: A Political Biography, B. A. Marshall

Crassus, Clodius, and Curio in the Year 59 B.C., Robert J Rowland, Jr.

bsky ⭐ pixiv ⭐ pillowfort ⭐ cohost

[quotespile]

I don't want to die in darkness any thicker than this. I want to bring some kind of resolution in my life.

Shūsaku Endō, Scandal

[shyjusticewarrior]

Batman #138 vs. Knight Terrors: Robin #2

[scandalous-dirtcup]

MORE GROGGITY FALLS it’s an infection! My book of bill is arriving this Friday, oh joy oh joy oh joy! I want to punt bill cogphog like a bosket ball.

(No I will not decide on one colour pallet. Would it even be a scandalous dirtcup post at this point if I didn’t have 3 of the same image in different colours? If I ever post one colour variation of a drawing my identity has been stolen.) also holy moly I read all your reposts, you people are an absolute pleasure! Thank you!

[maddiesflame]

Wallflowers layouts

like/reblog if saved © maddiesflame

[why-i-love-comics]

DC Pride: Love & Justice (2024)

art by Kris Anka

[alexjcrowley]

This Bond with this Q. Do you see the vision.

[fogdraws]

Just like Watson's marriage is changing Sherlock's habits :(

(excerpt taken from "A Scandal in Bohemia")