(no subject)

[demeter918]

Good god people.

Criticizing JK Rowling is not an act of unforgivable evil.

In reference to this.

Edit: And for the record, I hadn't even heard of Yolen before now. Being an obsessive fan is fine and all (I'm one myself), but if it gets to the point where you cannot tolerate even the idea of someone saying something unflattering about your particular obsession, then it's something to be worried about.

Edit2: As long as, you know, it doesn't apply to me. Hypocrisy and all that jazz.

Edit3: Oh, why do I bother?

Comments

[simmysim.livejournal.com]

I think making an accusation of plagiarism is a bit more than just criticism. o.0;

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

But she wasn't. I'm pretty sure it was just a joke because, you know, as an author, I'd think she'd know that making an accusation like that would be an invitation for lawsuits. I'm just getting sick and tired of people jumping over anyone who comments unfavorably on Rowling. I love her and all, but if I denied my mom's Catholic God, I'm sure as hell not going to place Rowling in that spot.

[simmysim.livejournal.com]

I totally get what you're saying, I've seen it quite a bit, and it is very annoying, but all TLC did was respond to her accusation, even if it was a joke. :P They didn't say a word about the Yolen saying JKR's writing was poor.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

Melissa (someone important at TLC, I think. I've seen her name as the poster for most of the posts) made a really wanky comment about Yolen that she later deleted because several people commented that it was pretty low of her. It's been happening gradually, but it seems like TLC has been gradually coming to the mantra that 'if you don't love Rowling wholeheartedly and without reserve, you are not worthy'. It's a little unfair, because I know most of the people there are great and everything; it's the loudest voices that are heard and the loudest voices are not often the ones you necessarily want to speak for your fandom.

[simmysim.livejournal.com]

. . . OOOOH. Alright then. It was gone by the time I saw it. ^^;;

It's true, I've never been part of any fandom that was so snippy and protective of the creator. Even the Buffy fandom admitted they had qualms with certain things Joss did and they were rather militant.

[kitsunekaboom.livejournal.com]

Wait, who is accusing who of plagiarism?

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

It was less of an accusation and more of a joke, but like clockwork, certain fans of HP jumped on an author (Yolen) who joked about Rowling writing her a check, hence the accusation that she was accusing Rowling of plagiarism. Ah, HP fandom. It never bores me.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

I already went to Amazon.com to check out her books. =) I'm going to order a couple books and give her a readthrough. Yay for unintentional publicity.

[autophanous.livejournal.com]

GodDAMN, HP fen. JKR is not the be-all and end-all of children's literature.

Get over yourselves.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

Children's literature is VAST. And I love HP to death, but I hate when people put it in a pedestal and then think there is nothing more that could better. ;_;

[autophanous.livejournal.com]

I used to adore it. I despise it now. DESPISE IT.

A lot of this is due to the fandom. I hate this OMGJKRCANDONOWRONG!!!1111 attitude. I've read MUCH better stories, and her writing leaves a bit to be desired.

[traykor.livejournal.com]

Yolen and I have met on many occasions (she never misses a librarian conference), and this is typical of her rather dry sense of humor. Also, as the author of several hundred books with more literary awards than most folks have written books, she's entitled to be a bit snarky about the fact that Rowling gets so much glory for so short a career. Not every one of her books is great (I didn't care for Wizard's Hall), some are wonderful.
I'll note that Ursula LeGuin has also given a snarky answer to that question. It seems every interview with a children's book author these days has to include a reference to Harry Potter, especially if you have a wizard school (Ged goes to a Wizard school in Wizard of Earthsea, written in 1968). LeGuin is usually so much more reserved than that too, which is why it was surprising. So is Yolen for that matter

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Also, as the author of several hundred books with more literary awards than most folks have written books, she's entitled to be a bit snarky

YES, THANK YOU.

[blunder-buss.livejournal.com]

What about the other way around? If you're a militant Harmonian, praising JKR means you're a mindless sheep and you can't appreciate the TRUE LOVE of Hr/H.

HP = craziest fandom. Ever. Period.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

That's hilarious! I never heard about that (well, not being a Harry/Hermione shipper...) before. Actually, before, I'd never knew that H/H fans were in a league of their own. A lot of things that happen in the het fandom seems to go over my head and when I do realize, I've missed out on a lot of fun. =)

[blunder-buss.livejournal.com]

It gets even worse than that. Everytime you support the HP movies, a baby in China is aborted.

I'm not making this up. People think this.

Most of the insanity is chronicalled on this community. If you want to see the face of true horror, check out the HP posts. It's really scary.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is frustrating. And Jane Yolen was writing children's fantasy LONG before 1991, since I first saw one of her stories on Reading Rainbow in like 5th grade. :p

[traykor.livejournal.com]

Her first book was out in 1961. Long before. Also, she has a response to the uproar on her blog:
http://www.janeyolen.com/journal.html

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

... there are times I wish I could throttle certain parts of the HP fandom. I swear, these kids are giving us a bad image.

[thatgirljamie.livejournal.com]

The HP fandom is scary. Someone committed suicide because he found out a spoiler for the Harry Potter books.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

No, that was a joke in ther Borowitz Report. Not real.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank God |D~

That's what I get for talking to people who get information third hand and spread it like it's the truth >D

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

You mean not everything I read online is real? Oh, woe.

=)

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

Bleh, another tempest in a teapot.

Yolen's pretty good. A little hit and miss, but I've liked most of what I've read of her work. And yes, by all means, read Briar Rose. It's excellent. Very haunting.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

Added it to my cart. Just waiting for about thirty to forty dollars more stuff and then it'll be ready to go.

[lokechild.livejournal.com]

It's due to the publicity. If the media didn't make such a big deal out of the last two HP books, I don't think this crazy shit would happen, really.

I hate the fandom, and you can thank both the media and all the crappy BNF's out there.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

This time round, it wasn't the BNF's who irritated me. It was kids who'd email Yolen and barrage her with ridiculous insults and how, 'she's just jealous of Jo'. That just makes me twitch and grit my teeth.

=/ It just seems like no one can criticise Rowling these days, and that's a little disturbing.

[lokechild.livejournal.com]

I just hate everybody equally. lol