I agree but what about the other side?

[Kristalia]

I 100% Agree that Stalking is not and can not be accepted (even after reading articles by others about her trying to put this whole situation into context) However where is all the outrage from the community about the decent and growing number of book reviews and reviewers that make it their jobs to try and ruin authors.

I've read many articles about people intentionally giving negative review en mass to books here, amazon and other places with the goal to make the book/author look bad. As much as we are in outrage over an Author going to the extreme shouldn't we also be in outrage over these false book reviewers making the rest of us look bad?

As far as this book goes I'm still going to read it because if I didn't read a book, watch a movie/tv show, or listen to music every time the author, producer, or artist did something wrong or something I didn't agree with my life would be very dull indeed.

There said my peace so go ahead and tear it to pieces have fun ^^

[Krazykiwi]

What other side? There is no other side. There is no excuse for stalking, doxing, and probably terrifying someone, over a consumer dispute.

There is no cabal. Repeat, there is no cabal. What there is, is a vibrant community who talk to each other. If someone tells me an author is batshit crazy and gives me a link, I will make up my own mind about what I find at the other end of the link - this is no orchestrated campaign to ruin a career, it's word of mouth, the same as it would be when a book takes off out of nowhere. And you call this a false review? Bullshit.

There was no orchestrated campaign by anyone against Hale. Look at the 4 and 5 star reviews on this very page, there is nobody attacking them, no arguments. All normal people understand that some readers will love any book, and some readers will hate any book.

What there was, was one blogger giving an honest opinion, and people who read and appreciate that bloggers opinion forming their own. Just as you have the right to a) read the book, b) have an opinion all your own about it and c) ignore other reviews.

Seriously. Nobody can ruin an authors career faster than they can sink their own by acting like idiots in front of the entire internet. No blogger or reviewer has that much power. So stop justifying Hale's behaviour, because that is exactly what you're doing with this post.

[Pamela / SpazP]

Exactly, what about the other side? That other side of a reviewer now in hiding? Because she gave a 1 star review on goodreads, a website for READERS, that this author obsessed over and eventually stalked.

Said author writes a story flaunting how she online stalks the reviewer, eventually managing to get her home address and SHOWS UP AT HER HOME.

Additionally, the only side we have of the reviewer is written by an unhinged crazy person who writes fiction for a living, and is not motivated in portraying the events accurately as it does not fit her victim narration.

[Brittain *Needs a Nap and a Drink*]

I don't believe that there was a smear campaign against Hale before she wrote this manifesto. Now, I believe that the community is well within its rights to blacklist her. She has made it unsafe to be honest.

I have been stalked before. I have been followed and called at all hours of the night and felt like my life was threatened. I've nearly been run over. I've had books and desks and paperweights thrown at me. I've had my possessions stolen and hidden. I have had to call the police. Putting someone in fear of expressing their opinion and saying that it is "justified" because they said something negative shows that this author is absolutely insane.

Stalking is not something to be proud of, as this author seems that she is. It is something to be criminally punished for.

The author is the source of the book and I don't think she should be rewarded for her criminal behavior by people reading it. That's like supporting the football player that assaults women with autograph signing sessions.

[Indigo.plume]

There is no other side. Kathleen Hale is a criminal and doesn't deserve any support for her writing career.

[Sandy]

There is no other side. The author stalked someone. This is more than reviewer vs author. This is a person stalking another person and gloating about it. It's morally corrupt, unhinged and probably downright illegal. Look past the review and look at the person's actions. Weigh it up. Reviewer writes a bad review and then ***crickets*** Author sees review and decides to stalk her reviewer using every method at her disposal and then gloats about it by writing an article, laughing it off as 'oh I was maybe a little crazy.' Sorry, but I know people with severe mental illnesses who wouldn't have pulled the crap that this author did.

[Sparrowlicious]

Wow. No. As soon as an author uses illegal devices like STALKING to get in contact with a reviewer there will be no other side. At all. No matter what that reviewer wrote, as soon as you take an action that actively breaks the law (and stalking is against the law for a REASON) you're through.
Do not read.
Ever.
Can't blame the community for warning people about an author because no one wants their life invaded.

[Natverse]

Can you separate the art from the artist? Usually no. This is exactly my point about supporting someone who is already too privileged; already too above the law. You may like their work, but they shouldn't be rewarded for it if they are using their influence to get out of trouble. Even painting a picture of herself as a hero.

[Jes]

Pamela / SpazP wrote: "Exactly, what about the other side? That other side of a reviewer now in hiding? Because she gave a 1 star review on goodreads, a website for READERS, that this author obsessed over and eventually ..."
Not necessarily true. We have the very sane and reasonable review of the book by Harris and based on that, I believe that Hale is a very, very sick woman for stalking Harris all around the internet in the first place. Had she reacted like a normal person and just said, ouch, I don't like this review, and then forgotten about it, she never would have discovered what she claims she did about Harris's behavior. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Harris' review in the first place and Hale should have just left it alone and gone on with her life.

[Mary]

There is no other side. People have a right to dislike books that are put out there for public consumption. No one should intimidate and stalk another person.

[Anna]

Kristalia wrote: "I 100% Agree that Stalking is not and can not be accepted (even after reading articles by others about her trying to put this whole situation into context) However where is all the outrage from the..."

I agree with you. There can be other side, even many sides, but no one seems to think about it. Sometimes people (or a lot of times) think or act as a mass, sometimes even without researching the subject or just don't think with their own head.
Maybe these 2 (both blogger and author) are just 2 sociopaths that found each other, maybe author's article and this whole was written (and made) on purpose, to get attention or, maybe, to destroy author. Or maybe this author is a freaking lunatic, but why is this blogger isn't at least trying to sue her? "Invading a personal space", or something? It's a crime, but all we see or hear is them tweeting, blogging, etc. I don't know, this whole story sounds weird for me, and I don't know the whole lot of info, just bits from Internet (seriously, guys, there's so much lying there..how can you trust everything that's written there.. it's insane).
Most of the time I try to hear both sides, because that's how you know the truth, and that's how I like to form my own opinion. There are too many questions left for me to make h lies there..how can you trust everything that's written there.. it's insane).
Most of the time I try to hear both sides, because that's how you know the truth, and that's how I like to form my own opinion. There are too many questions left for me to make conclusions this time.

Only thing I can tell, is that this world is full of insane people, and internet doesn't help in this case. And not only insane, but also mean, and corrupted. People got paid for bad and good reviews, authors act horrible towards their audience, publishers can be freaking idiots, people destroy each other's lives... It's hard to know who's wrong and right sometimes, especially when your only tool for seeking the truth is Internet. And everyone can write everything there.

I didn't know about this whole "drama" until today, so I can tell that the reason why I wasn't interested in reading this book in the first place (when I've heard about it many months ago) was not drama surrounding it, but a plot that didn't grab my attention. It still don't sound appealing.:) So I'm not sure that I read it. Not my cup of tea.

But as for other sides, I'm trying to form my own opinion, not forced, but my own. Thankfully, life taught me not to trust everyone just like that. So it helps in cases like this one, too.

Thank you for bringing up this question. I like those who's not afraid to question what community thinks is right or wrong. Because sometimes the mass can be wrong too. And we all need to respect the opinions of others.

[G.]

Anna wrote: "Kristalia wrote: "I 100% Agree that Stalking is not and can not be accepted (even after reading articles by others about her trying to put this whole situation into context) However where is all th..."

@Anna:
I also try to look at the facts. The facts don't support the author's claims: there is no proof that the reviewer had any inappropriate tweets, or any other insults on social media.

The horrific thing (IMHO) is that the author made this claim, but couldn't back it up with any kind of proof, yet people are taking these claims as being FACTUAL. People are grasping onto this claim, not looking for any kind of facts to back it up. No one I am aware of, has been able to back up Kathleen Hale's accusations. Hmmm?

I don't believe these are "2 sociopaths". The evidence suggests otherwise: you have one author (Kathleen Hale) admitting to stalking, and a reviewer she claims harassed her on social media (no proof whatsoever).

In the end, it looks pretty one sided to me?

[Anna]

G. wrote: "Anna wrote: "Kristalia wrote: "I 100% Agree that Stalking is not and can not be accepted (even after reading articles by others about her trying to put this whole situation into context) However wh..."

Yes, indeed. This story is kind of complicated if you think about it.
It's just, I don't usually take everything that's written in social media as 100% true facts. I need more proof, you know. It can be just me.
And, of course, I'm not telling that this author is "alright" and "fine", no. And more than that, if all this is 100% true, then she's insane and needs help, but if there is any chance that someone slandered her or there's any mistake, or they are both equally mad, or anything like that, then I don't want to be among those, who only trusted the Internet and acted as a mass with torches. I prefer to know the whole story, ya know.
That's why I'd like to hear from that reviewer too..

And once again, this kind of stories prove to me, that we all need to be careful in social media, because there're whole lot of maniacs around us. And it can be anyone: from author, to a fellow reader..

But to be honest, I want all "drama" in reading community to end... I hate to see such things in my fav communities. Just read a book, people and stop being evil to each other...
Sorry for this all-over-the-place comment.. Just tired.

[G.]

"And once again, this kinds of stories prove to me, that we all need to be careful in social media, because there're whole lot of maniacs around us. And it can be anyone: from author, to a fellow reader.."

I agree 100% Anna.

I did some social media research, and can't find anything that backs up this author's words/story, and it really concerns me. It appears as if all it takes is for an "author" to make claims, and a reviewer is basically screwed?

This author doesn't appear to be a legit historian, and has nothing to back up her claims. It makes me sad that the Guardian went forth with this story, when there was no proof to back up her claims.

After the author's "story" broke, the publisher upped the price of the book. Hmmmm. It all seems sick to me, and I don't buy any of it.