Sun > Status Update

Jenn wrote: "A social worker who early on commented on all this in Twitter PM'd me a day ago telling me that even if the result is just, I will struggle with mood swings and to take care of myself. She's right...."

I'm going to be sick.

Then I'm going to drive to Houston and paint a bright red X on their door.

Predators need to be identified.

Thank you Jenn. You are so brave.

I am once more flabbergasted.

I continue to support each and everyone of you who has spoken up.

I have no more words.

I hope Penguin and St. Martin's Press release a statement as well. Those are very big powerful publishing companies, with a reach way beyond the small world of M/M Romance. I saw someone asking and I want to say that Berkley is, I believe, an imprint with Penguin. You can find SH listed as an author of theirs here:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/au...
and here, if you search them by name:
http://www.penguin.com/publishers/ber...
http://www.penguin.com/search/santino...

Jenn wrote: "A social worker who early on commented on all this in Twitter PM'd me a day ago telling me that even if the result is just, I will struggle with mood swings and to take care of myself. She's right...."

Thank you THANK you for being so brave!
It seems trite to say that my heart goes out to you, but it really does.

Line wrote: "GUYS! You need to read this: https://twitter.com/sweetsakuradoll/s...

Just... Fucking hell!"

This is the most heartbreaking thing. I want to cry for Noah whose sincerity I don't doubt for a single moment. Let's add sexual harassment to the list of crimes, and it appears plot plagiarism too.

Rosalinda *KRASNORADA* wrote: "I haven't even read it yet but I wanted to share a new update

http://santinohassell.com/2018/03/ful...

I admire you all!"

I wonder how many threatened lawsuits it took for him to post that.

Cadiva wrote: "Marbles wrote: "Dreamspinner has a FB group if people want to speak up in there? Someone definitely monitors and responds in there."

It's been mentioned, this thread linked to and Riptide's statem..."

Well, yeah, people are still denying climate change too.

For the record, I've submitted an email to the publicist at Berkley who gave me Netgalley widgets for the first two Barons books with links to the riptide comment and to this thread. I told her I just wanted to make sure she was aware of what was going on and didn't need any response from her at all. Hopefully this doesn't mean I get cut off from Berkley ARCs in the future because I worked hard for years to start getting approvals from them... but if it ends up that way, so be it. But now at the very least, Berkley can't say they didn't know.

Ariadna wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Sorry, could someone list the authors believed to be in on this? It be nice if there was a blacklist/whitelist of authors. I do hope that those who have been linked to SH do make a p..."

KA Merikan retweeted Riptides statement

Re: Sonny's statement

Still not addressing the cancer claims.

Still not showing any proof of doxxing (what's out there is already public and was public therefore isn't 'doxxing').

Most importantly: Still no direct mention of the bullying, and now Noah's story and the sexual predatory behavior now coming out.

Boosting this to my followers. What a bad situation it is. I feel terrible for those who were hurt.

I don't spend a lot of time out from under my rock, but it's impossible (at this point) to not have seen, heard, read about this terrible incident. I don't know SH. I didn't even know of them until this all came to light, and because I'm pretty much a loner, I don't know any of you here (that I'm aware of, if I missed someone I apologize). I cannot even begin to imagine some of the hurt a few of you are going through. I have experienced gas lighting, doxing, mind games, etc, from people in the past, so I do understand the mental devastation it causes and the questioning of self, as well as the questioning of your very perception of the world. And we all experience the after affects differently. But I want you to know your voices are being heard, your pain is being acknowledged, and I am so sorry you are hurting. I wish I had more to offer, a way to make it better, but I don't. I just want you to know I believe you.

Hi, everyone. I've been following all of this for days, ever since Susan posted something on Twitter. I'm an author and had known Santino in a peripheral way and admired his/their writing. When he/they first talked of being doxxed, I too thought it was the truth. I apologize for ever believing them and I applaud everyone who persisted and spoke up. Thank you for your courage. CJane

Add Christina Lee and Keira Andrews to the list of ones who have spoken up on behalf of the victims.

Suzanne wrote: "Ariadna wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Sorry, could someone list the authors believed to be in on this? It be nice if there was a blacklist/whitelist of authors. I do hope that those who have been linked t..."

Aleksander Voinov, Suki Fleet, Cole McCade, Selina Kray, Jo Chambers all have spoken up in our defense and have shown compassion and solidarity throughout.

Felice Stevens has as well, she's commented on some of the FB posts.

~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ wrote: "Well, yeah, people are still denying climate change too.."

Yeah, you and I know both that there'll be those who will never believe it, they're too deeply ingrained.

AGandyGirl wrote: "Add Christina Lee and Keira Andrews to the list of ones who have spoken up on behalf of the victims."

TJ Klune

Cole McCade

LA Witt retracted her support.

Many readers and authors were duped.

Words cannot express my admiration for those coming forward with their stories now. 😍😍😍 to you all.

AGandyGirl wrote: "Add Christina Lee and Keira Andrews to the list of ones who have spoken up on behalf of the victims."

Felice Stevens as well

I heard this the other day on the radio. It struck a chord with me, it seems appropriate here.

"Victims prefer to call themselves survivors. But a new term is emerging - overcomers."

You all give me hope for this community.

❤️❤️❤️

Here is a full apology from SH http://santinohassell.com/2018/03/ful...

I cancelled Patreon but I guess it goes into effect April 1

After reading the comments on Megan Ericksons Facebook post, I can tell you something I'll never even consider typing -

"I don't know what's going on but" ....(here's my blind support for you)

The internet has so many resources to do your own research and not doing it is simply lazy....not loyal. Lazy.

Glad to see that some of my favourite authors have spoken out against SH. I would like to see Avon Gale and Roan Parrish make a statement, as I have enjoyed their books and would hope that they were not in on it.

Dani wrote: "Re: Sonny's statement

Still not addressing the cancer claims.

Still not showing any proof of doxxing (what's out there is already public and was public therefore isn't 'doxxing').

Most important..."

I can’t even with his statement. There’s insurance deductions on those bills. Still not admitting to cancer and that’s what people are asking. Not to see some random MRI bill. Say it to everyone. Yes I am a cancer survivor or no, I lied about having cancer. This apology is so carefully worded like all his other “statements” I want to scream. Address the people you stole from. Emotionally and financially by lying. By conning them into believing you cared for them. Noah and Jenn’s stories seem to be just two of more coming to light but I’m supposed to accept that as his apology? GTFO.

TJ did call those speaking out against SH "bags of vile pus" or something to that affect initially. That's a pretty strong statement, Sorry, guys. I think TJ is a lovely person, and I'm glad he's apologized, but, wow, talk about blind support.

Lucy wrote: "Dani wrote: "Re: Sonny's statement

Still not addressing the cancer claims.

Still not showing any proof of doxxing (what's out there is already public and was public therefore isn't 'doxxing').

M..." yeah its not very compelling. I was actually hoping for some real honesty.

Sue Brown, Renae Kaye, Liv rancourt, Iren Preston, Isobel Starling, Carole Cummings are also author who stood up in comments before Riptide issued their statement.

Mine will be a quick comment but I really feel the need to say something. I've always been a keen reader of Queer/LGBTQ+ fiction but I've started reading m/m only relatively recently. I've had the fortune of discovering many wonderful books, talented authors and beautiful people thanks to this genre. I've also enjoyed reading some of SH's solo books in the past and developed a near obsession for the ICoS series. When I started reading about his supposed troubles, I felt sympathetic and sorry for the situation a writer I admired found himself in. Then various things didn't quite add up in what I was seeing online and now we're here today with the exposition of all his/her/their appalling actions. Although I was never touched directly by the real drama experienced by the numerous other people I'm reading about in these hours, I still feel cheated, shocked and troubled by the callousness with which he/she/they perpetrated their actions and by the utter disregard shown towards other people's lives and mental sanity. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the victims out there. And so very grateful for those who stood up and made their voices heard. No one should be subjected to any of this and nobody should be allowed to tarnish the pleasure of reading, of immersing yourself into another world in such an awful and disrespectful way. I won't stop reading m/m because I don't want to let the rotten apples destroy all the good that comes from this genre and deprive me of all the nice, talented people involved in it. I know, though, that from now on I'll probably become less inclined to believe in people's fundamental honesty and transparency. The aftershocks will be hard for everyone but I strongly want to have hope in this community. And sorry for promising a quick comment and delivering a long one, which may or may not make much sense. X

JenMcJ wrote: "After reading the comments on Megan Ericksons Facebook post, I can tell you something I'll never even consider typing -

"I don't know what's going on but" ....(here's my blind support for you)

T..."

It's not just laziness. It's about being afraid to and not really wanting to know the truth.

Wow he removed himself from FB....yeah, thag scream guilt too. His actions are speaking for him. Running

Vanessa North's statement: http://facebook.com/vanessa.north.754...

Piper Vaughn's statement: http://twitter.com/pipervaughn/status...

I'm side-eyeing both, because neither say they believe the people speaking out about what SH did to them.

Ariadna wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Ariadna wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Sorry, could someone list the authors believed to be in on this? It be nice if there was a blacklist/whitelist of authors. I do hope that those who ..."

They (KA Merikan) also shared this status on FB :)

Also, is it weird i JUST got an Amazon Update about a new SH book coming in September for "Use of Hands"? no spanks!

~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ wrote: "TJ did call those speaking out against SH "bags of vile pus" or something to that affect initially. That's a pretty strong statement, Sorry, guys. I think TJ is a lovely person, and I'm glad he's a..."

I think someone else already mentioned it. But I also want to say that we need to be careful about pointing fingers at people, like me and so many others, who were not aware of the evidence against SH because we simply don't keep up with a lot of SM.

If it wasn't for Susan and GR I would have never learned of any of this and would be sitting here thinking an author deserves his privacy. It's so sad to remember myself thinking those words not very long ago at all.

I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't know. I'm ashamed. I know I'm not the only one feeling this way.

As others have said, I don't feel that I have the right to be here. I've never even read any of SH's books, could never talk myself into picking them because I thought they looked too emotionally stressful. BUT. But I want to tell all of you how amazing you are, how sorry I am for what you have gone through (and are still going through) and how much I admire and respect all of you.

Shelby wrote: "Glad to see that some of my favourite authors have spoken out against SH. I would like to see Avon Gale and Roan Parrish make a statement, as I have enjoyed their books and would hope that they wer..."

Roan Parrish and Avon Gale have had tons of time to say something (anything, really). As two authors who were v. close to SH (to the point of going on vacation with them), their opinions have weight. So does their silence.

I might have given up on Megan Erickson, but at least no one can say that she hasn't spoken up. #Stillnotgonnabuyherbookstho

Jenn wrote: "A social worker who early on commented on all this in Twitter PM'd me a day ago telling me that even if the result is just, I will struggle with mood swings and to take care of myself. She's right...."

Wow!!! Once again I am in total awe of how incredibly brave and strong so many of you on here are sharing things like this takes so much courage...*hugs*

In case anyone has any doubt it's not the SH's and ME's of the world who are the cool kids...the cool kids are right here standing up for themselves and for others who aren't ready or able to stand up for themselves yet no matter what the reason...yeah, the cool kids are right here fighting to make a better safe world for themselves and the rest of us and I just want to say thank you and also Susan you were one of the first people to friend me when I joined GR years ago and I'm sorry we lost touch and I'm also so glad to have you back as a friend again. I've always believed that you were awesome I guess I just never realized how awesome until now.

~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ wrote: "TJ did call those speaking out against SH "bags of vile pus" or something to that affect initially. That's a pretty strong statement, Sorry, guys. I think TJ is a lovely person, and I'm glad he's a..."

You are absolutely right. I did in January on Twitter. Because I chose to believe SH when he said they were doxxing him. That is completely on me, and I am sorry for that. I have had my own experiences with some exuberant readers, and chose to believe someone I thought I could relate to.

Jaime wrote: "yeah its not very compelling. I was actually hoping for some real honesty. '..."

IMO - People that can do this don't understand real honesty and you'll never get it from them. Every word, every thing they do, every move they make is a con with a goal for how to "win" something from every person they meet. Sometimes it's money, other times it's simply winning trust or loyalty but everything they do is for a "winning" outcome in their favor.

That's why it's hard for people that do understand honesty and empathy to wrap our head around what these people can do and still sleep at night. It's also why people like them can be successful at what they do. Looking for the best in people is not a negative personality trait...exploiting is.

Vanessa North’s statement may have been the most centering thing I’ve seen in a long time. And in Trump’s America, that’s saying something. (I know this isn’t a particularly helpful comment but gmafb with that sympathy grab).

Tez wrote: "Vanessa North's statement: http://facebook.com/vanessa.north.754...

Piper Vaughn's statement: http://twitter.com/pipervaughn/status...

I'm side-eyeing both, bec..."

It would almost be better if they'd said nothing at all.

I'm a dreamspinner author. I was told by them after contacting Naomi on the fb feed they are withdrawing all SH titles. I have no personal involvement in this other to say i am sickened as a mom, writer, and a human being. My heart goes out to everyone victimized in all this and i hope you can find the strength and courage to recover. My admiration and respect to those of you that took a stand in a time where it is often safer to turn away.

The "apology" is not an apology at all. Who doesn't have medical bills in America? I can post a whole lot from when my husband was in the hospital last year, or when my dad had a heart attack scare a few months back. It's par for the course.

T.J. wrote: "~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ wrote: "TJ did call those speaking out against SH "bags of vile pus" or something to that affect initially. That's a pretty strong statement, Sorry, guys. I ..."

Thanks, TJ. Thanks for being honest. Really. It means a lot.

Fabi wrote: "~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ wrote: "TJ did call those speaking out against SH "bags of vile pus" or something to that affect initially. That's a pretty strong statement, Sorry, guys. I ..."

No you're definitely not alone in how you feel. It's a fine line we want to believe in the authors we like but we also want to believe in our friends so sometimes it's not until we're confronted with the cold hard irrefutable facts as we have been here that we're able to see a situation with clarity.

Suzanne wrote: "TeThose statements are only about themselves. Nothing about the victims. And Vanessa North feels unsafe? How about Nikki who was verbally abused for over a year and all these other victims coming out? ."

She always feel unsafe. It's always about her.

In regards to 'his' statement:
Should we maybe also possibly keep an eye out and consider that SH basically calls the group attacks and bullying an overzealous reaction from a group of adult people?

And again with the doxing....... *sigh* After having seen that public convo about his ex-boyfriend's underwear and other, I call shenanigans!

What about Megan's latest statement. Is she still trying to claim she didn't know?

https://www.facebook.com/meganjericks...

Angela wrote: "I can’t see Piper’s statement in that link because she has me blocked lol!"

Does this work:
Her first words: My statement, re: Santino Hassell and our coauthored book. Posting this as a single image for ease of reading and to contain it to one tweet instead of a thread. This will also be posted on Facebook.

Angela wrote: "I can’t see Piper’s statement in that link because she has me blocked lol!"

It's on FB too, try this:
https://www.facebook.com/pipervaughn/...

I haven't been here is eons. I had to even change my profile pic because it was from an old book. I just wanted to say that I am so sorry so many of you are going through this. It's not right. Plain and simple. There is nothing that can excuse what he/she did. You are all so very brave and should take pride in that. I know from experience how hard it can be to go through something like this. You feel as if the whole world is coming after you. It's scary and lonely. Yet, you persisted.

T.J. wrote: "You are absolutely right. I did in January on Twitter. Because I chose to believe SH when he said they were doxxing him. That is completely on me, and I am sorry for that. I have had my own experiences with some exuberant readers, and chose to believe someone I thought I could relate to...."

I think your final sentence pretty much sums it up TJ - that YOU could relate to - because this person misappropriated your (generic) world as a queer male author.