authorgraph

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

HAPPY FREAKIN' NEW YEAR! IT'S 2020!



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TO ALL WHO STOP BY THIS LITTLE, OLD BLOG TO READ THE RANTS OF A ROMANCE WRITER AND SIP SOME INDUSTRY TEA...HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

AND MAY 2020 EXPOSE MORE WONDER THAN ALICE COULD EVER IMAGINE.

NOW, GO HAVE AN ADULT BEVERAGE AND BE SAFE!

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Thursday, December 26, 2019

The ridiculous case against Courtney Milan the romance writer, Part 2

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HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

UPDATES ON THE ON-GOING RWA/COURTNEY MILAN SCANDALE

OUTRAGE, SUSPENSIONS, RESIGNATIONS

OH MY!

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https://historical-romances.com/2019/12/26/romance-writers-of-america-suspends-novelist-courtney-milan-for-calling-rivals-work-racist-mess/

https://historical-romances.com/2019/12/26/romance-writers-drama-courtney-milans-suspension-rescinded-8-board-members-resign/

THE ACCUSATIONS ARE FLYING HOT AND HEAVY IN ADDITION TO THE MUD. OH HOW EVER WILL ROMANCELANDIA GET THOSE STAINS OUT?

IF THIS "INCLUSIVITY" THING TAKES HOLD, ARE RWA CONFERENCES IN DANGER OF OFFERING THUNDERBIRD, WILD IRISH ROSE OR MAD DOG 20/20 AS  CHOICES OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES? AND WHAT KIND OF FINGER SANDWICHES GO WITH THEM?

OH THE HORROR!

WILL MANHATTANS AND ROB ROYS NEVER BE IMBIBED AGAIN AT AN RWA CONFERENCE?

OH THE HORROR!

STAY TUNED FOR ANOTHER EXCITING EPISODE OF "RACIST? WHO YOU CALLING A RACIST??"

(IT AIRS RIGHT AFTER "DIVERSITY? WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' DIVERSITY!") ON ANY TWITTER THREAD DEALING WITH ROMANCE.NEAR YOU

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The ridiculous case against Courtney Milan the romance writer

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2019/12/wtaf-rwa-courtney-milan-banned-suspended-from-rwa/

https://nypost.com/2019/12/26/romance-writer-courtney-milan-suspended-over-racist-mess-claims/

http://file770.com/courtney-milan-suspended-by-rwa-banned-from-leadership/

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/romance-writers-america-suspend-courtney-milan/

It's all over the news (the world of romance news, that is)

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Harpies ahoy!

Well, the harpies are flying and pooping all over everything and it's not even Halloween. Folks kill me when you point out their clearly racist ways then in their guilt, they yell back at you, like a butt-hurt six-year old, "Racist!" because you called them on their clearly racist bullshyte. Seems a special few harpies at the Romance Writers of America (the RWA) have unleashed this ill-conceived tactic on a romance writer by the name of Courtney Milan.

Ms. Milan, a Chinese-American woman, once sat on the board of RWA. She helped them impliment a, get ready, here it comes, that word I despise, DIVERSITY policy. The woman brought the ladies-who-lunch into the 21st century kicking and screaming while holding onto their sweater sets and pearls. And this is the thanks she gets! That saying, "No good deed goes unpunished" is true And the witches at RWA went out of their way to censure Ms. Milan. They knew they could not get a consensus from the legit board, so when the harpies in question (I will not utter their names or print them 'cuz i would not want to waste MY time unleashing lawyers on them if they were to come at me) did their dirty work, they CREATED A SEPARATE PANEL/ COUNCIL/ LYNCH MOB, whatever you wanna call it, to ban, chastize and censure Ms. Milan, The heifers went behind the back of the legit board and assembled their own litlle hit squad. A squad that would back and soothe their whining, their butt-hurt feelings, their bruised WHITE PRIVILEGE at being called out.  They timed the hit to coincide with holiday festivities. How Francis Ford Coppola of them.

See. That right here is why the established romance organizations, like RWA, will NEVER get any of my coins. I'd never join these "popularity clubs" where the cult of personality holds sway. Where the awards go to the same people for the same shyte, year after year.

Oh, honey, let me interject here. I've seen some RACIST crap get nominated for awards over the years that still blows my mind to this day. I mean how could one forget Kate Breslin's "For Such A Time" that tearjerker about true love between a NAZI COMMANDANT at a concentration camp and a Jewish female in the camp.This kind of nonsense is why I stay off Twitter.

I've never read it, but it seems Ms. Milan's criticism of "Somewhere Lies the Moon" by Kathryn Lynn Davis, was the straw that broke that camel's back. The chick was so triggered that she unleashed her kraken on Milan. Davis is one of two who filed the complaint against Milan. One of the complainants further showed her hand when she pulled the "I-am-not-racist" card when she said she'd liked a tweet from those African-American conservative clowns, Diamond and Silk on Twitter. Yeah. Liking their tweets spells not racist. O-O-Okay.

Courtney has been a brave soul to enter the viper's nest of RWA, and then she had the "effrontery" to mention that there is racism and bias in the romance industry and in a shitload of the AUTHORS in the industry - POOF! she gets the shaft. No surprise there.

Look. I know that writers of color want awards and recognition and MONEY just like their Caucasian counterparts get. It's only right but the price of admission is high. Too high. I do not seek or need validation from some unknown group of broads. The industry is progressing but at a snail's pace still when it comes to inclusivity. And I, for one, do not follow snails. They leave a slimey trail behind them I rather not walk in. I saw the game loooong ago. These "venerated' organizations let writers of color in under a "special" banner. That accursed "multicultural" one. Which signaled to me that they NEVER thought these writers, or their works, were equal and therefore, fit to compete with the writers and their works in the "mainstream." Why the divide? Books are books. Writing is writing. The sole thing different is the writer. A writer who is going to give a varied perspective on the status quo in love stories. A perspective that must be rather explosive (or feared, as those in the "mainstream" aren't likely able to produce this other perspective). So, these "multicultural" stories couldn't just be blended in with the other stories these organizations tout? Umm. I see and I also saw inherent bias before the curtain rose on that carefully orchestrated okey-doke of a shyte-show. As a writer (and a damned good one, if I say so myself)  I want only 3 things - 1) to write; 2) have an audience for said writing and 3) have said audience PAY for reading said writing. I'm not on this Earth to "prove something" to strangers. Nor to change bigots' minds and hearts. And I sure as hell am not here to boost their their fragile egos. Naw. I'm good. Keep your Scooby snacks, head pats and insincere accolades.

Ms. Milan didn't deserve this affront. She spoke truth to power.

Don't be fooled by the representatives of power's softer side. It's still power. It's just swathed in cashmere and silk and pearls, and Shalimar. And it still can't abide hearing truth.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

HAPPY HANUKKAH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!


Happy and Joyous 2019 Holidays to all!

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Don't eat too much. 
Don't drink too much. 
And definitely don't don't do too much of either and drive! 
Otherwise, celebrate!


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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Big Mama Thornton - Early queen of blues and rock

Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, was born December 11, 1926, a few steps outsde Montgomery, Alabama.

Willie Me Thornton
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A blues stylist and song writer, her recording of "Hound Dog" long before Elvis Presley's version, was a smash hit too.It sold over 2 million copies but she only pocketed 500 bucks! Somehow, I do not think Elvis' take was that meager when he covered it.

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OY!

She sang and wrote for the Hot Harlem Revue Group under the mentorship of one "Diamond Teeth  Mary" McClain (a contemporary of Bessie Smith and the one person who was bedside when the star was left to bleed to death in a segregated hospital). There she also played drums, harmonica, and guitar.She ventured out on her own after almost a decade with the band. She toured and made some money but it dissipated as quickly as she got it. A staple on the blues circuit, she was a well-known name. Unfortunately, as the popularity of blues waned, her bookings dried up but she persevered and survived through recording sales.

"Diamond Teeth Mary" McClain
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With the 70s and earyl 80s came a resurgence of her career as newbies re-discovered her. She went on the road again happily but years of excessive drinking, a weight problem and issues from the combination of both had taken their toll. She last performance was in 1983 at the Newport Jazz Festival.

She passed in 1984, aged 57 years 



Big Mama Thornton - "Hound Dog"   (I have no idea why a photo of Josephine Baker is the image running throughout this video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHDrzw-RPg


A retrospective on "Diamond Teeth Mary" McClain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22y49zz31ok