How Bookstacked covers problematic individuals in the publishing industry

Bookstacked’s editorial policy regarding the coverage of authors (and others) accused of abuse.

 

Bookstacked exists thanks to a love of books. We celebrate authors and cherish the connections we’ve made with them through the words and stories they share with us. However, when we learn that an author has abused their position to demean, hurt and abuse individuals or communities, we are left deeply disappointed.

In the wake of recent reports, we wish to express our support for those who have brought attention to sexual harassment in the young adult and children’s book industry. Coming forward and speaking out is not easy, and so we are incredibly grateful for the brave voices who have done so in recent months and weeks.

We also wish to condemn those who have contributed to or participated in creating and maintaining an environment where sexual and physical misconduct is allowed to take place – whether they be literary agents, editors, authors or anyone else within the publishing industry.

Moving forward, Bookstacked will no longer promote the work of authors accused of abuse.

What this means:

  • We will no longer write articles about cover reveals, release dates, posters, movie trailers of book adaptations, etc. – anything that directly promotes the work and supports the author.
  • We won’t review books from the author or review film adaptations of their work.
  • We won’t write and create features around their work like quizzes, lists and polls.
  • The author and their work will not be given a place of prominence on our website, including banners, graphics, and the “What We Love” list in the footer of each page.

Additionally, some previously published articles concerning the work of these authors may be edited to include an editor’s note, linking the reader to this page so they are aware of the allegations made against the author. These articles will generally be prominent ones – articles that still receive steady traffic from readers. (Please allow several days for us to go through and make these changes.) Future articles that mention the author or their work will also include an editor’s note linking to this page.

We may also include similar editor’s notes in articles about franchises that employ individuals who have been accused of abuse.

2020 Update: We will also include editor’s notes on articles that feature authors who actively promote views and ideas that place already at-risk communities in harm.

This policy applies to Bookstacked’s current and future podcasts as well. We may adapt, revise and add to this policy in the future.

Below is a list of authors we no longer cover as well as franchises that employ individuals who have allegations against them. Please note the links to reports that offer information about their alleged abuse. This list may be updated in the future.

For information on sexual harassment in the Children’s publishing community, we encourage our readers to visit the Medium article by author Anne Ursu and this statement from author Rick Riordan.

Authors We Don’t Promote
  • Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why. Asher was expelled from the from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators because of allegations of sexual harassment. [See: The Washington Post, Fortune]
  • James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner series. Dashner was dropped by his agent and publisher because of allegations of sexual misconduct made by several anonymous individuals. Dashner admitted that he was “part of the problem” and would be seeking “counseling and guidance.” [See: Variety, The Salt Lake Tribune]
Franchises with Editorial Notes
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. J.K. Rowling’s film series prominently starred actor Johnny Depp who was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife, Amber Heard, in an op-ed. On June 1, 2022, a jury found Depp was defamed by Heard. We feel it’s important for our readers to be aware of this context. [See: Vox, USA Today, New York Times]
  • Harry Potter/J.K. Rowling. Rowling’s views on gender identity, which she has consistently promoted on social media and elsewhere, have been cited as harmful by the transgender community. Because of the prominence of the Harry Potter series, we will continue to cover the Wizarding World on Bookstacked, but will include editor’s notes at the bottom of each article. We will no longer cover Rowling’s works outside of the Wizarding World. We may also tag social media posts with #JKR to respect those who wish to mute conversations about Rowling and her books. [See: Bookstacked, MuggleNet]
Editor's Note: This policy was last updated June 1, 2022.
This article was brought to you by members of the Bookstacked Team.

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