What RWA members didn't hear at the Big Awards Ceremony in Reno, thanks to RWA President Tara Taylor Quinn:
"Nora Roberts declines to host tonight's awards ceremony as she feels the content is inappropriate and believes the focus should be on the nominees and the organization."
I didn't fall for the phony Harry Potter fanfic thing, but I really thought people were kidding when I first heard about this nonsense. It couldn't be true. Surely no one would use the awards ceremony to grandstand their personal politics to the point of pissing off Nora Roberts, the bestselling romance writer on the freaking planet -- and then not read Nora's statement as to why she was backing out of the ceremony -- and then instead make fun of Nora for it. No one would be that stupid.
An editor friend who was there confirmed it all today over the phone to me. I have again underestimated the RWA President's capacity for idiocy. She is, evidently, that stupid.
Selah has a good post with all the details, as well as a link to the source of Nora Robert's unread statement -- Nora herself -- and the lady's thoughts on the matter.
The President's term expires at the end of October, ladies. I bet slithytove is still kidnapable.
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I've got to say I'm totally gobsmacked! If you can, could you please explain to me what such tragedies and negativities have to do with the world of Romance and the celebration of the aforementioned genre?
ReplyDeleteAnd Nora. What kind of an impact would her resignation from the RWA have? What impact is her letter going to have on TTQ's book sales?
It seems to me that more and more people are becoming not only disatisfied with the whole... mess? Narrow-mindedness? Selfishness? but are now horrified at what the president and her cronies are trying to do to the RWA.
I'm glad Nora stood up and slapped 'em down. No romance writer worth her salt should put up with that kind of genre abuse.
Jaye Patrick
Huh. Well, PB, I've learned from you that I don't really need these orgs anyway. I won't be renewing my membership in the RWA next year. That $100 a year (national and local) can definitely be put to a better use.
ReplyDeleteWriters' organizations are often problematic (well, for me), simply because all it takes is a handful of people who like to run things -- to take the organization down a road that's either annoying or disturbing or damaging.
ReplyDeleteNora's a thoughtful person to recognize that it's the few and not the many who are at the root of this, and my hat's off to her.
Thanks for linking to this.
Thanks for posting this. I was wondering why so many people seemed disgruntled when they came out of there.
ReplyDeleteIt sure as hell makes me glad I didn't go to the awards -- and I bet the people I was hanging out with who ditched out are glad too. The bar and its watered down drinks was better.
Good for Nora.
Is the Pres. of RWA Rush Limbaugh's fourth wife or something? What a nutty "awards ceremony". Sounds completely awful and tasteless.
ReplyDeleteAaaaand things just go from bad to worse. What in *hell* is going on with RWA lately?! WOW! I'm SO glad I never joined. *Shaking head*. And Nora is a classy lady. I'm going to have to start buying her books.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot more about this, too, including that there were massive rewrites to try to change the awards ceremony. Why someone couldn't step up and simply say, "Don't play the video tape with the destruction, devastation and bombing images" is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteI still believe in the organization as a whole, although I'm not blind to some of the strange, awful and downright poor decisions that are sometimes made by individuals. *shaking head, wondering what the heck they were thinking*
Having worked with Tara on the Board and in committees, and seen her to be a caring, smart, knowledgeable woman, I'm flummoxed.
Nora is definitely a class act all the way. I'm glad she didn't resign. Not only is she the world's bestselling romance author, but she's also one of the genre's strongest advocates.
I wasn't there, as I left RWA back in January. I am a Christian and a Republican, but will say I find it highly inappropriate for ANY political or religious views to have influence at an awards ceremony for a national writer's organization. (((HUGS))) to all the finalists who feel cheated of their big moment.
ReplyDeleteApparently, it could have been a whole lot worse. Nora also posted this about the ceremony....
ReplyDeleteWendy
Oh, apparently my horror and demands re cutting The World Trade Center and OK City, also got Columbine out of one presenter's dialogue.
I wonder how anyone could believe that children slaughtering children was an appropriate addition to such an event.
So baffling, so insensitive.
Nora