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Yoga Nerd, Maybe DeadErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 4:48pm

"You're fat," I shouted. And then I poured the entire bottle of hydrogen peroxide on her head.

Wait, wut????????

I picked a team: Team NOT KATHLEEN HALE
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  kansasgirlYoga Nerd, Maybe Dead
  10/20/14 4:52pm
  Seriously. And then I read the linked Thought Catalog piece which only confirmed my team choice.
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  RibbonsYoga Nerd, Maybe Dead
  10/20/14 4:55pm
  This is legit terrifying.
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Esmerelda FoofypantsErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 5:01pm
I think I was going to explode if you guys didn't cover this story. Thank you for giving it the attention it deserves. Kathleen Hale is a deeply disturbed person. It's horrifying to see so many people—including writers I thought highly of—defend her actions. If she had been a man, no one would be calling her piece "fascinating" and hailing her for her bravery.
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  Esmerelda FoofypantsEsmerelda Foofypants
  10/20/14 5:07pm
  Also, I wish more people were pointing out that Hale's article about Blythe is a direct act of aggression against her. It is nothing more than an attempt to scare her, harm her further, violate her boundaries more, and worm deeper into her brain. It's disgusting that Kathleen Hale is being allowed to essentially publicly abuse her victim further.
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  two-turntables-and-a-microphoneEsmerelda Foofypants
  10/20/14 5:15pm
  I can't believe people are defending her actions. I felt like i was on crazy pills when I read that part.
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stillwellgrayErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 4:53pm
Well, that explains why the blogger was anonymous. Because apparently authors are fucking nuts.
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  Meggannastillwellgray
  10/20/14 4:58pm
  Oh yeah, they are. Take a look at this site http://www.stopthegrbullies.com/ It's about "stopping" Goodreads bullies (i.e., people who write negative reviews)
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  Rosellistillwellgray
  10/20/14 5:08pm
  Yeah, Hale just basically gave a completely justified excuse for reviewers to use fake names.
  
  Also finding out someone is using a pseudonym shouldn't remotely shocking to a writer.
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MeggannaErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 6:05pm
So I was talking about this author and Guardian article on Goodreads (I absolutely love Goodreads, by the way). Someone I follow on Goodreads (a pretty influential YA book reviewer there) was talking about how after she read the Guardian piece, she was never going to read a book of Kathleen Hale's. Sounds reasonable to me, idk. So a bunch of us are commenting on this status update, and then this random person with a newly-created account came on to tell us about how 'Blythe' was really the one in the wrong here, etc. etc. etc. Here's an example:

Hmmm, well Hale's account was published by an internationally renowned paper of record. They fact check their stories in order to avoid being sued. Even if Hale's account is one sided it's fair to assume that she could justify her claims in court or she would never have been given the room to make them.
What "Blythe" has in her defence are the protestations of her fellow Goodreads members and so called "book bloggers" who are a nebulous group of similarly anonymous individuals some of whom are also implicated in the kind of shenanigans "Blythe" got up to and who therefore have a vested interest in refuting Hale's entire account. So whether one chooses to believe a newspaper in whose interests it is not to be caught publishing lies or a group of fellow travellers to "Blythe" who are anxious to exculpate themselves is really up to you.

That's just one post - there are more. (and btw, Hale's fiance's family has connections to The Guardian and that's probably how she was able to write an article for them) After this user was blocked by the person I follow, the user in question deleted their entire account :/ In fact, there are a number of newly-created accounts that are coming to Hale's defense on Goodreads. Not to be a conspiracy theorist or anything (or ok, I will), I'm fairly certain that either Hale herself, or her friends/family are coming onto articles trying to defend her. Looks like it might be happening on Jezebel too~ Just something to think about.
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  agent99999Megganna
  10/20/14 6:11pm
  Probably. Just in case: Hey Kathleen Hale! You are an asshole and I will never read your shitty books.
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  BasicNameMegganna
  10/20/14 6:29pm
  I really hope she shows up. What a perfect privileged world she lives in.
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mamabigdogErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 5:13pm
I'm not a fan of stalking. I'm also not a fan of people who write one-star reviews simply to make lives miserable for others. Lives and businesses can be ruined by people like this, posting utter falsehoods to a multitude of websites. Restauranteurs are fighting an endless battle with Yelp!, for example, to get them to delete reviews they know to be false. The anonymity of the internet allows far too much bad behavior to go on, with these empty shells sitting at their keyboards gleefully destroying the dreams of others with their deviousness, spreading lies about quality, service, etc. There has to be some call-to-account for people like this, and since there isn't, Hale clearly felt she needed to take matters into her own hands. Some people would call what Hale did as stalking, others would call it investigation. The reviewer was clearly dishonest about her identity, regularly displayed online stalking behavior herself, and should have been exposed publicly. It would have helped Hale's case to have someone else make any necessary contact with the reviewer (if any was needed at all), like GoodReads, who has this reviewer on their list in the first place.

Why do you feel it is acceptable for a "reviewer" like Blythe to attack authors repeatedly, to "rally troops" to go after those who disagree with her vitriol? How is this worse than Hale wanting to know who this person actually was?
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  LottaOttermamabigdog
  10/20/14 5:21pm
  Much of the content the reviewer was complaining about seems to be accurate. Despite Hale's claims to the contrary, there IS content in the book about statutory rape/sexual abuse, PTSD and domestic violence. It seems that Hale isn't even aware of what is in her own book.
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  GhostwriterJGmamabigdog
  10/20/14 5:27pm
  Why on earth do you believe anything the author said about Blythe? I read her comments about the book; they were genuine. She has reviewed plenty of books, rating an average of 3.5. This isn't someone who just gleefully sets out to destroy authors' careers. It's a reader with an opinion.
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Jack B. HatesErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 5:07pm
I think the point where she requested that someone who actively disliked her writing interview her was the point where I sat back and said, 'Um…' Hale seems like the kind of person who can't stand not to be liked. Her behaviour was unacceptable and shocking.

Having said that, I write, and it's hugely upsetting to get a review which is not only critical but inaccurate, especially if that person is influential. Those reviews never disappear. A lot of bloggers have been saying on Twitter today that one review can't make a difference, but opinions are formed based on recommendations and vague recollections. If you remember a very trenchant review, it colours your perception of a book - and there are a lot of books out there so why choose one to read that someone else loathed? The original review Hale quoted was so harsh in its tone that it feels personal, almost - overkill.

"I can say with utmost certainty that this is one of the worst books I've read this year," she said, "maybe my life."

Most writers are worried about sales and critical response because we have no job security. It absolutely goes with all the wonderful things about being a writer and I accept it - and it seems Hale doesn't need to worry about her finances if she's as well connected as this article suggests. However, if you were a plumber, say, and you got a write-up online on Goodplumber which EVERYONE who cares about pipes uses, and it was hugely unfair and critical, and most people who commented said they would never use your services, and it came up in your Google results every time someone looked you up, you might go a little crazy.

The more I think about the article, the more it feels off to me. If Hale was revealed to be Blythe/Judy and the entire story was an invention, I wouldn't be totally surprised.
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  ZucchiniBread1987Jack B. Hates
  10/20/14 5:53pm
  It sounds like the review WAS accurate, though. The job of a review isn't to provide authors with job security, it's to write reviews. Good, bad, indifferent. If someone has an experience they believe is worth saying "I would never use this service/read this author/whatever again," then it's up to the service provider to do better. In this example, sounds like the author needs to spend less time stalking and more time writing better books.
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  Jack B. HatesZucchiniBread1987
  10/20/14 6:03pm
  Yes, but I'm surprised by the venom in the original review. If I dislike a book, I say: 'I was disappointed by…' or ' this didn't work for me at all' or 'the author tried but failed'. Not 'this is the worst book I've ever read.' It's exaggerated.
  
  Not sure why you're taking issue with me about reviews. I'm well aware of what they do and why. As I said, it comes with being a published author and we generally accept that. I'm always glad someone has taken the time to think about and write about my books. A bad review is a bad review; they can be useful if you look to improve your work. A hatchet job? Not always helpful. But I was trying to explain that creatives can be very fragile people, and it can be literally crazy-making to get a review which you believe to be unfair and personal, especially if you perceive that there's a vendetta against you. Note, I say 'perceive'. I'm not saying you would be right in that perception. I've never had that experience and I hope I am grounded enough to avoid it forever, but then I stay off Goodreads.
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MeggannaErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 4:53pm
Hmmm. I've actually read the book in question and I wouldn't say there is "no rape" in it. A character who is a minor has an affair with a much older man, and since the age of consent is 18 in Wisconsin (where the book takes place) there are in fact mentions of statutory rape in the book (which is real rape, and please don't try to argue that fact with me). And I would agree with 'Blythe' that the author didn't treat the subject with sensitivity or even present it as something that would be a big issue. And the author's response to that part of the review is telling:

But there isn't rape in my book," I thought
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  mynameisearlinaMegganna
  10/20/14 4:59pm
  This fucking asshat needs to date Eron Gjoni. They deserve each other.
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  DashleyinCaliMegganna
  10/20/14 5:02pm
  Yeah, okay, BLYTHE. (j/k)
  
  I haven't read the book - did it also mock domestic abuse and PTSD the way the reviewer apparently said it did and the author is denying it did?
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AshinaeErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 5:48pm
I'm confused by the people who focus on the reviewer's online pseud. Listen, I hate to say this, but my name isn't actually "Ashinae." There are a lot of us who have been here since virtually no one used their real names online. I know the times they are a'changing, but some people still like o keep their online identities and their real life identities secret; some people who use their real names for Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with meatspace friends, but still maintain a separate online identity.

Just because someone is blogging, doesn't mean they're expected to use their real name, does it? And, besides, authors themselves do it all the damn time. Actors and musicians, too. Are pseudonyms therefore the domain only of content creators, and not the plebes who write/talk about culture, news, and everything in between? 'Cause let me tell you—if I publish, it's going to be under a pen name, and I have absolutely no recourse to condemn anyone who writes about my writing for doing the same thing, whether or not they're calling themselves Jane Smith or hockeyfan211.

More on point: Kathleen Hale seems like a shitty person who needs to sit down and rethink her life choices.
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  CodiustheawesomeAshinae
  10/20/14 6:36pm
  Apparently a real name policy on Facebook is the worst thing ever (which I agree with, after reading the well reasoned articles on this site) but not using your real name to review books is worthy of side eye. Who knew.
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  AshinaeCodiustheawesome
  10/20/14 6:48pm
  Maybe you're not allowed to use a pseudonym to say something that is or can be construed as negative, but you are allowed to create things or say things that are positive? I don't get all these interwebs rules sometimes.
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MsVerucaSaltErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 7:20pm
What is fascinating about the comments here is that if you read the actual full article on The Guardian link, you'll find the story plays out a little differently and that the commenters on there have a very different sympathy than here on Jez, i.e. they are Team Ms Hale.

The Blythe Harris character is clearly very, very disturbed and the author Ms Hale comes across as more of a troll slayer. Not saying I agree with that, but read it and see what you think.
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  zassMsVerucaSalt
  10/20/14 7:57pm
  Yeah, I read it there. Hale comes off horribly.
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  KarlynpMsVerucaSalt
  10/20/14 8:13pm
  'What is fascinating about the comments here is that if you read the actual full article on The Guardian link, you'll find the story plays out a little differently and that the commenters on there have a very different sympathy than here"
  
  The Guardian post was written by Hale herself and spun in such a way to spoon feed Kool-Aid to the readers in hopes they will believe that obsessing over a reviewer — which culminated into physically stalking a stranger to their front door — is a brave and heroic thing to do. And yes, many drank the Kool-Aid. But not all.
  
  What makes this article (and now so many others like it on the internet) so different from the Guardian post is it was written from a more logical and objective point of view, and without the focus of a personal agenda.
  
  From what I have seen across social media the last few days, for every one person who thinks Hale was brave and wise, there are hundreds (if not thousands) who think otherwise.
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My Dog Is A PirateErin Gloria Ryan
10/20/14 4:58pm
TL;DR: Author can't get over perceived slight, becomes terrifying stalker.
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  troubledbynounsMy Dog Is A Pirate
  10/20/14 5:39pm
  It gets weirder — My Dog Is A Pirate isn't even that commenter's real name!
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  BeyoncesNoPantsDanceMy Dog Is A Pirate
  10/20/14 6:16pm
  Become terrifying stalker of not one but two people, one of whom she assaulted. She's flat out nuts. And dangerous.
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