‘Let the fun begin!’ Why did romance writer Susan Meachen fake her own death? | Arwa Mahdawi

Two years after her apparent suicide, the novelist has announced she is still very much alive. Is this what it takes to sell books nowadays?‘All publicity is good publicity,” Susan Meachen thought to herself as she prepared to stage her suicide. In September 2020, Meachen, the self-published author of what she described as “perfectly flawed” romance novels, logged on to Facebook, pretended to be her daughter and wrote a post declaring herself dead. Meachen’s “daughter” continued to post numerous times after that. She suggested that Meachen was “bullied in the book world to the point of suicide” and encouraged people to buy Meachen’s “final” book. Then, plot twist: last week, Meachen posted on Facebook again to declare that she wasn’t actually dead. Surprise! “Let the fun begin,” she added.My very first sentence, by the way, was – like Meachen’s death – part fiction. I have no idea what the romance writer was thinking when she offed herself online. Nobody does. But people have a lot of questions. Meachen has alluded to mental health problems, which should obviously be taken seriously – but that still wouldn’t excuse using your fake death to try to hawk books, as has been suggested in the days since she announced her resurrection. People in Meachen’s writing community are furious. “I think she believed that if she died, her books would get attention,” an author in Meachen’s writing circle told the BBC. “Now, this is a new gamble: ‘Hey, if I come back, that will get... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-11 07:00:12 UTC ]
News tagged with: #arwa mahdawi #final book #romance writer #writing community #issues raised #letters section #book world #self-published author

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘Let the fun begin!’ Why did romance writer Susan Meachen fake her own death? | Arwa Mahdawi'


‘Let the fun begin!’ Why did romance writer Susan Meachen fake her own death? | Arwa Mahdawi

Two years after her apparent suicide, the novelist has announced she is still very much alive. Is this what it takes to sell books nowadays?‘All publicity is good publicity,” Susan Meachen thought to herself as she prepared to stage her suicide. In September 2020, Meachen, the self-published... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-11 07:00:12 UTC ]
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A romance novelist came back to life. Angry fans say she faked her death

Scandal and despair hit the romance community when Susan Meachen was purportedly bullied into suicide. Was it a hoax?In 2020 the tightly knit and passionate world of self-published romance literature was shocked by the news that the novelist Susan Meachen, following bullying by other writers,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-14 10:00:06 UTC ]
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Thin-skinned Jordan Peterson is wrong about everything but right about Twitter | Arwa Mahdawi

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[ The Guardian | 2022-05-17 16:58:34 UTC ]
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Center for Fiction Debuts Susan Kamil Award for Emerging Writers

The Center for Fiction announced the establishment of the Susan Kamil Award for Emerging Writers, a new award to honor the memory and influence of the late Kamil, who was former executive v-p and publisher of the Random House imprint. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The arts world is facing a fierce reckoning about diversity. But is it too late? | Arwa Mahdawi

A scandal has exposed massive pay disparities in publishing and journalism. But the information may not help muchThe writer Chip Cheek got paid an $800,000 advance for his erotic debut novel, Cape May. Good for him, right? Even he, however, admits he was shocked by the figure. “But I’m more... Continue reading at The Guardian

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Brian De Palma and Susan Lehman deliver a silly, fun pastiche of hard-boiled crime fiction

“Are Snakes Necessary?” is exactly what you’d expect from a maestro of violent sexploitation. Continue reading at The Washington Post

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Was This Decade The Beginning Of The End Of The Great White Male Writer?

In the 2010s, the publishing industry finally wrestled with its problems with diversity. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2019-12-22 13:00:22 UTC ]
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Aria takes two more from romance writer Baggot

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-16 02:43:56 UTC ]
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Nikesh Shukla and Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers to appear at first Paisley Book Festival

Author Nikesh Shukla will join broadcaster Kirsty Wark to headline the inaugural Paisley Book Festival in February 2020, with contributions also coming from Emma Jane Unsworth and the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-26 15:25:12 UTC ]
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Someone accused the US president of rape. The media shrugged | Arwa Mahdawi

Why the relative quiet around E Jean Carroll’s allegation? Is it sexism? Outrage fatigue? Journalistic cowardice? All of the above?Donald Trump once boasted he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone without losing any votes. While this thesis hasn’t been tested – yet – I... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-06-26 06:00:14 UTC ]
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Val McDermid to play Glastonbury with Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers

The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers will play at Glastonbury, in what lead singer Val McDermid described as “a bit like a fairy story”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Romance author Nora Roberts sues Brazilian writer, claiming plagiarism

Nora Roberts, one of the world's most successful romance novelists, has filed a lawsuit against author Cristiane Serruya, who she claims plagiarized her work, the Associated Press reported. In the lawsuit, filed in Serruya's home country of Brazil, Roberts claimed that Serruya's books are a... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins signs romance writer Suzy K Quinn

HarperCollins Publishers has acquired a "gripping and darkly twisty" domestic thriller, Don’t Tell Teacher, and a second untitled novel, from author Suzy K Quinn. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kamila Shamsie Joins Susan Hill in Judging the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award

Fresh from her win of this year's Women's Prize for Fiction, Kamila Shamsie is joining Susan Hill and Andrew Holgate in judging the Young Writer of the Year prize. The post Kamila Shamsie Joins Susan Hill in Judging the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Donald Trump Jr is hawking a book. The Art of the Plea Deal, anyone? | Arwa Mahdawi

The president’s son wants to make literature great again. But considering his legal troubles, I would not be surprised to find that his tome throws his dad under the busDonald Trump Jr, the one who looks like a semi-sentient sneer, wants to make literature great again. The president’s eldest... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Romance writer's bid to stop authors from using word 'cocky' fails in court

Self-published author Faleena Hopkins asserted her right to the word, but judge calls attempt to stop other authors using it ‘weak’ Romance writers around the world can breathe a sigh of relief after a US court ruled that they can continue to use the adjective “cocky” in their book titles, after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When 'hipster fascists' start appearing in the media, something has gone very wrong | Arwa Mahdawi

The Sunday Times profiled members of Generation Identity and made them look like members of a boyband. This dangerous trend of humanising extremists must stopFascism is all the rage these days. Hate is haute, white nationalism is the new black and neo-nazism never looked so good. So the Sunday... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ebury does two-book deal with romance writer Mandy Baggot

Romance writer Mandy Baggot has signed a two-book deal with Ebury.   Baggot is “thrilled” to be joining the publisher, which has acquired world all languages rights from her agent Kate Nash.  Single for the Summer, publishing on 27th July, features sun, sea and romance against the backdrop of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For the Love of Industry Data: Nielsen’s Co-Location With Romance Writers of America

With analysis of a "slow erosion" of sales and much more, Nielsen's Romance Book Summit is a mix of research analysis and thematic exploration at the Romance Writers of America's gathering. The post For the Love of Industry Data: Nielsen’s Co-Location With Romance Writers of America appeared... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

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Bangladeshis protest after atheist writer Avijit Roy hacked to death

Hundreds rally against fundamentalism in Dhaka as Islamists claim responsibility for murder of prominent US-Bangladeshi bloggerHundreds of people have taken to the streets of Dhaka in protest at the murder of a prominent secular American blogger of Bangladeshi origin who was hacked to death with... Continue reading at The Guardian

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