Milo Yiannopoulos Deal Puts Simon & Schuster In Hot Water With Current Authors
Milo Yiannopoulos recently signed a deal with Simon & Schuster that reportedly gives the Breitbart tech editor a whopping $250,000 upfront from the book publishing company. But that might also cost the publishing rights to the works of over 160 authors who have written a letter to Simon & Schuster expressing their sincere dismay with the business deal that lumps them in with the conservative “alt-right” pundit who was recently banned from Twitter for harassing Ghostbusters actress Lesley Jones.
Milo Yiannopoulos is the tech editor for the news platform Breitbart and is responsible for controversial headlines that have targeted feminism and other minority groups. Many times a lot of folks simply aren’t open to hear what he has to say.
RT EWTinaJordan: S&S authors protest Yiannopoulos book deal: https://t.co/TCNK7MnOIz pic.twitter.com/a0q3t3w58N
— Myra K (@myra2geek) January 13, 2017
A recent report from Publishers Weekly clearly shows that the letter written by the children’s and young adult authors to Simon & Schuster for their decision to fund Milo Yiannopoulos and his new book was in poor taste.
“We, as Simon & Schuster children’s and YA authors and illustrators, have deep respect for our publisher, our editors, and the Simon & Schuster Children’s Division, which we believe strives to publish the strongest, most diverse list it can acquire, for the betterment of literature and children everywhere,” the letter to Simon & Schuster read. “Sadly, we cannot extend this same respect to Simon & Schuster’s Threshold imprint following their decision to lend the legitimacy of this publisher’s venerable brand to hate-monger Milo Yiannopoulos.”
The children’s authors who signed this letter to Simon & Schuster clearly do not want to be associated with Milo Yiannopoulos. They view the signing of Milo Yiannopoulos to the Simon & Schuster imprint as a forceful venture for them to be associated with the Breitbart tech editor.
Breitbart provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was shouted down at UC Davis, but he got the last word https://t.co/Bfh1ACkmZh pic.twitter.com/beTT8jVrP6
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 15, 2017
“Threshold has placed Simon & Schuster’s considerable reputation and weight behind one of the most prominent faces (Milo Yiannopoulos) of the newly repackaged white supremacist/white nationalist movement and financially supported a man who routinely denigrates, verbally attacks, and directs dangerous internet doxxing and hate campaigns against women, minorities, LGBTQ individuals, Muslims, and anyone he chooses to target who supports equality and human decency,” the letter continued.
The letter also calls attention to the fact that Simon & Schuster has contracts with these authors and by proxy, they lump their own involvement with the company to that of Milo Yiannopoulos by publishing under the same company and/or imprint
“As Simon & Schuster authors and illustrators who are already published, with books in the release pipeline, with contracts in place, we do not have to quietly accept or assent to this ‘Gleichschaltung,’ this getting in line with fascism and making it mainstream,” the letter read.
Milo Yiannopoulos’ book deal row heats up as publishers’ UK branch ‘will NOT print memoir’ https://t.co/I924IFxTee pic.twitter.com/fUI33dTPQa
— news.almanac (@news_almanac) January 5, 2017
The letter also made clear that these authors are not seeking to silence Milo Yiannopoulos, but rather disassociate their involvement with him in any way, which includes publishing their material with the same company, Simon & Schuster.
“This is not an issue of advocating or suppressing free speech, as Mr. [Milo] Yiannopoulos has a broad internet broadcasting platform and the support of many extremist organizations and publications,” the letter to Simon & Schuster read. “His voice is certainly being heard, and it is a voice of hate that stirs its followers to emotional, verbal, and physical violence directed at anyone who disagrees or speaks to the contrary.”
The letter to Simon & Schuster in protest of Milo Yiannopoulos was signed by the following authors:
Adam Rex
Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Alexandra Diaz
Alexis O’Neill
Alice Faye Duncan
Amber J. Keyser
Amber Smith
Amy Martin
Amy Reed
Amy Schimler-Safford
Ann Whitford Paul
Anne Bustard
Anne Marie Pace
Angela DiTerlizzi
Ariel Bernstein
Arthur Salm
Arun Gandhi
Ashley Wolff
Bagram Ibatoulline
Barbara Bottner
Becky Wallace
Ben Clanton
Beth Kephart
Bethany Hegedus
Betty G. Birney
Bonnie Adamson
Brenda Maier
Brendan Kiely
Brooke Boynton Hughes
Carlyn Beccia
Cassandra Clare
CG Watson
Chelsea Pitcher
Chris Barton
Christian Robinson
Christopher Denise
Colin Jack
Corey Rosen Schwartz
Courtney Pippin-Mathur
Curtis Manley
Cynthia Levinson
Dan Krall
Dan Richards
Dan Santat
Dana Walrath
Dashka Slater
Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Deborah Freedman
Deborah Hopkinson
Debra Frasier
Denise Fleming
Dhonielle Clayton
Diana Sudyka
Doreen Cronin
Elana K. Arnold
Elizabeth Rose Stanton
Elizabeth Schoonmaker
Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Oh
Ellen Wittlinger
Elsie Chapman
Eric Fan
Eric Wight
Erica Silverman
Evan Turk
Geraldine McCaughrean
Greg Foley
Gretchen McLellan
Heidi Stemple
Holly Black
Imogen Howson
Isaiah Campbell
IW Gregorio
Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman
James Dashner
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Jane Yolen
Jason Reynolds
Jim Averbeck
Jim Murphy
Joanne Rocklin
Joe Berger
Joyce Wan
Judith Rossell
Judy Sierra
Karen Romano Young
Kari Anne Holt
Kate Berube
Kathi Appelt
Katy Grant
Kelly DiPucchio
Kevin Sylvester
Kristin L. Gray
Laura Lascarso
Laurel Neme
Lauren Stringer
Laurie Ann Thompson
Laurie Halse Anderson
Lee Gjertsen Malone
Linda Davick
Lisa Congdon
Lisa Mantchev
Lisa Maxwell
Lisa McMann
Lisa Schroeder
Liz Garton Scanlon
Loren Long
Lori Degman
Louise Hawes
Luke Reynolds
Maggie Thrash
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Margery Cuyler
Maria Gianferrari
Marion Dane Bauer
Marla Frazee
Mary Casanova
Mary Lyn Ray
Mary Peterson
Max Brallier
Meg Fleming
Meg Wiviott
Megan Atwood
Melanie Crowder
Nancy Raines Day
Nicole Castroman
Nina Laden
Phil Bildner
Phoebe Wahl
R.J. Anderson
Rachel Renée Russell
Raquel Jaramillo
Rebecca Behrens
Rhonda (Helms) Stapleton
Rob Sanders
Robert Imfeld
Robin Stevens
Sarah Albee
Sarah Aronson
Sarah L. Thomson
Sarah Lariviere
Scott Campbell
Sonya Sones
Stacy DeKeyser
Stephanie Graegin
Steven Henry
Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
Sue Lowell Gallion
Susan Goldman Rubin
Susan Hood
Susan R. Vaught
Tammi Sauer
Tara Lazar
Terry Fan
Terry Pierce
Tim Floreen
Todd Hasak-Lowy
Tom Lichtenheld
Tony DiTerlizzi
Uma Krishnaswami
Vanessa Brantley Newton
[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]