It was a dark and stormy night when disaster fell on one of the most popular literary genres in America — romance novels.
In the unforgiving light of Christmas Eve, the bodice-ripping writers of consumable libido fuel are now having to pass the ever-changing test of the politically correct.
A former board member of the Romance Writers of America was suspended from the organization this month after she referred, in a bitter, raw voice, to a rival romance novelist’s work as “a fu#*ing racist mess” on Twitter.
Courtney Milan, the pen name for Heidi Bond, is a prolific writer of historical romance such as The Duchess War (The Brothers Sinister series).
And she is an advocate for tackling racism in the romance writing industry.
But as sure as the black flames lick the night sky, Milan’s complaint about Kathryn Lynn Davis’ 1999 novel, “Somewhere Lies the Moon,” led to Davis and author Suzan Tisdale filing a formal complaint with the Romance Writers of America — and to Milan being suspended by unanimous decision of the board.
Milan, who is Chinese-American, has a loyal following on Twitter. On Christmas Eve, the phrase #IStandwithCourtneyMilan was trending in popularity, often peppered by vulgarities condemning the Romance Writers of America.
The supporters of the writers organization remained silent. After all, Twitter wars can lead to one being “cancelled” in today’s “cancel culture.”
In other words, Milan, with her shapely, supple body and wholesome good looks, barely concealed her savage distain of her rival author, all the while longing for the loving Tweets of her admirers, as she lightly fingered the loose tendrils of hair that courted her warm and inviting neck.
(Must Read Alaska invites comments written with a nod to the genre, which you can do by stringing together phrases from The Romance Writer’s Phrasebook, which can be scoured at this link. Just remember, you might get cancelled by the “cancel culture,” and so we advise a pen name. That’s what the pros use.)
Suzanne, this article caused me to breathe heavily with desire…desire to stomp on the “woke” culture and beat it senseless. I gasp with the pleasurable thought of slowly squeezing the imaginary neck of Woke and watching it lay lifeless…never to ravage the sensibilities of American humanity again. I run my fingers through my long, greyish-brown tresses as I contemplate how best to address the angst of those with heaving bosom as they scream out their epithets against normal humanity, drooling like the savage beasts they are. I imagine the Woke, laying at my feet and begging for mercy.
I concede to the master!!
Omg that was EPIC bravo!!! Merry Christmas!!
Well, if this isn’t some mad white lady nonsense.
Great comment by someone who is afraid to use their real name. I may be a white lady, but I’m actually quite happy…not mad. Now, if by “mad” you mean “crazy”, well…I’d much rather be crazy than so awful as to be a racist like some people who have to turn everything into a race issue.
I bow to thee!
Well composed!
This is not an accurate retelling of the events. A professional organization censured a woman of color for pointing out the racism targeted specifically at her ethnic group in one editor’s novel, and the racism of another editor from the same publishing house in the form of a video.
Racism exists. Mad white ladies can be mad, but people of color aren’t putting up with it anymore.
J’cend, read deeper and think harder. Ms. Milan didn’t “point it out.” She did what progressive elitists always seem to do, which is drop an F bomb on Twitter on someone they don’t like, and then pile on. It’s bullying. Nothing wrong with censuring a person for being a vulgar bully. Good for the organization. She gained notoriety from doing so, and maybe that is a good business model for her and she can start her own F-bombing romance writer organization. Or maybe she will lose a bit of her charm. She’s like Colin Kaepernick in this regard, in a league of her own. One last thought and I’ll let you have the last word on it, because we all know you will: When you say “mad white ladies,” you, young lady, are not being inclusive in your description of who is actually racist and mad.
So what was the book issue she was commenting on?
“The people who point out racism are the REAL racists!”
Classic gaslighting.
Why should Courtney Milan or anyone have to ‘prettify’ their language when they’re calling out overt racism? For those of us of color, when we see racism, we FEEL racism – it hurts and is damaging, demeaning and demoralizing, and if we choose to use F-bombs or any other choice words in reaction to the personal affront of racism, it is 100% appropriate.
People who have and will NEVER experienced racism first-hand DO NOT have the right to tell people of color how to feel about your racism, nor how to react to it (assuming our reaction is not physically violent). Any reaction we have to your racism is 100% legimitate and if you choose to punish us for protesting your racism, you are also SUPPORTING RACISM and racist subjugation of people of color full-stop, and are racist yourselves.
I’m confused. The actual facts of this story don’t seem to fit the narrative you’re trying to force them into. It seems like if anyone in this story was “canceled” it was the woman who was calling out racism. She is the one who was banned from the organization for speaking out.
It sounds like Milan’s criticism of the novel was spot-on. From the Washington Post story about the incident:
Milan said she had been outraged by several sections of Davis’ book, including depictions of “exotic” Asian women (with “slanted almond eyes”) and a passage spoken by the fictional Chinese elder Madam Chin that “we are demure and quiet, as our mothers have trained us to be. We walk with our eyes lowered politely, and may not look higher than a man’s breast.”
Milan blasted back: “The notion of the submissive Chinese woman is a racist stereotype which fuels higher rates of violence against Asian women,” Milan wrote. “It is hard not to be upset about something that has done me and my loved ones real harm.”
First of all, this is a historical novel. Take a look at Amy Tan’s depictions. The historical facts are facts and as a 100% Chinese woman, I might not like the way women were treated, but it doesn’t change the historical facts. Our feet were bound, our daughters were sold to traffickers, and we didn’t have many rights at all. Even today, sex selection in China favors boys–hence under 1 child policy, more boys are allowed to be born.
Not liking the accurate description of a historical era, along with real physical attributes like my single-eye lids and my yellowish-bronze skin, doesn’t mean outrage and labeling another author racist. Finally, Milan is not a full-blooded Chinese woman with single eye lids and yellowish-bronze skin and she has no idea what it’s like to be identifiable as a Chinese/Asian everywhere she goes. She has the privilege of passing and going around blasting other people due to her being a lawyer and social media activist.
There is NOTHING wrong with having almond shaped eyes and bronze skin, so Milan is showing her “shame” of Asian features in her projection of this author’s thoughts [mind reading because she does not know that this author is thinking racist thoughts]. Only Milan is insulted because she thinks slanted eyes are somehow worse than round eyes. I call this racist projection.
“Please….” Her voice was little more than a sigh. “It’s the holidays, after all.”
His gaze slid over her neck, her breasts barely hidden by her robe. A familiar tightness stirred deep within him. “Babe, just hear me out.”
This time, it was a sigh as she sat up in frustration. She pulled her robe closed, ignoring the disappointed tilt of his head. “I will have my holidays, Bryce, just as I wish them to be. Take that ugly story to Charaliamalia; she enjoys ugliness so.” A small decoration hung askew and she straightened it gently.
“It’s important. You know it is.” He stroked her cheek gently, but she turned away. “Let’s talk about it.”
“I have heard nothing but hate since 2016. Enough!” She lay back against the brocade cushions and opened the curtain beside her. The snow was falling heavily now. “Leave me.” Her voice faded away.
He knew there would be no discussion and left the room, easing the door closed. Pausing, he heard the strains of “White Christmas” from within. He wasn’t surprised.
Wasn’t the book in question written in 1999???
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