It has been brought to my attention that certain bloggers took to their Facebook pages and implied I was lying about the ‘Bullying in the book community’ post.
I was happy to let it go and leave things alone, confident that Sophie was okay and nothing more was going to come from this. I thanked the community for having my back and those who were equally appalled…it was over and I made a lot of new friends. I blocked all that I felt would cause me further drama.
Then there was this –
I was shown Bloggers in this community who were part of the original thread trying to discredit me and shame those who have supported me. More than one, may I add. (this post is cropped to only the bits that matter, the other post is repetitive so only sharing this)
They even try to pass the buck to the YA community?!?!?!? For what exactly?
I said I would not name and shame and I still won’t. I still stand by my words – I won’t allow an attack on individuals and lower myself to their level of petty.
Please do not ask me for names.
I am merely clearing my name of being called a liar and instigator of drama. As is my right. I am now the one feeling personally attacked for daring to highlight an issue so this is the only reason I am posting this here and have posted them on my FB profile for those who don’t read my blog..
You decide for yourself if this was bullying or banter. Harmless jokes.
If they excluded naming anyone, and it was not a personal attack, like they claim.
I already have been told I will be put in book exile and my books will never see the light of day for speaking out, so I guess the damage is already done.
So if you want to blog about my books send me an email LOL, I may need the help soon enough haha.
These are not my screenshots but I did blank out the names of anyone on the thread to protect identities and I got full permission to share these from the source. There are more of these but you get the jist. I have screenshots in duplicate so I know these are not forged and many have their own.
I am not the only author to stand up in this. My friend Kiltie Jackson, a fellow romance writer has plenty to say on this topic too. Have a look at her recent blog post –When Is Bullying Acceptable?
This will be the last thing I have to post about this matter, I am so over it. I am not interested in the instigators, I have blocked all of them. I merely want us as a community to clamp down on this BS and not let fear silence us. Stop them trying to discredit those who witnessed something distasteful.
Many are afraid of backlash. Hell I will get it, I already have, but I don’t care.
STOP BULLYING PEOPLE.
PS – If you ever find yourself at the receiving end of internet targeting then there are websites there to help.
ltmarshall.com 
Well said! Bullies only get their power when no one stands up to them. So we should always stand up against them and show them up for what they really are – small minded morons who need to learn to grow up. xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Agreed. As a mother of a girl who gets bullied I won’t ever just shut up x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hear, hear!
I saw the fb post yesterday and couldn’t believe the way they were all defending and justifying themselves.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am honestly so mad today when I saw that I was being outed as the liar. Like…what?? hahah. I am hoping this will clarify my stance and be the blooming end, once and for all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope so too!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I may actually experience exile after this. We shall see LOL
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m so sorry you’ve been threatened by ‘book exile’. How completely cruel and absurd! So much for ‘book love’ and supporting authors that they purport to do. I’ve never read one of your books but when I do and if I enjoy any of them you can guarantee that I’ll be shouting it from the rooftops because that’s how I am. It’s exactly why I started book blogging. I fall in love with books! I’m never blogging again now but I’m on Instagram and I’d like to see them trying to control Instagram users! Neither can they control Amazon, Waterstones, Goodreads and Facebook. There are also countless other lovely, decent bookbloggers and decent kind human beings
It was very odd that both of us were horrified, posted out about the bullying independently of each other and neither of us knew about each other until a kind person pointed your posts out to me and mine to you. So no collusion by us whatsoever. Or one influencing the other. Or lying or a figment of our imagination. We both realised it was bullying independently of each other and my God we were not the only ones by any means. People including authors have now been booted out of book groups run by some of them. I was booted out of two, one I hadn’t even posted in the group for ages. OK then. Who was so worried that I might bring up the bullying and why were they so scared? It’s very telling.
They are very fortunate that this didn’t end with anyone losing their lives over it and thank goodness Sophie is OK but she appears to have been been traumatised by it. It’s perhaps left its mark on her. This has shocked me that people I had a lot of respect for could behave in that way. Like a group of hyenas. Mob mentality and playground politics. Turning it around on those who call them out on it. Calling those who dare to criticise bullies. Gaslighting I think it’s called? I’ve witnessed some very shocking things in my nursing career and have also been through some tough times personally so not easily shocked. I know that both of us want to put this behind us. Who needs such negativity. I’m old and chronically ill with an illness plus a rare syndrome on top of that. They can try to bully me too but I’ve got nothing to lose except maybe a few years off my life and my family and five grandchildren might miss me. Amen
LikeLiked by 1 person
So completely true. I now know of two fellow authors who made comment on this who were removed from the same groups. That speaks volumes. I was kicked from the same two groups despite never using one of them. They are clamping down and trying to shut us up. Why do that if they are not guilty? The original thread was deleted as was the one in b***c********* where I pointed out the previous was bullying. I think they call that damage control. All anyone wanted was for them to recognise this behaviour is wrong and give Sophie an apology. Make themselves an example of humility and growth and admit it was juvenile. Instead you are right they are trying to make me look crazy. Implied I lied and that I am bad mouthing bloggers and turning authors against the blog community. That’s absurd. It’s bloggers showing the biggest support for this. It just feels like for them it’s all about control.
LikeLiked by 1 person