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AJ Finn webchat/promo needs reconsidering, no?!

40 replies

Somerville · 05/02/2019 11:51

Hi HQ,
Can I ask whether you are reconsidering the webchat with Dan (“AJ Finn”) in the light of the revelations in the New Yorker article about him. He lied about having cancer. He lied abous relatives being dead who are alive. He may well have stolen the plotline, urinated in his former boss’s office repeatedly, and displayed misogyny to other colleagues. He is a charlatan.

More discussion on this thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/book_of_the_month/3455599-January-Book-of-the-Month-The-Woman-in-the-Window-by-A-J-Finn-Post-a-question-ahead-of-the-author-webchat-on-Wednesday-6-February-at-5pm?watched=1&msgid=84712203#84712203

I know publishers pay large amounts for your book of the month slots, but personally I find them such a missed opportunity. There are so many big readers on MN and we could find some really interesting new authors if you curated the slots well. But instead it often goes to the latest cynical marketing ploy of supermarket pulp. This one is case in point - written by rich, lazy, white man who sums up all that is worst about publishing and indeed was published by his employer Hmm This kind of situation is a significant part of why women, people of colour, those with disabilities, etc... find it so hard to get a leg up as writers or elsewhere in the industry.

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SallySwann · 06/02/2019 19:49

Well at least we know he's good at making up stories.

Redshoeblueshoe · 06/02/2019 19:45

Result Grin

TheManFromHellMonte · 06/02/2019 18:44

Shock that New Yorker article Shock

Helmetbymidnight · 06/02/2019 17:53

mm, unless there are law suits...i think the film will go ahead, writers are the lowest of the low in the hollywood hierarchy.

i had two books out last year, meant to be working on number three now?! the first was about something i read on here - if youre interested, pm me. no pressure! Grin

ArtemesiaDracunculus · 06/02/2019 17:31

Good decision. I wonder what else there is? Was that article everything, or just the tip of the iceberg? And I wonder whether the film will still go ahead? Intriguing.

Somerville · 06/02/2019 17:29

Given how most people save the best of themselves for professional environments, I keep wondering what he may have done in his personal life.
Are you wilriting a book Helmet or is one out? I like MNer books. Smile

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Helmetbymidnight · 06/02/2019 16:47

people are suggesting that theres a lot more to come out about him - i dunno what because in that article he comes across as BAAADD.

also support the motion that mn supports new female novelists maybe (me, me, me!)

littlerose12345 · 06/02/2019 16:44

I've just seen this! I'd logged on to come to the web chat and hadn't seen the article that had been posted. wow

Somerville · 06/02/2019 15:31
Grin PMSL
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BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 06/02/2019 15:06

Haha. I just bet he's not.
Thanks Somerville for flagging this up.

soniamumsnet · 06/02/2019 14:50

We're going to have to cancel this evening's webchat, apologies to those of you that have already posted a question. Here's what HarperCollins have said:

Unfortunately A.J. Finn is not doing interviews or PR at the current time and so we will have to postpone the scheduled webchat.

BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 06/02/2019 14:36

Is it still going ahead?
Blimey.
I'd have thought he'd be off to change his name (again) sharpish.
Bet Gary Oldman's fecked off.

Somerville · 06/02/2019 10:35

Okay.
Umm... you get that the concerns and questions did not emanate from me, right? There is widespread concern - anger even - at Daniel Mallory’s actions amongst readers.

I assumed it would have already been called off TBH but will add my question now just in case it’s not.
Don’t know what point that makes to trolls though.

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soniamumsnet · 06/02/2019 10:00

Hi,

Just letting you know that we've flagged your concerns and questions to the webchat organisers, and we're waiting to hear back what they say.

We'll keep you posted.

Somerville · 06/02/2019 08:47

Come on HQ, it’s now 48 hours since the article was published (and exploded over social media) and more than 24 hours since it was raised on MN. Now we’re just hours from the web chat, and you’ve still got it - and this charlatan’s face - stickied all over the site. Is it going ahead or not? @soniamumsnet

(That’s a different name to the other one I’ve now heard bsc but TBH I hadn’t particularly heard of either of them.)

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bsc · 05/02/2019 21:30

Tim Jonze announced recently in an article about Greg Gilbert (of the Delays who has become an artist to deal with his cancer) that he has cancer.
There is a scurrilous post on a BB that Jonze's father owned the NME, and then the Grauniad...

GrouchyKiwi · 05/02/2019 20:20

Please PM me too, if anyone knows! I'm shocked at Twitter being tight-lipped. What does it think it's there for?

Somerville · 05/02/2019 19:58

I don’t know the journo either. Send me that PM if it goes around!
The person who I think might know has cancelled coming over tonight in favour of a party where she can pick up all the latest gossip on the Mallory fall-out. Angry

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MorrisZapp · 05/02/2019 19:54

Or a PM?

MorrisZapp · 05/02/2019 19:53

Come on mumsnet, for the love of christ someone on here must know which high profile UK journo has a 'whiffy' backstory?

Twitter is being all tight lipped.

I'd take clues?

LilQuim · 05/02/2019 16:06

Oh really @Somerville ?? Well, it was to be expected, although I don't believe a diagnosis of BiPolar II includes the trait of being a lying shitstain!

HamishTheTalkingCactus · 05/02/2019 15:59
Shock
onalongsabbatical · 05/02/2019 15:42

Given Mumsnet's strict trolling policy, there'll be no excuse that I can think of for letting this guy conduct a webchat.

Somerville · 05/02/2019 15:37

Thanks.

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