Thread 18: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[DisappointedReader]

Hello all. I've simplified the opening post as I don't think we need to keep reposting all the links, timelines and so on at this stage of proceedings.

The Observer's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...
First thread: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet
Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items before posting.
To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. We have done amazingly well together for 17 very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome.

Now three months in, if these threads could wear slogan t-shirts they would be Mark Twain's often misquoted 'The report of my death was an exaggeration'. Applications in writing from correspondents seeking supply parcels of fudge and cider will be tolerated.

Here we are again
Disappointed as can be
All good pals and jolly good company
Strolling round the path
Happy on a spree
All good pals and jolly good company

Never mind the weather, never mind the rain
Now that we're together, whoops we go again!
Whoops, we go again
La-di-da-di-da, la-di-da-di-dee
All good pals and jolly good company

Keep to the path. No saltiness. May the fudge and cider be with you.

No signs as yet of any release in the USA.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3145224965/?ref_=bo_ydw_table_84

Thanks. I assume that it would have been released in the USA already if not for the revelations of crime and lies. A lot of Britons have the attitude that 'everyone lies or exaggerates and it doesn't matter much' if they enjoyed a book or film. I don't know what the American culture is on this or how popular the books were there.

And as America is where the money is made, the film won't be earning anything like what was expected. I don't expect this will have any repercussions on SW, but it will make it harder for other 'true story' films to be made, certainly without a high degree of fact checking!

I have also enjoyed the forensic level posts on here - don't know how posters manage to find so much detailed info and analyse it so well.

I thought I'd have a look at TWS and note that the back cover blurb states: "In 2016, days before they were unjustly evicted from their home, Raynor Winn was told her husband Moth was dying." So the WWs and Penguin can't deny that these 2 lies, crucial to the story, were upfront and were deceitful and giving false hope to sufferers of neurological disorders. I'll probably only dip in and out of the book as it's a waste of time to read it properly knowing that it's based on lies. Plenty of other good books out there.

There are still copies of TSP in charity shops and the paperback copy in our shop sold for £1.25 but there's still a hardback copy for sale.

@Peladon I saw that too and immediately thought of SW! I'm in two minds about whether or not OWH will in fact ever see the light of day. On the one hand given how much effort has presumably already been sunk into it by Penguin (commissioning artwork, editing, actually printing it too, possibly) and that we know there are a hard core of Salfans who simply Do Not Care about the lying, they may sneak it out quietly this time next year and see what happens. On the other hand, the minute it appears it will be pored over by readers and reviewers looking for more EB, plus it'll spark several rehash articles of the Obs revelations. And I don't think they'll risk letting Wor Sal near PR events, even if she was willing to go. Completely unpredictable arenas IMO and if you have an arsey client for whom everything is someone else's fault, it could be a further disaster.

They probably don't need SW to write anything else now if she's finally made them their millions. Invested well (yes, I realise we're not looking at a couple who make wise decisions, but hey), that could give you enough to live on comfortably if you didn't spank it all on French ruins and fudge.

Avast me hearties! As usual please fill up the current thread first and a reposting of this link very close to the end would be most welcome:

Thread 19: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

With Guy Fawkes Night just around the corner, it would surely be a good opportunity for a Bonfire of the Vanities, the vanities in this instance being TSP, TLS and LL? Not forgetting OWH if the publishers are reading.

Thanks @DisappointedReader I have been following the path and starting to Get Worried about the next thread!

To paraphrase Eliza Doolittle, it is my belief (not so much that she done him in) that OWH will be released, if it is, with no fanfare and no tour, no lit fests and no interviews. Stalwarts may buy. It could be a bit of a figleaf for PRH 'Oooo look we have released it, we're not ashamed, not us'.

However, remember that Our Chloe's documentary hasn't been seen yet and I doubt anything positive for Raymoth will result from it. It's on Sky, big audience.

Budge up on the charabanc, I need a fair bit of space. I've got a lot of baggage and a bucket full of ire to bring along with me.

Hope that includes Nice Fudge and Artisan Cider, Vroomie!

Better than that, I've got some tablet...and a bottle of sloe gin.

On my weekly dip into Waterstones I noted something different this time. TSP and TWS (which are in Local 😡) have a full shelf of copies stacked behind them. But, the 2 front ones had all the pages splayed. It looked as if many readers were thumbing through, or maybe taking them over to read for a while, but then putting them firmly back. It reminds me of when Lady Chatterley's Lover always fell open at the sexy bits - those were the days ....

I'm clambering on that charabanc as fast as I possibly can.

Yes to sloe gin and tablet for these winter months!

I read LCL at the age of about 13, I think everyone in the world had the Penguin copy at that point. It was done on the quiet but I didn't get into too much trouble when discovered as my mother's view was that if I could read and understand it was OK, TV much more carefully policed. Well, news reports of the Vietnam war fine, a Bouquet of Barbed Wire, no.

Seen tablet mentioned before- what is it? Am I missing a delicacy? But maybe I am better off not knowing, too many calories being consumed already, anyone would think I was about to hibernate!

Hope there’s a lid to keep your ire inside the bucket. Some of mine spilled out once and it made a right mess of the car.

Rolling my sleeves up ready to climb upon the charabanc and not fall off it this time… and cramming my pockets with tablet and whisky rather than cider and fudge. Better for the winter months I feel.

It was me - well as far as I did post something along the lines of: if no one claims the copyright of HNTDDD because Izzy WT doesnt exist then RW would have to prove she wrote it and basically out herself if she wanted to pursue any copyright infringement. But that's only if a copy ever turned up.

I think you're right about her being dropped and nothing left in the writing tank. Following TSP and TWS as standalone deals, PRH only signed RW for a two book deal (LL and OWH) so I think it would be an extraordinary move for them to take on her next proposal if there is one.

All this rain is making the path slippery tonight and I’m very worried about our cardboard Simon. Whisky and sloe gin is very welcome! I’ve brought a bucket of leftover Halloween fudge with me.

By the way, what is tablet?

I do tend to think that even if OWH appeared and sold well, PRH know she can’t keep peddling the ‘Nature heals me, Moth is dying again, therefore a walk is needed!’ narrative any longer, and would be fairly unlikely to buy whatever project she offers next once she’s out of contract.

Her agent will be trying to pinpoint a new direction to her career, but I agree it’s unlikely to be with PRH. I don’t think it’s impossible she’ll try fiction (again! Only we don’t officially know), as Graham Maw Christie, while officially non-fiction specialists, do seem to have quite a few clients turn to fiction after a book about yoga or breathwork or spirituality.

Scottish - kind of like fudge but even sweeter and a different texture.

Any chance that Ray and Moth are turned into fictional characters (which they kind of are already)? The possibilities could be endless:

" Ray and Moth embark on the King Charles III English Coastal Path
" Moth is diagnosed with a new life threatening illness
" Ray and Moth discover religion and set up a cult
" Ray and Moth reconnect with their eco warrior roots and join a Just Stop Oil protest group and spend time in prison
" Grant, the blind mystic of Culbone church, the tortoise walker of Lantic Bay, and the campsite attendant at Treen all make cameo appearances
" Ray enters politics and becomes a Green Party MP
" Ray and Moth discover that Dave and Julie are not whom they seem....
" Ray and Moth re embark on The Salt Path for one final hurrah.

I still think Raymoth could have potential as a cartoon book, maybe with the addition of Monty the dog!

I still think there are questions re: the Advertising Standards Agency. Yesterday @AzureStaffy shared this : I thought I'd have a look at TWS and note that the back cover blurb states: "In 2016, days before they were unjustly evicted from their home, Raynor Winn was told her husband Moth was dying." So the WWs and Penguin can't deny that these 2 lies, crucial to the story, were upfront and were deceitful and giving false hope to sufferers of neurological disorders.

It undermines the judicial and medical authorities. It is interesting that Penguin said they would change the date in future editions - after this was highlighted by Chloe - but no problem with lying about the court and the consultation.

I shared this article previously but it is worth another look as it sets out issues legally and clearly (even the terrible generated image is in keeping with the whole controversy!):

The Salt Path Scandal - The potential legal repercussions for factual inaccuracies in memoirs — The WS Society