AJ Finn webchat/promo needs reconsidering, no?!

[Somerville]

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 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.

I haven't read the book - and certainly won't be now after the article - but if the chat does go ahead I will have a few interesting questions.

Honestly, though, I don't see him turning up for this.

Me either, I bet his PR are running around like headless chickens.
But I think it behooves HQ to have a think about this book of the month thing. It would be nice to be able to discover new female writers who deserve a career boost for a fantastic book rather than additional publicity for alleged charlatans.

Read the New Yorker article & ughhhhhhhh it was a very uncomfortable read. I saw mentions today of someone in journalism who people have likened to him, though obvs no names.

just read that article and he sounds like an utter prick.

I didn't read it for book group, but the book group had all apparently said that they had a bad vibe about the author.

I was agog the first time I read it (especially as had already heard a rumour) and then have grown angrier and angrier. My kids lost their dad to cancer. It has overshadowed every part of their childhoods. For an adult who make something like that up for his personal gain on multiple occasions has sickened me.

@Somerville I agree. To use cancer and death to manipulate ppl into giving you an advantage in work or academia is utterly repugnant. What an utter prick. And I'm awaiting the excuses of "he must be mentally ill". No. He can just be an manipulative prick.

Giving my support to this too, Somerville. I read the article. He should be ashamed of himself, but I doubt he even cares. He's the sort of manipulative shit who uses people to gain advantage and then tramples all over them to get to the top. Nasty manipulative liar. Glad it's all out there for everyone to see now.

But I can see that this kind of thing will go one of two ways. There's going to be those people who will buy his book because of what's been said and so he will gain from it. Wish I could return the copy I bought for DH now

The best outcome is if his contracts for future books are cancelled, I reckon Artemesia. Mentioning the next time you’re in the bookstore that you bought it but wouldn’t buy one of his in future might help, if enough people do it.
Even more importantly, it is essential that he is prevented from being a gatekeeper in publishing in future. Publishing also need to face up to the wider issue of their glass elevator.

I believe he is already using the excuse of mental health problems Lil. But, hey, his whole family know that at some time or another he’s benefited from telling people they’ve died painfully, so he’s got lots of fun future family occasions to look forward to.

Tbf, sounds like he'd fit right in here with all the trolls!

Dear god, I'm still reading the article, but I'm supporting you in this, no way should mumsnet be giving him a platform. The man's a dangerous fraudster.

Thank you for flagging this up. How do we get mumsnet HQ to pay attention, or will that happen automatically because you've posted on site stuff?

I reported my first post as that’s sometimes quicker than Site Stuff. I assumed I’d hear quickly back that it’s cancelled, but nothing so far.

Every other company that has gone anywhere near him is freaking out about reputational damage but MNHQ still have the webchat and his smirking photo stickied all over their site.

Hi there,

Thanks, we're looking into this and will come back with more information ASAP.

Thanks Sonia

Good.

Thanks.

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

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!

In the Guardian now. www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/05/bestselling-author-of-the-woman-at-the-window-lied-about-having-cancer

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?

Or a PM?

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.

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

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...