This is my Tillie Cole appreciation post. Now I just read this. I was able to get my hands on the last copy of this in print before it was sold out. And it wasn’t cheap lol but it was worth it to be able to read this story with one of my favorite couples in the whole series. This couple will always have my heart. From the beginning, they stole it and I do not mind not having it be returned. This is a story of heart and commitment and what you are willing to do for the one you love. So poignant and precious.
I have always been an admirer of Tillie Cole. My first book from her was Raze. That book will always be dear to me as it helped me realize the magic that is within this author’s writing. She has the ability to craft such epic dark romances without adding tons of inner relationship drama that doesn’t make sense. She literally writes stories of couples AGAINST the world type of scenarios and I soak it up like a sponge. We definitely need more of this in the genre. Her books have done so much for me over the years and I will always admire her for bringing out such gems to her readers. Her stories deliver so much heart and emotion and depths of growing and learning to overcome your circumstances and rise above the challenges and becoming a better individual.
It saddens my heart to see how this author has been treated in recent days. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this has happened to her and she is NOT the first author to face such backlash. I will support her through this. Now was I disappointed in her apology? Yes. But do I understand it:? YES. Being canceled is never easy and unless you go through it you have no comprehension of the vile hateful things human beings will lash out at you. I personally have experienced it and it’s not fun. In fact, it can tear you up inside if you let it. My issue is this, there is a group of readership that every time they get offended, they want to ban that book or author. These are the same people against removing porn children’s books from classrooms. So there is a double standard here. It’s the hypocrisy of it all that is the worst. We should be united against this type of “book burning” because that is what this is. This is true censorship of a book people have not read and just make assumptions based on the blurb of it. This is based on ignorance and hate. We need to support Tillie Cole because this sets a dangerous precedent and NO author is safe. If they can come after her like this, no author can be protected from this. They are literally taking our freedoms away to read these books, and know what they are. Because if you take a book, and seek to get it removed, then you can’t know about it, you can’t know what it contains, and it’s more dangerous to you being banned completely than being available and that you are too weak to know right from wrong. To be able to do some critical thinking and understand the value of human progress and the journey of growth and learning to be better than the circumstances we are raised in. To embrace the better part of ourselves and learn how to love others more fully. That is what this series is about! It’s about love and personal growth, learning to overcome your challenges and rise above it, and being a better human being. And THAT is what they want to be “thrown in the fire”. Will we fight for what truly matters and uplift each other instead of bringing each other down out of ignorance and misunderstanding?
(I would appreciate comments, however, due to the backlash and hate I have received on Twitter, I am asking you to be courteous and respectful. Thank you)
I have only read Sweet Home by Cole, so I cannot weigh in on these books, but you really pinpointed something that bothers me. The way people can oppose books they think are wrong while being hyper critical when other people do the same thing with other books. I just saw this week that To Kill a Mocking Bird was labeled as harmful and removed from the school required reading somewhere out west (WA? OR?) But they are the same people raging about parents who want novels with graphic sex removed from school libraries. The double standard never sits well with me.
Well said, about the importance of not banning, but encouraging critical thinking. I’ve enjoyed her new adult series and a couple early ones of the sort you are enjoying. So sad that this is still an issue.
I’ve never read her books, but I’m against people ganging up on an author when they haven’t even read her books. I’m sorry to hear you had a backlash on Twitter for voicing your opinion!
Her books are really great Rachel. And she has both regular romance and dark romance. I would recommend Raze. That is really good but its dark. She tackles tough topics. This series was originally inspired as she has a degree in religious cults and wanted to give a voice to women and children abused by these cults and why she started this series in the first place. I have talked to those that aren’t white, that read these books and weren’t offended by any of it. Its mostly just out of ignorance ya know? So I just don’t understand this backlash and its really anyone that supports this author is receiving the backlash. And yeah I have received some tough things, but I also believe in standing up for what I believe in and to stand up to bullies.
I think I’ve read about 90% of this author’s books. I fell in love with Sweet Home and haven’t looked back with ANY regrets. She can WRITE!! Contemporary, dark, suspense, etc., I’ve enjoyed it all. I still don’t really know the history of why TC was attacked, but I get wanting to support her through it. It seems to have gotten really ugly 🙁
Yeah Natalie. It started with Tik Tok. IT basically started with one who has been pretty popular, who read the blurb for book 7 of the series and saw KKK and a Mexican heritage heroine and just made assumptions on what the book was actually about. Not understanding how complex these books are and that in the series the KKK group is their ENEMY. They kill these guys lol And the end result is complete banning of this series. It’s so sad too. And the minute they starting making the talking points of “racism” and once that started it got completely out of control. Its insane. Its also sad because this only encourages plagiarism of these books if they aren’t available ya know? And she just isn’t like Meghan March to fight and stand against it. She doesn’t know how to stand against this type of hate and vileness that has erupted.
You know I love her HH series and it quickly become one of my favorites. It’s discouraging to see that a small group of misinformed people (because obviously they have not read the books that are so loudly condemning) can be successful in damaging an author’s reputation/career/livelihood. I get that dark romance is not for everyone. Some have no interest, some find it triggering, some simply think it’s “wrong.” All valid reasons to not read something. The answer is: so don’t read it. To decide that content offends you and therefore no one else should read it, either? That’s what gets me ragey.
oh I completely agree Tanya! And these books aren’t going to be for everyone. They can be tough to read because she tackles some really tough topics here. But also why cancel this author? And its not just canceling either, its also banning her books completely. So I just don’t understand this level of going after an author just because the books aren’t for you. If I see a book that won’t work for me, I just move on. I might do a review or something but I do attack the author and some of the things they say are so vile, they make me literally sick. I just don’t understand how the book community is okay with this form of bullying and justifying it out of ignorance. Because this isn’t a group of people that have even read these books. So it just is really heartbreaking to me to see someone being treated so inhumanely. And this same group of people complain about the children books being removed from schools, but the difference is that you can still buy those at local stores or amazon. This is completely banning a series of books because you got offended over what you perceive is the content but haven’t ever read it. Its just this double standard, and I don’t think you can sit on the fence. You need to pick what you want and stand by that.