This story has been an emotional roller-coaster for me, and mostly toward the depression side. I've gotten lots of comments, both good and bad, in the feedback and in my blog. That's the relatively benign stuff. What y'all don't see is the PMs and private e-mails that I've gotten, some of which are extremely hateful and/or spiteful.
I appreciate the supportive nature of this community. In general, most people understand and act with regards to the fact that few of us are professional writers, and that we lay our souls out to be stomped upon whenever we post a story. Authors take a chance - a story is like your child (as someone pointed out) - you don't really want your baby to be called ugly. In this regard, BCTS is far nicer than other sites.
What y'all also don't see is the private hell I'm going through in my personal life. The details aren't important to this discussion, except that it's having a cumulative depressive effect on me. I came close to the edge once. I feel like I'm swirling around the edges of the pit again, and it's not a pleasant feeling, and I can't seem to find a handhold to get myself stable. Writing is therapeutic - or it used to be. It was something I could take pleasure in. This one, however, seems to have taken it away. Again, it's not the BCTS community (mostly). It's the brutal rejection from other places, and privately, that's really got me down.
I shouldn't have posted it. I didn't realize how vulnerable I was emotionally when I did so, and I wasn't ready to handle the volume of nasty-grams in PMs and e-mail. The other site, which is far less polite, can kiss my rosy red ass; some there seem to think that authors are punching bags for their sadistic delight. Here, it's been a lot tamer, but in toto, I can't take any more.
If you don't agree with the ending, write your own fucking story. I'm through with this one. I shouldn't have published it.
That's all. I'm not going to answer any more e-mails, PMs, comments, or blog entries on this story. I won't be reading - or writing - much, PERIOD, until I can get my mood into a happier place.
Comments
Elrod's Final words on BB: Heroes
will hopefully tell those who have had the gall to attack a well loved author that they went way too far. I ask that Erin look into this matter and do what she feels needs to be done. I for one have given you my support and always will.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Stan
Stan, The story was posted at other sites. Erin has no authority over them. They have their own rules. If Elrod refuses to divulge who were the ones here that is his prerogative and Erin would not know since they have his regular e-mail.
This I'm afraid something for Elrod to work though.
I agree .......
It is a shame that a few people did not like the story have caused this to happen to a respected writer in this genre. Hopefully the administrator this this site and the other sites it was posted on can try to curtail this type of actions. My parents used to tell me if you can not say something nice about someone then don't say anything at all. I guess some people have forgotten this. I hope that Elrod will grace us with a new story soon, I'd hate to think this was his last effort.
I agree also
I haven't read a lot of Elrods stories, but the ones I have read are truly well written and enjoyable. I am a long way from reading all the BB stories, and I am thankful that a list of titles in the order they were written is available. I will catch up some day (I hope), but in the meantime, I'm doing the best I can.
I don't post comments often, but when I do, I try to make them meaningful, positive, and uplifting to the author. I do not see that negative posts accomplish anything other than the writer venting...and venting ones dislikes for a story or author is below contempt in an online format such as this one. What they did is VERY unacceptable so far as I am concerned.
You said it best, T.J. If you cannot say anything positive about someone, then don't say anything at all.
My lack of comments on a story does not mean I cannot find something positive to comment on, but rather than I feel I have nothing to add to the already good comments. Perhaps I should change that. I'll work on it.
In the meantime, go get'em admins!
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Dear Elrod,
I just read BB:Heroes and all the comments. I haven't been into BB; I figure changing into a womyn should only happen to TSs: male plumbing and wimyn's brains. I read a few a long time ago and don't even know if they were yours. Since I've not read many, I can't even claim that you don't worry about someone being TS or not. I noticed that no one brought up the GID problem: men are changed into wimyn. Some might be "gender flexible" and have few problems; others might be converted into F2M's and have gender dysphoria.
I might be biased myself being anti-war, but I felt badly about the comments that Ed should suffer and die uselessly in his dead end body, rather than lead a productive life. Ed shouldn't be tortured in order to save 12 or 13 soldiers. It is the direct fault of the taliban fighters that 40 or 52 Allied soldiers died. It's the fault of past and present leaders of the US, our allies, Russians, wolhabi moslems, al quieta, etc. that caused our troops to be in harms way. It is the fault of the US economy and lack of jobs for the last 7 or 8 years and possibly some racism/religious-ism that produced the critical amount of our "all volunteer" armed forces. Fewer volunteers might have meant that draftees would have been sent to Afghanistan with much more popular pressure to bring our people home. The war in Afghanistan was not necessary, we were after Al Quieta, after all. The Taliban were/are genuine bad people; I hated their treatment of wimyn, but they never attacked us. Fighting them has caused us to be in a "ground war in Asia" (for the Nth time) which our more savvy leaders, since Eisenhower (I think), have all warned against.
Sorry about that, everyone! Elrod, thank you for being a great author here at BCTS. I'm sorry that jerks are pulling you down. Take as long as you like to get over this; relax a lot. Go to Colorado or Washington; get high without the cops hassling you.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
take the time you need & recharge your creative batteries, Elrod
Sometimes a subject matter or characters so grip a reader's imagination they react strongly to what happens in a tale of fiction.
Some subject matters push *buttons* for some readers on a visceral level.
That people have reacted and strongly, pro or con, is a testament to the power of your writing.
That some have been abusive is regrettable.
Take however long you need to recover and to harden you anti jerk armor...
--- GRIN ---
We can wait for you.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa