Latest news with #SparrowandVine
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Romance publisher yanks book after controversy over pro-Elon Musk lines in novel
A publishing house has pulled a forthcoming series by romance novelist Sophie Lark after social media users took issue with snippets from the first upcoming book that praise Elon Musk and perpetuate racist stereotypes. Sparrow and Vine, published by Bloom Books, was set to be released in April, but the book — as well as the series it's a part of — have been withdrawn in the wake of the backlash, the publisher confirmed to The Independent Tuesday. Social media users have focused on two specific lines from the book that were spoken by the main character, who the author said was supposed to be 'flawed.' Although her publisher recommended removing those lines, she kept them in, she said in an apology. 'I was inspired by Elon Musk. I use his five step design process,' reads one book snippet circulating online. Musk, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency boss, has become a polarizing figure as he cozies up to Trump and his cost-cutting arm has effectively upended the federal government through mass layoffs and slashed contracts. In another controversial line, screenshotted by social media users, Lark wrote: 'I don't want to sound ignorant…But shouldn't there be a crew of people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?' One TikTok user said: 'Sophie Lark's new book seems to be MAGA coded.' A Reddit user also remarked: 'I'm sorry but with the current political climate, these types of comments aren't clever or cute and has no place in romance books.' Another TikToker similarly wrote: 'Harmful racist stereotypes in this time and age is wilddd.' Lark was offered no respite on Goodreads. 'You know what we don't stand for in 2025? Casual racism." The book is part of an 'arranged marriage series about a woman who has to marry a man from a rival family in order for them to secure their portion of an inheritance,' Bloom Books said on its website. In an apology posted to Instagram Monday, Lark wrote that it was brought to her attention that certain lines in her new book were 'hurtful.' 'Reading your messages and hearing your perspectives over the past 24 hours has been humbling, and I want to acknowledge the pain my words have caused. I am truly sorry. My intention was to craft and demonstrate a flawed main character, but instead, I wrote dialogue that read as attacking to a community that I care about very much.' She underscored that the book underwent a regimented process, including being looked over by sensitivity readers. 'During the editing process, Bloom recommended removing these lines, and I made the wrong choice in keeping them. I now understand that impact matters more than intent, and I regret that my words caused harm. Please don't blame Bloom for my mistakes,' she added. Lark wrote the book in the summer of 2024 — 'a lot has changed in the world since then, particularly in regard to the fate of immigrants worldwide and certain public figures.' She said she was pausing the book for re-writes 'to ensure that my work doesn't contribute to harm' and vowed start 'listening more closely to sensitivity readers' and to take steps to educate herself on 'responsible storytelling.' She concluded: 'To those I have hurt, I'm very sorry. I hope I can your trust back in the future.'
New York Times
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Publisher Pulled a Romance Novel After Criticism From Early Readers
A forthcoming romance novel by the writer Sophie Lark was pulled by her publisher after drawing criticism from readers over dialogue that some found racist or that praised Elon Musk. The novel, 'Sparrow and Vine,' was due out in April from Bloom Books as the first in a new romance series about a woman who enters a marriage of convenience in order to save her family's winery. Bloom Books will no longer publish the series, a Bloom representative said. Criticism of the book began to build on social media in recent days as readers who had gotten advanced copies posted lines from the novel and blasted it with negative reviews. In one excerpt that outraged readers, a character makes insensitive remarks about undocumented laborers, saying, 'Shouldn't there be a crew of people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?' In another bit of dialogue that readers took issue with, a character notes, 'I was inspired by Elon Musk. I use his five step design process.' Musk, the billionaire leader of SpaceX, Tesla and X, has become an increasingly polarizing figure after throwing his weight behind President Trump and leading an initiative to downsize the federal work force. In some one-star reviews of the book on Goodreads, readers slammed the admiring reference to Musk as insensitive in the current political environment. Others questioned why Lark would leave the characters' comments unchallenged by others, and said they were skeptical that the author didn't realize the lines were offensive. In a statement posted on Instagram on Monday, Lark said she was pausing the series and planned to revise it 'to ensure that my work doesn't contribute to harm.' She defended Bloom, noting that editors recommended removing the lines that have caused controversy, but that she had opted to keep them. The lines were intended to depict 'a flawed character,' she said. She also said that she wrote the novel in the summer of 2024, and that 'a lot in the world has changed since then, particularly in regard to the fate of immigrants worldwide and certain public figures.' She continued, 'I will also be listening more closely to our sensitivity readers and taking additional steps to educate myself on responsible storytelling.' It was unclear whether Lark plans to self-publish the series or find a new publisher. Lark declined to comment. The book's cancellation was reported earlier by The Independent. The blowup over the book, and Bloom's decision to drop the series, reflects how politics has infused almost every aspect of culture, even the often-escapist world of romance fiction. It's also the latest example of the influence that readers can exert over authors and publishers, and how negative campaigns on social media can torpedo a book before it hits stores. Even best-selling authors aren't immune to pressure campaigns. In 2023, Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the best seller 'Eat, Pray, Love,' canceled a planned novel set in 1930s Russia after receiving a cascade of negative reviews on Goodreads that questioned her choice of setting, given Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Publishers often face a gantlet when readers label books as offensive. Going forward with publication carries a risk, but canceling it can also be damaging. After news spread that Bloom had dropped 'Sparrow and Vine,' some accused the publisher of caving to criticism.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Romance publisher yanks book series after controversy over pro-Musk lines in novel
A publishing house has pulled a forthcoming series by romance novelist Sophie Lark after social media users took issue with snippets from the first upcoming book that praise Elon Musk and perpetuate racist stereotypes. Sparrow and Vine, published by Bloom Books, was set to be released in April, but the book — as well as the series it's a part of — have been withdrawn in the wake of the backlash, the publisher confirmed to The Independent Tuesday. Social media users have focused on two specific lines from the book that were spoken by the main character, who the author said was supposed to be 'flawed.' Although her publisher recommended removing those lines, she kept them in, she said in an apology. 'I was inspired by Elon Musk. I use his five step design process,' reads one book snippet circulating online. Musk, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency boss, has become a polarizing figure as he cozies up to Trump and his cost-cutting arm has effectively upended the federal government through mass layoffs and slashed contracts. In another controversial line, screenshotted by social media users, Lark wrote: 'I don't want to sound ignorant…But shouldn't there be a crew of people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?' One TikTok user said: 'Sophie Lark's new book seems to be MAGA coded.' A Reddit user also remarked: 'I'm sorry but with the current political climate, these types of comments aren't clever or cute and has no place in romance books.' Another TikToker similarly wrote: 'Harmful racist stereotypes in this time and age is wilddd.' Lark was offered no respite on Goodreads. 'You know what we don't stand for in 2025? Casual racism." The book is part of an 'arranged marriage series about a woman who has to marry a man from a rival family in order for them to secure their portion of an inheritance,' Bloom Books said on its website. In an apology posted to Instagram Monday, Lark wrote that it was brought to her attention that certain lines in her new book were 'hurtful.' 'Reading your messages and hearing your perspectives over the past 24 hours has been humbling, and I want to acknowledge the pain my words have caused. I am truly sorry. My intention was to craft and demonstrate a flawed main character, but instead, I wrote dialogue that read as attacking to a community that I care about very much.' She underscored that the book underwent a regimented process, including being looked over by sensitivity readers. 'During the editing process, Bloom recommended removing these lines, and I made the wrong choice in keeping them. I now understand that impact matters more than intent, and I regret that my words caused harm. Please don't blame Bloom for my mistakes,' she added. Lark wrote the book in the summer of 2024 — 'a lot has changed in the world since then, particularly in regard to the fate of immigrants worldwide and certain public figures.' She said she was pausing the book for re-writes 'to ensure that my work doesn't contribute to harm' and vowed start 'listening more closely to sensitivity readers' and to take steps to educate herself on 'responsible storytelling.' She concluded: 'To those I have hurt, I'm very sorry. I hope I can your trust back in the future.'
