CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT MATTER
I'm updating my older novels for new paperback editions by Little Brown and currently am working on DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU, in which my characters watch a re-run of the Disney classic, "Song of the South." (I needed that, because later Brer Rabbit's line, "Don't throw me in the briar patch!" plays an intricate part in the plot.) My editor surprised me by saying, "Maybe you can find another film with a similar scenar? That particular film has become very controversial."
How sad! It's an enchanting movie -- one of the first, I believe, in which photography and animation were combined. I still find myself singing, "There's a Bluebird on My Shoulder." It's based on the beloved Uncle Remus stories. Yes, it was laid in a time of American history in which slavery existed in the deep South, but why should there not be literature -- or movies -- involving that time period? It DID exist, and you can't erase it from history. Does this mean "Gone with the Wind" should be thrown in the dumpster as well?
How sad! It's an enchanting movie -- one of the first, I believe, in which photography and animation were combined. I still find myself singing, "There's a Bluebird on My Shoulder." It's based on the beloved Uncle Remus stories. Yes, it was laid in a time of American history in which slavery existed in the deep South, but why should there not be literature -- or movies -- involving that time period? It DID exist, and you can't erase it from history. Does this mean "Gone with the Wind" should be thrown in the dumpster as well?
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Paul
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May 26, 2010 12:20PM
As an author, do you pay much attention to your books being banned in parts of the country/world? Are there any positive or negative effects to a book being banned, such as Daughters of Eve, other than a community having limited access for awhile to youR book?
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I seldom even know when a book of mine is banned or challenged unless a student sends me an e-mail complaining because he/she can't get access to it in the school library. When I do hear about it, it doesn't bother me. I figure you can't please everybody. And if people can't get it in the library, they order it on line, which raises the sales, so it actually works to my advantage.It's interesting that you should ask about DAUGHTERS OF EVE, because I'm about to start revising/updating that book for a new edition. The publisher is requesting that I put more violence in it. Apparently shaving Peter's head and wrecking the science lab aren't sensational enough actions to hold the interest of today's young readers.
As the author, were there any penalties while publishing Daughters of Eve?
I don't know what you mean by "penalties." If you mean, "criticisms," it was a mixed bag. That book was published when the Women's Movement was just taking hold, and each side -- feminists and anti-feminists -- thought I was portraying their side in an unfavorable light. What I was trying to do was walk the middle line and show the thoughts and feelings of BOTH sides of that issue, but that's harder to do than one might think. And the fact that the book is now outdated, ("we've come a long way, Baby"), makes it more controversial today than it was when I wrote it.
Discussion Group "Lois Duncan Roxx"
I was told about a discussion group, "Lois Duncan Roxx," that is for people who want to discuss my books. I felt I should join it in order to respond to questions. However, I've now discovered I'm one
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