My Book Is Banned!

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My Book Is Banned!

February 15, 2013 by abigail padgett

Every author dreams of this day but I never thought it could happen to me. In nine novels I’ve never managed a sex scene that wouldn’t earn the imprimatur of the Holy See, Catharine MacKinnon and my first-grade teacher. The School of Peripheral Detail is my choice for those moments – lavish descriptions of the wallpaper, his charmingly crooked front teeth, her concern about a possible allergic reaction to feather pillows. Fade to the next day and something else entirely.

The Paper Doll Museum lacks even those lightweight hints at passion. It’s totally lacking in passion, at least that sort. In the sequel, yeah, probably. But not yet. So the likelihood of its being banned was zero.

But it was banned.

When doing a freebie, a span of a few days in which a book is free for Kindle, authors sign the title up with many, many sites that alert readers to free books. Most are gratis, a service to readers, but one is expensive. It’s also effective and highly regarded by authors, so I signed The Paper Doll Museum up with it, credit card in hand. Two days later I received an email stating that my book was inappropriate for the entire community of people who read books and had been rejected.

Whaaaat!?!? More to the point, why?

Thrilled as I was at having joined the ranks of To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men and The Catcher in the Rye, I couldn’t help analyzing my good luck. No sex, no racism, no politics, just a story about a retired high school English teacher who suddenly has magical powers, sort of. Any high school English teacher will tell you in three seconds that the tale is an allegory, but maybe the nihil obstat gatekeeper didn’t get that and thought it was a work of satan. Wow. Or could it be that single word, “retired”?

“OMG, this is a novel with retired people in it – ycchh! The reading world must be spared exposure to the experience of anybody over fifty, which would have to be both boring and unspeakable, damned and anathema! This title is banned.”

I’ll never know, but my money’s on the latter.

Here’s the link to a free Kindle copy of The Paper Doll Museum, February 15, 16 and 17, if you’re into banned books.

Posted in writing | Tagged age discrimination, banned books, imprimatur | 29 Comments

29 Responses

on February 15, 2013 at 4:23 AM | Reply carolynquinn

Congratulations on having your first book banned! It’s so nice that it not only has allegedly inappropriate content but it’s free for a few days – who could ask for anything more? 🙂 Can’t wait to read it!
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:54 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks, Carolyn –
  Indeed, it’s such a thrill to be banned, even from a paid promotional website! I’d love to hear your theory about why it was so “inappropriate” after you read it.
  Abbie
on February 15, 2013 at 5:27 AM | Reply kerrdelune

Greetings Abby, Really want to read this and have downloaded the Kindle edition (thanks for that free edition!!!). Now all I have to do is figure out how to install the Kindle app on my computer. Technology is grand stuff indeed, is it not? What a hoot – I can’t remember the last time I read a banned book.
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:51 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks, Cate –
  You’ll love this one, I think. And the Kindle for PC (or Mac) thing is simplicity itself. Just type “Kindle for PC” in Google, click on either PC or Mac, and it’s done. The techie stuff is a nightmare, agreed, but that’s because our brains aren’t wired for it. My problem is that I don’t WANT my Brain to be wired for it, but it’s pretty much necessary. Your website is gorgeous. Didn’t you do it? If you did, you’re a tech expert!
  Abbie
on February 15, 2013 at 6:37 AM | Reply Gordon Keith Hildebrand

That’a predictable. Your too old to be of interest. Bah!
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:45 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Hi, Gordon –
  Who knows? I only suspect that the word, “retired” was the trigger. It may have been that the gatekeeper had an aunt named Abigail who fed him lumpy oatmeal one day when he was four and the name set him off. I got a laugh from it in any event!
  Thanks for writing –
  Abbie
on February 15, 2013 at 8:08 AM | Reply Janice Steinberg

Congratulations! But I do think you should name names. What is this arbiter of public or at least literary morals that decided Paper Doll Museum was a dangerous book?
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Egad, Janice, I wouldn’t DARE name the “entity” so opposed to the shocking content of this hardly-shocking book as to deem it unsuitable for the reading public. Since the book contains nothing remotely pornographic, politically incendiary or offensive to anybody, I have to assume that it contains secret codes of which even I am unaware. It must be riddled with content sufficient to shatter universal equilibrium, or something. I remain in awe of an intelligence so nuanced that it can identify subversive material of which even the author of the book is ignorant! Of course one dare not speak The Name. 😉
on February 15, 2013 at 10:20 AM | Reply Linda

Congratulations! May your sales soar.

“Inappropriate” has so many tantalizing meanings, like a fur coat at a PETA rally or an atheist selling Bibles.
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:21 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Indeed the term is ambiguous, leaving me SO curious. But to have joined the ranks of the banned! Even in this small and grossly capitalist venue it’s a mark of distinction I cherish even though it’s basically no big deal.
  Abbie
on February 15, 2013 at 10:36 AM | Reply ruth p

It has been a while since I read this book but I seem to remember that it was scarey…surely we don’t have to be protected against that. I sure hope they refunded the price of your book.

Is there anyway that your blog readers can create a link to the free Kindle copy and send it out to their friends?
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:17 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Hi, Ruth –
  They never accepted payment in the first place. That isn’t done until a title is accepted for promotion on their site, which TPDM wasn’t, because it was so “inappropriate.” I’m still chuckling, and really have no idea what’s behind all this. Here’s the link to the Kindle page – http://www.amazon.com/Museum-Taylor-Magical-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00A05XOX0 -which doesn’t copy here as a link, but you can just copy it and your friends can paste it into their browsers. It will take them right to the page. And a big thank you for that!
  Abbie
on February 15, 2013 at 3:05 PM | Reply Ruth Koblenz

*CONGRATULATIONS!*
- on February 15, 2013 at 3:07 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Yes, one waits a lifetime for such an honor!
on February 15, 2013 at 8:09 PM | Reply Diane Steele

I posted this information on my facebook page and lots of people said they “like” it…Banning is a great marketing tool…you rock, Abbie. Diane
- on February 15, 2013 at 9:09 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks for posting, Diane! I really love this crazy story and want it to get out there. Getting banned by the major advertiser was like – what the….? But then hey, me and Mark Twain. Not too shabby.
  Abbie
on February 16, 2013 at 7:59 AM | Reply Linda Lange

This is hilarious! Downloaded the free copy this morning and based on the writing style in your blog and comments, I can’t wait to read it.
- on February 16, 2013 at 9:50 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks, Linda! I hope you enjoy it.
  Abbie
on February 16, 2013 at 9:17 AM | Reply Lisa H.

Abbie, I love it, and really enjoyed the book. Congratulations!!!
- on February 16, 2013 at 9:52 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks, Lisa! And more thanks for dragging me into Goodreads. It’s turning out to be fun.
  Abbie
  - on February 16, 2013 at 11:33 PM Lisa H.
    
    Abbie, I’m thrilled that you’re on Goodreads. I’m eagerly awaiting your next book. I think I do still have one of your existing published books left to read while I wait.
on February 16, 2013 at 8:50 PM | Reply Fred Spector

Dear Abigail,

This 70(2/18/42) year old really enjoyed “The Paper Doll Museum”.
I read constantly and you are a wonderfully skilled writer.

The story, the characters , the plot held me enthralled until the very end.

Can’t wait for the sequel(s).

I can’t understand why you were banned , but Congratulations!!!!

I read so much written by youngsters, it’s really a pleasure to have someone
who sticks up for us Oldsters. Way to go!

Frederick “Rik” Spector
on February 16, 2013 at 10:13 PM | Reply ABE

Good for them – I have now found something new to read I might not have tried! I read the first bit – and downloaded. Thanks for the ebook – I will pass the information on.

I believe that it would be okay to mention the name of the people who banned you – as a warning to others? I’m curious, and it may be personally useful information one of these days when I’m finally ready to publish.

I understand if you’re reticent – after all, you may need them again some day. Your post is a model of discretion.

Otherwise – already enjoying it. Thanks.
on February 18, 2013 at 11:32 PM | Reply Ruth Baker Sharpe

I LOVED this book! I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Got it as a freebie from Michael Gallagher’s blog. I can’t wait for the sequel. Just keep it coming 😉
- on February 19, 2013 at 10:13 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Thanks, Ruth, I’m working on the sequel!
  Abbie
on March 17, 2013 at 8:40 AM | Reply Georgia Binnington

It has been wonderful to have Bone Blind and the the Paper Doll Museum.. I retread the Bo Bradley series all the time..Absolutely love the new one and delight in reading banned books, no matter the reason. any chance you will be in St.L anytime soon. I would like to take you out for coffee.
- on April 9, 2013 at 11:31 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Hi, Gerogia –
  I plan to set part of the 2nd Taylor Blake in St. Louis and so will be there sometime to do some research and get current on stuff. (I haven’t lived there since ’79.) Maybe next fall. So stay in touch!
  Abbie
on February 20, 2014 at 1:00 PM | Reply Linda Squair

I’ve loved all of your books that I’ve read. I own three and have borrowed three from the library. The last few times I checked on google, those were the only three that had been published.
I got a Nook about 2 years ago, and your name was one of the ones I have checked for. There are only 2 of your books available on Nook in English, and 2 in what I think is german.
I would really like to get the 3 I haven’t read on the Nook, although I might be able to find them online, except for “The Paper Doll Museum”
I really would like to read that. I’ll bet the reason it was banned was the magic.Some people think anything about magic, esp, spirits (except of course angels or saints) is satanic. Reading it will send you straight to Hell.
- on February 20, 2014 at 9:01 PM | Reply abigail padgett
  
  Hi Linda –
  Thanks for writing!
  I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter (previous message) and send my sympathy. There’s nothing worse than watching your child’s suffering and not being able to do anything.
  As to my books on Nook, well, I just never got around to putting them up anywhere but on Amazon for Kindle. Sheer sloth on my part, and I’m so sorry you couldn’t get them! Now that B&N is dumping Nook maybe you’ll get a Kindle? Let me know and I’ll send you a freebie, okay? All five Bo Bradley mysteries are available for Kindle at very reasonable prices, since I own the rights to them and can do whatever I want with them. The publisher (I’m not even sure who that is now, last time I checked it was Hachette but somebody bought them out a couple of years ago.) still owns and will always own the rights to the two Blue mysteries. They sell them for Kindle at $9.99, which is outrageous and nobody buys them. The Bo books have just been re-issued in France, and the Blues in Germany, so what you probably saw up for Nook were the two new German editions of BLUE and THE LAST BLUE PLATE SPECIAL.
  And I think you’re right about why THE PAPER DOLL MUSEUM was banned from the promo website. I listed it under the category, “women’s fiction,” which it is, but they were put off by a grandmother with magical powers and a troublesome ghoul. Sheesh!
  All best,
  Abbie