authors behaving badly

n every corner of the art world, there are salacious tales of petty arguments, long-held feuds, squabbles and fiascos. Whether it’s actors who vow never to work together again or singers with a spotlight-sized axe to grind, it not only doesn’t surprise the public anymore, it actually makes for good media fodder. Perhaps for too long, we’ve thought authors could be better than that. After all, these aren’t some industry-made, navel-baring pop star hurling Twitter insults at her competing clone. Authors are educated, worldly, and carry the weight of literary prestige with them…right? Not so much, as it turns out. Two headline-grabbing events have occurred in the publishing world within days of each other, and they clearly demonstrate that Authors Behaving Badly isn’t limited to any single genre or publishing avenue.