Second Destiny
CHAPTER SIXTEEN-X
A Direct Message to stevefocus
I rarely post Author's Note-only chapters to my stories, but this situation necessitated it.
If you'll remember, in Chapter Fifteen, I posted an Author's Note in which I spoke about transphobic comments made by J.K. Rowling that began to come to my attention after I had already started to write this story.
A review posted in association with that chapter by website user "stevefocus" said, "I haven't seen a single thing from J.K Rowling that I would say is transphobic, whatever I've seen her say is backed up by scientific facts, not feelings. The fact you can insult the author who created this world and then continue to write fanfic from it shows arrogance of the highest order."
Well then, steve, just look up "jk rowling transphobe twitter" and read some of the articles you will find.
As for my "arrogance," as you put it, in writing fanfic for a franchise associated with such a person, let me remind you...ALL OF YOU WHO MAY BE READING THIS...of something.
Back in November of 2020, as the U.S. Presidential election was occurring, I had announced plans to step away from all online activity (including writing Second Destiny) in advance of the possibility of then-U.S. President Donald Trump being elected for a second term after what he had done to the U.S. up to that point.
Reviewers who had commented on the chapter in which my declaration had been published asked me to reconsider, saying that they had come to rely on my stories on this site for escapist reading in the uncertain times of COVID-19-related lockdowns that were also occurring at the time.
Combining that with the fact that I did not know about J.K. Rowling's comments until AFTER I had started writing this story, I will repeat what I said in the final paragraph of my Author's Note for Chapter Fifteen:
"However, I am also of the attitude of "indict the artist, not the art." While I may not share the opinions of anyone who may be reading this message in this matter, I do want to honor the work of other individuals who brought this world to life."
In other words, I am honoring the countless people at Bloomsbury Publishing and Scholastic who helped bring the books to our shelves...
to the countless people at Warner Bros. Pictures who helped bring the movies to cinema screens...
to the men and women who appeared in those movies and entertained us with their work (some of whom are, sadly, no longer with us) ...
...and finally, to the people who actually still enjoy these works, J.K.'s comments notwithstanding.
If that makes me arrogant, then I guess I am arrogant.
And if you don't like it, you can stop reading my work. I will write what I want to write.
William "Blissey" Raymer
Yuma, Arizona USA
28 September 2022