(no subject)

[lagilman]

We were planning to hit a few bookstores in Texas in October, to support FIXED (the new mystery) and SOUL OF FIRE (the second Portals book).

Now... I really don't know what to do. Part of me - a large part - doesn't want to do anything to support that state's tourism economy, and I sure as hell don't want to be anywhere women are so disrespected by the government.

And yet. And yet. Can I say that my boycott - that any boycott - is actually going to be useful? Sometimes, it can be. Sometimes, it isn't. I need to figure out which this was.

I suppose I could donate all my royalties from that leg of the tour to Planned Parenthood?

Comments

[girasole.livejournal.com]

I like that idea. It allows you to promote your work and fulfill your promises, but also allows you to support women and choice and freedom, especially if you have discreet smalls signs up saying that is what you are doing.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Sometimes boycotts are less about making a difference as much as being able to live with your conscience. HOWEVER, I think you've come up with a compromise that *does* make a difference to the women in Texas.

And this way you'll be on hand if there is a protest at that time that needs another angry woman.

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

A couple of options come to mind...

Support a voter registration drive at those signings. Added benefit of being politically neutral, but realistically who will turn out?

Depending on how political you want to get, hold a book signing AT a TX Planned Parenthood

I'm a little leery about Royalties because I don't like to see readers put in a position of having to choose what to buy based on causes they support (a bit like the scenario you find yourself in now). In addition, there are parts of TX that are very conservative and even if the bookstore owner agrees with you, publicizing it may be a business risk to them.

[lagilman]

I suspect we're thinking about Austin, so that's probably less of an issue. :-)


And royalties isn't "if you buy this you're supporting this" it's "I won't make any money, personally, from books sold at this stop."



(edited to fix heat-inspired typos)

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

Probably true with Austin, but I think my second point still holds. As soon as you say royalties are involved there is a perception that by purchasing the item, some of your purchase price may be routed to a cause you do not agree with. It's not so much you won't make money but an appearance of direct support.

For example, when the whole Komen issue occurred, there was a marked downturn in sales of 'pink' items because the perception was that those items were directly supporting Komen (when in reality, due to donation caps on most items it didn't make a difference)

[lagilman]

of course, all that supposes that I use it as a selling point to get people to buy the books, rather than my original idea, which was a way to offset my discomfort at swinging through Texas....

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

Could you do the thing about voter registration or arrange for a collection to be inside (or just outside) the shop collecting for planned parenthood?

You could boycott the state by bringing your own food, staying with fans (or couchsurfing)rather than a hotel? Buy nothing in the state and leave only money for the fight?

Ask a supporter of the cause to arrange a talk in/near the store?

No clue what's doable but from what I understand about Austin you should at least be mostly preaching to people who agree...

[janetl.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of voter registration drives in situations that are predominantly women, and readers. I have a vision of voting by women increasing, with the concomitant gains for Democrats.

For no very logical reason, I'm boycotting Arizona and Florida, but not Texas. I made that decision about Arizona when the "show us your papers" law went into effect, and Florida with the Zimmerman verdict and my disgust with that and "Stand Your Ground". Strangely, I don't feel inclined to boycott Texas ... and yet I'm in the process of sending a letter to each and every Republican Texas state legislator and senator with a minipad enclosed. ;^) I'm shipping them in a box to a friend in Dallas, who will put them in the mail there so they'll look like they came from a local voter.

[jennielf.livejournal.com]

Might I recommend the Lilith Fund (http://lilithfund.org) instead?
It goes specifically to TX women needing abortions. Highly recommended by Jessica W. Luther (@scATX on twitter).

I am full of feels right now from everything in TX and FL this week. Thank you for thinking of this, but then you started me thinking more politically, so I can't say I am surprised. :)

[editrx.livejournal.com]

I'd personally suggest getting in touch with tesseract26 who is very active in TX on women's rights and is in an advanced degree program for just such issues within the political arena.

I can introduce you via email, if you'd like, but she would know the perfect way/venue to contribute your TX-tour profits where they would serve the best in this case.

She's one hell of a woman to know, too. :)

[janetl.livejournal.com]

Aren't Ohio and North Carolina passing similar restrictions? We can only boycott so many states...

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I like the royalty-donation plan.
It's a difficult one. I tend to stand on principle and hope that others will do so, thus building momentum, but the UK is a much smaller place and such things are proportionally easier. And supporting bricks-and-mortar bookshops matters too. I suppose you can try and spend mainly in chains that aren't registered in Texas, or in businesses that you know to be not actively anti-women?

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

There's a thought - I wonder if there is some way to identify chains (or single operations) that you wouldn't feel bad supporting and spending any money only there...