So I wrote this little short story last year involving a Tarot podcaster, conference and a murder.
As some of you might remember, it caused a major brouhaha—including a rather widespread hatefest involving contacting the publisher of my upcoming book (got a real lovely call the day before Thanksgiving from the owner…less than 12 hours after the story went live on Amazon), as well as individuals threatening other Tarot artists/writers to disassociate themselves from me (or else), warning Facebook friends of mine that we shared to unfriend me (or else), calling for mass unfollowing of my Twitter account/unliking my BITT, TIR and Snowland FB pages, widespread “boycott Janet Boyer” blog posts…and even rallying cries to burn my first Tarot book.
One publisher of Tarot decks even banned me from posting on their Facebook page and blog (regardless that I hadn’t visited their social media presences for some time). Others actually stated that I’m capable of murder, was plotting murder and/or should be sued for my “criminality”.
Some spent their time speculating on my mental state, including throwing around psychological disorders and what meds I must be on (or should be on…or, perhaps, am not taking). About a dozen wrote nasty “reviews” of my short story on Amazon, showing their true colors (that bled rather differently than their “loving earth mama” or “I’m so spiritual” online personas).
One even went so far to lay out a curse-laden blog rant, saying she hoped I burned in hell…and that all sorts of bad things would befall my family.
More widespread than you thought, huh?
Of course, I didn’t answer most of these public antics, even when they involved fellow Tarot deck creators or artists lying about their associations with me or otherwise throwing me under the bus amidst the mass hysteria.
And really, this post isn’t about the appalling behavior of many in the online Tarot community, which made them look far, far worse than my first attempt at publishing a short story accompanied by a clear description, including a caveat (that they had to buy via Amazon, mind you).
If I weren’t a stronger woman, I may have given up both Tarot writing and fiction writing in the face of such pettiness, assumption and revulsion. Granted, the last three months haven’t been the easiest.
But it has gotten better!
You know, when you show a different side of yourself that others don’t want to see (or don’t expect), some crazy things can happen. This is why some couples split up when one individual starts to show her whole self (that she hid during dating) or when another begins a path to spiritual growth…and his partner would like him to stay just as he is, thankyouverymuch.
Sometime, somewhere, someone got it into her head that working with/reading Tarot equals spirituality, godliness or perfection (read: in alignment with my idea of what is “right” or “good” or “appropriate”).
Deepak Chopra once said, “The measure of your enlightenment is the degree to which you are comfortable with paradox, contradiction and ambiguity”.
Obviously, most are not even in the ballpark of enlightenment, because any action that violates a preconceived expectation or desired response results in the types of “micro” things I described earlier. Not surprisingly, these types of behaviors are the seeds to what causes rifts, marginalization, bullying, bigotry, discrimination, violence, war and genocide on the “macro” level.
Interesting, no?
So what does this have to do with “switching genres”?
Well, writers take pennames for a reason. The most common reasons are twofold: 1. They want to “hide” a side of them (from family, faith, culture, tribe or employer) 2. They want to differentiate one “side” of them from another
Take, for instance, author James Scott Bell. I’ve known him as an author of excellent writing craft books but, until recently, I didn’t realize he was also a Christy-award winning Christian novelist.
Last year, Mr. Bell decided to create the penname K. Bennett, saying it was to help him separate his new fiction series from his past work…especially for the sake of his readers. What is he now writing about? A female zombie lawyer practicing in L.A.!
Brilliant…but, knowing how pitchfork-prone Christians can be, I can totally see why he decided on a penname for his zombie-at-law series. (For the record, I used to be an ordained Pentecostal pastor…so I know of what I speak).
Turns out, many in the online “Tarot community” are quite pitchforky, too. Had I written my short story under a pseudonym, I may have avoided all this vitriol (maybe not, but who knows?) Individuals went so far to assume that the twisted protagonist in my short story WAS me, that the scenario was based on “real life” (yeah, like I have dozens of bottles marked XXX laying around my house)…and that I was plotting to do what my protagonist did. And that my fictional story was actually a “rant” based in actuality.
Bizarre, huh?
Many who glom onto the “Tarot community” label find comfort and support among their fellow “Tarotholics”. Why? Because they have been marginalized from their own family, community or faith of origin for thinking or being “different”. Ironic, isn’t it, when “one of their Tarot own” acts or thinks differently…and receives similar treatment by their hands.
Now, the reason Stephen King, Joe Hill, Dean Koontz, John Sandford, Chelsea Cain and Jeff Lindsay don’t get this kind of reaction is because they have built their careers or writing about twisted, violent and/or repulsive folks.
But what happens if you start out as a minister? A Christian author?
Or, like me, someone known for her Mind/Body/Spirit non-fiction?
Ouchies.
People don’t like that. (Anne Rice, anyone?)
They want you to stay in that box they’ve built for you. They want to be able to predict and approve of your behavior. No coloring outside the lines. No flexing the creative muscles. No writing outside of your traditional genre. No “acting differently” from what they think the box defines as “appropriate” to your personhood, authorhood or even your “spirituality”.
When you see it here in black and white, it looks pretty absurd, doesn’t it?
And yet, it happens all the time for those who decide to march to a different tune. Some, with minor, albeit troubling, consequences (like mine). Others, with far more serious (even deadly) results.
So other than losing your preexisting author platform, are there dangers to switching genres as a writer? Absolutely.
I just hope your genre switcheroo, should you choose to accept it, is less painful and messy than my own has been…
-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)