Millenia Black recently challenged her critics with this assertion:
For those who are of a practical mindset, and to demystify my previous post, yes, a complaint was indeed filed against the publisher the first week of this month (October), in the Southern District Court of New York. Such documents are public record and are readily accessible via a simple trip to the clerk’s office.
Calling Black’s bluff, I checked the Southern District of New York Court docket. There is no “Millenia Black” lawsuit, per se. There is, however, a lawsuit filed against Penguin Group (USA) Inc. and Signet (Black’s publisher) by one Nadine Aldred, residing in Orlando, Florida. The suit was filed on October 2, 2006, within the time frame suggested by Ms. Black. It is a civil rights case: Case No. 1:06-CV-07887 to be exact, assigned to Judge Paul A. Crotty. (And if anyone wants to drop by the Southern District of New York Court (Foley Square) and pick up copies of the complaint, you can tell the clerk that the case file is available in Volume CS1.)
Is Millenia Black the nom de plume of Nadine Aldred? Well, you make the call. I should note that this is the only case filed against Penguin Group (USA) in the month of October. Further, Ms. Black’s profile indicates that she is from Florida, which matches the location of Ms. Aldred.
Interestingly enough, Ms. Aldred has not retained an attorney for this. She’s filed the lawsuit pro se, which is a fancy Latin adjective that essentially indicates that Ms. Aldred is representing herself. (And why?)
When the complaint becomes available per the Southern District of New York Court’s ECF requirements, I will investigate further.
I’m a little fuzzy here. What’s your point? First you doubt she filed a case, coming thisclose to calling her a liar, then you say you’re giving your ‘last word’ on the entire subject, and now you’re back to ‘investigating.’ Only this time you’re wondering why she’s gone solo in a lawsuit you all but called “phony’ to begin with?
Do you have an ax to grind with her or something? I mean, I don’t know MB personally, but I’m sure she’s under a lot of pressure. So I guess I’m wondering why you’re adding to it with these senseless (albeit rather bizarre and confounding) series of posts. Did she do something to upset you? Is this what’s driving your … um … investigation? And why an investigation? Is MB doing something illegal? Has she offended you personally?
I mean no disrespect, but I just think you should treat people the way you want to be treated. Frankly, this thing you’re doing seems very mean. Why can’t you just leave her alone, and save your commentary for afterwards, when the case is heard and decided? All this speculation is really a waste of time. And to be quite frank, it makes you look like you’ve got some sort of vendetta against her.
Still waiting for my comment to be published Mr. Champion. Was there anything offensive in it?
“Why can’t you just leave her alone, and save your commentary for afterwards, when the case is heard and decided? All this speculation is really a waste of time. And to be quite frank, it makes you look like you’ve got some sort of vendetta against her.”
Not that I don’t sympathise with you a bit here, but its kind of funny given that the other day he was called a racist by Monica Jackson for deciding NOT to keep talking about it…
guess he is in a damned if he does damned if he doesn’t corner now…
My behind-the-scenes stat counter indicates that over the past seven days, excluding today, I had a “visitor” from Orlando check out my posting about Millenia Black’s lawsuit 63 times while the controversy was raging.
Sixty visits from Calverton.
Fifty-four from Wichita.
So what’s the substance of your comments Lynne and what reader are you so eager to inform?
Dear Bort,
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with talking about it. I talked about it myself by posting on this blog.
It’s —how— it’s talked about that I take issue with. Mindless speculation, vitriolic accusation, and character assassination do more damage to the offender than the offended.
What disturbs me most is that more time has been spent attempting to discredit Miss Black’s character than speaking about the issue in question. Why the immediate jump to attack her? That’s what I don’t understand.
I’m more concerned that a publisher may have tried to bully a fellow author into changing her characters merely because their skin color didn’t match hers. It’s so patently absurd that I can barely contain my disgust.
Where’s the outrage? Where’s the solidarity? Where’s the productive discussion? Where’s the sympathy? We’re writer’s damn it, and we should stick together! Instead we have lovely blogposts like Mr. Champion’s filled with inuendo and subtle accusation. And what’s the end result? One of the brethren (a fellow writer) is ripped to shreds. If we’re not for each other, who will be? Certainly not the publishers.
For those who can’t see past Miss Black, think about the implications. What separates this from the madness that went on in the 50’s and 60’s? Nothing.
A fellow author needs our support. That’s —all— I see.
No, there’s nothing wrong with talking about Millenia Black’s predicament. But the devil is in the details.
Lynne W. Scanlon wrote — “My behind-the-scenes stat counter indicates that over the past seven days, excluding today, I had a “visitor” from Orlando check out my posting about Millenia Black’s lawsuit 63 times while the controversy was raging. Sixty visits from Calverton. Fifty-four from Wichita.”
And this has –what– to do with the issue at hand?
Oh, I wish they’d just be upfront about why they’re shirking the real issue. Isn’t Lynne Scanlon awfully determined to disembowel this writer? Considering everyone now knows there’s no conversational integrity over at the Publishing Contrarian (what with the deletion of several comments and opinions that weaken or disprove L. Scanlon’s arguments, not to mention the question of bizarre ulterior motives regarding the trashing of Millennia Black), there’s very little reason to believe anything she’s projecting as fact.
I have just read all the comments on Lynne Scanlon’s blog, and there are a lot of them. I’d say a good many of them are arguments against her position, some of them pretty rude ones. I made a comment that Lynne did not agree with but that was posted in full — and what’s more she put my picture next to my comment.
Jessie L — I presume your “Orlando” question is sarcasm? Isn’t it clear that Lynne means that this person from Orlando who filed the suit has probably also visited her posting and the comments on this topic?
Mr Champion — I think this post and your post of yesterday are cogent and logically self-consistent.
Best wishes
Maxine.
Maxine,
What does it matter that the person from Orlando is visiting her blog? If it is the author in question, so what? If my reputation were on the line merely because I had the temerity to demand justice from a system that I believed was being unfair to me, I’d visit, and often. As a writer and as a human being, I would be concerned about these things. What person wouldn’t care about what their peers were saying given everything that is at stake? Not unless they were Mr. Spock from Star Trek, a vulcan devoid of human emotions.
Yes, it was sarcasm because I couldn’t believe she would make such a petty remark. Who gives a damn that those people are visiting her blog? I don’t. What purpose does it serve to even mention it? None whatsoever.