Facebook flog - Feb 3 2014

[blogfloggery.livejournal.com]

Link: Feb 3 2014, 16:34
Disclaimer: This blog entry is verbatim, as originally posted on LKH's Facebook. Copyright belongs to Ma Petite Enterprises.

I'd written 19 pages, and Jon came into my office to hug me, and remind me to eat. He just happened to touch my arms in the same exact way that a very, bad man had touched Merry in those same pages today. I actually had a trigger event from my husband's touch, about something that happened to my fictional heroine. It was both very disturbing and a confirmation that I'm doing my job right. The book consumes me.

Comments

[okami-no-yume.livejournal.com]

What the fuck, Laurell.

Sorry, I don't have anything snarky or witty to say.

Just...what the fuck?

She needs help. I'm not talking just a good therapist, I'm talking the kind where the walls have padded rooms.

Her delusions have gotten downright scary. She's triggered by something that never happened to her, but happened to her character.

....I get the feeling she just marginalized real rape victims. Of course she did. She truly has no shame left.

[mocha-latta.livejournal.com]

Didn't realize it was in style now to have PTSD.
Or is it that she's such a good writer that her books are real enough to cause psychological disorders? Because fictional events carry the same weight as real, horrible life events.

I get as a reader and a writer that you can be pulled into the story, and I wouldn't be nearly as furious as I am if she discribed it a different way. If she used any word other than 'triggering'.

[pryzmkess.livejournal.com]

This is all I have:

(http://www.phillysportscentral.com/forums/images/smilies/wtf.gif)

[guardians-song.livejournal.com]

There's "really getting into the story" and "you literally have no psychological barrier between fiction and reality anymore, SEEK IMMEDIATE PSYCHIATRIC HELP".

Mrs. Hamilton went screeching over that line long, long ago, but this is the worst confirmation of it that I've seen.

[collectively.livejournal.com]

The fact that this madness is what she takes as confirmation of doing her job right (rather than, oh, I don't know, good characters? strong dialogue? engaging plots? consistently positive reviews/audience reactions [within reason, I know you can't please everyone]? HOW ABOUT JUST CORRECT SPELLING AND GRAMMAR?) explains a lot about the quality of the books.

[foxfire74.livejournal.com]

$20 on the next book's "plot" being centered around (poorly explained, purple-ly presented, utterly unlike real life) TRIGGER EVENTS.

[guardians-song.livejournal.com]

I had a giant post here, but lost it.

Suffice to say that I'd like to register my bet for the next AB book being titled "TRIGGER".

[plastraa.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeaaahhhhh. (slow eye blink) That's literally all I've got.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. It's beyond insensitive to co-opt a phrase and trauma like that.

[jessica collett (from livejournal.com)]

LKH was triggered by a fictional event she made up.

Guess that puts MY triggering events in perspective!

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

I actually went "...the FUCK?" out loud

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

That's actually a way better title than the last few have been. At least it hints that there might be guns, not just ridiculous sex and relationship drama.

[a-sporking-rat.livejournal.com]

Also I am so fucking mad that when I clicked the link to view the actual post on FB I saw absolutely zero comments calling her out on this bullshit in ANY way ugh

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

You were not "triggered", Laurell. You lying asshole. You were mildly surprised, startled, and perhaps even upset for a fleeting moment. You weren't fucking triggered.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

They were probably deleted by one of LKH's faithful enablers.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

And victims of war, assault of all kinds, people who were badly injured from anything, and all sorts of other things that can cause legitimate triggers.

But something bad happened to her imaginary friend. So now she likes to pretend she's "triggered" from that. I would also think she needed heavy supervision if I thought she was telling the truth.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

Mine too!

[penny-pixie.livejournal.com]

Nice.

[subtle-shades.livejournal.com]

To be fair, it's currently in vogue on tumblr to use the word/concept of "triggering" this way. So while it's distasteful, it's not surprising given her insistence on following the tween/early twenties snowflake!crowd. And honestly, since I saw a more egregious misuse of the word last night (and, uh, was unkind) I'm not overly upset by LKH's misuse. I've either used up my outrage, had too good a lunch, or this is just so much less stupid that I don't mind.

(Besides, since LKH tends to write about her own problems, slaps a thin patina of character interaction on it, and calls it Generally Moving, I'm willing to entertain the idea that she was writing about herself and attributing it to Merry when the, er, shoulder-touching happened.)

[fangedsekhmet.livejournal.com]

Do you think she's really this weird or is she just making stuff up now and fishing for poor Laurel comments from her "fans"?

Because I don't know any more:(

[jeza-red.livejournal.com]

Laurel, lend me your ear.

THIS IS NOT ALRIGHT and you are either crazy or a liar of insane proportions.

If what she said is true, by a strike of fate, then she needs help, stat. If it isn't I want someone to slap her in the face with a brick 'cause a TRIGGER is when you can't freaking touch anything thinner than drink straw or thicker than an inch and a half in fear of being sent into an anxiety attack that makes you want to cut your own hands off or when you can't stand the most beloved family member embracing you, because your instinctual response is to GET OUT. It's not a one-off thingie that happened to you one day 'cause you felt for your character soo goddamn much!!! and is of course oh!so cute cause it means you're the greatest author to live.

F U, Laurel. Seriously.

[foxfire74.livejournal.com]

Or, considering what else has shown up over the years, it will be a were-horse with a mane down to his hooves...

[okami-no-yume.livejournal.com]

And victims of war, assault of all kinds, people who were badly injured from anything, and all sorts of other things that can cause legitimate triggers.

Yeah, true. But considering the content of the books and how rape-happy they tend to be (ugh, I can't believe I typed that) my mind automatically went to sexual assault, since I'm guessing that's what most likely happened to Merry.

I don't mean to minimize or say there aren't other types of trauma, but yeah. She has a very special way of insulting and offending everybody by trying to appropriate shit that she has ZERO business trying to appropriate. Overall, she's lived such a fucking sheltered, cushy life that she doesn't know the first thing about real trauma or PTSD or anxiety.

I've got to say, this is one of her more repugnant posts.

Just...this woman. Dear Gods almighty, this woman.

[subtle-shades.livejournal.com]

As I mention further down, it's currently in vogue on tumblr to use the word/concept of "triggering" this way. So while it's distasteful, it's not surprising given her insistence on following the tween/early twenties snowflake!crowd.

[subtle-shades.livejournal.com]

As I mention further down, it's currently in vogue on tumblr to use the word/concept of "triggering" this way. So while it's distasteful, it's not surprising given her insistence on following the tween/early twenties snowflake!crowd.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

She's 50. I find it surprising, insulting, and thoroughly unjustifiable.

[ravens-shadow.livejournal.com]

I feel like either he startled her because she wasn't expecting him, and/or he touched her arms and she had a moment of "this is how I imagined it happened to Merry" and thought it was unnerving. But to take that and she was triggered by it infuriates me. As you say, mocha_latta, if she had just used any other word than "triggering".

"Trigger" as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), refers to a person re-experiencing a traumatic event through a cue in their environment. The cues aren't always obvious, nor are they the same for everyone, but it is a very personal thing for individuals who have gone through trauma. There is such a thing as vicarious conditioning, when Subject A is conditioned directly and Subject B is conditioned only through observation of Subject A, but Subject B (i.e. LKH) cannot be triggered because they relive a traumatic event experienced by someone else, at least IMHO. I think it's especially true when Subject A is her fictional character.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

I actually had a trigger event from my husband's touch, about something that happened to my fictional heroine. ...[A] confirmation that I'm doing my job right.

NO. NO, IT'S NOT. IT WILL NEVER BE.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

The Facebook comments make me want to cry.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

She's old enough to know better - but then again, this *is* LKH! :D

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

This is my theory too, just a term she picked up on social media and used it without really knowing what it means and like her definitions/use of Poly, and her concepts of bi-sexuals she glomped onto it and completely misused it.

[jeza-red.livejournal.com]

I believe she just felt 'kind of uncomfortable' and imagined the 'bad stuff' happening to her for a moment and that was it.

If she was really triggered, she wouldn't be happy and smug about it. She would be wallowing in self pity on the scale we haven't seen before.

[jeza-red.livejournal.com]

If she was, it would surely mean bed rest for her for the rest of the day, powered only by tea and crosswords (at least it is like that for me>__>)and much, MUCH more whining.

[jeza-red.livejournal.com]

...she would NOT dare to deface satyrs!
...or would she?
*tho they DO like sex a lot so I am surprised she didn't drag them into this mess already>_>*

[plastraa.livejournal.com]

"Or, considering what else has shown up over the years, it will be a were-horse with a mane down to his hooves..."

OH goodness...I just laughed the loudest most spontaneous ugly laugh ever over that. Thank you for that visual!

[kuzunoha.livejournal.com]

O.O Apparently when you said, "The Facebook comments make me want to cry." as a clear warning that one should not click and read them I interpreted that as, "CLICK RIGHT NOW AND READ THEM!"

I regret my choices... Ugh... I don't even. Seriously? People.... -_-

[kuzunoha.livejournal.com]

I... You... What?

[okami-no-yume.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm with you, buuut...this is Laurell we're talking about here.

Is what she doing disgusting and deeply offensive? Yes. But she's been doing this sort of thing for years, so...I really don't find it surprising anymore, I'm sad to say.

She has no shame or even a shred of decency anymore. She is straight up, a really terrible human being.

[astronauta.livejournal.com]

Honestly, even the word "triggering" is controversial these days. What made her even think it was "cool" to write this? I won't be surprise if she gets a flood of very nasty and angry bloggers after her for this.

[wanderingworlds.livejournal.com]

No, she'd have to (gasp) buy pizza and have a cupcakes. And surround herself with all her current lovers, as well as her husband, Jon.

[world-dancer.livejournal.com]

Drama queen. I really don't have a better term. I should. Because it's an insult to drama queens. But I don't.

I can totally believe that she got wrapped up in what she was writing and freaked out when touched. People have that happen to them all the time, where they read or watch something scarey and then jump at something relatively innocent.

But to compare what was essentially a "cat scare" to a "trigger event" shows such a large amount of self absorption that it boarders on monstrous callousness.

[deadsong.livejournal.com]

As a survivor of sexual abuse who couldn't even stand to be casually touched by his own (now ex) husband for fear of curling up in a ball of shame and loathing while reliving a million things he'd rather not...

FUCK YOU, LAURELL. FUCK YOU IN THE EAR.

You do not understand triggering. You do not understand that it's not some casual thing that happens to your heroine for the length of a book (that probably only covers a few days) and then goes away. It's not cool. It's not edgy. And it's not something you have any control over. It's something that makes the simplest things ridiculously hard, at times, and it's chemically programmed in your brain.

You don't experience phantom triggers like that. You just don't.

Go fuck yourself.

If I still read these books, I'd be done. As it is, from now on I'm not wasting a penny even for the train-wreck appeal.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

On top of everything else, her writing is so unfeeling, so detached, so mechanical and cold, I don't believe she feels even what a normal author feels for her world and characters. I just don't think she gives a shit. I think that:
a) she's wildly overcompensating for not giving a shit
b) she's cynically manipulating her gullible troos for money
c) she's cynically manipulating her gullible troos (and us, admittedly) for attention
d) she's a troll, and a particularly nasty one
e) all of the above

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I see a lot of conflation between "trigger" and "squick/dnw" on tumblr/social media, so it doesn't really surprise me that she'd want to use it to seem hip to the jive without knowing or caring about proper context.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I MADE THE SAME MISTAKE.

I have gin now and that makes a lot of things better.

[jeza-red.livejournal.com]

E, I will take the E. Can I have the E?

[guardians-song.livejournal.com]

I think she'd care more about her revenue stream if she were a troll.

I'll vote C).

[tarawyn.livejournal.com]

I think (as a tumblr-user, but hopefully not an awful one) it evolved from the trigger-warning tags. People started out tagging for things like sexual assault. Later, the tw tags evolved to encompass things that could cause phobic reactions (e.g. spiders) or depressive episodes (e.g. homophobia quotes), and also moving gifs as potential causes of epilepsy. Of course, the special snowflake brigade has taken it and run, so I could be wrong.

[rebootfromstart.livejournal.com]

See, I went and looked at them just now and I can't stop giggling, because one of the comments has such poor punctuation that it's hilarious.

"Can't wait to hear about the babies being 19 weeks pregnant I am living to find out how Merry and the boys are transitioning to parenthood."

I do not think it reads how she intended it to read, somehow.