US children’s authors protest Yiannopoulos deal

Children’s authors published by Simon & Schuster US have protested against the company releasing a book by controversial figure Milo Yiannopoulos.

Earlier this month, the news broke that Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster in the US, was planning on publishing an autobiographical book by Yiannopoulos,  who is the editor of Breitbard News and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. The book, Dangerous, is scheduled for release in March 2017.

According to Publishers Weekly, more than 160 children’s book authors and illustrators in the US have now signed a letter, organised by S&S clients of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, protesting the deal.

The letter is addressed to Carolyn Reidy, c.e.o. and president of S&S US, and says: "This is not an issue of advocating or suppressing free speech, as Mr. Yiannopoulos has a broad internet broadcasting platform and the support of many extremist organizations and publications. His voice is certainly being heard, and it is a voice of hate that stirs its followers to emotional, verbal, and physical violence directed at anyone who disagrees or speaks to the contrary.

"As Simon & Schuster authors and illustrators who are already published, with books in the release pipeline, with contracts in place, we do not have to quietly accept or assent to this ‘Gleichschaltung’, this getting in line with fascism and making it mainstream."

The letter has been signed by authors such as Rachel Renée Russell and Cassandra Clare.

In response, an S&S spokesperson said it "appreciate[s] and respect[s] the feelings and opinions of our authors”.

Earlier this week English PEN said Milo Yiannopoulos' right to freedom of expression must be respected and that demands for S&S US to cancel the deal were tantamount to "censorship".

"The right of Mr Yiannopoulos to write and to offend is integral to the principle of freedom of expression," said spokesperson Robert Sharp. "Likewise, Simon & Schuster US has the right to make an editorial judgment over whether to publish his book. Demanding that the publisher cancels the book deal amounts to a call for censorship, and should be resisted."

However, S&S UK has said it has no plans to publish the book.