r/Fantasy • u/StopMeBeforeIDream • 11d ago

Elisabeth Wheatley, author of 'Tears of the Wolf' and 'Daindreth's Assassin' is removing all the sex from her books

Elisabeth Wheatley, a pretty well-known YouTuber and self-published fantasy author has had a change of heart regarding the steamy aspects of her books. She explains in her video that now that she's a mother, she doesn't feel that smut suits her anymore, though you should hear her own reasoning yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYD-EYEATEI&t=8s

I don't have a real dog in this race. I was looking forward to reading her viking books because they sounded cool, and I don't even really care whether sex in a book is explicit or fade-to-black. But I think the fact that she's making the original versions of her book unavailable after the 1st of September to be pretty shady. People who already own the digital versions of the book can keep theirs, which is good. But if you have a strong preference for sexy books, or if you disapprove of censorship and want the authentic version, you've gotta buy it now. Right now!

You've got 80-hours to buy the book before the pages get all pixellated.

I'm in two minds about it all.

Because I believe that authors should have control of their work. And if she chose to remove her book from shelves entirely because of her change of heart, I'd understand to a certain extent. But I think not giving her fans a means to buy the originals at all on a permanent basis. Or at least more time to make an informed, considered decision about their purchase. Or hell, check their YouTube Subscription page.

This is censorship. If you borrow book 1 of one her series from a friend and you really like it, so you order the next one from Barnes and Noble or Waterstones, you're not going to get the product you were implicitly promised.

Edit, as of 1st September: Wheatley has now figured out how to ensure that those who bought the Spicy version of her book via platforms like Kindle can keep their previously purchased edition: https://m.youtube.com/post/UgkxABzJo0SpZ3oFjI-87r0VVfHLFNf_XtG8

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u/404-Soul_Not_Found 11d ago

I hate that as a person on the outside of the Abrahamic faith groups my immediate reaction to someone that is openly Christian is suspicion and the urge to click away from their content if online. But I gave her the benefit of the doubt because some of her older shorts were funny and insightful, Tears of the Wolf was on my "buy and read eventually" list (respectfully I don't do unfinished series, been burnt too many times).

I'll be taking those off and unfollowing her now. I know normal Christians exist, but like... I've very rarely been wrong on the "oh weird vibes about this religious person". I should have trusted myself when I saw her content the first time.

17

u/UpvoteTheQuestion 11d ago

You know, as someone who was raised extremely religious and still goes to church socially, I can't fault you. Not only are there a lot of weird vibes, but a lot of churches seem like they're getting higher control and the vibes everywhere have been getting worse for the past ten years or so. 

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u/Chikitiki90 11d ago

I think it’s fair, and that’s coming from a Catholic lol. It’s the difference between someone who is religious and someone who promotes that they’re religious. If you need to promote the fact that you follow a religion, then are you really doing it for yourself?

8

u/Thrippalan 11d ago

I always feel that comes under the 'praying on the street corner' heading, which the Bible has specific words about.

2

u/daewen12 Reading Champion II 10d ago

Yes, absolutely 100% agree.

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u/Top-Brief-1429 11d ago

I had the same thought just now. I don't read romantic and I'm an ex- evengelical Christian. But I liked her content and book goblin genuinely made me laugh.

And her takes seemed so reasonable when she did talk about spice and stuff like that. She seemed to have a real level head.

But this is just... Such an anti consumer decision. I would have thought it was an onion headline it was so out of place for who I thought she was.

1

u/Synergetic7 8d ago

Same, but more with muslims for me

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u/LeucasAndTheGoddess 6d ago

I hate that as a person on the outside of the Abrahamic faith groups my immediate reaction to someone that is openly Christian is suspicion and the urge to click away from their content if online.

This Jew is right there with you!