Time I got told off by one of my favorite YA authors
Pre-pandemic, when my depression was somewhat manageable, I read and bought books like a drug problem. Now as I'm trying to get back into reading more consistently, browsing a few used books library sales to save reminded me of something that happened years ago with someone that used to be my favorite author at the time.
She had 3 series at the time, one largely popular series and 2 less popular series. I bought (well my parents bought) every single one of the more popular series as they came out. The less popular series I got at the library (and were much more adult and I probably should not have been allowed to check them out lol). So when I was older with adult money but not a lot of it, I bought both of the other series off thriftbooks for super cheap (this was when they still had some books for 3 dollars).
She had been announcing something about the more popular series on the book of faces and the comments were going insane. One girl typed a comment about she only owned the first two books in the series because she couldn't afford the rest but that she loved them so much. I replied to her comment mentioning how I got the both of the other 2 series for under 30 bucks on thriftbooks and to see if that helps. The girl was grateful for the recommendation.
A little while later I got a notification that the AUTHOR replied to my comment. I was like a 13 year old if One Direction just looked at them, that's how excited I was. I tapped the notification and biiiiiiitch went off on me for trying to help this girl saying that buying books used was STEALING from the author and how to only buy new to support her. It was a mini rant that had a "How Dare You" vibe to not mention used book websites on her page and how if everyone bought used, authors wouldn't make money. I was in shock. I wanted to reply that not everyone could just afford to buy new but I couldn't bring myself to. I felt betrayed in a weird way. When she released another series, a sequel to the more popular one, I didn't buy it new or used. It was just a strange and disheartening experience. I still have the books but I won't buy anything of hers again.