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I’m really not trying to call you out, or get angry, but you’re a really big voice in the fandom, and I think that you need to consider how you respond to people: you’re very harsh with some suggestions/opinions/head-cannons, (Lestat being bipolar or having ptsd, neither of which we’re certain of; the way that some people like to tease IWTV the movie; people who really enjoy or at think fans should give Rice’s new work a chance; people that really like TQOTD) [tbc]

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[part 3] I really like this blog, and I really like you as a spokesperson of sorts for the Tumblr side of her fanbase, but it’d be great if you could take a step back and consider how much you criticize the opinions of others. You put a lot of stuff below the cut, and maybe your’e just stressing a lot as of late because I’ve noticed it more now than before, but you often shut down people very quickly who have different ideas or thoughts on the series than you do. 

(Was there a part 2? If there was, then Tumblr ate it.)

I deeply considered this message, it’s been over one whole day, so I’m not replying too quickly. 

“…maybe your’e just stressing a lot as of late…”? Thank you for the concern, but no… in the past 2 weeks, we have a new VC book to read and there is turbulence in the fandom about the VC rights reverting back to Anne Rice… my reactions have been the normal amount of mixed emotions for this kind of information. Sometimes there’s exaggeration, which is normal for social media; to replace the emotions we don’t express vocally, w/ gestures, or w/ facial expressions. 

I have to respectfully disagree with you. I’m going to reply to this as thoughtfully as I can, without a cut, but basically: make Tumblr a good place for you, and unfollow me if you need to do so.

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[^X by @purplekecleon, now known as @glitchedpuppet]

1. As stated before, I do not hold myself out as “a really big voice,” any kind of official authority of, or spokesperson for, this fandom. I have accepted titles in a humorous way only, I do not consider my headcanons/opinions above anyone else’s.

In “As stated before,” linking to a post from 1 week ago, someone else told me that “as a monolith of the fandom,” I have an obligation to be MORE critical, share more critical opinions of VC than I do already, so you can see that I can’t please that person AND you at the same time. Since I consider meta-analysis and reviews to be a form of fanwork, and I encourage fanworks, I am going to continue to share them.

I never told anyone NOT to read the new Anne Rice books PL and PLROA. I have respectfully shared some concerned and negative reviews. Rice is a professional writer and knows that part of putting her work out there means that it is vulnerable to readers’ review. If one bad review stops a long-time lover of a book series from reading the latest book, that’s sad, but I would not censor negative reviews. Rice used to respond to negative reviews, but currently, I believe that her stance is to ignore them. 

2. #Your Headcanon May Vary – I don’t always include this fandom law, as this is a fandom blog so it applies by default, but I’ve included it anyway, enough times that I thought it was understood implicitly by now. I am not going to add it as a disclaimer to every response, because I feel like it does not need to be stated. I don’t know if you are new to fandom, but here are a few more Fandom Laws, following them is about “being courteous in fandom. It makes the whole experience better for all of us.”

This is a social platform, and we all have our own opinions about these fictional characters, film/TV adaptations of canon, and the canon in general. We do not need to agree. We do not need to soften our opinions for anyone. Part of what is so great about a social platform like this is the exchange of ideas, it’s intellectually stimulating to consider other people’s interpretations and headcanons, even if they are stated in a harsh and/or strong manner. I consider every single one that is suggested to me, and I can decide if I want to accept it or not. It doesn’t matter where the ideas come from, even someone suggesting something who has only seen movie!QOTD might have a great idea I might accept!

My headcanon is a collection of my own and other people’s ideas from discussions, fanfics, fanart, meta-analysis posts, etc. which I have absorbed over the last 20+ years I’ve been in fandom. Most of my headcanon would not exist if I did not discuss ideas with other people, or engage in fandom through fanworks. I am grateful for all of the rich discussions and even heated arguments I’ve had about VC over the years!

There are many opinions out there that I disagree with, but I go by the Real Life rule of “Live and Let Live.” Here’s two examples:

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[^X by @vampchronfic]

  • A) People bash Antonio Banderas as Armand in IWTV, he is one of the fandom’s punching bags. I have stated my opinions about him in my #Defending Antonio tag, but I don’t mind that other people still don’t like him. If I am the only one who liked him as Armand in that movie, that’s totally fine by me! 
  • B) Just as I do poke fun at movie!QOTD, I don’t mind if other people adore it. I know that some people find it nostalgic. Some people love the soundtrack. Some people love Aaliyah or Stuart Townsend, any number of reasons, or just, “I don’t know why, I just like it” are all fine!

^I am actually friendly with both (A) the people who despise Antonio!Armand, and (B) the people who love movie!QOTD, because we can Live and Let Live. Friendship is not dependent on agreement.

Being in the same fandom with people does not mean that they have to agree with you. I used to think that it did, and that it guaranteed friendship. It does neither of those things. If we all agreed on everything, would there even be anything left to discuss? 

#IWANTMYIWTV RP

One of the examples you mentioned of my being harsh re: my headcanons was an Ask directed to Lestat, and I answered as Lestat, in character. Yes, he often responds harshly. I headcanon him as a friendly character but guarded, especially against anonymous strangers, even those that very respectfully suggest that he has a mental illness. Anyone can ask other Lestat RPers the same thing and see what they might say.

In that response, he begins with taking offense, but then winds down to pointing out that it’s unfortunate that medication/therapy carries an unfair stigma, that he does go to therapy, and considers that medical intervention may have helped Nicolas. So to write all that off as being harsh makes me feel like you didn’t read the answer fully. I put some of the response under the cut because cutting long posts is part of Tumblr etiquette.

I do not headcanon him as bipolar. Whether or not he is bipolar is up to every reader’s interpretation. Which brings me to my next point:

The real VC authority

It’s worth mentioning that on FB in another thread, in another topic, Anne Rice herself was asked about “But as a long time fan, I’ve ( and many other fans, I´m sure..) never understood the whole “Lestat and Louis- thing” and I think in a psychologically way it is also very interesting. Please, can you POFOUNDLY explain this whole relationship?” 

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^Is Anne Rice abdicating authority here? I’m not sure. It looks like she wants the asker to draw their own conclusions. But I have seen her questioned on FB, at booksignings, and spoken of on tumblr and elsewhere, in ways that lead me to believe that she is not considered the authority on VC to 100% of the fandom, and that she doesn’t mind that.

I love what she has given us, but she isn’t my authority. I don’t need her validation on my headcanons. If the creator of the series is not the authority, who is? Not me, I’m just one person. 

You don’t need my validation. You don’t need anyone’s validation. You are your own VC authority, anon.

You can form your own headcanons and share them, convince people of them, or not. Make your fandom experience good for you, Live and Let Live, and unfollow me if you need to. I totally understand and wish you well.

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owlygem:

safesketchys:

collectivecreaux:

Some points to remember as an artist who is getting harassed over content:

  1. The Harasser probably isn’t an artist, otherwise they would just make the content they wanted to see, and would understand art and artists enough to know that content controlling is bullshit.
  2. The button that silences this person has more power than this person will ever have. Use it. Blocking people who upset or offend you is A-okay. And the only way you can see them getting their diapers in a twist is if you go looking, which is on you. You control what you see and do, no one else.
  3. These people wouldn’t do this in person, so remember they’re cowards behind a computer thinking they can just get what they want. They can’t. They’re not allowed. 
  4. You worked years for what you have. Have it.

I’ve been doing it and i have like, 0 hate on my inbox :>

I came from the days that blocking meant you were a whiny idiot who can’t “take criticism” so its nice to see this. There’s nothing wrong with cleaning the junky people out of your life.

Eli is a male, period. Whether the film explained it or not, it’s still a fact and you are being ignorant by misgendering and refusing the acknowledge it.

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^This is not how you win someone over to your opinion.

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[^X Logical Fallacy Referee] Not sharing your opinion is not a sign of “being ignorant.” As of now, all of your asks will be deleted. If an Ask sounds remotely like something from you, it will be deleted. This is a fandom blog for entertainment, not a US Presidential Debate. 

Since this is our last exchange, I’ll answer for the sake of showing my followers that I will not be bullied by an anonymous person:

  • As previously stated twice now: I did not read the book, I saw the 2 film adaptations. Based on my interpretation of them AND what readers of the book have told me privately, I concluded that Eli can be referred to with female pronouns. I’ve repeatedly stated that that’s just my opinion and I have NEVER tried to force it on anyone else.
  • I added to the original post that Eli’s gender is ambiguous, which is a compromise, even though I disagreed with you.
  • An anonymous person cannot convince me of a “fact” when even the author of the original book has not convinced 100% of their readers of said “fact.” The author could tell me to refer to Eli with male pronouns and I might still

    politely

    refuse. Why should the author care what one reader thinks? Anne Rice has had to deal with FAR worse from her readers.

  • I linked to David Lowery, at least one example of another person who also found it ambiguous, so unfollow me and inform that blogger, and many others, of your truth.
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