How many Agents does it take to ruin the day for thousands of writers overnight? Just one -- if it is Barbara Bauer, an agent listed as one of the top 20 Worst Agents.
Yesterday was a frustrating day. A site I frequent daily, Absolutewrite.com, was offline.
Today I discovered what happened.
Apparently Ms.Bauer was not happy with her inclusion in the Writer's Beware 20 Worst Agencies List -- a list that was also posted on the Absolute Write site. So what did she do? She called up the hosting company for the web and asked that our AW board be shut down.
I do not know what exactly transcribed or why the host felt compeled to oblige her but the final outcome was -- they panicked and we were shut down, leaving hundreds - no, thousands of AW members frustrated and without a place to congregate.
You can read the entire story here on Matt's site.
Now, AWers and bloggers across the world have joined in one accord to spread the word.
Barbara Bauer
Thank you for keeping the buzz alive on this. ((hugs))
ReplyDelete:) Thanks for starting it. We all got to do our part. *hugs* back.
ReplyDeletehi. thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. may I know how you cam across my blog? best regards
ReplyDeleteHi Faith, thanks for visiting. I hope you come again.
ReplyDeleteI found your site by clicking on "next blog"
I was very touched by your friends who lost their child. I can't even imagine such a thing. That must be the most horrible thing for a parent. (drowned at the kiddie pool at a resort while on vacation) The "Fallen Cradle" anthology (22 stories from parents who have lost a child)is a book I would like to buy. I'll visit your site again. Take care.
Hello! Just wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog (shaneshares.blogspot.com).
ReplyDeleteI absolute LOVE how Barbara's evil little stunt backfired so spectacularly against her. Just beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Barbara did that but She'll regret it. Making about 7,000 writers mad wasn't a good thing.
ReplyDeleteShane: I am a big Tim McGraw/Faith Hill fan! I wish I could have been at that concert. :)
ReplyDeleteJason/Andrea: I wish I knew what she was thinking now. What did she think? That we would just lay there and not do anything? Or maybe she just didn't think.
I've been trying to follow as many blogs as I can find about this whole AW nightmare. I still can't believe one phone call can shut down a site so fast . . . it makes me wonder if this was something that was planned because the day the site went down was the same day that literary agent was supposed to start answering questions in a special thread Jenna made. This frustrates me . .
ReplyDeleteart: that is so interesting. I always thought it seemed so powerful to be able to shut down such a huge site with one phonecall - or by one person.
ReplyDeleteI called the hosting site's 800 number (before I knew the whole story but had heard bits and pieces) to express what a horrible thing they had done and I told them I felt we needed an explanation and all they did was tell me to call the website owners. They said they could not refer me to any person or phone number in particular nor give me the name of the owner. (even though I knew that answer.)
But, I'm with you. What gives them the right to do that? Is this one of those "We have the right to refuse service to anyone" type of deals?
Sad. Very sad.
It seems like they should be sued or something for all the inconvenience and cost that they are causing.