I have spent the past 2 days (with another 2 to come) at the L.M. Montgomery Institute Conference here in Charlottetown. So far it has been pretty interesting, which might surprise some! The speakers are kept to 10-15 minutes which means it's hard to get too bored (and I tend to sit and sketch while I listen anyway to prevent fidgeting).
An interesting episode last night. A Canadian author, Budge Wilson, has written a prequel to Anne of Green Gables titled Before Green Gables. I was not enamoured by the idea of the book initially because I felt (and continue to feel) that LMM probably didn't think that aspect of Anne's story was interesting enough to warrant writing. Others, however, for their own reasons, did and so we have the book. I decided to not judge the book until I read it, which I finished doing the other night.
It wasn't bad - there were aspects of it that were even good - but overall I am not sure how much it really adds long term to the character and our memories of her.
It turns out that the American publisher of the prequel have taken it upon themselves to edit the story Wilson wrote, and deleted two chapters and some acknowledgements. I can understand that this would infuriate the author, although that said when I read the book (which I bought from Amazon and thus got a US copy), I didn't notice any glaring holes in the storyline.
So imagine my surprise - embarrassment - when I present my copy of Before Green Gables to the author, Budge Wilson, last night, to be told that she would prefer not to sign my copy. I was slightly shocked by this, not knowing then what I know now, to be told by Wilson and LMM's grand-daughter a brief version of what happened. Wilson told me "I don't feel comfortable signing something that isn't my story".
I am feeling really split over this. Part of me understands 100% of why this woman feels strongly about this issue. I would too if my book was changed without my permission.
But the other part of me felt rather annoyed. I wasn't to know what I was buying was not the correct edition - and I am sure Amazon as the seller was not aware either. So should I be punished for that by her not signing my book?
And, is the author still receiving royalty cheques for the US version - and if she is, does that raise a question of ethics in her decision not to sign my copy? I don't know the answer to whether she money is still coming in although I suspect it is, otherwise there would be a lawsuit in the works. But alas the mighty dollar so often influences our responses to ethical issues...
I think though the real question for me is, is this really her story? In reality, Wilson has taken what detail LMM did provide about Anne's early years and collated them, then added to them. It didn't HAVE to be done and as I said earlier, I don't know if LMM would have wanted someone to take her character and give her a history. So is it really Wilson's story? I think this is what riled me most about her not signing my book - that she has claimed part of the character of Anne as her own. That to me is far more insulting than not signing the book. Anne is all of ours because she is public. But essentially she is Lucy Maud's, and Lucy Maud's only. And to say that she cannot sign a book because it isn't her story, when it really isn't her story in the first place, to me is the really upsetting aspect of this story.
I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on this - supportive or critical.
