Friday Check-In and Muuuuusic!

With this being a longer month, I took last week off to relax from post-book release (lol I sold 1 copy and I think maybe 1 person read it, Kindle Unlimited is hard to know since I made $2 from them).

Lord Huron released an album. Definitely their weakest yet, but among the filler is some good tunes! What are you all listening to?

Monday you'll be treated one more time this month, and next week I'll unveil August's goodies!

Beyond all that....

What are your opinions on what is happening to Itch.io and steam? If you haven't heard, an Australian "group" has pressured payment processors (stop me if you've heard this one before through amazon, gumroad, tumblr, patreon, manyclips, etc) to take out "inappropriate games". In itch.io's case, they had to go nuclear and delist EVERY SINGLE ONE while they figure it out.

Now. A case can be made, and because this is video games a lot of white men are making this point, that the games so far delisted are horrible n/c and bro/sis stuff that they think it's right they are gone, but are worried about the slippery slope.

I don't think they talk to women.

I've been doing this for 13 years. I have so many chats and emails from lovely, normal, well-adjusted women who L O V E that stuff. I also know the top 100 in almost any kindle romance section is going to have something these white dudes are saying "doesn't contribute to art".

I guess what I'm saying is this:

Payment processors should have no say in what is sold in a store.

Stores should actually take the whole "are you 18+" thing seriously if they want to "think of the children", since all of these games/media could be put into an 18+ section with selectable options to show you what you want/don't want (smashwords is great at this btw!). Don't give me this "well I have kids" crap. Your kids shouldn't be looking at this stuff and you should be making sure the store can't show that stuff to anyone under 18.

Men need to shut the F&%$k up. I realize how hilarious this is coming from me, I am only stating what women have told me over the years. But before passing judgment on what should and shouldn't be sold/shared, maybe listen to women (which I'm asking all y'alls opinion to see if I'm totally off base). And maybe read some of those "romance" books women love and see what women really like?

And, like, women should be talking about this. But, if you admit you like this stuff, you'll be branded. If you stay quiet, white dudes are going to continually make it okay to block this stuff.

And finally, as someone who went through this on Amazon, and on Patreon, and on many other book stores, it won't stop here. I've always said make sure you have me on X, instagram, bluesky, tumblr, whatever because if those some payment processors come back for round two on Patreon, I may be gone one day suddenly. That's just the reality. So, I'd say even if you don't think these games are worth the bottom of your shoe as you crush it, I'd say still fight to make sure it's an option for folks to get because they'll keep coming for what you want.

Now, you all tell me. Am I off base? Am I wrong about this? I'mma sit down now.

You though, you all take care of yourselves and have a faaaabulous weekend!