I have been following the various blogs and streams that have resulted from the post at Dear Author earlier in the week and at times felt astonishment, confusion, anger, dismay and disbelief. It was never my intention to get drawn into this debate – that was until I read a few of the later comments as well as a couple of other posts subsequent to Dear Author closing their own particular blog down, which have made me absolutely fucking furious.

Although I realise that to a certain extent I am descending to the same level as some of those people, as much as they have the right to express their opinions so do I of mine. However, this is the last time that I will do so on my or anyone else’s blog.

First, I have read both authors, who have been, inadvertently or overtly, placed at the centre of this debate. I have liked and disliked their work in different ways and to varying degrees. As a recent convert to ebooks and even more recently to blogs, I can honestly say that I had only a vague sense of who the authors were up to this week mainly because, quite frankly, as long as I enjoyed their books what did I care who they were in their private lives as long as they were not hurting anyone else whilst living them.

Similarly, I have only recently come to ‘know’ (as far as you can ‘know’ anyone via the internet) the creators of some of the blogs, who have also discussed points raised during the debate. It has only been in the last month or so that I have taken a more active role in these blogs by posting comments.

Does this make me ‘friends’ with any of the authors or bloggers or part of a clique? I strongly doubt it, and I imagine that if you asked them they would say ‘hell no, we don’t even know who she is’. By the same token, if this makes me a fan, rabid or otherwise, of one or all so be it. It is neither worth the time nor energy arguing definitions and semantics here.

I am also not an aspiring writer and therefore not trying to ‘make nice’ with anyone in the interests of networking and/or being published. The implication that a number of those who have participated in this discussion or agreed with a particular view because of these reasons or because they are part of a ‘group’ is insulting.

Second, I apologise to both Lisabea and TeddyPig if any of the comments that I have made on your blogs this week have made you the focus of criticism. I appreciate the fact that you allow people to comment on your blogs without any form of moderation. In that same spirit, I take absolute responsibility for the opinions that I, and I alone, expressed.

Third, if I caused offense to anyone by my comments I apologise. I was raised to take responsibility for the consequences of my own actions therefore it is my fault if I caused anyone to be upset or hurt and for that I am sorry.

Fourth, it is one of the most wonderful aspects of human nature that we care for each other and are loyal to those we care about. For anyone or their opinions to be dismissed for acting in this manner is a sad reflection on our society. I would have thought that anyone; no matter what their point of view, who is put in a position where they were forced to defend themselves would be pleased that others respected them enough to try and protect their rights. As far as I can see this support has occurred on both sides, but I’m not sure I understand why one would take precedence or have more integrity than the other.

Fifth, and because I freely admit that I am a blunt, opinionated bitch, I strongly recommend that anyone who participated at Dear Author or on other sites go back and re-read what was the main aim of the original post, and then remind themselves of what they wrote in their comments. No matter what was intended, in my opinion (and I assure anyone who reads this no one ever tells me what to think or what to say) the discussion did get personal and rapidly descended into a farce with some moments of clarity and sensibility. If anyone is truly honest; to others as well as to themselves, they would admit to and take responsibility for their own part in what occurred and stop laying the blame on other people.

Lastly, as a latecomer to what has allegedly been going on for a year or more, I cannot believe that this has continued to such an extent. There can be absolutely no benefit to anyone in pursuing this further under any so-called reason of intelligent and therefore righteous discourse.

Agree to disagree and end this now.