I’ve seen people talk about actors and artists that had a terrible time.
My own would be Anne Rice. She wrote Interview with the Vampire after her young daughter died of Leukemia. Then her husband suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. I suspect her Christian, anti-fanfic phase was a result of mental illness and manipulation from the publishers, although I don’t think she ever apologized.
Peter Beagle for decades thought the last unicorn was a flop. He got almost no royalties. Then the rights reverted to him like 15 years ago. Then he went on a screening tour. When he did it, he had no idea the theaters would sell out. Q&A with tears and everything. We met him, he was so tired but still signing anything you wanted for free. Then the tour organizer ripped him off. (I got bad vibes from that guy, he was like a used car salesman)
There is an online artist alliance now to protect him from exploitation.
He seemed like such a sweet man when I met him at a convention. I love The Last Unicorn of course but Fine and Private Place and Innkeeper’s Song are also amazing.
The Last Unicorn is one of my all-time favorite books. Absolutely beautiful prose, sensitive character work, and (in the character of Schmendrick) a pitch-perfect depiction of what it’s like to be at the mercy of artistic inspiration.
It’s also very funny and very sad. Really one of my all-time favorite books.
It’s so wonderful on so many levels. And he was like 23 or 24 when he wrote it. It’s rare that you find a writer that young who understands character and story so well.
Was he really!? It’s so utterly accomplished. I had no idea!
Yes! Once you know he was young, it becomes more obvious on a re-read, since he really went ham on the prose, which is what younger/newer writers tend to do until they internalize the old adage “less is more.” But he was so good with his prose in The Last Unicorn, I don’t mind. :)
It’s also the reason unicorns are girly. In the first sentence it refers to the unicorn was “she”. Prior to that, unicorn myths were very masculine. VERY.
I remember he was at an anime convention one year in 2006-2011ish (Otakon) when they were showing The Last Unicorn.
He was at a booth in the dealers room all by himself, so I went over and picked up a book of his short stories to get signed. He ended up talking to me for about five minutes, mostly about a friend of his who wasn’t doing so well…
Looking back at it after learning about that shady guy, I feel so bad he left that nice old man all by himself,. probably for hour, at that convention booth!
Peter has a new book coming out, you should check it out!
Hmmm… He’s probably a relative.
So glad this response is here and with so many upvotes. The abuse he has suffered is absolutely abhorrent, and I’m glad things have finally turned around for him but fucking FURIOUS it took so long.
A Fine and Private Place is my favourite book, and many of his others are in my top picks. Two of my pets are named after characters from one of his books.
He’s an incredible author and we are all so lucky to still have him writing.
Peter Beagle was in a writing class with Larry McMurtry and Ken Kesey. Three amazing writers, very different careers.
The car salesman guy is Connor Cochran. He would beg fans for crash spaces instead of buying hotel rooms on the tour.
Claimed Beagle was a drunk with dementia at the trial. Judge found no basis to that claim.
Early years of touring wasn’t like this. Peter always remembered me because he has a friend with the same name. But last time I saw him, he was exhausted.
Cochran is now penniless and divorced last I heard.
I got ripped off for the Deluxe Last Unicorn edition by that snake. I’m still mad, esp as money is very tight.
Yeah, I mentioned those a couple of comments down. There were a few promised items that never were produced even though there were pre orders.
I’m dumber than most. Sometime in 2014, I got mad about the wait and found Colan’s phone number. I’d been emailing a pile of assistants, but I found his home number. He offered me a refund, but talked me out of it, since he was “so close” to getting them done.
Fucking snake. Seems on par for him.
We were last in line to meet Peter at the last show of the night and he was so exhausted. It was still such a positive experience, he’s so kind to everyone. I have almost no interest in meeting celebrities… Even ones I really like. but Peter Beagle, I would take to dinner.
Basically him and Liam O’Brien, I’d like to meet. Everyone else can get fucked lol