Hey Neil.
I'm a YA author from Hungary. We have new anti-lgbt laws in my country, and they affect books as well. I spoke up against these laws a couple of months ago, and some people threatened to spit on me at my book signings. I've always turned to your works and words of encouragement in hard times, but lately I feel I need a real pick-me-up as an author. And sadly, I feel like some of my childhood favorites, whom I always looked up to, have taken the wrong turn somewhere, and that breakes my heart. I wish I could turn to them for comfort as well. Can you give us authors some advice how to tune out the noise of those who try and bring us down, when we stand up for and write about queer people, women's and minority rights? I always try to look within, to reevaluate my moral compass, to check if I'm still doing or writing the good thing, and fighting the good fight. It's getting harder. Sometimes I'm even afraid to write.
Write your books. Write the stories you need to write. Be brave.
I'm also Hungarian and a couple years ago I asked Neil whether Sandman will continue against all the backlash it recieved for it's wide vareity of amazing characters. People simply didn't understand why I asked such a question, but at the time I was still living near Budapest and it was so hard to see all the negative comments directed towards a show that gave me so much comfort before leaving my country to start a new life. People thought it was strange I asked such a question and now that I live somewhere else I can understand why. It's hard to think that the rest of the world is different when you grew up in such an enviroment. At least it was for me.
Thought I'll reblog this because it made me happy to see a fellow Hungarian writer speak up about the censorship that is happening. I do think a lot about moving back, but then I remember when I saw my favourite books foiled up in shops so children can't open them or they were completely taken off the shelves. I'm following the news about the censorship and trying to spread the word and I really hope one day things will change, because I want to write something at home. It's home after all. My own language.
Again, went on quite long with this, point is as a Hungarian it's great to see someone speaking about this.
