Famous authors, new office, millions of bucks back anti-book banning campaign in Florida

Famous authors and millions of bucks are backing a campaign to combat book banning in Florida.

PEN America, a free speech organization, announced the news Wednesday morning, saying that it plans to open up a Florida center before the year's end to "host public events, wage campaigns and empower Florida citizens to defend their basic freedoms."

Bestselling detective and crime fiction author Michael Connelly and his wife, Linda McCaleb Connelly, committed $1 million for the campaign, which is focused on Florida and bans across the country, according to a PEN America press release. Other authors have contributed more than $3.6 million collectively.

The center will take root in Miami, said PEN America spokesperson Suzanne Trimel.

"PEN America’s new Miami-based office will allow us to respond faster and more effectively to censorship threats through grassroots organizing and targeted policy engagement," she wrote in an email.

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PEN America released a report only a couple of weeks ago finding that Florida had more book bans than any other state, making up 40% of the nation's banning.

“Seeing some of America’s most beloved and avidly read authors step to the front of the fight against book bans is inspiring," said PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel in a statement. "While some have been banned themselves, others have stepped up because they know that anyone who has ever curled up with a book is exercising a right worth fighting for and a right that - astonishingly - is under threat right here in the United States."

The authors involved have sold nearly 1.6 billion books together. They include:

• James Patterson, author of numerous best-selling books, including the "Alex Cross" series. His "Maximum Ride" series for young adults was removed from Martin County elementary school libraries.

• Judy Blume, also the author of many best sellers, including "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." Her 1975 novel, "Forever," also got put on Martin County School District's chopping block.

• Suzanne Collins, author of "The Hunger Games" books series, which was made into popular movies.

• Amanda Gorman, a 25-year-old poet who spoke at President Joe Biden's inauguration. That poem was published as a book, "The Hill We Climb," which was removed from a Miami-Dade County elementary school.

Two authors' takes

Another of those bestselling authors: Brad Meltzer.

A Tallahassee mom challenged his children's book, "I am Billie Jean King," taking issue with a page about how the tennis legend is lesbian.

"To me, it's just sad. It's heartbreaking," Meltzer said in a phone interview. "We're still dealing with and fighting book bans in 2023."

After a hearing, the Leon County School Board ultimately voted to keep the book on school shelves.

"But do you know how many resources were wasted here in my home state of Florida for that to happen?" said Meltzer, who lives in Fort Lauderdale. "Think of how many resources we're wasting right now here in Florida on hearings like this."

Meltzer says he's getting involved in the campaign to "open a frontier in Florida to fight back."

"My hope is that eventually the American people will together say, 'Enough,'" he said. "The road ahead of us is hard, but I do believe, in the end, we're going to win."

David Baldacci, bestselling author of titles like "Memory Man" and "The Innocent," says he has "no idea" if any of his books have been targeted in school libraries.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he said.

But Baldacci, who lives part of the year in North Florida, is still involved in the campaign.

"Today, it's books in schools," he said. "Tomorrow, it'll be books in public libraries. And the next day after that it'll be books in bookstores."

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Controversy

PEN America's announcement comes in the middle of "Banned Books Week," which began in 1982 and is marked by events hosted by libraries, bookstores and book access advocacy organizations across the nation.

But, in today's fiery culture wars, sides can't even agree on the term "banned book." Many conservatives point to how these books can be purchased from private book sellers, and accuse groups cataloging removed books — like PEN America — of exaggerating numbers.

Meanwhile, conservative group Moms for Liberty, which is leading the charge on removing certain books from schools, has named this week "Teach Kids to Read Week."

“When organizations such as Pen America, and those pushing for so-called ‘Banned Book Week’ continue to try to keep porn in schools we must fight back," said Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice, Moms for Liberty's co-founders, in a press release. "America’s kids no longer know how to read and rather than highlighting that issue, these groups want to allow kids to access pornographic materials and other inappropriate materials."

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Douglas Soule is based in Tallahassee, Fla. He can be reached at DSoule@gannett.com. Twitter: @DouglasSoule.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Famous authors join campaign to combat book bans in Florida