Maybe it’s just a coincidence?

“As many of you know, this novel has been somewhat…controversial,” Rutherford goes on.

Controversial? I discreetly pull out my phone and do a search for the novel title, plus the word “controversy.”

I gasp.

The men in front of me turn, and I try to cover the noise with a cough. When they turn back around, I return to my phone and read, Award-winning author Kenneth Michael Rutherford slammed for “ableist” views in recent novel.

Heart sinking, I skim the headlines—there aren’t many; his book just came out. The few reviews posted on retailer websites are either glowing five-stars praising his “forward thinking” or one-stars calling him “disgusting.”

I google his publisher; it’s a vanity press, which means the author fronts the costs of publication. The only reason a bestselling author like Rutherford would go that route is because no other publisher would work with him.

Up front, Rutherford is still talking: “From the beginning of the human race, those who were unable to contribute to the group were left behind. Our ancestors understood that to succeed as a species, they had to ensure that only the fittest individuals would survive and reproduce.”

Sickened, I try to block out his voice as I pull up BookFriends to message RJ—but stop myself. Aside from the anonymity issue, I’m not sure I want RJ to know I invited this vile human into my store.

Instead, I post in the literary fiction forum, where I never see RJ: Anyone know what’s up with Kenneth Michael Rutherford?

Answers from booksellers across the country appear right away:

DallasBooks: I heard his latest book endorses sterilization of individuals with disabilities.

BeautyandtheBook: No one knew about it until the book came out two days ago, because his publisher didn’t send out ARCs or submit for trade reviews.

IlikeBigBooks: There was a whole discussion about it yesterday in the PubDay forum

How did I miss that? I click over, and my dread grows. Sure enough, Rutherford’s novel promotes forced sterilization and outright eugenics of anyone with mental or physical disabilities, “for the good of the race.” The wording gives me horrified chills. My sister has a disability. This man would like to erase her from the face of the earth?

I fire off a text to Georgia.

Kenneth Michael Rutherford is a horrible human and I didn’t do my homework on his new book and now he’s in my bookstore.

I have to stop this. But before I can figure out what to do, my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Georgia: I just looked him up. He’s DISGUSTING.

Josie: I feel horrible for inviting him. For ever supporting him!

Georgia: How could you have known? The book just came out! It’s not your fault.