Let’s keep this discussion friendly and avoid name calling.

It’s been very interesting so far.

And, sorry, but I’m a tad too busy to look after your affairs, but obviously your publisher/publicist hasn’t done the right thing by you with this book, so my advice would be that you get a good agent for the next one – especially if it’s going to be anywhere near as controversial as the last one. You might want to consider Christine’s offer.

And you’d better look up miscreant. No relation to ethics.

But obviously you’re referring to me. And, yes, I do have ethical issues with the way Lonely Planet operates. Which I’ve raised directly with them over the years (which I started raising well before your scandal) and which I’ve also openly blogged about. The best thing for LP would have been to see the lovely Wheelers downsize and take over the running of the company again. The best thing for me was to stop writing for LP and work for other publishers, which I’m doing. No ethical issues so far. And I haven’t come across any miscreants yet either.

Yes, great interview, Matt! Gosh, I’m sorry mine was so lame by comparison

I will be your new publicist for the next 20 seconds. Don’t bother getting into fights in blog comments. As much as you want to defend yourself, it doesn’t help.

The interview covered it, people are going to trash you or love you, and at the end of the day, you have a new book coming out and in a few years someone will write a book about how Travel Agents, not Guidebooks are evil, and everyone will jump to the Next Big Thing. Wasn’t there a couple of other travel writer memoirs that came out this year? Did they wreck the industry too?

Speaking as your publicist (for 5 more seconds) stay out the fray. The internet echo chamber is bad, but authors who overly defend themselves are worse. Is it guilt? Control? Insecurity? The need for guidance from a wise publicist (me)?

Of course, it’s amusing to read, and we love to get someone who will take the bait, but don’t do it! That is all. Your invoice is in the mail.

How is that for quoting out of context? Kohnstamm certainly did NOT make that statement, but those words are somewhere in his interview. This type of miss-reporting is done every day, and worse, when you have media that is clearly bent towards whatever value or political end their corporate sponsors support, some of what you read or hear are gross fabrications or even outright lies.

I have to agree with Kohnstamm’s view of the media. I was once told you don’t have a battle of words with people who buy ink by the 55 gallon drum.

Matt – you have a great interview technique. Please keep them coming. (I will have an interview with Tim Cahill on my site within the next couple of days. I just spent four days with Tim in Marin County, CA.)

If you believe my book could have such a massive impact or if you know how to get a publisher to dedicate so much time and so many resources to my books, I would very much like you to be my new agent. Screw it, I’d like you to be my editor, publisher and publicist too.

Together we’ll make millions and return truth to the media.

ps lone miscreant? you’ve never had any ethical issues with a major guidebook publisher?

But, I’m enjoying the comments. Hopefully the gloves won’t come off too much!

Your Churchhill quote belongs back in those days of “limited media”. As does the method you used (interviews) to quash the chatter.

Random House would have known that. It’s by no means impossible to fight a story such as that which occurred. Indeed it’s very easy if you’re willing to put the resources toward it. Next time there’s a similar controversy that you’re not a part of, sit back and see how it plays out in both the traditional and new media spheres. To say it’s impossible to challenge the chatter is what is naive.

Judging by your comments here, my guess is that perhaps Random House’s PR machine was, sadly, taking advantage of you to let the story play out and increase sales. Or maybe not. Maybe they’re not as well-oiled, as you’re suggesting (or were you referring to Lonely Planet?). But you shouldn’t lump all publishing houses together, that’s a bit harsh. I’ve been working with publishers for over 20 years and they’re not all as unsophisticated as you like to make out.
Or perhaps I should see that statement as an expression of the same naivety you accuse me of.

All publishers – including Random House – care about all of their books, and the press they get (and therefore how they sell). Even the small books. Because, as you’d know, it’s the small books, i.e. the small investments, that lend themselves to reaping the biggest returns if they could be so lucky as to attract the kind of controversy and column inches your book did.

The timing was lucky, or unlucky, depending on how you look at it – occurring at a time when, from what I’ve heard, disgruntled Lonely Planet staff and writers were venting frustrations and leaking to the press. I’m guessing you’re quoting author Jeanne Oliver’s leaked email about you that appeared in the press.

Still, regardless of how you want to defend yourself, it’s still sad for professional travel writers to see their profession tainted in the way it has been by one miscreant.

Well done to get such an interview.