When Books and Boycotts Collide: Why Fractured Deserves a Fair Shot

Right, let’s have a little chat about books, boycotts, and how the two don’t always mix well—especially if you’re a small author just trying to get your story out into the world.

First off, let’s talk about the book at the heart of all this: Fractured: The Sleeping Phoenix, Book 1. If you’re into fantasy with a dark twist, a bit of mystery, strong characters and a story that keeps you turning the page long after you should’ve gone to bed, this one’s for you, it certainly kept my wife up reading.  It’s got everything—magic, danger, secrets, and a world that feels both strange and familiar at the same time. Think His Dark Materials meets The Hunger Games, but with its own unique voice.

The author’s done a cracking job bringing this world to life. You can tell it wasn’t churned out by some AI or ghostwriter farm—it’s full of heart, grit, and imagination. The main character (no spoilers, don’t worry) goes through the kind of journey that sticks with you. There’s real depth here, not just flashy spells and dramatic cliffhangers. It’s the kind of story that makes you think, feel, and maybe even see yourself in it.

Sounds brilliant, right? You’d think a book like that would get the attention it deserves. But here’s where things get messy—because of politics, tariffs, and a bit of misguided anger, small authors like the one behind Fractured are getting caught in the crossfire.

So what’s all this about tariffs and boycotts?

Okay, let’s break it down. A tariff is basically a tax one country puts on goods coming from another country. So, if the USA puts a tariff on stuff made in the UK, it means it’ll cost more for Americans to buy British products. This can include anything from cars to cheese… and yes, sometimes books too.

Now, sometimes countries put tariffs in place to protect their own businesses. Other times, it’s done as a political move, like when leaders get into spats about trade or rules or whatever else is bothering them that week. Either way, tariffs can make people in both countries pretty grumpy.

This is where the boycotts come in. A boycott is when people choose not to buy stuff from a certain country or company as a way to protest. And while that can be powerful, it can also go a bit pear-shaped—especially when it ends up hurting the wrong people.

But wait, how does that affect authors?

Here’s the thing: when a boycott happens, it usually hits the big companies first. But small creators—like indie authors—feel it the hardest.

Let’s say someone in the UK is annoyed about US tariffs on British books. They decide to boycott American authors. Sounds simple enough, right?

Wrong.

Big-name authors with movie deals and publishers backing them will survive just fine. But the smaller ones? The ones writing from their kitchen tables, editing late at night after the kids are asleep, scraping together cash for a cover artist and a bit of marketing? Those are the people who suffer.

And it’s not just about money. Boycotts can make authors feel invisible. Like they don’t matter. Like all their hard work is getting buried under political noise they had nothing to do with.

Take Fractured: The Sleeping Phoenix for example. This isn’t some mass-produced book pumped out to fill shelves. This is a passion project. A story someone believed in enough to write, edit, polish, and push into the world. Every sale, every review, every recommendation means something real.

When people lump all US authors into one box and decide to boycott them, it’s like saying, “Your story doesn’t matter because of something your government did.” And honestly, that’s just not fair, especially in the case of Fractured, where the author was one of the 1000’s who lost their federal job recently (and who’s job was to make sure that money was being spent corrrectly).

Books are meant to bring people together

One of the best things about stories is how they cross borders. You can read a book from Japan, Nigeria, or Canada and be transported to a whole new world. You can connect with characters who live thousands of miles away but still feel exactly like you. Books make the world feel smaller and bigger all at once.

So when people start using books as a weapon in trade wars or political protests, it kind of ruins the magic, doesn’t it?

Imagine missing out on Fractured because you didn’t want to support an American author. You’d be skipping a brilliant story because of something that has nothing to do with the author or the actual book. It’s like refusing to listen to a song because of where the singer was born. Makes no sense, really.

What can we do instead?

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t care about politics or global trade. Of course you should. It’s important to stay informed and stand up for what you believe in. But there are smarter ways to protest than punishing small creators who are just trying to make a living doing what they love.

Instead of boycotting all US authors, why not:

• Support the ones who are independent and speak out about issues you care about.
• Use your platform (no matter how small) to highlight books that deserve more attention.
• Leave a positive review if you loved a book—it really does make a difference.
• Share stories that bring people together, not tear them apart.

And most importantly, read with an open mind and heart. Don’t let politics rob you of brilliant stories like Fractured.

Final thoughts: stories matter

At the end of the day, Fractured: The Sleeping Phoenix isn’t about trade deals or tariffs. It’s about people, choices, power, and hope. It’s about standing up when everything feels broken and finding your strength even when the world wants you to stay down. It’s a story that matters—and it deserves to be read.

So next time you’re thinking about what to read next, maybe give this one a go. Support the underdogs. The writers who don’t have giant marketing budgets or fancy publisher deals. The ones who write because they have to, because the story won’t leave them alone.

Let’s not punish the storytellers for decisions they had nothing to do with. Let’s lift them up.

Because the world needs more magic, more connection, and more voices like the one behind Fractured—not less.

Want to check out Fractured: The Sleeping Phoenix, Book 1 or the rest of the series? Look it up on this Amazon UK link https://amzn.to/42tFHAu ([Affiliate link]) or your favourite online book store, give it a go, and if you love it, tell someone else about it. That one small action could mean the world to a small author trying to make their voice heard in a noisy world.