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Author Siobhan Curham has said she had “some issues” with how the publication of Girl Online was handled but has asked people to stop harassing Zoe Sugg.
YouTube star Zoe Sugg became the fastest selling debut author since records began when Girl Online was published earlier this month. However, she soon became the subject of controversy on social media when her publisher Penguin admitted Curham helped write the book.
In a blog posted yesterday (10th December), Curham said she cannot for legal reasons talk about her involvement but said: “I did have some issues with how the project was managed. Issues which I expressed on more than one occasion. Issues which I'm afraid I'm not allowed to go into.”
However, she said these issues had nothing to do with Sugg. “I've seen at first hand how caring and considerate Zoe is. I've been very impressed with how she finds ways to use her (completely unexpected) fame to help others, whether that be through her vlogs, blogs, books or becoming a digital ambassador for the metal health charity Mind.”
Curham said it would be healthy to have a debate about transparency in celebrity publishing but asked people not to blame Sugg for a “practice that has been going on for years”.
Girl Online remained at the top of the UK Official Top 50 for a second straight week this week, selling a total of 134,080 copies since its release.