The publishing industry is embroiled in a controversy involving Taylor Barton, a 32-year-old non-binary fantasy author from Oregon, who has been accused of adopting multiple fake identities. Barton, also known as Taylor Brooke and Brooklyn Ray, faced accusations in 2020 of racially bullying other writers. An apology was issued by Barton in which they acknowledged their mistakes and pledged donations to The Trevor Project, although this was later contradicted by statements suggesting the apology was not sincere. Subsequently, Barton's works and association with their publisher were terminated.
In December 2020, a new author, "Jupiter Wyse," emerged, claiming to be queer and Latinx. Social media users soon linked Wyse to Barton due to striking similarities, leading to their agent dropping the author for deceit. Recently, another author, "Freydís Moon," has faced accusations of being another alias for Barton. Evidence provided includes comparisons of work and social media activities. Freydís Moon has denied these allegations, considering the attacks against them as part of a harmful trend in the industry.