Planned release of late singer Aaron Carter’s memoir put on hold after backlash
LOS ANGELES – A planned release of Aaron Carter’s unfinished memoir has been put on hold after criticism by the late singer’s management and his former girlfriend Hilary Duff.
Mr Scott Atherton, the attorney who is currently representing publisher Ballast Books and author Andy Symonds, announced that Aaron Carter: An Incomplete Story Of An Incomplete Life would not be released as scheduled on Tuesday.
“Out of respect for the Carter family, my client has decided to defer the further release of the book at this time,” Mr Atherton said in a press statement.
“Mr Carter was not just a celebrity but also a father, a brother, a son and a friend to many still grieving for him.”
Carter, the younger brother of Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, was found dead in a bathtub at his residence in Lancaster, California on Nov 5. He was 34. He left behind a son, Prince, who will turn one on Nov 22.
Aaron Carter’s publicist told entertainment portal Page Six that the late singer had attempted to stop the publication of the memoir as it was “against his wishes”.
However, Mr Atherton said in the statement that Carter “wanted his story told”.
“He wanted our client, Andy Symonds, a well-respected journalist, and author, to tell that story with all its beauty and rawness,” the attorney said.
Duff, who met Carter when both of them were teen idols and dated him on and off till 2003, slammed the book as “a heartless money grab”.
An excerpt of the book had alleged that Duff and Carter had lost their virginity to each other when she was about 13 and he was about 12.
“It’s really sad that within a week of Aaron’s death, there’s a publisher that seems to be recklessly pushing a book out to capitalise on this tragedy without taking appropriate time or care to fact-check the validity of his work,” the 35-year-old American actress told British media outlet Daily Mail.
“To water down Aaron’s life story to what seems to be unverified click-bait for profit is disgusting.”
In the statement, Mr Atherton said: “Public attention has recently focused on a small number of interactions during Mr Carter’s early years. The more important story is about Mr Carter’s life and what people can learn from his professional success, personal struggles and tragic passing.”
According to a Nov 9 press release, Symonds had worked with Carter on the book for three years.
The latest statement did not include a new release date.
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