Help me defend myself against defamation claim

Hi, I'm Ros Barber. I'm an academic who got involved in researching the Shakespeare Authorship question nearly 20 years ago during my PhD. For fun, I have a small Substack newsletter called Adventures in the Authorship Question .

Earlier this year I published an humour piece reacting to a widely publicised Open Letter that objected to a book event at The London Library for Elizabeth Winkler's Book "Shakespeare Was A Woman And Other Heresies" (Simon & Schuster, 2023). In that piece, I made fun of the author of that Open Letter, who is long term detractor of authorship doubters and the SAQ.

The next month, following a high profile article by that person, and some additional information I had received, I wrote another humour piece and my own Open Letter.

Late in July, I received a Letter of Claim from the solicitors of the person I wrote about and am now having to defend myself against a claim of defamation.

I have recently lost my university post (which I held for 10 years) which was the source of my only significant income. Due to supporting my family single-handedly for the last 20, I have no savings. I am having to borrow to defend myself against the defamation claim. Responding to the initial letter cost just over £5,000 and we are now in the next phase.

I am asking for your help in funding my legal costs. Should the final bill be less than the monies raised, I will donate the remaining funds to the Shakespearean Authorship Trust.

Please name no names in any comments that you might leave. Your support either in donating or sharing, will be gratefully received.

Ros Barber